Holidays Coming Up -so what do u do for them?

[Rockinonahigh]

I was looking at the calander and, wow the hollidays arent far off.I wonders how other people celebrated them or observed them or not at all.Being I started this I will go first.
For years when my mom was hear we always did the full holliday thing,ya know big meals,partys with friends,christmas tree,decorated the house ..yeah all of the stuf that some folks do some or all of.Back then The family consisted of me, mom,my 2 kids,the oldest married with 2 kids growing up...Oooh have things changed over the last ten years,now its only me my younger son who is now 38.The oldest has a burr under his saddle over who knows what so I only see the near grown grandkids when the fair wind blows.I still do some decorating for the hollidays but not like before..most of the time its pretty low key..I do cook a thanksgiveing meal and one for christmas as we as new years..the only tree we put up is a pair of ceramic ones that my mom and aunt Jo made a long time ago,still hang socks of christmass eve for the kid and fur kids.But folks, it just aint the same anymore.Last year I did some things for charity and kids causes its something mom did so I contenue to do that.This year I want/need something diffrent so I will figure something out before then,maybe I can get some ideas from the planet folks.

[ravfem]

i have to admit i'm a bah humbug....if it were up to me, the holiday season would be the same length as the sports season...ONE DAY! However, because most of my exes and friends are christian, i do play along with it, without too much mumblin under my breath.

i'm one who prefers to give than get, especially when the person getting understands how much i love it and skips the whole, "but i didn't get you anything" spiel. It also helps when the money is nice

my fondest holiday memories include my chosen family, for sure.

[MsTinkerbelly]

This year has been a year of loss for our family, losing both my Grandmother and my Mother within 6 months of each other.

My Sister and I are skipping family Thanksgiving this year, and we will get together sometime during the week before Christmas to quietly exchange gifts.

In my house, we will be starting new traditions...the Holidays for me are so wrapped up in childhood memories of wonderful times, that to try and duplicate them without my Mom....I'm not sure I could do it...heck I'm not sure how I'll get through it all anyway.

We will have friends and other family at Thanksgiving (my favorite Holiday), and an at home Christmas day....or maybe a cruise to a warm location.....

[Apocalipstic]

I just hope to get through it all calmly and with dignity and no crying.

I hope I can just say no to events I do not want to attend with no guilt and attend the events I say I will and feel really good and feel present while I am there.

I have not been a fan of big family occasions since my mother died and we moved to the US when I was 13. I would seriously rather skip the whole thing...but my Cynthia loves family and holidays, so I hope I can be positive and have fun with her.

[Ebon]

I usually find some orphan Thanksgiving to go to, spend it by myself or work. I definitely try to work on Christmas because I don't like Christmas at all. I prefer Thanksgiving over Christmas.

This year I will be going to Diva's pre-thanksgiving dinner since I live 7 minutes away. On actual Thanksgiving I'm not sure what I will be doing. Me and Gemme will find something to do or have something ourselves.

For Christmas I have no clue. Again I don't like Christmas so hopefully it will involve Chinese food and a movie.

Have I mentioned I don't like Christmas?

Love
The Grinch

[Apocalipstic]

Originally Posted by Organicbutch

I usually find some orphan Thanksgiving to go to, spend it by myself or work. I definitely try to work on Christmas because I don't like Christmas at all. I prefer Thanksgiving over Christmas.

This year I will be going to Diva's pre-thanksgiving dinner since I live 7 minutes away. On actual Thanksgiving I'm not sure what I will be doing. Me and Gemme will find something to do or have something ourselves.

For Christmas I have no clue. Again I don't like Christmas so hopefully it will involve Chinese food and a movie.

Have I mentioned I don't like Christmas?

Love
The Grinch

I dont like it either and Chinese Food and a movie sounds DIVINE! I like Halloween!

[ravfem]

Originally Posted by Organicbutch

I usually find some orphan Thanksgiving to go to, spend it by myself or work. I definitely try to work on Christmas because I don't like Christmas at all. I prefer Thanksgiving over Christmas.

This year I will be going to Diva's pre-thanksgiving dinner since I live 7 minutes away. On actual Thanksgiving I'm not sure what I will be doing. Me and Gemme will find something to do or have something ourselves.

For Christmas I have no clue. Again I don't like Christmas so hopefully it will involve Chinese food and a movie.

Have I mentioned I don't like Christmas?

