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Post by scrappintoee on Dec 18, 2015 23:28:57 GMT
I'm curious who is NOT busy now, like us----and I LIKE it for the MOST part! ----And I wanna say, for those like the poster the other day who has NO family, her dear friends are far away, and she's about to be evicted from her home-----Prayers and many ((( hugs ))) !! I wish I could have y'all over for a fun Christmas get-together !!! Sooo excited about seeing our families soon!!! It's been a YEAR since I've seen most of them----wayyyy too long! Hubbs saw his side of the fam at our nephew's wedding in July; I was SO bummed I couldn't go! I adore his family, too! Our niece sent a video of her precioussssh little daughter singing in a Christmas show at her pre-school ....ohhh, how we would've loved to be there! (we don't have our own kiddies, but have always adored our nieces & nephews, and LOVED going to all their events when we lived nearby!) Another reason I'm not as busy this year is that we don't go to hubby's office party anymore, even though they're always very nice parties, he's just bored with 'em, which I understand. I'm the "social butterfly"; he's happier at home. I used to volunteer more---especially around this time, but can't this year due to health issues. And when I worked, the Christmas parties they threw were nice, too---but they would fall on the evenings many of us had to work. I'm also THRILLED that our family does NOT go overboard on presents-----we USED to, but the past couple years, we just draw names. It makes it WAY more fun to just concentrate on that ONE person----plus, I HATE the over-materialism and PRESSURE some people endure just to say they got SOOO many people presents ("lookie how GENEROUS I am !!!" ----Ugh!) and if they went into DEBT to buy for everyone.....omg, don't get me started.....!!! Aside from getting ready to EXPLODE from the excitment of getting ready to hit the road to see everyone soon (AND---SO happy our doggies LOVE road trips & are so FUN to stay in hotels with!!!!) ----, there's not a whole lot going on here, but I AM excited about our dear friends' get-together tomorrow night!!! I was so blessed when we moved here to make some precious friends by going to scrapbook at a local store! This was 12 years ago, and it was SO fun, scrapbooking Every. Single. Friday. Night! Once that wonderful scrapbook store closed, we lost touch with most of our large, fun group  But...two of my friends & their Aunt who worked at the store remain my dearest friends, and since they have a large family, I've been blessed to get to know most of 'em, and they are my second family!!!! Growing up, we had ONE aunt, but she died so young....Having cousins, uncles, & aunts is SO foreign to my sibs & me! So, it's super fun that in my "second family", I got two sweet "Aunts" PLUS their sweet Grandma "adopted" me, not to mention the adorable kiddos who consider me their "adopted Auntie" ! Sooo, aside from one fun Christmas get-together with our bulldog rescue group, tomorrow night will our second (and last) non-family even, then -----Finallly on the road to see our actual families & some dear friends.....We'll be super busy trying to see everyone and I can't WAIT !!!!  |
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Post by scrappintoee on Dec 18, 2015 23:39:43 GMT
Also wanted to add, I WISH I could take my sweet babies to the Nursing Homes ----and not just for holidays; I take them whenever ----to bring joy and love to the residents like I used to, but I physically can't do it this year-----HOPEFULLY, in a few months, we can go !!! : ) There is NOTHING as precious as seeing a sad residen't face light up by seeing / petting/ hugging a sweet animal !!!!!  |
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Post by mztfied on Dec 19, 2015 0:25:31 GMT
I am not busy at all. Shopping was done by early Dec. Wrapped and now sitting in homes under trees of my family across the country. I was determined to get this done early just so I could enjoy the season with out the stress. So happy that I got an early start this year.
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Post by eversograceful1 on Dec 19, 2015 0:26:08 GMT
I'm not overwhelmingly busy right now although I still need to wrap presents. I'll be cleaning this weekend but because I want to, we aren't having company or anything.
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Post by PepsiGal on Dec 19, 2015 0:44:50 GMT
We are not busy at all. All of our kids live in other states from us; so we take the easy way out and send checks. So we are taking it easy and watching Christmas shows on Hallmark. Also making Christmas toppers for bags I'm giving to the neighbors. Tomorrow we are headed to a model railroad open house - can't wait to see how DH enjoys it.
