Rena
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Warmonger
Posts: 192
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Post by Rena on Dec 3, 2009 8:11:51 GMT -8
I have this pesky Real Adult Job thing now, so I'll only be getting home for the holidays on Christmas Eve, and have to return a couple days later (I'm used to college breaks, and having a month off for the holidays <.<). But there is a Christmas tree barn on the corner of the street where I live now, so I'll just go stand in front of it and sniff pine trees and be all nostalgic 'til I actually fly home and maybe I'll convince my roommates to buy a Christmas tree. If I promise to clean up all the dead needly bits. For Christmas day itself, my family usually does the presents thing in the am ("Santa" still puts out the presents and stuffs the stockings late on Christmas Eve, even though my little brother is 19 and I'm 22, lol), then we either have relatives over for most of the day, or we go to the relatives', depending on whose turn it is to host Christmas (I think it's us this year, but I'm not sure?). And since no one buy my aunt can really cook, if it's not at her house, something is guaranteed to set on fire in the dinner-making process so it's exciting and all that, getting out the fire extinguisher/pot of water/towel to beat out flames >.>
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Elektra
New Member
Obsession. Compulsion. Perfection.[C01:Grey]
Posts: 950
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Post by Elektra on Dec 3, 2009 8:16:29 GMT -8
LMFAO. Sounds like so much fun.
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Post by Bug Merovingian on Dec 3, 2009 8:54:13 GMT -8
lol This is what I am liking here. The general theme so far is about spending quality time with those you care for. Many people have lost sight of what it's all about due to the over-commercialism of Christmas. Here's what we do.... My wife and I argue about when the decorations will start being set in place. She wants to start the day after Thanksgiving, and I say no. It's too soon. I always lose, but it's a tradition for us now, and the kids laugh at us. On Christmas Eve, the wife and the kids start begging for one present. I still say no, but lose that as well. The whole time we are laughing and picking on eachother incessantly. Later on Christmas Eve, after eating someting tasty my wife will have cooked, we sit in the livingroom and watch White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Danny Kay, and munch on some popcorn. Which will sometimes become projectiles ;D Then on Christmas morning, I am the first one up. Usually between 4 and 5am. As soon as I wake, I am start jumping on our bed and repeatedly yelling, "It's Christmas!!" I then race down stairs to our kids rooms and repeat the process with each of them. I get yelled at a lot. I am like a big kid on Christmas. I get so excited seeing everyone's faces as they open thier gifts that I can't wait for them to wake on thier own. While I am terrorizing our children, my wife get's up (while grumbling about her childish husband) and makes coffee and fresh hot cinimon buns. *drools*. Later after we have eaten the huge meal she took two days to make, we all sit around looking at each other and burping contentedly. Then we make all of our calls and such. People tend to float in and out paying us visits. So in short, we stay home as there would never be enough time to visit everyone. My mother has 16 siblings and my father has 9 and a majority of my cousins are grown and have families of thier own. Too many people to go and see all in one day. Oh! as for snow.... we get plenty! We live in Vermont. Coincidentally the primary setting for the movie White Christmas
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Jair
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Posts: 48
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Post by Jair on Dec 3, 2009 9:15:01 GMT -8
I reunited with my dad for the first time in eighteen years this past March, and I've been seeing more of him lately... I'm pretty sure he's getting a hotel down here for Christmas week. I'm not sure what it will be like, because I don't know my dad that well yet, but I'm kind of excited. We're going to my aunt's house for a small Christmas Eve get together, just me, my mom, my aunt, my cousin and her daughter. I got my mom the massage chair she's always wanted for her back this year, my first time shopping during Black Friday. I'm glad to get her something. I wish Nathan and Carlitos (my brothers) would come, but I don't think they're going to. I just miss them a lot. We're cooking ham my mom's way. Using Coca Cola and two big brown paper bags. We already have a tree, but it's not our normal tree. It's miniature, and purple, with miniature silver ornaments. This is our first year having Christmas in our own home since we lost our house, so I don't think I'll be getting much... but that's okay. It means a lot to me to finally have my dad and my brother in my life, even if my dad isn't the perfect person. For Christmas breakfast, I think I'm going to get him to make juevos rancheros from scratch. What I would really like for Christmas, material wise, is a new viola or cello... but that won't happen. Again, I'm okay with that. All I need is my family together. eta: The night before Christmas Eve, since my mom has to work at the hospital on Christmas night, my mom and I are going to have our own night together and watch Annabelle's Wish. That's our thing. Then we're going to bake cookies. We're also putting together a laundry basket of food for the homeless people under the bridge... the shelters are filled up, and city council hasn't done anything to help these people, so they're in one and two man tents, in the snow. Living. I'm going to use my saved money to buy them a ham or two, and we'll take it to them when it's hot... I don't know how I forgot that. -Claire