Love
The Grinch

i seriously contemplated inviting myself to Diva's & trying to drive to Tx.

Nasty chinese buffet sounds good!

[Soft*Silver]

::::soft eyes on those who mourn the loss of loved ones:::::

let me share with you a tradition my family does at xmas every year. It is not xtian, it is druid/pagan, tho some forms of it were adopted and adapted into xtian carpathian mtn area customs...

on xmas eve, we fast all day, to cleanse our body and to prepare for the huge feast that our gods and goddesses provide...

at dinner time, when the night sky turns past indigo and into violet, the table is set, with one extra seating. That seat is to invite all our passed over ancestors and loved ones to join us.

we dine by candlelight to break the darkness and to provide an envelope of sacred light around us

we join hands and give praise for the bounty of last year, for the health of ourselves and our beasts, for the governance of and support by our gods and goddesses, etc

we pass around a clove of garlic and bite off a piece...to chase the devil away...

we heap on our plate unleavened bread, soaked in lightoil and poppyseed

and top it with prunes

all of which are sacred foods from our region

afterwards, we blow out the candle, thank our ancestors for joining us and clear off the table. As a child, I followed my father outside so he ould give the leftovers to the animals. As part of this was generated thru xtian lore, it was believed this was the nite the good lord would ask the animals if their master was kind to them. If so, the land and the family were blessed. If not, atonement was set for the following year. Not punishment. Atonement.

I remember watching my father scratch the animals on their head and remind them to tell baby jesus how each nite he carried buckets of fresh water out to them even in the coldest of weathers. I have never met a more kind farmer in my life than my father...he taught me how to love the animals who serve us...

perhaps this year an extra place setting could be set at your tables...

[Apocalipstic]

Originally Posted by softness

::::soft eyes on those who mourn the loss of loved ones:::::

let me share with you a tradition my family does at xmas every year. It is not xtian, it is druid/pagan, tho some forms of it were adopted and adapted into xtian carpathian mtn area customs...

on xmas eve, we fast all day, to cleanse our body and to prepare for the huge feast that our gods and goddesses provide...

at dinner time, when the night sky turns past indigo and into violet, the table is set, with one extra seating. That seat is to invite all our passed over ancestors and loved ones to join us.

we dine by candlelight to break the darkness and to provide an envelope of sacred light around us

we join hands and give praise for the bounty of last year, for the health of ourselves and our beasts, for the governance of and support by our gods and goddesses, etc

we pass around a clove of garlic and bite off a piece...to chase the devil away...

we heap on our plate unleavened bread, soaked in lightoil and poppyseed

and top it with prunes

all of which are sacred foods from our region

afterwards, we blow out the candle, thank our ancestors for joining us and clear off the table. As a child, I followed my father outside so he ould give the leftovers to the animals. As part of this was generated thru xtian lore, it was believed this was the nite the good lord would ask the animals if their master was kind to them. If so, the land and the family were blessed. If not, atonement was set for the following year. Not punishment. Atonement.

I remember watching my father scratch the animals on their head and remind them to tell baby jesus how each nite he carried buckets of fresh water out to them even in the coldest of weathers. I have never met a more kind farmer in my life than my father...he taught me how to love the animals who serve us...

perhaps this year an extra place setting could be set at your tables...

What a wonderful way to celebrate!

I usually end up at the in-laws or relatives I have nothing in common with wishing I were home.

I can't tell you how lucky you are to have had a kind father who loved and cherished animals.

[Laerkin]

As a kid, I loved the holidays for the days away from school and food and presents. Boy how things change. Lol.

I adore Thanksgiving. I spend weeks planning my menu and trying out recipes. I spend days before cooking and prepping. And on the big day I love spoiling my loved ones with organic meats and produce, carefully crafted appetizers and desserts. It's an act of love.

And Christmas - I really dislike the growing commercialism of the holiday. I am not religious so instead, Christmas is sacred because it means a trip home to San Diego to see my parents. I spend all year missing them and Christmas is my time to go home (with SB) to visit the people I love so much.

I make most of my gifts anymore and each is carefully selected to be meaningful and special. I also cook on Christmas for my dad and help my mom.

I'm so excited to go home!!!

[Apocalipstic]

My girlfriends family has special recipees that they have to make and have on Thankgiving and Christmas. I don't really get a say or to cook. Last year it was even at our house and they took over.

