Christmas Calm?

[Kathianne]

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, I think I'm still digesting. ;)

Last night I did something I never thought I'd do, gave up my traditional Christmas Eve, without a thought beforehand. As inevitable the 'traditional' had changed, with or without thought, the ex has been gone; my folks have died; the kids have gotten older and while they've never missed, I know that there have been times they'd have liked to go out instead; my friend and her husband's daughters have gotten married and have children so they have to be with their grandchildren. We all meet up for Midnight Mass, well not my parents, but the kids, my friends and their daughters, we still will.

So what happened is this, last night my brother and SIL were telling her mom, who hosted dinner, that they saw no way not to cancel the Christmas Eve open house they've held since they got married. They were going to have to drive down from Rochester Christmas Eve after Jay got his last doses of radiation. They will be going up on Sunday their daughter-in-law can be at work on Monday. They figure they can leave by 1 or so, but couldn't see a way to do what needed to be done to be there by 4 or even have things ready by 8, way too late.

This has always been a big deal for my SIL's side of the family, for my nieces and nephew, as their friends always stop by. All told, probably 100 friends/family come by between 4 and 9, some staying briefly, others longer. So I volunteered to help get things ready and get the party going. I'm off on the 19th, with the exception of the 20th, am free. While I certainly hadn't planned on doing any such thing, I think we were all shocked when my SIL said, "Thank you!" Thankfully her mother and sister joined in with a, "We'll help!" as did my own kids and my niece.

Just like that, a tradition broke. :beer:

[Des]

Thank you, we had a great thanksgiving, and our fridge is so full of food it isn't funny. We extended an invite to the single marines stuck here for the day, and made a little bit too much, lol. It was a good day, though.

Yeah, I try not to do "set" Christmas traditions, but my kids are still really little and my dh and I have only been together a handful of Christmases.

[Kathianne]

Thank you, we had a great thanksgiving, and our fridge is so full of food it isn't funny. We extended an invite to the single marines stuck here for the day, and made a little bit too much, lol. It was a good day, though.

Yeah, I try not to do "set" Christmas traditions, but my kids are still really little and my dh and I have only been together a handful of Christmases.

Oh I love holiday traditions, as long as they do fill a purpose. I think my own kids are happy that they'll be able to help and still get out with their friends. Meeting for mass and opening a few presents after will be tradition enough. The weird thing though this year we'll be with all the same people two days in a row, as my Christmas Day group is my family, my brother's, and my SIL mother and sister.

Because of my always having Christmas, I started the Christmas Eve thing back when my first child was born. My folks came and it was simple. I can do that dinner with my eyes shut. The kids were always in bed by 7:30, I'd make the appetizers I could for the next day, run to my parents and throw the hidden Santa gifts into my car and set them around the tree. As they got older, we added Midnight Mass and 2 am present opening, to get rid of the wrappings before morning.

I think the past few years of empty chairs and the challenges facing us this year, well it was time for a change.

[Des]

Oh I love holiday traditions, as long as they do fill a purpose. I think my own kids are happy that they'll be able to help and still get out with their friends. Meeting for mass and opening a few presents after will be tradition enough. The weird thing though this year we'll be with all the same people two days in a row, as my Christmas Day group is my family, my brother's, and my SIL mother and sister.

Because of my always having Christmas, I started the Christmas Eve thing back when my first child was born. My folks came and it was simple. I can do that dinner with my eyes shut. The kids were always in bed by 7:30, I'd make the appetizers I could for the next day, run to my parents and throw the hidden Santa gifts into my car and set them around the tree. As they got older, we added Midnight Mass and 2 am present opening, to get rid of the wrappings before morning.

I think the past few years of empty chairs and the challenges facing us this year, well it was time for a change.

You're right, a tree/presents are traditions. We do those things, my husband puts up the lights the day after thanksgiving, lol. We just move a lot and don't ever live around family, so the holidays are something we do with just our kids and anyone who might be stuck on base we know. When they get older, I want to put all these neat ideas in a hat and take turns picking them out, so Christmas means more than just presents (I grew up in a present-family). One idea would be "spend one dollar on a gift for each person" or "get everyone a gift that is the color blue" or "make each person a gift that reminds you of their most annoying habit" or something...to inspire creativity and make a funny activity to bring everyone together, but still have gifts. Usually I sit down and write a long, thoughtful letter to each person in my life because it's so costly to ship them all gifts. Things change too much to have "set" traditions, besides enjoying the spirit of the holidays. The next few years after this we won't even be in the U.S., so that should be really exciting and new!

[Kathianne]

You're right, a tree/presents are traditions. We do those things, my husband puts up the lights the day after thanksgiving, lol. We just move a lot and don't ever live around family, so the holidays are something we do with just our kids and anyone who might be stuck on base we know. When they get older, I want to put all these neat ideas in a hat and take turns picking them out, so Christmas means more than just presents (I grew up in a present-family). One idea would be "spend one dollar on a gift for each person" or "get everyone a gift that is the color blue" or "make each person a gift that reminds you of their most annoying habit" or something...to inspire creativity and make a funny activity to bring everyone together, but still have gifts. Usually I sit down and write a long, thoughtful letter to each person in my life because it's so costly to ship them all gifts. Things change too much to have "set" traditions, besides enjoying the spirit of the holidays. The next few years after this we won't even be in the U.S., so that should be really exciting and new!
Indeed, the tradition can be something as a 'theme' every year or the drawing out of a hat. Good ideas indeed. I've been lucky or sometimes unlucky, that for the most part my family, including cousins have remained in the area. With the exception of 1, all within 50 miles of where we were born.

