December Week 2 Group Challenge - Holiday Happenings

jessicakrall8
jessicakrall8 Posts: 5,516 Member
edited December 15 in Social Groups
bq94n8wyhvw6.jpg

This week we're having a visual group challenge...each day there will be a holiday word and a feeling posted...run with one, the other or both...your choice, but post a picture or video each day with your one or two choices. Bonus points if you share a story from your holiday experience and/or get healthier journey...get creative...I'm sure you have lots of inspiration in your neighborhood, town or in your own house! Include the kids and the pets, as well!! Feel free to share your feelings too of the upcoming holidays. The holidays can be wonderful or they can be difficult, as we're all going through different things right now. Let this be a source of comfort for you, if it's a not-so-pleasant time of year, this year. We want to be there to support you in good times and bad...

Sun, Dec 8th - Decorations, Joy
Mon, Dec 9th - Snow, Peace
Tue, Dec 10th - Family Traditions, Reflective
Wed, Dec 11th - Holiday songs, Comfort
Thu, Dec 12th - Holiday Memories, Loneliness
Fri, Dec 13th - Giving, Grateful
Sat, Dec 14th - Community Events, Excited


Looking forward to your thoughts...see you in the chat thread!
Jessica

0ach0x6keul8.jpg
«1

Replies

  • Curvestina
    Curvestina Posts: 46 Member
    Turning on the Christmas lights and watching some Christmas movies definitely brings me joy.

    w53xof1k09tv.jpeg

    🤎✨
  • micaroo4
    micaroo4 Posts: 3,958 Member
    7xk6heiyurqh.jpg
  • micaroo4
    micaroo4 Posts: 3,958 Member
    gvoatz0clm0n.jpg
    This one is my favorite
  • micaroo4
    micaroo4 Posts: 3,958 Member
    s2827r5qa1bi.jpg
    This is Bentley. He's a joyful decoration ☃️
  • Emilienewme
    Emilienewme Posts: 557 Member
    @micaroo4 I love be that your snowman decoration has a name!


    i5cshz8xzyqe.jpg

    These are my window jellies. It started small but I may or may not have been buying a new one every year to my husband's despair. They are on my dining room windows and they bring me a lot of joy.

    a2jaq63yt0kk.jpg
    My favourites might be the snowmen

  • jessicakrall8
    jessicakrall8 Posts: 5,516 Member
    edited December 8
    @Alatariel75 Now THAT is a first...I have never seen a dinosaur tree-topper...wow! Festive!!

    @Curvestina You get the award for the largest bow!! Love it!!

    @micaroo4 Please don't show that to my cousin...somewhere in a conversation many years ago, I mentioned to her that I thought those little miniature pigs were adorable, as I'd seen them on Facebook...SHE thought somehow in that conversation that I collected pigs...every Christmas since, her and her daughter have given me some sort of piggy gift...and now I DO have a pig collection! LOL I may or may not have started her a Rooster collection! :smiley: Bentley...how adorable!!

    @Emilienewme I'm add odd one...absolutely hate snow (if I have to drive in it), but I love snow scenes, love snow men...those snow jellies are adorable...where do you find them?? I'm gonna have to look into that!

    I'm not really decorating this year...new cat and now sure how she'd take to a tree...not going down that road with all the knee issues I've been having this year...next year, we shall see...I do have a few random decorations that I put on top of the piano...

    Really great job y'all!! Very pretty AND joyful for sure!! You certainly made me smile!
    Jessica
  • Emilienewme
    Emilienewme Posts: 557 Member
    @Emilienewme I'm add odd one...absolutely hate snow (if I have to drive in it), but I love snow scenes, love snow men...those snow jellies are adorable...where do you find them?? I'm gonna have to look into that!

