Holiday Ideas
KosmosKitten
Posts: 10,476 Member
What do y'all do for the holidays? How do you celebrate? What traditions are specific to you and yours?
In our family, the Advent Calendar is a thing. We don't put a big spin on the purpose of the calendar more than counting down the days, but every year, the calendar has a theme.
This year, it's books. I've scoured around to find inexpensive books and traded books on a site I'm member to so my son will receive one book every day leading up to Christmas. Last year, it was a LEGO advent calendar (grandparents sent that) and one new Yokai Watch medal for his watch.
A lot of the other traditions have sadly died out as the family has changed, moved and expanded over the years.
The one that my son and husband do is last-minute Christmas shopping on Dec. 24th. Why?? I think they're both nuts, lol.
What about you? Traditions? Foods that show up every year? Trawling around looking at Christmas lights? A specific day to set up the tree?
In our family, the Advent Calendar is a thing. We don't put a big spin on the purpose of the calendar more than counting down the days, but every year, the calendar has a theme.
This year, it's books. I've scoured around to find inexpensive books and traded books on a site I'm member to so my son will receive one book every day leading up to Christmas. Last year, it was a LEGO advent calendar (grandparents sent that) and one new Yokai Watch medal for his watch.
A lot of the other traditions have sadly died out as the family has changed, moved and expanded over the years.
The one that my son and husband do is last-minute Christmas shopping on Dec. 24th. Why?? I think they're both nuts, lol.
What about you? Traditions? Foods that show up every year? Trawling around looking at Christmas lights? A specific day to set up the tree?
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Replies
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This year I’m going all out. I haven’t done so for the past 5 years. Having my loved ones over. Going to make stocking stuffers for each one and do a pj photo with everyone.3
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For me, Christmas is mostly all about Dec. 24, my husband and I exchange stocking stuffers together and then take my senior mom out for dinner (usually Mexican or Asian) and go back to her place and exchange gifts with Christmas music playing and/or a holiday movie on. She makes fudge and candy and we have a couple pieces.
We started a new tradition last year of going on a long walk later on Christmas Eve to see all the lights in our neighborhood. Even if it's cold, we're going to try and continue that. We live in southern Missouri so it's a toss-up, usually pretty moderate temps but always a chance of ice/snow, too. Last year we did this from about 9-11 pm and actually ran into some people we know which was funny because our neighborhood is central and populated...but not a busy "city" type of place.
Leading up to Christmas, we decorate a little bit (small tree and stuff) and like to go out into brick-and-mortar stores especially during their later holiday hours when it's not too busy. We do buy most gifts online but enjoy the in-store experience and hustle/bustle somewhat too. We go to visit our friends in 2 other cities and usually catch a holiday parade or see big light displays. I almost always see a Christmas movie and/or play with my mom during Nov-Dec too. This year we've watched the movie Last Christmas and went to a local high school production of ELF.
Actual Christmas Day is very laid back for us. We get up a little late and go over to my dad & stepmom's house (just a few miles away) and we all make a big brunch. Then we lounge around, open gifts and talk for hours...usually until late in the afternoon. My stepsister and her husband generally stop by too (we also exchange presents with them). After that we come home & clean and take down decorations while listening to NOT Christmasy music...because I'm weird like that and can't stand any sign of the holidays after Dec. 25th is over
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I was shopping at the mall, for Christmas gifts & saw a pair of shoes, that I chose to try upon. I decided, not to purchase them but at the end of my trip I realized that I left the $20 bill, that I was gonna use to pay for them within the box.
It was a shoe store, where you had to ask someone to get the shoes for you & the box, was open. I figured that if I went back to ask for the shoes again, they'd find it, keep it, tell me there was nothing within the box after I'd search it, it not be the correct box or someone else bought them, by then & I'd miss my bus, for nothing.
However I didn't necessarily need the money, even though my choice to not buy the shoes was to apply it to another gift for someone else & that's exactly, what I did but obviously not for anyone I knew as I originally planned, it was for the person whom eventually bought those shoes.
Afterwards I made it a tradition to pay for someone else's gift by leaving a $20 bill within a pocket or purse I'd walk by whilst Christmas shopping, until I became too disabled to travel & shop at stores, like that.5 -
I don't have a family, so I've never had traditions... but I'm moving into a new apt this week & will buy a small tree. I hope I can find one with roots, so I can give it away to someone to plant later. I've seen rosemary bushes in planters, so that would be fun, too... then I can dry the rosemary & use it for cooking.
So, starting my own tradition of a tree this year. And, Christmas carols playing all month... love that.
Merry Christmas, All!2 -
This has me all nostalgic, reflective of how "traditions" have changed.
I used to hate Christmas as a kid because we had to go to so many places, my brother and I never got to open our presents at home until Boxing Day usually. (I know, boo-hoo...shut up, your a grown up now! And what a shame you had to go visit so many people, you ungrateful little brat!)
