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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[MysticOceansFL]

This Halloween I'm considering going to Orlando for the bash this year if my health allows me to do so and around Thanksgiving I usually light three candles one for my mother and grand mother and one for friends who I know died of aids, and I say a prayer to my friends and family wishing them a safe and happy holidays , and second I go with a group of people from bible studies and we go christmas caroling at the hopsital. and thats about it.

[Gemme]

I'm a holiday-er type. I love, love, LOVE to shop...especially during the holiday season. There's a buzz and energy in the air that's absolutely vibrant. I love giving gifts too. It's nice to receive, but I'm at the point where, if it's not a gift card, it won't fit and/or I won't like it. Other than that, I'm a holiday lover.

BUT

I'm not a natural hostess. I'll do the Turkey Day dinner with a couple of folks or go to a potluck type event with friends. My kitchen's too small to be spending all or even half the day in.

Our complex has a lot of kids, so I'm sure we'll get hit with plenty of sugar-craving kids for Hallow's Eve. Costumes are a plus.

As for working...when a holiday would come up, I'd take it since I didn't have kids and I could always use the holiday pay.

For Christmas, I'd like to keep things simple with dinner in and yes, Organic, we can go to a movie.

My first official job was in a theatre and I HATED working the holidays. For those that don't like the usual fare and don't want to hang at home all day on Christmas, the movies will be up and running. Always.

[scootebaby]

[QUOTE=ravfem;192267]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.
QUOTE]

finally...someone who likes to give without expecting something in return...my addy is Papa Johns in Ft Pierce...or if u wanna make it personal get with JO and get our addy plus she can tell u what i like

[ravfem]

Originally Posted by scootebaby

finally...someone who likes to give without expecting something in return...my addy is Papa Johns in Ft Pierce...or if u wanna make it personal get with JO and get our addy plus she can tell u what i like

(you can thank me later for fixin your quote button)

*sigh* ya know Scooteeeeeeee, it's only cause you obviously want me that i don't squish your head between my thumb & index finger.

i already have your gift picked out anyway, so there.

[scootebaby]

Originally Posted by ravfem

(you can thank me later for fixin your quote button)

*sigh* ya know Scooteeeeeeee, it's only cause you obviously want me that i don't squish your head between my thumb & index finger.

i already have your gift picked out anyway, so there.

damn JO told huh.....last time i trust her with info like that....lmao

and my quote button is just fine thank you Ms Cant Ride a Trike

what is it??? what is it??????? does Jo know??? not that i could get it out of her *looking around whistling*

[ravfem]

Originally Posted by scootebaby

damn JO told huh.....last time i trust her with info like that....lmao

and my quote button is just fine thank you Ms Cant Ride a Trike

what is it??? what is it??????? does Jo know??? not that i could get it out of her *looking around whistling*

i discovered something about me a while back.....

i like being evil



sometimes

[scootebaby]

Originally Posted by ravfem

i discovered something about me a while back.....

i like being evil



sometimes

u r such a derailer...grab ur (PUSH dont ride it on over to the kitchen....JO removed the curbs for u----i'll deal with her later)

[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.

[amiyesiam]

Originally Posted by Corkey

Duck n cover.
We will not be going to anyones home this year...yey!
We will have dinner at our home for a change, minus the in-laws I have a feeling.

For thanks giving we will be having it here and we will cook up a feast
maybe we will invite a few friends
the tree usually goes up thanks giving day
however (see pic of evil kitty in gallery) due to bandits arrival this year
that tradition will probably change this year
we will have to decide what we are willing to tolerate kitty/tree wise

christmas eve I am off and it will be us
and we will have dinner and open gifts
we will have picked out our own gifts
(it took Corkey a bit to see the brilliance of this, but he is now a convert)
each of us gets the same amount of money to get what we want and it goes under the tree
no shocks no disappointments etc

christmas day I work but not till afternoon

[dixie]

I love holidays. I would love to go all out for Halloween, but usually I end up working. *sigh*

Thanksgiving has never been much of anything in my family, except for another excuse to head to the condo in Daytona for another small vacay.

We do all Christmas celebrating on Christmas Eve day. It starts around 10am with nonstop food, presents, comradarie, games and just good times that last till late evening. Christmas Day is usually another good day to head to the condo again...lol

Not sure what will happen this year since Dad just had shoulder replacement surgery and is gonna be out of commission for quite some time.

[Logicaly]

I love the holidays! Although last year I came to the sad realization that the way they used to be, are forever changed, but that the amount of love that my family shares for each other has not. Plus, as I start a family of my own, and meet new people and invite them into the family, traditions are slowly changing.

Growing up my family literally did the exact same thing every year. I had a very large family, both on my moms side and my dads side. My dads side was always the most enjoyable for me, for reasons we won't get in to.