In their defense, they don't make me eat turkey, which I am allergic to, but do complain about it the entire time.

I probably need to log off and stop thinking about it, my ears are starting to burn.

[Rockinonahigh]

Thank everone for replying,I didnt expect it,thanks again.I learned one thig about hollidays..no way can I remake moms way with what she did for them..just not happening.Mom was a lot traditional,I am not.Things had to be just so so and correct..not me.She had a color scean to go with it all..I sorta do that but over all I am more pegan in my beliefs wich she never liked.
The holliday I like best is halloween,my gram camd from the old country in italy,every year she would tell tales of her childhood and old stories and ledgens she remembered.We had a big neighborhood party costumes and all.Remember my gram lived out in the country where she raised me so most ppl that were anywhere near came and also pot lucked the food...we played games,those of us who had horses rode till near midnight then we came in and paid respedt to those in the hear after.I know if I did that now I prolly would be thought of as plane nuts..but it would still be fun.
Christamses were diffrent,gran and mom did the full meal deal,if we knew anyone who didnt have family we shure tryed to get then to come.On christmas eve direing the day we only ate breakfast and fasted till after midnight mass cause when we got back gramps would cook his traditional italian breakfast to start the day wich was usely about 2:00am.Then we opened one present and had to wait till supper to open the rest..we usely didnt wait near that long.New years gramp would big a pit and roast a whole hog and a quarter of beef and everyone that cam potlucked the rest..we welcomed the year in right..lotsa gramps wine flowed that day..
For me christmas has become a bit to commershalised with the gimmie, gimmie thing.Its not the big deal it once was,thats what I miss,we still observe it but never like before.

[Abigail Crabby]

I can take or leave Thanksgiving Dinner - and will most likely volunteer to work a shift that day. Soooooo much prep to be gobbled up and then have to be cleaned up. I'm thankful everyday for the blessings in my life so I'm good.....And my family isn't much on Turkey anyway - so we will prolly have lasagna or something.

Christmas on the other hand - I enjoy celebrating both the Birth of Christ (i dont care if it was actually in april) But being a Christian I enjoy celebrating the receiving of the gift I was given... the birth of The Lord.

Add to it the joy I receive in giving gifts - especially to the Wee One, who has proven to be well worth the effort and love I lavish on her. I am hoping that I can trade or be scheduled off for Christmas as I do enjoy spending the day playing with all the Wee One's new toys lol,. and I like putting together a totally untraditional meal... I never know what I might want to fix until a few days before hand.

New Years Eve I can take or leave - but I do put together a tasty NY Day spread and am having out of town guests to partake and enjoy my culinary efforts.

That's pretty much our holiday celebrations - they are subject to change of course due to employment and things happening - but I enjoy the holidays - and I enjoy my family - and I'm blessed.

[Liam]

I enjoy carving pumpkins for Halloween, but that is about it. In the past, I have volunteered at some community organization, on Thanksgiving and Christmas, hopefully my health will allow me to do that, next year. I don't like to spend a lot of time preparing food, because I want to do things like take walks or play cards, or watch movies, so my usual holiday fare is green chili enchiladas. Hannukah is my favourite holiday, its fun to make donuts one night, and that is my nod to oil.

[princessbelle]

Holidays are so very important to me. Give me a tiny reason to get excited about something or a par-ty and i'm all over it.

I usually find a Halloween party to go to. Last year I was "Alice in Wonderland" not exactly the kids version. Had a blast too...from what I remember.

Thanksgiving, me and my kids (even since they are grown they still do this with me) volunteer at the Meals on Wheels and deliver thanksgiving dinner to those that can't get out of their homes, those without families ect. OMG it is a blessing. We have done that since the boys were 5 and 8 and who are now 22 and 25 and it is a wonderful tradition that I pray they never grow out of. At night we have our own meal but usually we are so tired from the day and sick of the smell of turkey we usually just eat a sandwich.

Christmas is amazing. Christmas I'm a kid and I live for the decorations, the music, the lights, the tree, the sparkle and glitter of the season; Hot chocolate, fires in the fireplace, family and friends. I still can't sleep on Christmas eve and i'm up by 4 am calling family and friends yelling...."santa came". My mom cooks a huge breakfast with all of the southern cookin imaginable including "red eye gravey". We feast, we sing "happy birthday to Jesus" and we exchange gifts. and...yes I still believe in Santa *smiles. I usually end up working on Christmas day and I always try to do it in the afternoon when things settle down.

