All Things Holiday Thread!

Ciaran · 10-26-2013, 07:04 AM

I love Christmas.

Here in the UK, we (obviously) don't celebrate Thanksgiving and the other celebrations are fairly contained within the respective ethnic / religious communities.

Christmas is different. Unlike the US where many aspects still operate as normal, most things stop completely here on Christmas Day (and, often, Boxing Day too). No buses or other public transport. Very few, if any, shops open on Christmas Day etc.

During my younger adult life, I used the Christmas holidays as an opportunity to travel a lot. I think, between 1998 and 2007, I spent one Christmas back home. The others were spent in Rome, Manila, San Francisco et al.

I didn't regret it at the time - but, as I've been living the past 5 to 6 years in London away from my family, I do now.

These days, for me, Christmas is about family and my close, life-long friends back home. It's not about religion (well, it is but that's a 365 day a year thing), at least not in any meaningful sense. It's all about being back home.

After recent months, I'm very much looking forward to getting back home this year. Last year, Christmas was hectic and noisy - Tmbyfem was here, alongside my brother and his young family. This year, Tmbyfem won't arrive until post-Christmas and my brother will be celebrating Christmas with his young family in their new London home.

So there'll be fewer people which means less noise and more turkey for me. My family and friends will be around me. I'll eat and drink more than I should, probably go to mass 6 of the 7 days I'm there, reiterate to my parents and my friends how much I love them and return to London with a smile inside.

That's my Christmas.

Jar · 10-26-2013, 07:25 AM

I plan to decorate for Christmas. My favorite food for Christmas and thanksgiving is turkey, cranberry sauce, asparagus casserole AND my mom's dressing. My sister used to call it wet cornbread so my mom would make both dressing and stuffing. Good memories.....

Jar · 10-28-2013, 08:16 AM

The past few years my mom and I go shopping for toys and food. A few days before Christmas we go to several charities and make deliveries. It gives me the true feeling of the holiday. I want to carry on this new tradition this year too.

PinkieLee · 10-28-2013, 09:14 AM

YAY for holidays

For the last 10 years or so, we've gone out to eat for Thanksgiving. Now, with only me, my mom & my brother, it's actually cheaper and less wasteful to go somewhere like Cracker Barrel or Black Eyed Pea. Of course, there is no cleanup too! D has a huge family get together at her grandmother's house and I usually go over there for dessert (or round 2 for food) with them.

Just like Medusa, I love anything PUMPKIN flavored and have been secretly stocking up on my pumpkin spice coffee creamer!

I am fighting every urge I have right now... not so patiently waiting for the day after Thanksgiving so I can put up MY tree. Yes, in our house we have 2 trees (my girlie tree that has more bling on than should be allowed, and D's UT & camo tree complete with shot gun shell lights

Yes, even our wrapping paper matches our trees!!

We (meaning me) are actually thinking about making gifts for folks this year. I normally do some baking to give but I'm thinking about doing some kind of craft. I've just gotta do some digging around on Etsy or Pintrest

Gemme · 10-28-2013, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jar

The past few years my mom and I go shopping for toys and food. A few days before Christmas we go to several charities and make deliveries. It gives me the true feeling of the holiday. I want to carry on this new tradition this year too.

Love this.

I enjoy going to the stores that still participate in the Tree Angel program, where local kids in the system have cards with 'wants' (usually electronics or toys) and 'needs' (usually clothes) listed, along with their sizes and preferences. I pick a couple of angels when I can swing it and have a ball shopping for them.

For those that don't know, I was in the system for a couple of years and there was one children's home that I was assigned to that was absolutely fantastic for things like this. They had fundraisers and sent out the kids' 'wish lists' (we could put 10 things on the list and at least 5 of them HAD to be clothes/necessary things but the others could be anything we wanted to ask for) to their benefactors and for weeks before Christmas the kids would have to go to the mail center and bring back boxes and bags of stuff. The anticipation nearly drove us mad, especially the younger kids and first timers, but it really made us feel as if we weren't alone in this world; that people outside of our immediate families (for those that still had family members they were in contact with) knew we existed and cared if us kids had a 'good Christmas' or not.

It kind of brings up the whole over-commercialization of Christmas debate, but when you're 8 and your life has brought you to the point where you are basically a number in a file, just like everyone else, knowing that someone took a few minutes out of their day and a few bucks out of their pocket to do something FOR YOU, that's fucking amazing. And we were far more grateful for the things we received than most kids were.

GeorgiaMa'am · 10-29-2013, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemme

Love this.

I enjoy going to the stores that still participate in the Tree Angel program, where local kids in the system have cards with 'wants' (usually electronics or toys) and 'needs' (usually clothes) listed, along with their sizes and preferences. I pick a couple of angels when I can swing it and have a ball shopping for them.

Thanks Gemme, I'm going to make it a point to do this for at least one kid this year. I don't have any kids younger than teens to shop for any longer, and somehow shopping for a little kid just makes Christmas that much more Christmas-ier.

-Georgia

Rockinonahigh · 10-28-2013, 10:46 AM

The hollidays will usely be a small family thing,with the exception of my pool team christmas gift exchange then my son has a get together with frinds.Most of my family has either gone over the bridge or live a long way off
in this case we exchange cards plus phone calls.I do decorate a bit but don't go over bord with it,I also do some charity/volunteer work when I can to help the season be better for folks who are in need.I find the hollidays a lot over done with commershalism and the gimmie gimmie thing.All the hollidays use to be a big thing in my family with a big tree,gift giveing,fancy meals and all.But without the folks that made it special it has dwindled to what it is.AS for special recepies I try to do something diffrent now and then even tho I still bake to many things that either end up in the freezer or trash if we cant eat it all.I like apple pies,James(my son) likes cherry so there is one of each the at some point a make a butter rum cake then som italian pastries.By then all the health changes we have made to get in better health and lose weight have gone right out the window.Oh heck thats what new years is for,to start all over again.

