ushope777
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28 November 2011 - 11:33pm

Holidays: How do you celebrate? Traditions?

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Hello CL Friends!

I was thinking of starting a "what are we thankful for" thread, instead of the "pet peeve" thread, lol, but then I thought it would be nice to go broader and have a thread where you can choose to talk about one, or more holidays.

For example, tell us how you celebrated Thanksgiving? Did you have a fun time? Family? Friends? What was on the table? What are your favorite foods on the Thanksgiving table? Any traditional food or rituals that you have to have or go through on Thanksgiving?

What about the upcoming December holidays. Do you celebrate Christmas? Hanukkah? If Christmas, do you celebrate, mainly, on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? If Hanukkah, what are your traditions and timeline?

Do you have traditions surrounding the above holidays? What are your favorite holiday meals and is there something that just has to be on the table? Favorite holiday goodies, Christmas cookies, breads, etc?

How about touching or funny stories form holidays past? Any shopping nightmares? Do you exchange gifts or draw names or no more? Favorite holiday books/stories or movies? Songs?

Anything you can think of to share.

I know we are all so different in our traditions, and I would enjoy hearing about yours, and I will share some of mine, too.

Happy Holidays, everyone, and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, eating lots of turkey and pumpkin pie. 🙂 I am still working on our leftovers, lol, and I have the carcass in the freezer for a winter soup, when I am in the mood.

Cheers! 🙂

geGambleMaster
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29 November 2011 - 10:14am
#1

Once again great thread hope, your ideas are brilliant 🙂

As for thanksgiving, we do not have one in Georgia, but we do benefit from Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and all the thanksgiving-related sales and discounts 🙂 Feels great 😜

hope777

ushope777
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29 November 2011 - 7:22pm
#2

Awwww....I am blushing, GM. lol! I am just interested in people, and I love this great forum!

I ate SO much on Thanksgiving. I drove two hours north, to my 83-year-old mom's house, and I woke up there on TH morning and cooked for a dozen. My brother's family is eight people right there, and many big boys, so I had to cook a lot. We had a 21-pound turkey, and everyone loves my stuffing. I can never make enough. Mashed potatoes, gravy, mom's orange jello, lol, green bean casserole, corn, cranberries, dinner rolls, and relishes. Then apple pie and pumpkin pie, courtesy of my sister-in-law. Whipped cream, too, of course! I came home with quite a bit of leftovers and I had to drive home on a very full stomach, because two of my three sons who could travel with me had to work the next morning. Our table was full and we are blessed.

We also played games, and of course, football was on in the background. What is Thanksgiving without football? haha!

I will talk about some Christmas traditions next time, but I am full, again, just thinking about our Thanksgiving meal. lol

auCL-Ed
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5 December 2011 - 6:54am
#3

Sounds awesome. And a lot like how Christmas is here. We're a bit different being in the southern hemisphere though. Christmas means sun, beach and bbqs. And of course way too much food!

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7 December 2011 - 9:41pm
#4

I have always wanted to celebrate Christmas in a warm climate. Like in Florida or Hawaii, where Santa comes in on a kayak and in Florida they light up everything, including their boats for a holiday boat parade. I do NOT need snow to remind me it is Christmas, but I have it every year. I am done with White Christmas and freezing my arse off, lol. When I win that big win or the lottery, I am done with the four seasons and on to warmer weather: year 'round! 😉

I still have to share my traditions, but I am too tired to write my usual "novels," today, so I will spare you until I am more in the mood to write, lol.

Sounds like a GREAT time, CL-Ed. Do your children make Santa lists or do they still believe? Do they set out cookies and milk for Santa (or something better, lol) like mine used to when they were younger?

Get in here and share, everyone! I would love to hear about more of your traditions. 🙂

auCL-Ed
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8 December 2011 - 12:56am
#5

I might sound like a crotchety old bugger here but even I don't think I came up with a list as long as my little girl (5 yo) has. She has been telling us stuff she wanted Santa to bring since March!

She does the cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. I tried to tell her that Santa might like a beer last year but my dear wife said he's not allowed to drink and fly! So then I said he can take it with him and drink it when he gets back to the North Pole but they wouldn't let me. Can you believe it? We've also had to think of workarounds for not having a chimney in our house (leave one of the windows open a bit). Anyway the magic in her eyes the next morning when she wakes up and finds a few little leftover carrot crumbs on the plate is priceless!