    @jessicakrall8 the official name is window gels, I live in the UK and I find them either in garden centres or in shops like the Range or What shop. You can find them on Amazon too. If you keep the pages they come in you can put them away and keep them for the next year. I've had the oldest ones for maybe 6-7 years now.
  • lauren_989
    lauren_989 Posts: 1,540 Member
    I love decorating for Christmas! My husband makes me wait until after Thanksgiving, but if it was me, I would put it up mid November.

    yui860uevbju.jpg

    xmoerdqjpj9n.jpg

    lnyol07dnjkv.jpg


  • p8m6bwghh9
    p8m6bwghh9 Posts: 248 Member
    Chainsaw carvings for sale in the grocery store parking lot
    l47nu3n0ykpr.jpeg
    Made me laugh
    n4tleiz1kd0j.jpeg
  • jessicakrall8
    jessicakrall8 Posts: 5,516 Member
    lauren_989 wrote: »
    I love decorating for Christmas! My husband makes me wait until after Thanksgiving, but if it was me, I would put it up mid November.

    I have one friend who is Pilipino and she starts decorating in September!! I have another who keeps her tree up all year and just switches it for each holiday...

    I like things on the minimal side and some years, don't even put up a tree, but love to drive around and look at others' creativity...I'm not a complete Grinch...the holidays are somewhat hard...most of my family is gone now and the ones remaining are many hours away in KY, FL and IN (I'm in VA). I do enjoy sitting down with my favorite holiday piano books and playing for a few hours now and again during the holidays...but I have to choose my moments so I don't end up blubbering like a baby.

    Thank you for sharing...your tree is lovely.
    Jessica
  • jessicakrall8
    jessicakrall8 Posts: 5,516 Member
    edited December 8
    @p8m6bwghh9 I can SO see my Betty trying that...this morning, after my shower, I came into the bedroom and put a small towel down over my pillows so I could lie down without getting them wet...went to get a drink from the kitchen...she way laying right on top of it when I came back...I'll have to log in with my phone and add the picture...she's such a Diva...
    idboh1ddcp4u.jpeg

    Jessica
  • lauren_989
    lauren_989 Posts: 1,540 Member
    edited December 9
    We just got this dusting of snow 6 days ago after no snow in over 2 years (not even flurries)! Let's just say, school was cancelled that day and a 2 hour delay the next day...welcome to NC!

    ne642suxi822.jpg
  • Emilienewme
    Emilienewme Posts: 557 Member
    I am not sure these photos reflect quiet but this is the last snow we had here in Wales where I am. It was in 2021 so my kids were still little and loved going on this long walk in the snow, going out of the village, along the river and up in our little mountain. We didn't see many people on our way so it felt really special

    7edqxrdwg4de.jpg
    iaau7pdijywf.jpg
  • jessicakrall8
    jessicakrall8 Posts: 5,516 Member
    ye7v9mdw2gkz.jpg

    vq6uul2tdrb4.jpg

    These are from 2022. We don't get snow every year, but that year we had a few larger events. I love to look at it, as long as I don't have to get out in it. It is very peaceful isn't it?!

    Jessica
  • lauren_989
    lauren_989 Posts: 1,540 Member
    @jessicakrall8 I agree about it being beautiful as long as you don't have to go out in it!
  • p8m6bwghh9
    p8m6bwghh9 Posts: 248 Member
    Temperature has been bouncing around a bit so there has been some melting. Took this today of what I think is the coolest school bus stop shelter.
    mj7t8qg3wz4q.jpeg
    I kinda feel sad that kids don’t get to experience the thrill of waking up early to listen for school closings with fingers crossed that your school or district was on the list. My dad was a teacher and right there with us, jumping around and celebrating “Snow Day”. Locally they just switch to remote learning day, not quite the same. 🤷‍♀️
  • micaroo4
    micaroo4 Posts: 3,958 Member
    FAMILY TRADITIONS/REFLECTIVE
    My personal tradition: I always go to my friend Sara's house on Christmas Eve and we decorate her tree, bake cookies, and watch a Christmas movie (like It's a Wonderful Life, or Holiday Inn, or Christmas in Connecticut.... something b&w and classic). We've been doing this since high school. We know most of the lines from the movies by heart, and of course we recite the best lines as they come up.
    -Mica
  • lauren_989
    lauren_989 Posts: 1,540 Member
    Family Traditions:
    I always make sugar cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. I try to give most of them away.

