Christmas & holiday plans?

[grapesicles]

I know Christmas is still a good month and a bit away, but I'm really curious to know what other peoples' plans are! Do you have any traditions, or do you celebrate the holidays at all? Do you cook special food for the occasion? If you choose to visit friends/relatives, who do you spend time with?

My boyfriend's family, work colleagues and friends usually have Christmas meals out in the last couple of weeks before Christmas, so I usually go with him, just because I like food. And it's pleasant that everyone is happy rather than miserable. It'll also be the first Christmas without my grandmother, so I'm going to decorate the house extra-festive throughout December, since she saved a lot of the nicer decorations 'for best', and of course they barely got used. I drive to my parents' house on Christmas Day to spend the day with them opening presents and having lots of food over there, and stock up on reduced essentials in the shops the next day (I know a lot of people can't stand this!).

What are your plans?

 

[Grumpy Cat]

I'll be on a strict budget this year (unless something changes with the job thing). This Christmas it will be Waldo, Me and the Charlie Brown Christmas tree reflecting on how Jesus is the reason for the season! Who knows, it may be the best Christmas ever. (I can't tell you how much I'm missing Amazon and QVC. Is there such a thing as shopping withdrawals?)

 

[Harrison]

I am working over Christmas, sadly people still break down in their cars and I have to be on duty in case Santa blows a gasket.

No hardship though as it's better than being at home alone wondering what all the fuss is about.

 

[photoaddict]

If it were 100% up to me? It would be pretty simple. I live in a duplex with my parents, so we'd get together Christmas Eve for some hot chocolate and my mom would tell the Christmas story for my 4 year old (she's quite the story teller, so I encourage her to do it). Then my son would get to open one gift (he always gets cute PJs that he opens Christmas Eve and puts on) and head for bed. Christmas morning would, again, be just us and move at my son's pace because he needs to have lots of time.

Reality? Not so peaceful. Christmas Eve will probably be about like that. There may be a service at church, but I don't know if we'll go. Christmas morning will be chaotic and, probably, rushed. My extended family hasn't decided yet what day or where we'll do the big family celebration. It could potentially be Christmas afternoon. We'll either be hosting (which has perks because my son and I can disappear if we need to) or getting in the car to drive over an hour to family. Neither is very appealing, honestly, but it really hurts my grandmother if people don't come. She assumes it's because there are hard feelings between some of us (there are, no question there), even though it's actually just a case of some of us preferring to keep things small. A couple of my cousins sit in the corner with their phones and pout. I try to be more mature about it, but I hate the big, *loud* gathering, too.

 

[Kari Suttle]

My christmas will be the same as usual, just at home with my parents and siblings. I hate the whole January-December time now though. Nearly two years ago over christmas break everything changed...i went to my parents needing a break from school and needing their help and they just blew up in my face instead. I'd spent a month thinking over the decision, talking with friends and an academic advisor, yet they blew up in my face and nearly kicked me out. Said i was lying, i'd never go back to school no one does that, said so many hurtful things. Said I needed to get two jobs and save up cause in six months they wanted me out. Eventually that changed to 'get back in school in six months or be out' but the sentiment is the same nonetheless. The entire winter season reminds me of that time. Everything changed and i lost, metaphorically and emotionally, the only people i had hoped would be there for me when i needed them. I can't even look forward to hot chocolate and sitting in front of the fireplace with the family and such without thinking about it.

 

[AsheSkyler]

Christmas Eve night is always spent with my dad's side of the family eating delightfully yummy things and exchanging gifts (nowadays just giving to the kids, finances are getting tough), the afternoon spent with relatives that won't be at that get-together like my mom's side and also eating and exchanging gifts, and Christmas Day or the following days spent on my husband's side doing more eating and gift giving. And the few weeks before I'm always in a mad dash trying to get all the presents made that I'm doing for that year. This year it's crochet teddy bears for the kids! One down, eight to go! *groan* Why do I do this to myself?