On Thanksgiving we would always drive down here to the Bay Area and stay with my aunt and uncle, we would have a huge feast at my aunt's house. The women would get up at 5am to start cooking every thing. At around 9am when the whole house was up, my aunt would make chocolate gravy and biscuits for everyone. The men would then sit around and watch football, and the kids and teenagers would be upstairs playing video games, watching movies, etc. It would be an all day event for us, snacks through out the day, and then a massive meal of turkey, ham, mashed taters, different kinds of gravy, waldorf salad, regular salad, fruit salad, corn, sweet taters, and the list goes on and this doesn't even include at least 5 different pies for dessert. Before dinner, we would always form a circle around the table and hold hands and my grandfather would lead us in saying grace.

Then for Christmas, we would have Christmas Eve at our own house, and we would always open just 1 present after dinner that night, just to tie us over till morning. Then we would go to bed, and wait for Santa to come. Around 4am my sister always wakes me up, and I send her to grab our stockings out of the livingroom and bring them to me in my bedroom. We would go through them, see what we got, and then repack them so that we wouldn't get caught, even though dad always knew what we where doing. Then her and I would go back to sleep in my room for an hour or two until it was okay to wake our parents up. I love opening presents, but what I love even more, is seeing everyone's reaction to what I got them. I love buying stuff for people, it brings me a lot of joy. Then we would pack up all that we want to bring with us, and make the drive up to the Bay Area to spend it with the rest of the family, and its a repeat of Thanksgiving, except with presents involved after dinner.

Now it is different. There is no gift exchange with the extended family. We have lost some family members of the years, and it has changed the dynamics of it all. We still get together and have a dinner for each holiday, however its on a much smaller scale now and while we all enjoy each others presence, it has a tone of sadness to it as well.

I however now have the pleasure of spending the holidays with my partner's family too. Her family has a big mexican dinner on Christmas Eve and that is something new for me, and I enjoy spending the time with her family. This year, I am hoping that since my dad and my sister and now my nephew will all be here, that perhaps we can mix everyone together Christmas morning at our home, but either way, this year I am getting to spend a lot of precious moments with family that I love.

[skeeter_01]

i like the holidays...however....I work every thanksgiving because tgiving and the day after are both paid holidays.

i work every xmas cause i don't have kids and i think that people with kids should get to spend that day with their family...

my holiday is NYE...i LOVE to go out and dance and party...and then NY day sit all day and watch football....

skeet

[Rockinonahigh]

Like most of you I work on the hollidays cause my job is in food service(i'm a chef) but its all good for me,I feel the folks who have kids and family should spend the time with them if possable.One good thing about working the hollidays is the extra $$,more pto's,plus I get to pick what other days of and vacation time I want.For me christmas isnt about me geting a present cause I like to see the smiles on ppls faces when they open what they get,the good times they get to be with family or enjoying the partys or meals I fix.This year im bakeing things for the ppl on my list,grand kids included..last time they came by they are there way thrue 3 dozen of my special pecan,honey tosted almonds,darkand white chocolate chip cookies.One thiung that bugs me about the christmas holidays is the ppl who just look at it for what they can get..maybe one day they will get smart.

[sweetbutch26]

halloween is my favorite time of year. i love being around friends and family and sharing a few laughs. same with thanksgiving and christmas. except for thanksgiving and christmas i eat until i can't move then eat some more LoL being around people that are most important is always a great thing

[Rockinonahigh]

Yep,its about to be that time of the year again,hollidays and more hollidays.First im going to let my son do the candy hand out this year while I go to an adult halloween party,I already bought some really cool and unuseal candy with a spooky theam..the little ones shoule like candy hands,eye balls,witches hats ect..ect so its should be fun all around.Come on folks what are your plands???

[sierragirrl]

Choices to be made for the holidays.i only feel obligated to do one thing ever single year.And sadly if i don't do this i beat myself up a little, ok alot.
every year i feel like i MUST make the almost 9 hours drive to So Cal to see and be with my 93yr old grandmother even though she does not like it when the kids are in her house.i mean at 93 would you want great grandkids playing around hootin and hollerin?my kids are pretty good when you ask them to tone it down. my brothers son who is 6 is a bit more crazy..after all he is a boy and 6 so its a givin.
my therapist looked at me and said "i mean how many more are you gonna have with her?"
my mother passed away 10 yrs ago and my grand mother worries about us.and this is the one time of yr my grandmother would make the trip up here to Paradise to spend it with us.it was my moms favorite time of yr.Christmas tree would be put up right before Thanksgiving.cookies would already of been made. Family time...
CRAP ok i guess im gonna see if its possible to make the trip. fingers crossed i can get a room and the super dive 8 in anaheim.

[cinnamongrrl]

This will be Teddy and my first Christmas together. He LOVES Christmas ( I love Halloween) and I know he wants to start decorating around Thanksgiving.... I typically start decorating around my and the girls' birthdays (we are on Dec 2, 6th and 17th!) I'm looking forward to making new traditions with Teddy.....and I'm hopeful that the holiday goes a lot better than Halloween did....