trollie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,580 
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Post by trollie on Dec 1, 2014 3:44:13 GMT
Our family spends one evening under the Christmas tree watching favorite holiday movies.....
What is something that you look forward to every year?
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Post by 4evercrafty on Dec 1, 2014 4:10:26 GMT
We watch A Christmas story while eating either christmas cookies or christmas salad on Christmas day. And we never go out on Christmas day, is like our special day to just stay in and feel Christmassy  |
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Deleted
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May 19, 2024 2:52:39 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2014 4:14:05 GMT
We do a Christmas Eve box. It's got new jammies for everyone, a DVD, snacks and our ornaments for that year. We hang em up in out new pjs and then watch the movie and munch
Eta -corrected spelling. Lately autocorrect is killing me!
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Post by padresfan619 on Dec 1, 2014 4:15:01 GMT
Going to the Hotel Del Coronado to check out the Christmas tree and stop at the candy shop.
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Post by maryland on Dec 1, 2014 4:16:19 GMT
We watch Christmas movies on Friday/Saturday nights. Christmas Vacation, Christmas with the Kranks, Elf, Polar Express. We usually have the tree lights on and the lights off. On Christmas Eve we watch Miracle on 34th St. and on Christmas Day we watch Christmas Story.
We travel a lot between Thanksgiving and Christmas (everyone lives 5 hrs. away and all in different directions), so not much time spent at home this time of year. We sometimes do Christmas cards and cookies and watch more movies after Christmas when we are home.
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Deleted
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May 19, 2024 2:52:39 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2014 4:23:41 GMT
We have a Christmas Eve picnic and go look at lights.
We eat Christmas Day dinner in pjs.
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Post by epeanymous on Dec 1, 2014 5:04:59 GMT
Our Christmas tradition is Jewish deli food for lunch at home and Chinese food for dinner (we are Jewish, but these are our very firm Christmas traditions). We make reservations at the Chinese restaurant we like, and it is really popular that night -- waits of two hours or more if you just show up.
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Nanner
Drama Llama
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Post by Nanner on Dec 1, 2014 5:06:19 GMT
I buy a new board game each Christmas. Christmas Eve, we have homemade pizza for dinner and then play the new game. We have done this for about 20 years
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Deleted
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May 19, 2024 2:52:39 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2014 5:09:10 GMT
boogie boarding on Christmas Eve
Italian dinner (at home) and a movie on Christmas Day
Chinese food take-out and watching the ball drop on New Years Eve
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Deleted
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May 19, 2024 2:52:39 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2014 5:13:15 GMT
It's just a little thing, really. My dad would get us a can of Almond Roca to share every Christmas. Last Christmas was our first Christmas without him and I made sure we had the Almond Roca. I'm planning to keep the tradition going in his memory.
Another thing I do is get at least one new Christmas CD every year.
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chendra
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Jun 27, 2014 16:58:50 GMT
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Post by chendra on Dec 1, 2014 5:28:50 GMT
Our dogs have Christmas collars with bells on them. We like to walk them around the neighborhood after dark on Christmas Eve to look at the lights. I always hope that a little kid hears them and thinks that they are reindeer |
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tiffanytwisted
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you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave
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Post by tiffanytwisted on Dec 1, 2014 5:58:08 GMT
When my kids were little, I bought this treasure chest and on December 23rd or 24th I would set up a treasure hunt for the boys. The treasure was always the same - 2 new DVD's for them to watch to keep them out of my hair while I finished up all I had to do before the big day. My 15 yr. old is ready to let it go, but the 18 yr. old isn't. Go figure. The elves always sneak in their bedroom window while we're having dinner on Christmas Eve and leave them new Christmas pj's on their beds. How do we know they come in the window? They always leave it open.  |
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PLurker
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Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Dec 1, 2014 6:18:17 GMT
When DD and DS were little, they decided to make TONS of paper airplanes, of all sizes, before Christmas. They saved for Christmas morning and came into our bedroom and fly them at us to wake us up. Where or why they got that idea, I have no idea. They did it for a few years, then one year DS said that he didn't have to do the paper airplane thing as he was getting "too old for that". Never too old, I told him. I think it is probably seen it's days, but another "Incoming!" wake up any year would be ok with me. They shouldn't be this old already!
The other one is to buy my DD a gingerbread man of some sort every year. The two of us spent Christmas in bed with BAD case of flu when she was about 7/8. Lots of vomiting. Started right after helping her make and her eating some gingerbread men. She cannot stand gingerbread to this day. So I buy a keepsake for her every year. Yeah, I'm that mom.