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Elektra
New Member
Obsession. Compulsion. Perfection.[C01:Grey]
Posts: 950
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Post by Elektra on Dec 3, 2009 10:23:21 GMT -8
lol This is what I am liking here. The general theme so far is about spending quality time with those you care for. Many people have lost sight of what it's all about due to the over-commercialism of Christmas. Here's what we do.... My wife and I argue about when the decorations will start being set in place. She wants to start the day after Thanksgiving, and I say no. It's too soon. I always lose, but it's a tradition for us now, and the kids laugh at us. On Christmas Eve, the wife and the kids start begging for one present. I still say no, but lose that as well. The whole time we are laughing and picking on eachother incessantly. Later on Christmas Eve, after eating someting tasty my wife will have cooked, we sit in the livingroom and watch White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Danny Kay, and munch on some popcorn. Which will sometimes become projectiles ;D Then on Christmas morning, I am the first one up. Usually between 4 and 5am. As soon as I wake, I am start jumping on our bed and repeatedly yelling, "It's Christmas!!" I then race down stairs to our kids rooms and repeat the process with each of them. I get yelled at a lot. I am like a big kid on Christmas. I get so excited seeing everyone's faces as they open thier gifts that I can't wait for them to wake on thier own. While I am terrorizing our children, my wife get's up (while grumbling about her childish husband) and makes coffee and fresh hot cinimon buns. *drools*. Later after we have eaten the huge meal she took two days to make, we all sit around looking at each other and burping contentedly. Then we make all of our calls and such. People tend to float in and out paying us visits. So in short, we stay home as there would never be enough time to visit everyone. My mother has 16 siblings and my father has 9 and a majority of my cousins are grown and have families of thier own. Too many people to go and see all in one day. Oh! as for snow.... we get plenty! We live in Vermont. Coincidentally the primary setting for the movie White Christmas That's just awesome.
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Damari
New Member
[C01:Yellow]
Posts: 1,410
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Post by Damari on Dec 3, 2009 11:48:54 GMT -8
"Where are Christmas, why can't I find you? When we were children and it was Christmas time, alot of us enjoyed being with family on Christmas Eve. There was music echoing throughout the house, laughter and family gathered around to open at least one gift before the next morning. When we were children, we probably couldn't sleep on Christmas Eve night and believed that Santa was in our houses putting gifts under the tree, too hesitant to creep down the stairs and see. The magical famous Reindeer named Rudolph, we'd imagine, lighting his nose and standing up on the roof top adding a that cozy glow upon the freshly fallen snow. Next morning, you awaken with excitement and probably jump on your parents' bed to wake them up. But as we get older, people start to realize that the big jolly fat guy that brought them cheer doesn't exist and that the famous reindeer doesn't either. It takes away the fun 'definition' of Christmas for you and it doesn't feel like the same ones you've had as a young child. My favorite childhood memories of Christmas was when my family from other states came to my house on Christmas Eve with gifts, food and music. My mother and grandmother baking treats in the kitchen, which filled the house with an enriched aroma of Gingerbread. Christmas tree lit up, music playing and the sounds of laughter. Little me, sitting on my uncle's lap pulling at his beard, dressed in a cute outfit. Each Christmas Eve we were allowed to open two gifts before Christmas morning. And when everyone left, I'd dash up to my room and try to sleep the night away.But now but that I'm an adult now and Christmas Eve is just spent with me, my sister and parents. It's really not the same anymore. Time really has gone by fast and we don't even realize that. Now, it's my neice's turn to experience what I did. Although I'm not a child anymore, during this time of year I'm one at heart, trying to re-live this memory. My question is this. What is your most cherished childhood memory of Christmas? Just moved this here as well if anyone wants to answer - OR if you wish answer in the other thread.
