Do You Have Any Holiday Traditons?

[Andrew, Jr.]

We usually put up a tree. It's decorated the day after of course while watching and

Last year was the year of Hell. It was such a horrible loss of my sister, so I this year is important to try to get back into the swing of things. The hard part was coming across ornaments that she made, or had come across to add to the collection. Not one of us decorated inside or out. It just wasn't in us. We were all so heartbroken.

We didn't even cook alot. We ended up buying store made cookies, and buying a box of a ready made meal. Yep. It was bad.

I didn't volunteer. I don't think we did much of anything really. We all were so devistated.

This year I am hoping to go volunteer again. I just depends on how I am doing, and how my health is. I really enjoy feeding the homeless and the poor. The children really get to me. They make the holidays.

[bigbutchmistie]

Well since my mom passed in 2001 I don't put up a tree or do anything. I usually watch tv or sleep all day. I stop by Boston Market the afternoon before get a roated chicken and cornbread. I buy Stove Top stuffing mac n cheese n a box and Instant Potatoes for my own Christmas dinner. Sometimes and other times its sandwiches or tv dinners.

[Rook]

Because of how notoriously "bad" this season usually is...we've cut down severely on celebrating much..
The only times we've allowed ourselves to go "all out" was when my nephew lived with us..
His first Christmas had me going nuts with decorating the Tree, I know I have pics I constantly took of him and the Tree...
Had a train set safely around the Tree with a decent "town"...
The second one, I learned not to leave Poinsettias within child and dogs reach[you'd be surprised what a determined child...and dog...will do for those plants]...

What we do nowadays, is cook a decently decadent traditional meal { rice with Gandules, relatives from puerto rico usually send Pasteles, Pernil, plus yumm desserts }
I'll ignore the grunts and grumbles and watch quite a variety of X-Mas {and secular } specials, I think it's almost traditional for me to hear "not this again" when I watch varieties of Christmas Carol...
They'll grudgingly sit through most..Specially Charlie Brown...

This year, despite no Tree, I put some stuff up..
Unfortunately, I wont be able to do much like the past years, but I make up for it in other ways....
I do agree with my immediate relatives in one Issue though...
The holiday's fun, has symbolism in a few religions yeah, amusing to watch and lovely with the Lights, and decorations...
But, getting together, appreciating what we have, celebrating family should be an Every day event....
Much like st. valentines..why wait for that day to be nice, romantic, or to give a gift...? do it every day or every other day...
[which is kewl now that most Holiday Specials are on dvd -grin-...christmas in july]
I also watch "Misa de Gallo" if Im not too sleepy...
And yeah, I'll worm in a few "Aguinaldos/Villansicos" for nostalgia sake...

One things for damn sure...
I look forward to showing my nephew, if he returns, how we used to celebrate...
Maybe take him to puerto rico for the season, to show how it is down there...

In the meantime, I treasure each Holiday with my family and loved ones, who knows if it's the last?....

[little man]

Originally Posted by MsDemeanor

I used to have lots of traditions, but I've set most all of them all by the wayside. I do still ship off about 20 lb of home-baked cookies and quick breads to my family.

I mostly just hope that January gets here soon.

i could send you my address if any of those happen to be chewy oatmeal. i'll send it twice if they have walnuts.

[Kätzchen]

Growing up in a large family, we always had the trusty fake white tree and ages old ornaments from my grandparents depression era years. We we lucky if we got a couple of thoughtful presents.

Even as a parent myself, a single parent, I barely earned enough money to keep the monthly bills paid and rarely had extra money to buy anything for my two sons.

Since I’ve become an empty nest parent, I usually make hand made crafts for a very small set of people I’ve been friends with over the years. I don’t really have to decorate for winter holiday’s because my studio is decorated in Christmas Boho. I never tire of the way my studio home is decorated.

This year I’m making snowflakes from old fashioned wrapping paper I’ve had for years and making them in unusual styles, based on the personality traits of those people I make them for. The personal connection we share, etc.

This is also the first year I’ve ever donated to a cause worth donating to: all the years I could never indulge my children with “stuffies” (stuffed cute animals), so I bought a bunch of stuffies of all sizes and shapes to help children who typically get nothing for Christmas.🎄

Next year, I won’t be able to do that (donate to children who typically get nothing), but I plan to be helpful in small ways, next year.

Merry Christmas is only “merry” during peace filled times and right now there is nothing “merry” about anything in our country. So I’m hoping the cute stuffies I donated to less than fortunate children will bring a small bit of hope to them, this season.