DD is way nicer than me. When she was small, she had the idea to get me an angel every year. Still does and she is pushing 18.
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azredhead
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,755
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Post by azredhead on Dec 1, 2014 6:39:12 GMT
The old Swedish Christmas Eve 7course meal. Then the girls cousins and kids do St.Lucia. It's my Dh's side. Its not really a Christmas Tradition but sometimes our Burns night (scottish event) gets thrown into Christmas when my family is in all together on my moms side. Usually it's at the end of Jan with my parents anniv.
Other than that stockings. i LOVE stockings! My grandma started it when there weren't so many grandkids. She did them and my parents did them. My mom always got the best stocking stuffers. So now I've made it a tradition with Dh and I-even if it's just small things.
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Post by Miss Lerins Momma on Dec 1, 2014 6:59:10 GMT
We fall asleep under the tree one evening while it's up. It's hard on my back, but the girls love it!
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anniebygaslight
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Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
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Post by anniebygaslight on Dec 1, 2014 7:05:41 GMT
Even though we are not remotely religious, we always listen to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College, Cambridge, whilst bustling about the house on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
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Post by jenjie on Dec 1, 2014 10:52:47 GMT
Not now, but when I was little, Santa claus came to our house on Christmas Eve. Not in the way you're thinking. He came twice! The first time he would come and we would sit on his lap and tell him what we wanted. He would give us a candy cane and we would get our picture taken.
I thought he was super busy Christmas Eve! Visiting every house in thw world, getting lists from all the boys and girls, going back to the North Pol and wrapping everything, and then delivering it all? Busy busy guy.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Dec 1, 2014 11:53:10 GMT
We still read aloud "The Night Before Christmas" on C'mas Eve even though my boys are now 13, 19, 21 and 22. The book was mine as a child and my parents read it to me so the tradition continues. After the *official* book is read, then we pick one or two more from a collection we have amassed of Christmas stories. I think the boys would mutiny if we ever suggested skipping the reading time!
When the boys were little, I used to have to wrap the top of the staircase like a package to keep them from going downstairs until everyone was ready. That came about after the second oldest one snuck downstairs one year and then came up and gave a full report to his brothers of what everyone was getting! He had even peeked into the wrapped presents. Little stinker. They always bring that up every year... it's become part of the family lore. Lol.
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Nanner
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Post by Nanner on Dec 1, 2014 16:02:37 GMT
Another one:
When I was a little girl, from about age 3 until about age 11, we lived in small northern towns, far away from all other family. When she'd mail up our Christmas gifts, my grandmother would also include a large stocking which she filled with a bunch of small random unwrapped stocking stuffers. Things for everyone in the family. Then she'd sew across the top with yarn so nobody could see what was in there. After all of the gifts were unwrapped, my father would bring that stocking out, cut the thread and start pulling things out. We'd all decide who got what as the things were pulled out of the stocking. I always thought it was always one of the best things about Christmas back then.
Funny thing is, the only thing I can remember being in that stocking was a package of dog treats for our dog one year.
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Post by sisterbdsq on Dec 1, 2014 16:15:12 GMT
My ex started a tradition where we would go out shopping and wear fun Christmas hats. We'd have spares in the car. When we saw someone who looked like they had no holiday spirit, or someone who commented on our hats...we'd pass one along to them as a gift. I really missed that last year. This year I'm hoping to just get through the month of Dec.
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NoWomanNoCry
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Post by NoWomanNoCry on Dec 1, 2014 16:37:07 GMT
My ex started a tradition where we would go out shopping and wear fun Christmas hats. We'd have spares in the car. When we saw someone who looked like they had no holiday spirit, or someone who commented on our hats...we'd pass one along to them as a gift. I really missed that last year. This year I'm hoping to just get through the month of Dec. That sounds fun! Hang in there...I'm just trying to get through the month as well. |
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PLurker
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Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Dec 1, 2014 16:45:07 GMT
Another "recent" fun one that is now a no-go because of stores opening on THanksgiving:
We would go to my mom's on Thanksgiving. Kids would always be amazed that people would camp out in front of stores for Black Friday So on our way home, we would go by Best Buy to see all the crazy people in line. It was like a "reverse parade" we decided. So then we decided to throw candy out our window to people waiting in line. People loved it. (lots of bored people!) So for years after kids wanted to bring candy for the Best Buy people, and we did. They would often get out of car and hand it out. Knock on tents. People got so excited over that some kids would do that. Thank yous all around. Happily, other than a few no-thank-yous, no grinches or grumpy why-are-you-I-dont-want-you-here people.