Now it's significantly quieter, I spend Christmas day with my mom and stepfather and brother. We eat those frozen hors d'oeuvres (cooked!) and open presents and watch a movie typically. We have 2 family gatherings as well.
(I lol'ed at my first attempt at spelling "hors d'oeuvre"!...it was bad!! Thanks Google!)
I'm not into decorations, but I bought lights at the dollar store this year and I LOVE THEM!! Truth - they aren't coming down any time in the foreseeable future!
Last year I made a "tree" with a bunch of different evergreen branches and some dogwood and tied it with a bow. This year I plan to do the same, or buy a potted tree and plant it in the spring.4 -
I'm not into decorations, but I bought lights at the dollar store this year and I LOVE THEM!! Truth - they aren't coming down any time in the foreseeable future!
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My neighbors took theirs down to put up their halloween decorations. Please, please, please tell me you will take them down before Halloween!1 -
We travel every Christmas. It's our tradition as it got too difficult trying to please everyone. So when our eldest was born, we decided to go away just us for his first Christmas. This year, we're doing a 3 week road trip and have swapped houses over Christmas so we'll be in a home rather than hotel or a pristine airbnb. I do try to book quirky airbnbs over Christmas but those are becoming very expensive. Plus a house swap means we have the comforts of home plus usually a car too.
We buy and wrap new pyjamas, pack hot chocolate and marshmallows into a mug and wrap it. This is unwrapped on the 24th wherever we are. We shower, bath, swim (in Singapore we swam in the rain), change, make hot chocolate and watch silly movies till whenever we fall asleep! The children love it and I hope they keep loving it as they grow older.
It packs small (we travel very light) and we can take it anywhere! The packages went to 5 countries with us in 2018!0 -
Last year I made a "tree" with a bunch of different evergreen branches and some dogwood and tied it with a bow. This year I plan to do the same, or buy a potted tree and plant it in the spring.
That sounds like a wonderful idea, VV. If you don't mind sharing & you assemble your own tree, could you post a pic once you've finished? I'd love to do my own arts & crafts Christmas project.
Merry Christmas!1 -
We always do stocking stuffers for the kiddos with new pjs, candy and some kind of favorite movie so we can watch them together. We travel the week right after every year to family in NW AR and last year the kids decided they wanted to spend their Christmas (or just before) somewhere special. We as a family love Colorado and can drive it in a day easy. The kids have never been to Estes Park and that where we went on our honeymoon, so we suggested it.
Here we are two weeks away and we're all chomping at the bit for it. We're going the 18-23rd and staying in an AirBnb.
Heard last week when they had the last big storm Estes got like 32"......can't wait.0 -
corinasue1143 wrote: »
I'm not into decorations, but I bought lights at the dollar store this year and I LOVE THEM!! Truth - they aren't coming down any time in the foreseeable future!
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My neighbors took theirs down to put up their halloween decorations. Please, please, please tell me you will take them down before Halloween!
No worries! They are inside lights...for my viewing pleasure only! But I have to say, I'm having to restrain myself from buying more, and more and MORE!!1 -
TarryTaffy wrote: »Last year I made a "tree" with a bunch of different evergreen branches and some dogwood and tied it with a bow. This year I plan to do the same, or buy a potted tree and plant it in the spring.
That sounds like a wonderful idea, VV. If you don't mind sharing & you assemble your own tree, could you post a pic once you've finished? I'd love to do my own arts & crafts Christmas project.
Merry Christmas!
Will do!
One tip, I found when I was taking clippings last year - what seemed "small" outdoors was way bigger than I wanted for indoors.
Also nice for a "holiday" bouquet - clip a few evergreen branches and mix with red carnations (my favourite flower b/c they last long and basically unscented)1 -
My only family is my dad and the SO is usually out of town working on Christmas so it's just me, dad and my buddy (whose family is a little fractured) for Christmas dinner. Last year my dad was in hospital so it was just me and my buddy. I pre-cook a lot of stuff Christmas Eve so it's less work on Christmas Day itself.
I mostly decorate outside. I did that today. There's some lighted pine garland on the railings and some tinsel with big velvet bows, wreaths on the doors. I haven't done a full size tree in decades, I just have a little fiberoptic tree that I plug in. I have a potted Norfolk Island Pine that I used to hang mini decorations on when it was smaller.
I think my favourite part of Christmas is sending and receiving cards.
I'm not really into Christmas. The emphasis on "spending time with family" just underscores for me the fact that I have none and I find it mostly depressing.2 -
Will do!
One tip, I found when I was taking clippings last year - what seemed "small" outdoors was way bigger than I wanted for indoors.
Also nice for a "holiday" bouquet - clip a few evergreen branches and mix with red carnations (my favourite flower b/c they last long and basically unscented)
Great tips, thank you!0
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