I've always done the 'letters' too, though not so much at Christmas. I wrote each of my children and nieces and nephew a letter the day they were born. Starting preschool, kindergarten. Significant birthdays, graduations. I wrote a 'letter' to my mom the day she died, we framed it and displayed with photos at the funeral, it's on my piano today. To both my niece and nephew I enclosed one with the check on their wedding days. My nephew, well I write him now, a lot. My daughter graduates college 12/14, so I guess this was my reminder to start on that one. ;)

[5stringJeff]

We have a new holiday tradition: my son's birthday. He turned 3 yesterday, so Thursday night, I was up late assembling presents! He's got a play wrokbench and a play tool set that makes Tim Allen from Tool Time look like an amateur!

[Kathianne]

We have a new holiday tradition: my son's birthday. He turned 3 yesterday, so Thursday night, I was up late assembling presents! He's got a play wrokbench and a play tool set that makes Tim Allen from Tool Time look like an amateur!

Too cute! 3 already? Geez. I remember assembling toys on Christmas Eve, hoo boy!

[5stringJeff]

Too cute! 3 already? Geez. I remember assembling toys on Christmas Eve, hoo boy!

Yeah, it's kind of like getting a jump start on Christmas, but not really... just more work! :D

[Kathianne]

Yeah, it's kind of like getting a jump start on Christmas, but not really... just more work! :D

He's lucky that it's not too close to Christmas, right? What you do is overbuy for birthday, get them assembled, then give one or two. Now that would be a 'jumpstart'!

I envy you the little ones at this time of year, 3 is the perfect age!

[krisy]

My daughters birthday is today!!! She is eight. While watching the news last night,we saw that we could go on to the website for the local Fox news and sign her up to get a phone call from Santa!!!!! The whole thing is through Cincinnati Bell. I immediately got on and signed her up to get a call. So,today,on her eighth birthday,she is going to get a call between 11 and 11:15 from Santa!!! The great thing is.....the caller i.d. sys the North Pole when he calls!!!!! Too cool.

I thought this would be wonderful since there are a couple of kids in her second grade class telling her he isn't real. She's not convinced he isn't real,she wants to believe. I told her last night that her dad and I couldn't afford all that stuff under the tree so who does she think brings it every year?!! She bought it!!!


As for Christmas traditions,we always go to my mom's on Christmas eve and eat snacks and listen to Christmas music. Sometimes we go to church,they have a neat candle light service....but my daughter often gets to tired. I also make a lot of snacks at home to eat,and sometimes we let the kids open one gift from mom and dad.My big brothers family will also come over to my mom's.

CHristms morning it's the traditional kids going crazy opening their presents and wrapping paper all over!!! My 13 year old is still as excited as ever....btw,we may have Santa call him too...just to throw him off a little:coffee:

We often rotate houses for Christmas day and are either here,my brothers,or mom's. We have a ham dinner compliments of the gift certificte my hubby's boss gives him to Honeybake Ham Co. On Christmas night we go to a manger scene with live animals and very real looking people.


Oh,and we never forget the Buckeyes and cookies left out for Santa:dance:

[Kathianne]

Krisy, sounds like a wonderful time of year! What the heck are 'buckeyes' though? :coffee: I'm guessing I'd like them with my java?

[krisy]

Krisy, sounds like a wonderful time of year! What the heck are 'buckeyes' though? :coffee: I'm guessing I'd like them with my java?

Oh gosh!!! Not with coffee-lol!!


Buckeyes are a Christmas candy,I make them every year. They are a peanut butter mixture rolled into a ball and dipped into chocolate. The pb usually has powdered sugar and some other stuff in it. They look like Buckeyes from a Buckeye tree.

Look them up on the net and make them. You WILL get addicted to them.

[Kathianne]

Oh gosh!!! Not with coffee-lol!!


Buckeyes are a Christmas candy,I make them every year. They are a peanut butter mixture rolled into a ball and dipped into chocolate. The pb usually has powdered sugar and some other stuff in it. They look like Buckeyes from a Buckeye tree.

Look them up on the net and make them. You WILL get addicted to them.

PB and chocolate, my favs. Thanks!

[krisy]

Here you go Kath

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,187,157184-228195,00.html

I ususally make a ton of these!!!

[Kathianne]

Here you go Kath

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,187,157184-228195,00.html

I ususally make a ton of these!!!

Sounds good, well except, parafin? Do they taste waxy? I'm thinking of those fake mouth candies we had as kids.

[krisy]

Sounds good, well except, parafin? Do they taste waxy? I'm thinking of those fake mouth candies we had as kids.

No wax taste at all. Ask Mr.P...he's the one who told me to try it,or Crisco. It makes the chocolate far more dippable for the pb balls. If you don't use either one,it's very hard to dip without loosing the pb in the chocolate.

[Kathianne]

No wax taste at all. Ask Mr.P...he's the one who told me to try it,or Crisco. It makes the chocolate far more dippable for the pb balls. If you don't use either one,it's very hard to dip without loosing the pb in the chocolate.

Ok, on my list, they sound great!