When I have the time and resources, I like to make little things for all the families involved. They've always really appreciated it and I still find my little knick-knacks on display at their house, even if they don't know I'm coming. =)

 

[Sarek]

I love the holidays now, I get to spend them with my hubby's amazing family. They have so many fun traditions and are all so loving and genuine. AND since they live so far away from my family I get to completely avoid my abusive neurotic mother ad psychopathic sister, so yay!! All the perfect ingredients for a great time!

 

[anne.bc]

Traditionally, my father's side gets together on Christmas Eve. We go to a restaurant, usually PF Changs. After we eat, we go to my dad's half-brother's house for a gathering. We dress up and re enact a still shot of the Nativity Scene while someone reads the story from The Bible, each appearing in the place as the characters are announced. I am almost always the Star of Bethlehem.

After that is done, we have a very loud and unorganized game of White Elephant gifts, and then the children are allowed to open one gift from relatives.

This year will be interesting. My cousin is pregnant and the child is due to be born on New Years Eve. Since we don't want her to be miserable, we are having festivities early this year, four days early. Hopefully the boy doesn't arrive early.

I am nervous because I haven't seen family since the breakup with my now former fiancé, and I REALLY hope they keep their nasty opinions to themselves. My mother, grandmother, and aunt have already said things I did not need to hear, essentially dancing on the grave of this relationship that PEACEFULLY ended. I would like to ask them in advance to not bring it up, but that sounds like bad form.

 

[ExplosiveTMT]

Not sure exactly what my family plans on doing, but so long as there's lots of awesome food, I'll be happy!

 

[Ian114]

I might go home to Boston to visit my family if I don't get into clinical trials that I would have to stay in town for, for a serious illness I have.

 

[sakirkist]

My immediate family doesn't celebrate Christmas anymore,(no longer Christian) but we still do small gifts and call it a "family day." This year we decided to pick one thing we want and buy it out of my husband's bonus check. I'll buy my mom and my uncle something and visit them, and that's about all.

 

[Kirsty]

Going to my Granny's house to keep each other company as we both live alone and are lonely. I used to have wonderful times there at xmas growing up and it relives the memories a bit. Things are not the same now, but we make it the happiest day possible.

 

[SameStars]

I always buy a tiny fir tree to decorate; a precious few have outlived the year, and were planted outside. One of the earliest trees has grown over six feet tall in the garden.

We don't do Christmas gifts here, but have a family dinner with different courses brought and prepared by different family members.

 

[gonzerd]

That time again. I think this year I'll try something new and go to one social gathering dressed as a very thirsty santa who's beard keeps falling of and swear at the tv a lot in a language no one understands. You know, to cheer people up a little.

 

[epath13]

We've been living in US for... about 8 years and I've noticed that during the past ... maybe 3 years "Holiday Spirit" began to deteriorate... has anybody else noticed it? I used to sort of... feel it in the air. Now I feel something different, like uncertainty and... maybe even anger. The TV stations don't seem as holidays obsessed as well. I hear a lot of people complain about stuff instead of just enjoying the holidays. I've just been at a gas station, thinking - people complain about outrageous prices but maybe we should also look at the good stuff. Since when gas prices are so low? I don't know, maybe it's just me, maybe I pay attention to the wrong stuff? Am I? I don't know... we've got 2 pretty firtrees in pots, so I need to take care of them... well, none of my plants survived, hope these will

 

[clg114]

My wife and I always go to the big family Christmas get together on the weekend before Christmas. It's always at one of our kid's house, so we don't have to host it anymore. All of the grand kid's are old enough to just give them money. They like it that way and we don't have to shop much. We give all of the kid's a gift card to a nice restaurant. There is lots of people and noise, but at least I know everyone and everyone knows me. Things like this are more tolerable when everyone there are people I care about. My wife and I always have quiet Christmas at home.

 

[Graelwyn]

I spend Christmas with my mother and brother in London every year.
Before that, I have some festive meals and events planned with the meetup group I recently joined, which should be interesting, and certainly a first in my adult life. These include bingo with a Christmas meal, a Casino quiz with Xmas meal and yet another Christmas quiz meal, only that one being in a little pub.