How do you celebrate the December holidays?

[Irritable1]

At my house we stay up late Christmas Eve wrapping things for the kids and assembling them. 

 

We put out cookies "for Santa." I used to get into arguments with the younger kid when she was very tiny because, "Santa gonna come downna chimney and eat alla cookies!" 

 

"But he'll leave PRESENTS."

 

"But he EAT ALLA COOKIES!!!"

 

But she's come to terms with it over time.

 

Then we sneak around filling stockings. Mr. Irri can stay up later than I can. I usually get a lipstick that works on me. Which is amazing, because he's color-blind. It's our annual Christmas miracle. 

[Graeme]

We alternate Christmas between our house and the in-laws houses. This year it's our turn to go visit My family celebrates Christmas before the actual day so everyone can spend the day with the other side of the families (in my case, my wife's family). We're looking forward to a couple of weeks off!

 

Both of our boys are teenagers now, so I'm not sure if Santa and his reindeer will get milk and carrots this year. But I'm happy to wait and see. Getting the boys into bed before he shows up is more of a challenge.

 

Since the Christmas holidays correspond to Summer holidays here in Australia, it's very much a time for being outside in the fresh air. I'll probably get out my dirtbike that I haven't ridden for months and go for a ride when we're at the in-laws farm for a few days

[Sasha Distan]

1. make a number of large gingerbread sculptures

2. eat lots of really good food at the in-laws

3. take advantage of being able to see the horse during the day time

4. avoid my family at all costs and for as much of the time as possible. (I am lucky this year, because my other parents are having my brother and his wife over, which means automatically that we won't be going there. Sorted)

5. miss being in NJ like crazy

[rustle]

I usually get a lipstick that works on me. Which is amazing, because he's color-blind. It's our annual Christmas miracle. 

 

Wow! Cherish that gift. You know it didn't come easy.

[Irritable1]

Wow! Cherish that gift. You know it didn't come easy.

 

I know!!! 

 

1. make a number of large gingerbread sculptures

 

 

You interest me strangely 

[rustle]

Camping over the weekend at Enchanted Rock.

 

The bedrock under the whole state is pink granite. In a few places, the bedrock has been upthrust as a hill. At night, the wind in the rocks sounds magical.

 

[Irritable1]

 

 

At night, the wind in the rocks sounds magical.

 

That sounds so beautiful. 

[rustle]

That sounds so beautiful. 

 

I hope it's colder than a well digger's ass. I love camping in the winter.

[Irritable1]

 

 

I love camping in the winter.

 

Hee.

 

We've talked about going at Thanksgiving but the campgrounds here fill up with treehuggers months in advance. I've never gotten it together in time to make reservations... 

Edited December 2, 2014 by Irritable1

[rustle]

Hee.

 

We've talked about going at Thanksgiving but the campgrounds here fill up with treehuggers months in advance. I've never gotten it together in time to make reservations... 

Five words for you. Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Make the reservation, months in advance if you have to. It's unbelievable. I hugged a giant sequoia there, once.

 

It's funny. We were there, and ambling around a little town. We kept seeing green painted frog footprints on the sidewalks, and it finally dawned on me where I'd heard of Calaveras before - The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. I started looking around, and everywhere I turned was a place name in Mark Twain's book, Roughing It.

 

Duh.

[joann414]

Every weekend in December is planned for me.  The first one is finishing my Christmas shopping.  The second is making sure all is wrapped, all decorations are in place and start planning for the family Christmas which is the next weekend.  Grandson will arrive to stay as soon as he gets out for the holidays on the 19th and will stay until after the New Year.  From Christmas Eve through the weekend, it will be Christmas at my house.  I enjoy all of it though.  We do a lot of bonfires, walk in the woods and I always keep my fingers crossed for ice cold temps and snow.

[Valkyrie]

I spend Christmas Eve with one branch of my family.  When I was kid, we would go there for the evening and then attend the 11:00 church service.  My brother and I had a tradition of opening our gifts to each other on Christmas Eve, since we were allowed to pick one gift to open then.  That tradition kind of fell by the wayside, though since he now lives in Colorado.  I stopped going to church a few a years ago, so now the tradition is simply to attend the X-mas eve party. 

 

Christmas day I usually get up early and open presents from a couple out of town friends I exchange with.  I used to go to my parents for breakfast and opening presents, but since my dad walked out on my mom three years ago, my mom and I have been going to my aunt's for breakfast instead.  We always have a dinner of prime rib with all the fixin's and chocolate pie for dessert. 