So we have the best of both worlds - a magical fat guy all rugged up and delivering gifts on a sled and hopefully a nice warm and sunny day with lots of play outside for the kids!

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geGambleMaster
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8 December 2011 - 12:19pm
#6

For me, Christmas is strongly associated with snow, winter,cold weather and a family sitting in the warm house in front of the fireplace, around the table filled with delicious food, sweets and red wine- no sun, beach and sea for me on Christmas please 😂

ushope777
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9 December 2011 - 9:10pm
#7
CL-Ed wrote:

I might sound like a crotchety old bugger here but even I don't think I came up with a list as long as my little girl (5 yo) has. She has been telling us stuff she wanted Santa to bring since March!

She does the cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. I tried to tell her that Santa might like a beer last year but my dear wife said he's not allowed to drink and fly! So then I said he can take it with him and drink it when he gets back to the North Pole but they wouldn't let me. Can you believe it? We've also had to think of workarounds for not having a chimney in our house (leave one of the windows open a bit). Anyway the magic in her eyes the next morning when she wakes up and finds a few little leftover carrot crumbs on the plate is priceless!

So we have the best of both worlds - a magical fat guy all rugged up and delivering gifts on a sled and hopefully a nice warm and sunny day with lots of play outside for the kids!

CL-Ed. making me LOL again! Oh, and when the children are little and still believe....those were the most magical Christmases ever. I like the idea of the carrots for the reindeer. So sorry to hear Santa could not have his beer, lol! I will never forget the look of awe in my boys' eyes as they looked at the pretty tree lights and as they put out treats for Santa, or the joy of running down the stairs on Christmas Day to see what Santa left.

We always open our gifts on Christmas Eve...whoever in the family can attend. Then, on Christmas Day, Santa will have come during the night and dropped off the (usually larger, why did we always give SANTA the credit for the "big gift/s? lol) gift or two and filled the stocking.

Our traditions have changed through the years now that mom spends this holiday in Florida. She used to make a huge formal dinner, but now that it is just us siblings, we all bring appetizers and sweets and keep it simple. My boys are grown now, but I believe that Christmas is still about the children and those are the best Christmases ever, when my boys were young and/or when my nephews were still young enough to be in awe of it all. Still waiting for those grandchildren so I can experience it all again someday, through the eyes of a child.

I will share more later. Once again, I am in a hurry.

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9 December 2011 - 9:19pm
#8
GambleMaster wrote:

For me, Christmas is strongly associated with snow, winter,cold weather and a family sitting in the warm house in front of the fireplace, around the table filled with delicious food, sweets and red wine- no sun, beach and sea for me on Christmas please 😂

That is me, too, GM, but I am ready to just have these types of Christmases be in my memory and to experience a more "tropical Christmas," lol. I don't believe it will happen anytime soon, though, so I am still experiencing the type of holiday you describe above.

Oh! I just remembered a tradition I wanted to share that was very fun and the boys loved it!
Every year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve we would get them all in the van or car, and we would drive to neighborhoods that go "all out" with the outdoor decorations and lights and displays, and we would all be in the warm, cozy vehicle and view these displays from the warmth of the car/van. The boys just loved this and some were the same people who decorated, year after year, and really went "all out." The boys really looked forward to the drive to look at the lights.

We also brought them to the annual "Holidazzle parade" which is in downtown Minneapolis on the Nicollet Mall. Those in the parade actually volunteer to march out there in the sometimes, subzero temps, and people line the streets (or watch from the warm skyways if they can find a spot) and watch the parade. We did this many years in a row. First, we would go the Macy's display that has a different theme every year and is INDOORS. Free to the public and different themes each year like Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Santa';s workshop, and many more. At the exit there was a little shop that sold warm gingerbread cookies. We would grab one and then go out to watch the Holidazzle parade. Some years the temps are colder than others, depending upon what day we choose (it runs from Thanksgiving to before Christmas Eve...EVERY night!) so we really had to bundle up.