    Christmas morning we have cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate while opening presents. My husband likes the orange flavored ones 😝

    This year we will be at my parents in RI. Then we will celebrate christmas with my husbands family (local) on New Years Eve.
  • BodyTalking
    BodyTalking Posts: 2,827 Member
    edited December 10
    Hi, I haven't been here for a while 👋😊🎄 I hope everyone is keeping well.

    I don't seem to be able to add a photo anymore.


  • micaroo4
    micaroo4 Posts: 3,958 Member
    @BodyTalking - I can only upload photos chosen from my Gallery. Recommend you try clicking the Insert an Image tool, click Browse, then click on Gallery (Samsung, android), then choose the photo. If you have an iPhone, then I have no idea

    rcy8gj1luaqt.jpg

    This is Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Combination of fog and cold caused rhyme 2 ft thick to form on the structures.
  • jessicakrall8
    jessicakrall8 Posts: 5,516 Member
    Family Traditions...my Mother was the Queen of Christmas...she just loved it...couldn't wait to decorate, start baking, cooking the feast, planning our "cold supper" Christmas Eve gathering, wrapping presents, planning the Ladies Church Bazaar, making doll clothes for presents, crocheting towels and homemade gifts, singing in the Choir for the Christmas Cantata, and on and on...she made our Christmas so wonderful...Now that she's gone and the family is much smaller and spread out, I try to do a few things quietly, but it's nice to remember those days. They were so idyllic...hard to get too deep in those memories though, or it just hurts. That's why I try to do a few things quietly...in case it just gets too hard.

    One thing I always do is play my father's favorite Christmas song on Christmas Eve. I like to think he's up in heaven just waiting to hear it each year and smiling. He loved it when I would play piano for him...and I was only a few years into it when he was gone.

    I hope you all have lots of joy and "busy" times during the holidays...
    Jessica
  • micaroo4
    micaroo4 Posts: 3,958 Member
    Comfort
    8c04xlc5wm77.jpg
    There's just something about Hot Chocolate that screams comfort :wink:

    Earl knows the secret of true comfort
    wzztl48itx9l.jpg

    -Mica
  • lauren_989
    lauren_989 Posts: 1,540 Member
    Comfort is being at home in my pajamas by a warm fire! This is the only thing I really like about winter (I hate being cold).
  • jessicakrall8
    jessicakrall8 Posts: 5,516 Member
    Holiday Songs...I adore sitting down at the piano and playing for hours out of my favorite Christmas song book...my favorite is The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire...) and I can easily lose track of time while doing so...my Father always loved Silent Night, so love that one as well. Looking forward to playing during Christmas week this year...

    @micaroo4 Earl has the prettiest pink nose...and he has the RIGHT idea, for sure!!! He looks like a love bug!

    Jessica
  • Emilienewme
    Emilienewme Posts: 557 Member
    Holiday songs: I love having the Christmas radio on in the car, every year my daughter and I look for it and put it on any chance we have. My husband and son hate it too early
    Today during his music lesson my son played a duet of 'carrol of the bells' with his teacher. It was lovely. I hope they practice that one again
  • lauren_989
    lauren_989 Posts: 1,540 Member
    I am grateful for my family and friends, the roof over my head, my job where I can help others, and this community!
  • lauren_989
    lauren_989 Posts: 1,540 Member
    I am excited to be with my family for Christmas this year! We only go to RI every few years and this will be one of them!
  • micaroo4
    micaroo4 Posts: 3,958 Member
    Holiday Memory (Thursday challenge). It's not a visual, but one of my fondest holiday memories is making fudge with my great aunt Agnes. It was the only time of year that she made it, and she let me "help" as a youngster. She let me help by beating the fudge, which she did entirely by hand. And I learned how to make it. To this day, I remember exactly how she made it and I can still make it. But I use a mixer!

    Grateful (Friday challenge). When I think of what I'm grateful for, I come back to the same things over and over: my life, my health, my loved ones, my home, and my job.

    Excited (Saturday challenge). We went to Sandy Hill Farm already this year (right before Thanksgiving) but we're going again.
    ymv13h4iqjzi.jpg
    wmdjsxzaqgd9.jpg
    zr7mk1lrebqa.jpg
    zgreijk2tze5.jpg
    4i6jfjhvparn.jpg
    xa9ncoxrypt4.jpg

This discussion has been closed.