ETA Stopped by WalMart one year to buy more candy. After paying, kids shared with employees working there too. They were tickled too. Until the one Grinch there happened to be manager on duty. She said to stop because employees could not take gratuities. Really, a little freaking piece of candy? Get over it! Luckily, we had already given most employees a treat.
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Post by sisterbdsq on Dec 1, 2014 16:59:21 GMT
My ex started a tradition where we would go out shopping and wear fun Christmas hats. We'd have spares in the car. When we saw someone who looked like they had no holiday spirit, or someone who commented on our hats...we'd pass one along to them as a gift. I really missed that last year. This year I'm hoping to just get through the month of Dec. That sounds fun! Hang in there...I'm just trying to get through the month as well. It really was. Sigh. He's the fun ex.
I'm hoping next year will be better for us all.
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Deleted
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May 19, 2024 2:52:39 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2014 19:07:02 GMT
This is fun to read....my 32 year old son...just reminded me that we need to make his "countdown loops" out of construction paper that he has been making since kindergarten!
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Post by auntkelly on Dec 1, 2014 19:21:57 GMT
My husband and I always set aside time just for the two of us where we sit by the tree and open our presents to each other. We always share a bottle of champagne and have Christmas music playing in the background.
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Post by peas&carrots on Dec 1, 2014 19:26:43 GMT
Our dogs have Christmas collars with bells on them. We like to walk them around the neighborhood after dark on Christmas Eve to look at the lights. I always hope that a little kid hears them and thinks that they are reindeer I love this!! That would be so magical...to be the giver or receiver actually. One of my favorite traditions is our countdown activities...I take all the things that we are going to be doing over the next 3 weeks (dance performances, concerts, service projects) and put them in our countdown. I intersperse fun at home things like crafts, movie nights, gift wrapping, cookie baking and, of course, chocolate in with them. I write them all down and put them in an "advent" calendar that a friend made me (a muffin tin with magnet covers) and the kids get to open them up each day. I think I really do it for me because it makes these busy weeks something to anticipate rather than something to dread. The kids like it too, I think. |
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Post by kimmie75 on Dec 1, 2014 19:55:19 GMT
My ex started a tradition where we would go out shopping and wear fun Christmas hats. We'd have spares in the car. When we saw someone who looked like they had no holiday spirit, or someone who commented on our hats...we'd pass one along to them as a gift. I really missed that last year. This year I'm hoping to just get through the month of Dec. Sister, it gets better. My first Christmas single I decided that I was getting myself a real tree no matter how much it killed me. I went to the tree lot, picked out a 4 foot tree and they loaded it on top of my car. When I got home I got it off the SUV, dragged it in the house and set it up on top of a table in my living room. Since I could not bear the emotional pain that first year of opening up the Christmas totes, I got a box of simple ornaments at Target, a few strings of white lights and that was it. Let me tell you, I was damn proud of that tree. Every day when I got home and put on "my tree", it would make me smile. It is now 5 years later. I have a new home, a boyfriend for the past few years and things are much better. Last night I was thinking about that little tree. I think it was my favorite one of all. |
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Post by sisterbdsq on Dec 1, 2014 20:21:32 GMT
Thanks kimmie75! Your tree story makes me happy, thank you! I wish you had a picture of it! I can totally see myself doing that. I WILL DO THIS EVEN IF IT KILLS ME! I AM WOMAN! and all that other uplifting junk. |
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Post by Alexxussss on Dec 2, 2014 0:43:46 GMT
Either Christmas night or sometimes after, we open our stockings. Each item is wrapped and we take turns opening them, sharing what we got (just fun little items like nail polish or candy), and then trying to make a 'basket' with the wrapping paper. The basket is a small garbage bag in the center of the room and we all have to be equal distance from it. We keep score & the winner gets bragging rights 'till next year. It's really just silly, but I look forward to it every year! New Year's Eve: we eat nothing but appetizers and play games - so much fun!!! |
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leeny
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Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
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Post by leeny on Dec 2, 2014 5:17:24 GMT
We do a Christmas Eve box. It's got new jammies for everyone, a DVD, snacks and our ornaments for that year. We hang em up in out new pjs and then watch the movie and munch We are Jewish, but I Love, love, love this idea! We go out looking at Christmas lights. Have done that since I was little. For a few years we gathered friends and co-workers, rented a school bus and took a Christmas light tour based on our local newspapers map of the best lights. |
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