I haven't been for a few years, satisfied to catch a glimpse of the parade on TV and stay in where it is warm, lol

http://www.holidazzle.com/

http://www.holidazzle.com/page/show/234206-about-the-parade

Awesome photos of the parade:

http://www.google.com/search?q=holidazzle+parade+photos&hl=en&prmd=imvns...

gesalivan_genius
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14 December 2011 - 8:07am
#9

I agree with GM's associations, just a perfect Christmas. But actually I don't have fireplace and in most of the years in my life, there wasn't snow on Christmas 😢

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15 December 2011 - 5:48am
#10
hope777 wrote:

Oh! I just remembered a tradition I wanted to share that was very fun and the boys loved it!
Every year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve we would get them all in the van or car, and we would drive to neighborhoods that go "all out" with the outdoor decorations and lights and displays, and we would all be in the warm, cozy vehicle and view these displays from the warmth of the car/van. The boys just loved this and some were the same people who decorated, year after year, and really went "all out." The boys really looked forward to the drive to look at the lights.

This. I love it. We love doing that each year. There are certain streets where the neighbours go all out to outdo each other Clark Griswold style. Their electricity bills must be huge! We usually take the little ones up there and walk about so they can see all the lights. But now my daughter has started asking when are we going to do that to our house...

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15 December 2011 - 10:36pm
#11

Normally I spend my x-mas time at work. Havent had one single free x-mas holliday since I went in to the Nursing Profesion 8 years ago. Thats really fine with me. The fact that I as a single (well dating) person goes to work means that some friend with family can spend it at home. Working as a nurse during x-mas also gives you so much more back. You get to be a light and show what x-mas is all about to those who dont have the option (like me) to chose where they spend this time of the year. There is also the fact that x-mas is one of the most expensive time of the year to travel. So instead of going to my homeland now I will wait until end of Januari and save over 500usd on the ticket. (Yes its madness how expensive it is to fly sometimes within the nordic nations). Considering that x-mas is also the most well paid time of the year for nurses in the end my choise to stay at work and not go home in the end pays for my trip in January.

I do have my parents and a few brothers and sisters back home in Finland. But since my father use to be a seman away from home 3-6 months at a time my family has never put that much energy in to celebrating x-mas. Keep it simple, dont go out on a Mad shopping spree. Remember its not when we meet its the fact the we Meet and love eachother just as much, no matter time of the year...
that makes it special.

When it comes to x-mas food and stuff. Well to some pep it's important. For me it has never been an issue. Dont tend to like the Norwegian food with a lot og sheep and pork meat, but Im just as happy with the 20 kinds of different fish options.

Have a merry xmas all you pep out there in the world!
Tomas of North Cape Norway

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16 December 2011 - 2:52am
#12

I would love to say I have some great Christmas morning memories with my children, but it has not happened yet. I got the privilege of working last year for 12 hours on Christmas and will get that same luck this year 😢.

I have two year old twins and have yet to be able to watch them open their presents. It is kind of a bummer, but what are ya going to do?

One thing that we do before the big day is make Christmas cookies at my in-laws and then ice them. That is quite fun. Seeing my twins and step daughter having fun getting messy is a real treat.

I also decorate my house with lights each year and am trying to insist on getting a real tree each year. This year I went with a 10 1/2 foot tree for my 8 foot ceiling. It makes my 48 inch tv in the living room look tiny!

Now THAT is a tradition I can live with!

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20 December 2011 - 6:31pm
#13

for me christmas is associated with snow, whole family together celebrating, warm fire place, table loaded with food and "Coca-Cola's" holidays are coming commercials 😂 😂 but i would really love to celebrate christmas lying in a beach 🙂

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21 December 2011 - 4:38am
#14
barbadosslim93 wrote:

I would love to say I have some great Christmas morning memories with my children, but it has not happened yet. I got the privilege of working last year for 12 hours on Christmas and will get that same luck this year 😢.

I have two year old twins and have yet to be able to watch them open their presents. It is kind of a bummer, but what are ya going to do?

That sucks man. Its the best part of Christmas seeing their little eyes light up when they are given a nicely wrapped present.

In latest news, I broke my left arm the other day (well fractured, not completely snapped) and its in a cast so its going to be a one-armed Christmas for me. I'm going to need someone to cut up my Christmas dinner for me!