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Post by myboysnme on Dec 19, 2015 1:09:33 GMT
Not busy with anything holiday related. All gifts are received and wrapped except for one that I now very much doubt will arrive at all and I'll end up trying to get a refund.
Will make a list for DH to go to the grocery store to shop for Christmas eve and Christmas dinner fare.
Would love to get things cleaned up around here a bit this weekend so I can enjoy the fruits of my labor so to speak and sit and stare at my tree without seeing stuff piled up out of the corner of my eye.
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Post by scrappintoee on Dec 19, 2015 1:40:03 GMT
It's soooo refreshing to read your posts! Many peeps that I love and adore are wayyyy too busy this month! It exhausts me to hear about it, and makes me want a take a lovely, longgg NAP for them....and I DO! |
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Post by cannmom on Dec 19, 2015 1:43:34 GMT
Not terribly busy here. We don't have any family that live close and we can't travel because I have to work part of the holiday. We always have a quiet Christmas with just our immediate family and I like it that way. We don't do any gift exchanging with extended family and it's really a relief not to have to fool with that. We have our own traditions and have a great time by ourselves.
All my gift buying is done and the majority of the wrapping. I work this weekend and will be off until Christmas night next week. We will celebrate a birthday on Tuesday. Other than that my only plans are 1 trip to the grocery store, which I will probably do Monday morning after I get off work and Christmas baking. Everything else will be just relaxing and enjoying the season.
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J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
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Post by J u l e e on Dec 19, 2015 1:51:34 GMT
I do not do crazy at Christmas. And I love every bit of the season. We just do what we enjoy and let other stuff go. Looking forward to making cookies tomorrow!
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mallie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,253 
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Post by mallie on Dec 19, 2015 1:58:56 GMT
Not busy. All presents were wrapped a long time ago, all packages mailed by December 1. I spent 15 minutes decorating a tree and another 60 seconds putting up a huge silver star over the mantel, then another 20 minutes doing Christmas cards. That's it. No more decorating since no one cares. Not going anywhere or seeing anyone for the holiday, so nothing else to do. Wish I did have more to do because that would signify that something was actually going to happen. Next year, I'm going on a cruise and avoiding the whole thing.
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Post by Scrapper100 on Dec 19, 2015 2:00:21 GMT
There are a ton of things I want to do - Gingerbread house kit and a bunch of kids crafts and movies and I do want to do some baking but really not much I have to do. Most of the presents are here and wrapped I just need the finishing touches on a few handmade gifts and then they need to be wrapped. We also need to figure out dinner for Christmas Eve - FIL is coming but it doesn't have to be fancy and hubby said he wants to BBQ something - works for me. I am looking forward to a stress free week - just hoping the weather works in our favor but its not like we can do anything about it.
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Post by travelscrapper on Dec 19, 2015 2:02:33 GMT
Not busy. All the work holiday parties are over. Presents are bought my mom is going to wrap them. Not hosting the holidays this year going to nieces just have to bring a few snacks. Did not decorate this year not in the mood. It's been a great low key holiday!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Dec 19, 2015 4:40:57 GMT
I'm getting closer, but still not there yet. Cards were sent out earlier this week. Our presents are bought and hidden but not yet wrapped. I'm done baking (except bread on Christmas Eve day, for Christmas dinner) and now that I finished that up today I can ship off my last package which is a box of cookies for a neighbor at our lake place. I still need to get gift cards for DH's sister's kids and also one for DD's teacher, but otherwise shopping is done. I need to finish cleaning the house before Sunday night, but I started that today and should get a little help from DH over the weekend.
I bought all the stuff to make matching PJs for the three of us, and hope to be able to do that on Monday or Tuesday. I'm a pretty decent seamstress and I have a new machine to try out, so it shouldn't take more than a few hours total. The pants take about 40 minutes per pair (2) and a nightgown for DD which will probably take a little longer, but it's still pretty basic so it's nothing that's out of my league.
I probably would have been done with most of this stuff sooner, but my whole family has been plagued with various illnesses, doctor appointments, etc. that I hadn't planned on having to do and all of that kind of sidelined me.