10-26-2013, 07:25 AM	#2
Jar Member How Do You Identify?: TG Butch Preferred Pronoun?: He, him, da bomb... Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Up and to the right Posts: 610 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 869 Thanked 2,341 Times in 534 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	I plan to decorate for Christmas. My favorite food for Christmas and thanksgiving is turkey, cranberry sauce, asparagus casserole AND my mom's dressing. My sister used to call it wet cornbread so my mom would make both dressing and stuffing. Good memories..... __________________ *~ Jar ~* No matter what life brings you, always learn a lesson from your dog ... kick some grass over that shit and move on

10-28-2013, 08:16 AM	#3
Jar Member How Do You Identify?: TG Butch Preferred Pronoun?: He, him, da bomb... Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Up and to the right Posts: 610 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 869 Thanked 2,341 Times in 534 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	The past few years my mom and I go shopping for toys and food. A few days before Christmas we go to several charities and make deliveries. It gives me the true feeling of the holiday. I want to carry on this new tradition this year too. __________________ *~ Jar ~* No matter what life brings you, always learn a lesson from your dog ... kick some grass over that shit and move on

10-26-2013, 07:04 AM	#1
Ciaran Member How Do You Identify?: Altocalciphilic Preferred Pronoun?: Papa Smurf Relationship Status: Curmudgeonous spinster Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: London (but from Belfast) Posts: 678 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 471 Thanked 3,654 Times in 602 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	I love Christmas. Here in the UK, we (obviously) don't celebrate Thanksgiving and the other celebrations are fairly contained within the respective ethnic / religious communities. Christmas is different. Unlike the US where many aspects still operate as normal, most things stop completely here on Christmas Day (and, often, Boxing Day too). No buses or other public transport. Very few, if any, shops open on Christmas Day etc. During my younger adult life, I used the Christmas holidays as an opportunity to travel a lot. I think, between 1998 and 2007, I spent one Christmas back home. The others were spent in Rome, Manila, San Francisco et al. I didn't regret it at the time - but, as I've been living the past 5 to 6 years in London away from my family, I do now. These days, for me, Christmas is about family and my close, life-long friends back home. It's not about religion (well, it is but that's a 365 day a year thing), at least not in any meaningful sense. It's all about being back home. After recent months, I'm very much looking forward to getting back home this year. Last year, Christmas was hectic and noisy - Tmbyfem was here, alongside my brother and his young family. This year, Tmbyfem won't arrive until post-Christmas and my brother will be celebrating Christmas with his young family in their new London home. So there'll be fewer people which means less noise and more turkey for me. My family and friends will be around me. I'll eat and drink more than I should, probably go to mass 6 of the 7 days I'm there, reiterate to my parents and my friends how much I love them and return to London with a smile inside. That's my Christmas.

10-28-2013, 09:14 AM	#4
PinkieLee Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Relationship Status: I need ya boo, gotta see ya boo Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Big Money Texas Posts: 4,708 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 24,309 Thanked 13,075 Times in 3,049 Posts Rep Power: 21474856	YAY for holidays For the last 10 years or so, we've gone out to eat for Thanksgiving. Now, with only me, my mom & my brother, it's actually cheaper and less wasteful to go somewhere like Cracker Barrel or Black Eyed Pea. Of course, there is no cleanup too! D has a huge family get together at her grandmother's house and I usually go over there for dessert (or round 2 for food) with them. Just like Medusa, I love anything PUMPKIN flavored and have been secretly stocking up on my pumpkin spice coffee creamer! I am fighting every urge I have right now... not so patiently waiting for the day after Thanksgiving so I can put up MY tree. Yes, in our house we have 2 trees (my girlie tree that has more bling on than should be allowed, and D's UT & camo tree complete with shot gun shell lights Yes, even our wrapping paper matches our trees!! We (meaning me) are actually thinking about making gifts for folks this year. I normally do some baking to give but I'm thinking about doing some kind of craft. I've just gotta do some digging around on Etsy or Pintrest

10-28-2013, 10:46 AM	#7
Rockinonahigh Senior Member How Do You Identify?: stone butch Preferred Pronoun?: makes no diffrence,I know who I am. Relationship Status: single,maybe looking if the right person comes along. Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: shreveport,Louisiana Posts: 4,907 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 4,682 Thanked 14,933 Times in 3,938 Posts Rep Power: 21474856	The hollidays will usely be a small family thing,with the exception of my pool team christmas gift exchange then my son has a get together with frinds.Most of my family has either gone over the bridge or live a long way off in this case we exchange cards plus phone calls.I do decorate a bit but don't go over bord with it,I also do some charity/volunteer work when I can to help the season be better for folks who are in need.I find the hollidays a lot over done with commershalism and the gimmie gimmie thing.All the hollidays use to be a big thing in my family with a big tree,gift giveing,fancy meals and all.But without the folks that made it special it has dwindled to what it is.AS for special recepies I try to do something diffrent now and then even tho I still bake to many things that either end up in the freezer or trash if we cant eat it all.I like apple pies,James(my son) likes cherry so there is one of each the at some point a make a butter rum cake then som italian pastries.By then all the health changes we have made to get in better health and lose weight have gone right out the window.Oh heck thats what new years is for,to start all over again.