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22 December 2011 - 7:01pm
#15
NinutsaJashi wrote:

for me christmas is associated with snow, whole family together celebrating, warm fire place, table loaded with food and "Coca-Cola's" holidays are coming commercials 😂 😂 but i would really love to celebrate christmas lying in a beach 🙂

Oh! Me, too! Me, too! Can I please take next Christmas off and go to the beach? lol! We are having a "brown Christmas" this year, which is VERY unusual for Minnesota, USA! The temps are warm (for us this time of year), too. I am NOT complaining. 🙂

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22 December 2011 - 7:02pm
#16
CL-Ed wrote:

That sucks man. Its the best part of Christmas seeing their little eyes light up when they are given a nicely wrapped present.

In latest news, I broke my left arm the other day (well fractured, not completely snapped) and its in a cast so its going to be a one-armed Christmas for me. I'm going to need someone to cut up my Christmas dinner for me!

Oh, no, CL-Ed! Can you share how that happened? So sorry to hear this? Typing with one hand, too? Bummer! 😢

You are correct that children make Christmas magical.

This year, let them wait on you hand and foot, lol. 😉

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23 December 2011 - 7:00am
#17

Angry story ahead... 😠

I was playing soccer in my local 6-a-side evening competition and it was literally the last second of the game and this angry, fat goon with a temper (we were winning against the team that was leading the league so they weren't happy) smashes both legs out from under me in the last tackle of the game. I ended up with both feet in the air above my body and it was either put my arm down to break my fall or risk breaking my neck as i headed almost vertically straight down to the ground head first. So I landed on my wrist and arm and it broke.

It has taken a long time to write this message! not happy!

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23 December 2011 - 9:49pm
#18

Ed, red card for the doofus? Hope you are eating something easy on Christmas... I expect you can still drink a beer or two with one arm though, right?

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24 December 2011 - 4:39am
#19

Ed, I hope that your arm heals fast.

We are in a different state than relatives so we don't do a whole lot for the holidays. We usually like to watch some of the cartoon Christmas shows. I love the one with the red rider bb gun. I can't remember the name but I can watch that show over and over. We also like to take a drive and check out the Christmas lights.

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24 December 2011 - 5:35am
#20
barbadosslim93 wrote:

Ed, red card for the doofus? Hope you are eating something easy on Christmas... I expect you can still drink a beer or two with one arm though, right?

No that was the worst part. The referee just ended the game there and then and the clown got away with it. Beers are definitely still doable which is a relief!

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25 December 2011 - 6:37pm
#21
CL-Ed wrote:

Angry story ahead... 😠

I was playing soccer in my local 6-a-side evening competition and it was literally the last second of the game and this angry, fat goon with a temper (we were winning against the team that was leading the league so they weren't happy) smashes both legs out from under me in the last tackle of the game. I ended up with both feet in the air above my body and it was either put my arm down to break my fall or risk breaking my neck as i headed almost vertically straight down to the ground head first. So I landed on my wrist and arm and it broke.

It has taken a long time to write this message! not happy!

Grrrr....I am angry FOR you, CL-Ed, but I did have to lmao @ "angry, fat goon." That is just what it sounds like he IS! 😢

In honor of your injury, I will try very hard not to ask too many questions until you have healed, lol. I am so thankful that it WAS your arm and not your neck! You are out there playing a game, and you end up risking your life!

Well, sit back, like I said, let everyone wait on you hand and foot and heal well and fast.

Merry Christmas and many blessings in the New Year, to you and yours. 🙂

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26 December 2011 - 2:57am
#22

Merry Christmas everyone!

CL-Ed

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26 December 2011 - 12:34pm
#23

Merry Christmas to you all! I think this is the right thread to celebrate! May your days be merry and bright and all your Christmases be white! 🎧

CL-Ed

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26 December 2011 - 1:51pm
#24

Merry Christmas! Wish you all the best!

In my country we celebrate Christmas on 7th of January and in one region there are special pies baked for Christmas, with egg and cheese. And my mother is from that region and she makes those Christmas pies every year.

CL-Ed

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26 December 2011 - 11:43pm
#25

Christmas pies sound so good, SG! I love the foods and recipes that we pass down and I love anything homemade. Why is that everyone's cooking and baking always tastes so much better to me? We had a lot of good food in the past few days.

I also would like to say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all, no matter what or when you celebrate. I hope you had a relaxing, joy-filled Holiday Season, and I would also like to wish you all a very happy, and blessed, New Year!

Cheers! 😉

Hope

CL-Ed