[Cole Matthews]

Randy and I spend Christmas eve and Christmas day by ourselves. We relish having the two days without distractions by having lots of food and opening presents. Its a bit selfish but we cherish the time.

[Irritable1]

That does sound nice, Cole.

 

I kind of wonder sometimes what it'd be like to have more family in town to rev us up a bit on Christmas day. With no demands on us we kind of sit around all day unless I drag everyone outside. Which does not make me popular.

[Sasha Distan]

You interest me strangely 

 

This year we plan to make Chinese Pagodas

 

Last year was gingerbread Christmas trees (over a foot high), and the year before that were churches with steeples and stained glass candy windows.

[comicfan]

Christmas used to be such a big holiday in my house till my mom passed. Dad won't allow much. Christmas I stay in bed till as late as I can. I get up and make breakfast now. Then give my father his gifts. He will usually hand me mine, which is always a shirt and some really bad movie that I never would want to see. Then I hide out in my bedroom and open the gifts from friends and family.

[jdmotion]

My fam usually celebrates Christmas eve we give the kids gifts (which there are only two) and we get drunk. Christmas day we all usually work.

[Irritable1]

Christmas used to be such a big holiday in my house till my mom passed. Dad won't allow much. Christmas I stay in bed till as late as I can. I get up and make breakfast now. Then give my father his gifts. He will usually hand me mine, which is always a shirt and some really bad movie that I never would want to see. Then I hide out in my bedroom and open the gifts from friends and family.

 

Wow, that sounds incredibly depressing, Wayne. Do you have any local friends or family you can visit during the day? 

[lovesickpuppy]

I think I need to celebrate Christmas better this year. All the other years since 2006, I've worked all the time. Too tired to think about Christmas. When I was little, we'd open presents by the Christmas tree. I used to buy people gifts, but not anymore. I'm all retailed out. Sending out stuff.

[JamesSavik]

Most Mississippians don't have to go back very far to find farm roots.

 

A tradition that we have that dates back a long time is the Christmas Pig.

 

Farmers keep one pig out of their herd for the Christmas Season. They make sausage and bacon and all that but the prize is the pork loin.

 

Christmas Eve they have a big pork loin roast with mashed potatoes (or rice), pork gravy, vegetables and biscuits.

[Never Surrender]

this year is a little more in the air parents are in a bit of a pickle so i will either be staying at university to 'apply myself' and have christmas on my lonesome (bacon sandwiches and a harry potter marathon, anybody?!) or ill be going home for a few weeks and eating all their food instead

[Irritable1]

 

 

I used to buy people gifts, but not anymore. I'm all retailed out. Sending out stuff.

 

Must admit I have little or no idea what to buy people I haven't seen for a while, and it gets difficult to manage a budget for a large group. I lean pretty heavily on LUSH bath bombs... My recipients are polite and don't complain. 

[Timothy M.]

In Denmark the main family event is on Christmas Eve. People eat duck or 'flæskesteg med sprøde svær' and small potatoes with a caramel layer (brunede kartofler) with thick brown gravy and rødkål (shredded and pickled red cabbage). Dessert is risalamande, which is a sort of cold rice pudding with warm cherry sauce. Whoever finds the hidden whole almond wins the prize.

We then dance around the Christmas tree while singing Danish Christmas songs / charols. Afterwards gifts are unwrapped.

 

On Christmas Day most people either relax or do more family visits usually with a huge Christmas lunch (julefrokost) with the traditional Danish open sandwiches and small hot dishes. Same for Boxing Day and sometimes even the day after as well.

 

Then we all lie low and digest (sort of like overfed, lazy boa constrictors) until New Year.

[Mayifik]

I guess I should preface this with "Hi, I'm new."

 

For Christmas I split my time between my mom's side and my father's side of the family so it turns into a week long marathon race of visits, baking meals, cleaning and present giving (quite exhausting). Last year though I had a little dust-up with my father's side so I'm opting out of that portion, therefore it's being reduced to a three day event. I've never had calm Christmas so I'm very much looking forward to it.  C:

 

Quote

Dessert is

risalamande

, which is a sort of cold rice pudding with warm cherry sauce. Whoever finds the hidden whole almond wins the prize.

 

 We do that same thing with rice pudding, usually the prize winner gets to bring home my mom's pecan pie.

[ricky]

I hope it's colder than a well digger's ass. I love camping in the winter.

That phrase always fascinated me. If his butt is wet and cold then what's he doing in the well? It's dug! I mean I'm assuming it must be wet or why would the focus be there? Like Colder than a well diggers ears? Or maybe ankles? Flush Rimbaugh says, "words mean things."