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Damari
New Member
[C01:Yellow]
Posts: 1,410
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Post by Damari on Dec 3, 2009 12:30:29 GMT -8
My parents never went the way of Santa. My Dad was a very pragmatic down to earth fellow who himself was raised by frugal post-depression parents. He wasn’t wasteful and while he was waaaay generous in different ways. He did and still does object to giving presents for present’s sake.
I think growing up I got a grand total of one birthday party, which was my 5th and I can’t remember getting a Christmas Present from my parents. Sometimes got one for an Aunty or Uncle. But that was rare too.
My memories for Christmas is having Dad take weeks off work during the holidays and we’d head to our Uncle’s beach house and spend the whooooooooooooooooole summer on the beach, taking the boat out to Saddle Island, fetching beer & wine for Mum and Dad and Uncles & Aunties. We’d take “Joint Venture” (the flat bottom launch Dad helped build with my Uncle) out with everyone on it Christmas Day and spend that whole day on an island somewhere, snorkelling, diving out off the point, free diving for seafood or crabs.
We’d play like little natives with the cousins, in the water out of the water, in the water, out of the water. Riding our little zoom zoom vespers. Regatta Day, rowing the dinghy out into the mangroves by accident and wailing like a baby until an adult came to save me *coughs* And just wild abandon really.
That is my childhood memories summed up really.
My daughters head to the US for their Christmas so the traditions there are so much different, a little more decadent and gift-centric. Which is cool, cause the girls love it. I do try though, to get at least a week at the beach for them when they’re here before school starts back. Just so they can live that joy too.
I loved both ways to celebrate, since for me, Christmas was always first about our family and still is.
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Post by Katastrophe St. John-Talon on Dec 3, 2009 16:03:18 GMT -8
I really love the idea of this thread. I'm hosting this year for the first time in... three or four years? I love traveling to visit my parents because the likelihood of snow there far outweighs any chance of us getting it here. However, as I write this, I'm watching the news where the talk is about the "big winter storm" we will get tomorrow. People, this is how nuts Central Texans (and those South) get about snow: they think we'll get a whopping half an inch! Yeah, it's rare. Anyway, that's more about snow and not about Christmas. The only reason I managed to garner this year's privilege of not driving is because I'm a month from my scheduled c-section date. Everyone is hoping I'll deliver before Christmas, but we'll have to wait and see. Oh, and even though it's at my house, my mom is cooking, does that rock or what?? My husband and I used to extend the tradition started in my family of going to a Christmas tree farm and cutting down our own tree. But after noticing how much of an affect it had on Ethan's allergies and finally admitting that it affected mine, we went the route of an artificial tree a couple years ago. No more cats puking up tree needles! On Christmas Eve, we all go to church (whether my dad goes is a toss of the coin), and as someone else mentioned they do, we also just eat crackers, cheese, meats, fruit, etc for dinner. We put a Texas twist on it and also throw in chips and queso. We don't open presents until Christmas Day and yeah, my parents still play Santa with me and my brother and they've adopted doing it with my husband, too. My husband and I reserve the right of being Santa for our son, though. I'm grateful that my family will be coming in this year and I'm looking forward to seeing them again.
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Post by nitenurse on Dec 3, 2009 17:44:48 GMT -8
Kat... any of them who are angling for the pre-Christmas delivery... I have one thing to say... NICU. Yes, I could say more... and trust me, I have enough horror stories to scare anyone. You'll be fine. Anyway. I'm heading to Ohio to do Christmas with the family. I only get to go every other year. Because of work, I alternate Christmas/ New Year. The traditions of the past are drastically altered because of my parents failing health. Christmas eve is a short get together and the "opening of the box".... the stuff I ship. We go the midnight service. My nephew plays the trumpet... and I'm sure my niece (the music major) will do something as well. I looooove the music at that service. Have memories of this fantastic tenor at my church in Texas singing "Oh holy night" that would give you chills. Anyway... Christmas day, we'll do lunch with Mom and Dad at the nursing home (yeah... they're at that point in life and it SUCKS. This is also the first holiday without my brother-in-law's mom so we're dealing with family loss). After we all take naps we'll have "fun christmas". Lots of gifts, many homemade, lots of drink and food... and usually it's midnight before we all settle in. Then shop the boxing day sales on the 26th and drink a toast to my late aunt who taught us the fine tradition of whapping people with wrapping paper rolls.
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Post by Delphine on Dec 4, 2009 20:12:20 GMT -8
I'm also heading to Ohio, to see the in-law family... traditional dinner together and gift sharing
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Tifereth
New Member
Because some people have short memory.