I love Holidays...I love getting together and having a blast...no matter what the occasion.

I understand about loss and how that puts an ache in the pit of some of our stomachs. I feel it too and my heart goes out to those that have to face the holidays with that emptiness. I am no exception I promise you and I send a gentle hug to those that go through that and those that are going through it for the first time this year.

Happy holidays to all and to all a good night.

[bigbutchmistie]

Well usually for Thanksgiving I buy a bunch of Thanksgiving type food and drop it off at the Salvation Army...

For myself well I go to Boston Market get a roasted chicken make some potatoes and mac n cheese and some cake and thats my meal while I sit on my couch and watch t.v. all day.

For Christmas I buy a bunch of toys and drop off at the Salvation Army and do the same meal and same thing.

[Rockinonahigh]

One reason I dont do a lot on hollidays is there is only me and my son hear,my two cousins live on oposit coast and near all my hang out buddies have either gotten hitched and have other obligaltions or other friends live so far away we either exchange cards and or phone calls.I have tryed to enclude some of the local gay ppl but the age diffrents is huge so we dont really fit,even tho I just dont thinkthey are into the bf way cause they seem uncomfortable with it.At least thats what I get out of it.Im really careful who I invite to my house cause I get some really bad vibes from a lot of ppl...times arent like they use to be.

[Dance-with-me]

This is the Year of the Ugly Divorce so things will be very different for me this year.

For many years, my siblings and our spouses and kids have gone to my parents' house for Thanksgiving, because otherwise we might not even get to see each other, but my parents will be on a Habitat build, my sister just moved to CA, my niece is in Iceland, and so we're not doing a gathering. That was ok -- I'd hoped to spend Thanksgiving weekend getting my house in order, but now my ex's closing was delayed AGAIN and so they'll all still be in my house, so I'm currently searching for somewhere to escape to for that weekend; unfortunately, the folks I might normally visit are all going to have houses full of family, so I'm hoping to find someone who needs a house sitter.

I'm praying they'll be gone by mid-December, because I have two weeks off and I'd planned to use that time to really reclaim my house and make it mine, and also because I'd probably lose my f'n mind if they were still here then. I'm not Christian but I celebrate it as a cultural holiday with my friends and family. On Christmas day I always deliver meals.

And while I have no idea what I'll be doing for New Years Eve, I hope that one way or another I can get good and kissed. Now THAT would start my new year right!

[Rockinonahigh]

I will fix a trditional holliday meal for my son and myself,I definatly will do some bakeing then some of the holliday sweets will go as a gift to a fue friends.My ladies pool team will have its useal team xmas party,we pot luck the food then exchange gifts.I will have a tree this year again,not a big one but one I can put in a nice corner by the window.Christmas is what it ever turns out to be.Not to shure about new years cause I my or may not go to the local hang out for the new years party.I will call a fue folks to wish them a wonderful holliday.Thats about it

[Dance-with-me]

Great update -- I just heard from a local friend who needs a housesitter for Thanksgiving weekend, so the immediate issue of where to be for that day is resolved!! Now to find a place to volunteer for that day, or someone to adopt me for dinner.

Originally Posted by Dance-with-me

This is the Year of the Ugly Divorce so things will be very different for me this year.

For many years, my siblings and our spouses and kids have gone to my parents' house for Thanksgiving, because otherwise we might not even get to see each other, but my parents will be on a Habitat build, my sister just moved to CA, my niece is in Iceland, and so we're not doing a gathering. That was ok -- I'd hoped to spend Thanksgiving weekend getting my house in order, but now my ex's closing was delayed AGAIN and so they'll all still be in my house, so I'm currently searching for somewhere to escape to for that weekend; unfortunately, the folks I might normally visit are all going to have houses full of family, so I'm hoping to find someone who needs a house sitter.

I'm praying they'll be gone by mid-December, because I have two weeks off and I'd planned to use that time to really reclaim my house and make it mine, and also because I'd probably lose my f'n mind if they were still here then. I'm not Christian but I celebrate it as a cultural holiday with my friends and family. On Christmas day I always deliver meals.

And while I have no idea what I'll be doing for New Years Eve, I hope that one way or another I can get good and kissed. Now THAT would start my new year right!