HOLIDAY DIARY

[rubywillow]

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, ALL! At least, I hope they will be, for you and me too. Since coming to MWO, beside getting the best ever support against AL, meeting new, understanding friends, I've learned so much about the world and people's ways of life. I thought it would be fun and interesting to have a thread where everyone is invited to post daily, no feedback necessary, about their day, their activities relating to and leading up to the holidays. I thought it would also be interesting to see how our holidays have changed since MWO and AF entered our vocabulary. Today, I got out a new nativity set I bought last year on clearance, I think. I really don't remember. I mean, it was early, but never to early then. Today, I took out this beautiful, faux alabaster set, with a unique star background, and let them be the beginning of my decorating. I will look for candles I bought later, and post maybe later tonight about how the rest of mny day has gone. I'd love to hear what you've done. It's sunny, about 42F here in middle Georgia, USA, at about 2:00 PM. Miles to go before I sleep.
Ruby

[Lila]

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hey Ruby
It is FREEZING where I am!!! We have a real-live fireplace and have homemade stockings hung there. This week, my holiday goal is to find an inexpensive way to get lots and lots of firewood. Lovely!
Lila

[brittzak]

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Ruby & Lila
I just finished decorating my house for Christmas. Inside and out. I have spent three days! ALL I have left is the tree which we will do tonight when my kids come home from their Dad's. Daughter just texted and said she cant wait to make hot chocolate.

[rubywillow]

HOLIDAY DIARY

Thanks, Lila! That's the spirit. My 3 yr-old grandson just asked me if, when I told him he was coming to my house for Christmas Eve, we could sing!!! I almost cried!! Now I have a mission, to have songs for Jack and the rest of us to sing for Christmas. I also play piano and have an antique pump organ, so I'm thinking of getting one of them ready with songs for the first time in 20 years. Oh, such hope these babies bring into my life!!

[brittzak]

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Ruby,
That is a lovely story...makes me wanna cry. How precious!!!!!

[rubywillow]

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OK, people, some spirit here!!! It was 3.6C here this morning. Why is the South so cold this year? I think we'll blame it on the Democrats this time! LOL Today, the real Christmas decorations come out. I guess I'll do most of it by myself, and cry over each ornament as I remember its history. I have to start my cooking too. Does anyone have a particular, old recipe they would like to share and where it came from? I'm making my mother's icebox fruitcake. This will be my first year sober thru the decorating and celebrating. I know why it's so hard, so many memories. My parent's LOVED celebrating Christmas, and when they died, it died in our extended family. Will try harder this year!

[bestlifeldms]

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Ruby, Great idea on the thread! Your grandson sounds dear. This will be my first AF Christmas since 1992. My husband and I were just talking about this yesterday. Unfortunately this Christmas will be very different, since the loss of my husbands mother, and our daughter & family (including our only grandchild, age 3) and our oldest son, will not be here this year. But, that still leaves the 3 youngest boys and one GF, Mr. Best and myself. So, Ho! HO! HO!, and here we go! House is nearly all decorated inside and out, and have yet to start my shopping, although, I know pretty much what is in store for everyone on my list. We are focusing on a larger quality gift for each of the kids, vs. so much STUFF. No one needs all that stuff, for sure. I am looking forward to doing more baking this year. I am sure that we will have a wonderful holiday season, what ever comes our way. I am grateful... Today is 8 mos. AF for me. :h

[Cheech66]

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good job all

[brittzak]

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Ok ladies the tree is now up. I have ALWAYS gotten the tree in the stand and put the angel on and the lights and then the kids and decorate together...this year my daughter begged to put the lights. Beings she is now almost 15 and 2 inches taller than me....I let her. She must have watched carefully all these years becasue I think she did a better job than her Mama has in the past. AS I am typing this, this morning the entire tree FALLS to the GROUND... so tonight when we got home, we have redecorated the tree....LOL what a year!!!!

[Bandit]

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OK, so I am a bit late to get into the holiday spirit but I will be putting up my tree tomorrow!
I did however do my Christmas Eve shopping the other day - by that I mean what I plan for Christmas Eve itself as I personally love Christmas Eve even more than Christmas Day. I would love to hear of any traditions that everyone has. We light a fire Christmas Eve afternoon and put on some Christmassy music, after dinner the kids have a bath and then come down to the living room to find the parcel that the elves have left for them for watching the Christmas movie. This parcel normally contains a new dressing gown and PJs, slippers and most importantly Christmas socks. We then watch a Christmassy movie with some edilble treats (usually home made sausage rolls for the kids and crackers and cheese/pate for the adults - my other weakness!) and then bedtime for the kids!. After that, us adults just put everything else out for the kids under the tree to be opened up Christmas morning. Can I just check one thing - I have a neighbour who is from the States and she says it is tradition in the US to open presents on Christmas Eve and not Christmas Day like we do here in Ireland. Is that true?

xx

[rubywillow]

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Not at our house, Bandit!!! I guess everyone does things a little differently, but other than the description of the food, you almost do the same thing we did when my children were small. Now, Christmas Eve is the date my grown children come with their families and we have our Christmas dinner. Then, on Christmas Day, Hubs and I go to both children's houses to see our grandchildren's presents. Christmas morning is WAY BIG with us, anyway. Love the description of your holiday. One thing we always do, too, is read from a 40 year old children's book 'The Night Before Christmas', and everyone takes a turn at reading. I miss having children waiting for Santa upstairs! Cherish them, everyone!!!

[CS04]

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Bandit, most US families open presents on Christmas Day. When we were older kids, though, we had a few years where we opened just one present on Christmas Eve.

I have been having a hard time with the holidays for the past several years. Hubby and I and 17 yo stepson have kept presents to a bare minimum, partially because of finances. Meanwhile, his side of the family totally overbuys, esp. for the kids. I have many warm memories of great parties over the years with good friends and food, but not recently. My extended family seems to be splitting apart a bit, and old traditions are not being carried out anymore.

But our 2 year old son -- this is his 3rd Christmas and will be the 1st year he will have some idea about Santa, etc. SO I really want to start some new holiday traditions that my immediate family and I can enjoy.

[DeeBee]

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What a great idea to start this thread Rubes!

My daughter and I put up our Xmas tree this weekend, correction I put it up, un-tangled the lights, replaced light bulbs and she got to do all the fun stuff lol!

I have made my first Xmas cake (actually made 3) and started decorating it this weekend -- not as easy as it looks in the books. Most of the little sugar bells have already broken but I'll persever and carry on this weekend. I am making a huge batch of mince pies and spiced biscuits to box and give as gifts this year. Giving is the best part of Xmas.

(Hey CS, long time no chat)

[brittzak]

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On Christmas Eve here we always bake sugar cookies and decorate them. Then leave some out with milk for sAnta and we never forget carrots for the reindeers. My children don't even believe in Santa anymore and we still do it...LOL and I STILL bite the cookie too as if Santa came. I make finger tiype foods while we do it and we have Christmas music on. We all wear Christmas PJ's that night as well.

[1morechance]

HOLIDAY DIARY

Thanks for this thread. It's great to hear what everyone is doing to get into the spirit. Not feeling the holiday spirit yet but I'm sure it will come once I put up the tree and send my cards. I get nostalgic around this time of year because Christmas was my favorite holiday when I was a child and my mother really made it special. She's no longer with me physically but I do feel her spirit.