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Post by scrappintoee on Dec 19, 2015 5:00:58 GMT
Cannonmom...ah yes! Night shift! Been there, done that for many years!!! I LOVED going grocery shopping in the early mornings---SO peaceful !!! . Years ago, after working all night Christmas Eve, I'd come home, shower, put on something nice, wash off the all-night makeup & re-apply (whaaaat?!?) , then hop right back in the car again! Then hubbs drove 2 1/2 hours to our families' place while I slept. By SOME miracle, I was able to celebrate all day & evening with that 2 1/2 hour nap! Wow, I couldn't do that now!!!!!! If I even TRIED, I'm sure I'd fall back asleep sitting straight up in a chair, no matter HOW many kiddos were running around, plus all the talking, laughing, music!!! I miss those days when night shift was a breeze for me! Crazy4scraps....I LOVE matching pajamas, teeshirts, etc! I used to get them every Christmas for my sis and sis-in-law, and some years, for the nieces & nephews as well. Then I'd get my Dad, brothers, brother-in-law, and nephews matching teeshirts. It was very fun, but kinda dwindled away. Reading your post makes me wanna do it again So cool that you sew...it's something I always kiiiinda wanted to learn; but not badly enough, I guess |
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Post by baslp on Dec 19, 2015 13:12:44 GMT
I am not busy either. Since our kids are in college we do not do much decorating or buying gifts. We are flying to spend Xmas with family. So we will be busy packing our winter clothes.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 18, 2024 20:26:59 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2015 13:24:37 GMT
I do not have a single holiday thing to do  |
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Post by just PEAchy on Dec 19, 2015 14:39:55 GMT
I've never gone crazy at the holidays. It's always just been the 5 of us since we're the ones who live far from family. I don't feel,pressure to get things done, I just take it as it comes. Some years I do a lot, some not so much. Sometimes hearing about the chaos of a extended family Christmas makes me a little wistful for it, but then I realize I can stay in my pajamas all day in my messy house if I want to  |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Dec 19, 2015 19:08:00 GMT
Crazy4scraps....I LOVE matching pajamas, teeshirts, etc! I used to get them every Christmas for my sis and sis-in-law, and some years, for the nieces & nephews as well. Then I'd get my Dad, brothers, brother-in-law, and nephews matching teeshirts. It was very fun, but kinda dwindled away. Reading your post makes me wanna do it again So cool that you sew...it's something I always kiiiinda wanted to learn; but not badly enough, I guess I did it the year when DD was two. I was going to make matching Elmo PJs for myself and DD, and then DH saw what I was working on and said, "Where's mine?"  Who would have guessed that a 40+ year old man would want Elmo PJs, but okay! So I did some scrambling to find more of the fabric and made him a pair too. DD has outgrown hers, but DH and I still wear ours. This year I wanted to make DD a long flannel nightgown and found some cute gingerbread man print flannel on sale. So I thought what the heck, I would make PJs for all of us and bought the whole bolt! Now I need to do it, but can't when they are both here at home, so it's tomorrow or Tuesday when they are at work/school. With fewer distractions, I should be able to whip through it. The pants in particular go together really fast. |
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Post by lisae on Dec 19, 2015 19:16:51 GMT
Nothing here at the moment. I didn't decorate this year due to being sick with a cold Thanksgiving week. We've been to one holiday party and two Christmas music events last weekend. We are going out to dinner a couple of times this week and I'll fix a very low key meal for my parents on Christmas day. I'm looking forward to my best friend coming home next weekend. We hope to have a day out one day while she is here. I haven't even done any holiday baking other than the cake I took to the party last weekend. DH has requested coconut pie for Christmas. And I am not making my cheese ball because I love it far too much |
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But...two of my friends & their Aunt who worked at the store remain my dearest friends, and since they have a large family, I've been blessed to get to know most of 'em, and they are my second family!!!! Growing up, we had ONE aunt, but she died so young....Having cousins, uncles, & aunts is SO foreign to my sibs & me! So, it's super fun that in my "second family", I got two sweet "Aunts" PLUS their sweet Grandma "adopted" me, not to mention the adorable kiddos who consider me their "adopted Auntie" ! 
Who would have guessed that a 40+ year old man would want Elmo PJs, but okay! So I did some scrambling to find more of the fabric and made him a pair too. DD has outgrown hers, but DH and I still wear ours. 