How do you celebrate Christmas and Winter Holidays?

tulagirl

tulagirl

Proud Owner of Cat Pee Pony
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Dec 24, 2010
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We usually put a tree up and hand out gifts. Its really important to me to be involved in children's charities. This year we are doing Toys for Tots. Its special to give to those in need. I like to visit with my friends and arrange a day for family. We try to attend church and I love the live Nativity Scenes. The little lambs are so cute. We like to get crafty but we are not bakers. I remember going caroling many times when I was young. I can't really do that now because of the walking involved. At times we get invited to parties. I am not much of a party person really, but I go. I like the ones where you give white elephant gifts or the Christmas ornament gift game. People always get into some sort of fight and I love watching the drama unfold from my cozy spot on the couch. Oh and I am super fond of the Christmas progressive Dinner parties. I have not attended one of those in years. I like to Christmas shop online. I don't want to get out among sick people and come home with the flu in time for Christmas lol. Its happened to me at least 3 times in the last 15 years. I am done with that.

When I was a child we did the whole stocking and gifts under the tree but not much was wrapped. It was a lot of fun. I still remember several of the toys I got for Christmas.
 
Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year, so you bet we got some traditions going! ;)

We set up the tree sometime during the first week of December, and leave it up until January 6th (12 Days of Christmas and all that :)). Gifts go under it until Christmas Eve (if I can convince my Mom to do our shopping during the month as opposed to ON CHRISTMAS EVE ITSELF, what the heck, Mom), when we leave for my Grandma's place. We open gifts at midnight by the fireplace, and stay overnight, when the rest of the family arrives. We spend Christmas Day with everyone, open the remaining gifts and leave for home after dinner.

During the first or second weekend of December me and my Mom go outside town to get moss for the Nativity Scene, which is usually set the same day, provided the moss is not too wet. I've said before that I'm not a religious person at all, but I'm totally okay with traditional things like this. ;) Besides, I love setting it up! Too bad kitty Mitzy likes doing the opposite. X) She loves moss, which is... Not good for the Scene.

We also have a Christmas dinner and gift swap with two other families of friends that might as well be my surrogate uncles and cousins. The attendance has been rising as three of the second generation have boyfriends and girlfriends who also show up, bringing the total to 15 people. The only problem is fitting everybody at the dinner table. :p

We donate to whatever charities happen to be asking at the local supermarkets, which at this time of year happens pretty often.

And I watch Christmas specials and movies. A lot of them. And my list's increasing! X) My favorites are Mickey's Christmas Carol (the Muppets version is my second fave take on the tale, and it's only because there's no Uncle Scrooge in it. Mr. Magoo's gets a special mention because being the first animated Christmas special EVAR has to count for something), Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, Rankin-Bass's Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, and Arthur Christmas (from Aardman, not Arthur the Aardvark!).
Another special mention goes to Belle's Enchanted Christmas because watching the Beast completely lose it on the snow is as silly and stupid as it is hilarious.
Beast: "TAKE THAT, SNOW! RAAAAARGHGHGFHTHDTDH"
 
I just love Christmas movies. I look forward to them each year. We open one gift on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day. Oh and we take Maki to see the Christmas lights each year. He loves that.
 
We head out to Santaland! It's near Tyler where my Poopsie works during the week. It's about a two and a half hour drive but we love it. $25 a car full, but well worth it. Check it out!


Otherwise we're working on our own traditions. For years we pretty much just did whatever mom wanted whether we liked it or not, so now we're gonna do what WE want and make new, fun traditions of our own.

I'm thinking turtle races for prizes on Christmas Eve. Not kidding. TURTLE RACES! How epic will that be? We have 14 turtles, surely a few will be in the racing mood.
 
This years is gonna be different but it usually goes this way:

Well shoppin in december to get presents and 24th we set up the tree have a Christamas breakfest, lunch, dinner etc that day and exhange the gifts. We gather at my parents house, and my cousins, aaunts are also there with my family. 25th day we usually eat again same Christmas food with my cousins and may visit other relatives.
The Christmas threewill be taken off around Epiphany (is that a word? :p Google translate). Mostly our christmas is about eating and spending time with the family. There haven't been any traditions to go anywhere.

This years christmas will be different since my mom is in a hospital.. I have no idea how this christmas will be played, because nobody is cooking x>
 
Usually just decorate and do presents with family with a Christmas feast
Then kids get dressed up and participate in a Candle Lit Vigil at church.

We usually always attend a Santa Clause parade first Saturday of December every year, and meet Santa at local Yard Birds Mall to get the kids' picture taken with him

We usually do a chocolate countdown Advent calender... I'd better buy two for each of my kids today x.x

Festivities around here are rather simple ^-^
 
Usually we just get into a lot of fights because everyone is on edge at Christmas time. Hopefully this year will be different
 
Oh Wow @evilbunnyfoofoo thats epic. I am slightly tempted to make the drive to see that one!!

@Philly I so get what you are saying there. It happens to us too.

@LightningSilver-Light I love the candle light service. Its so magical. I also love the Advent Calendars which reminds me I need to dig mine out of the Christmas boxes.

@h1m3. Here in the USA we have several places you can buy an entire Christmas dinner cooked and all you have to do is heat it up for your guests. This is very popular here since a lot of people are not able to cook. Do you have this in Finland? Restaurants usually do this and you pick all your goodies up on Christmas Eve morning. Look into it. Everyone could add some funds to it and you guys would have a nice meal you love. Take Christmas to mamma in the hospital. Decorate her room with items the nurses say is okay for her to have. It will lift her spirits. Sneak the horse in. No one will notice!! If anyone asks a question just say its your uncle and he likes Cosplay.
 
I am sure there is some company that cooks Christmas meals.. at least restaurants. I must investigate ;) Thanks for the tip!

I am too freaked out that I might give her some bug when I visit her so I am not sure about the Christmas decorations (there might be something lurgy!).. or I will need to disinfect all decorations :'D Disinfect batch coming up!
 
Ohhhh a new fun word...what is lurgy? It sounds glorious.
 
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