Posts: 472
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Post by Tifereth on Dec 4, 2009 20:27:43 GMT -8
drink
I LOOOOOOVE YOU ELEEEEENNN
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Juliana
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Add something cryptic here.
Posts: 127
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Post by Juliana on Dec 4, 2009 21:20:47 GMT -8
My favorite christmas memory... hmmm
Okay here, goes, I didn't have that many. Really shitty childhood and I am sad to say I don't remember very much of them. What I do remember is really sparse. I enjoyied going over to dad #1's grandparents house and sharing in with my cousins, They adopted me because my mother never married until she was Thrity five to my step dad, dad #2. Its all very complicated, I was fifteen then, Yadda yadda My mom cared for her new family more than me. I bolted out of there when I was 17 and got on with my life. Back to christmas. My dad #1's family was awesome, we did the pickle thing at my grandmas house, and then we did the who did it present at my grandpa's house, gennerally presents got thrown out the window into two feet of snow, stuffed down the garbage disposal, flushed down the toliet, or tapped to the cieling, and even set on fire in the furnise. We never knew if they were real or not. And to top it all of we got a pinata filled with candy and pocket change. I was always the one to beat my cousins to knock it down, over the years the two Bri and Nate, counted on me to knock it down, leave it to them to leave me nothing but candy as they horded the change, and the occassional dollar bill. I have had more fun with my dad #1 than any of the my other dads, yes I have actually three of them, and I just recently met my real biological father, its unfortuanate because I had really wanted to meet my granmother, but she passed just a few short months after finding my Dad.
So when I found out I was prego with my daughter, I vowed to mix all the family traditions and as she gets older, spoil her rotton on christmas. Maybe its because I was never spoiled rotton, that I feel the need to. But I like traditions and just this evening we decorated our own very messy ginger bread house we plan to do one every year. Which my three year old, almost four deems. "perfect, and beautiful." We ate all the candy we didnt use and made a run way for the reigndeer to land on, and giggled the entire time saying to each other.
"Your the princess." and my daughter would look at me smile, while eating a star shaped candied tart.
"No your, the princess mama." My husband would correct her and say I was the queen and he was king, and we'd live all happily in our castle for ever and ever.
This is the best part of christmas for me, no more bad ones, just good ones and ones spent with my family, giggling over star shapped candied tarts, with frosting in our hair.
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Frances
New Member
I'm going to break your heart, and get away murder.
Posts: 103
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Post by Frances on Dec 5, 2009 14:50:09 GMT -8
Well let's see. Every since I started getting older, I started to despise Christmas more and more. I find it just too over-commercialized. But. Oh course I get into the spirit for the family; since I'm living with my Grandmother, and I'd hate to let her down. So, for those who don't know, I'm an Australia; hence living down under. And OF COURSE my family has the stereotypical Australian Christmas. Y'see. We don't get the snow.. And cold weather.. We get 40 degree celcius heat. So. After opening gifts, and catch up, we all drive, or walk (Depending whose house the party is at) down to the beach. Sometimes we take the portable barbeque, and quite literally. 'Put the shrimps on the barbi'. We drink beers, dive off the warf and stay there 'til sunset. 'Til we're red-raw with sunburn. Overall. It's a good enough day. OH! And this Christmas is going to be a tad different .. I'm meeting all of my Partner's family at his Christmas dinner. I'll try my best to be on my best behavior. Hurr.
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Mina
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Muse[C01:F8F8FF]
Posts: 92
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Post by Mina on Dec 5, 2009 17:33:10 GMT -8
The Mania came for me Thanksgiving. I was at my ex-husbands family affair with Rob. Yes they insisted Also with Angel the player to Angels realm. So 150 people in a church hall, with the ex’s family, new beau and a friend who had never witnessed an American Thanksgiving; I am normally done with holidays with that.
I have never enjoyed the Christmas festivities. I am normally the person you know wanting a pink tree or even better no tree. This year it all changed…I have a traditional tree; almost all the gifts are bought. I am completely calm, and even enjoying hot cocoa while listening to softly played music. I think that this year changed for me because for the first time in many years I was happy before the bustle began and now it does not weigh me down.
Kat
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Jair
New Member
Posts: 48
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Post by Jair on Dec 6, 2009 21:38:04 GMT -8
I have the next best thing. A purple tree!
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