In Shock

Well my family is, i actually put up some Christmas deccies. Im normally a baa humbug im afraid, but i promised the kids we would do Christmas this year and what happens the eldest dont want to know christmas this year typical.

Im even wearing a old Chirmbo jumper, lol ive had it since i was 17.

I love the holidays! No BAH HUM BUGS ALLOWED!

We tease Kirt, he says he going to sit on the front porch with a shot gun and shoot Santa! Or we will have Raindeer for Christmas Dinner!

My children won't put my presents under the tree early as IM THE ONE TO SHAKE, SNEAK and Pop at my presents. When they were little they thought I could just pick a present up and tell them what it was. What they didn't know was with Moms Super hearing, I just over heard them talking!

My Mom and Dad make our Christmas's as a child so special. It was not the gifts as we were a family of 6 on a military pay, it was all the little special things we did togather as a family slowing down, Choir at church, the programs, Baking we did togather, to give the neighbors, my brothers could make a mess out of a cookie, rotten boys. The sneaking around to surprise someone with a small gift, baking a Birthday Cake for Jesus, going over the hills, (Oh, Yes we did) to my Grandparents house, 33 cousins going hiking to Bird Rock to Ice Skate, And none of these things about Money. It was about Family, the Magic of the holidays and the birth of Jesus.

I have tried to instill these traditions in my family even in these times. We go out for a ride to see all the Christmas lights and take some Hot choc. with us. We open one gift on Christmas eve, Our new PJs. So we have nice new PJs for the christams photos, Play a card game or board game while eating the cookies, nog and hot choc. with Christmas Music playing. Later a OLD Fashion Movie.

Santa still comes to my grown children. They love it. A warm harty breakfast, they guys skeet shot, we ladies Cook, what is that all about???
Any way then we cook for Dinner.

I Love these times, We all slow down to take time for family, reflect, and realize our blessings.

I used to be big into decorating for Christmas, but there came a year where I really wasn't in the mood and it felt like work. Has seemed like that ever since. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that with Wade working so far from home, we quit going to my family for Christmas, where we had our traditions like skating or cross country skiing and the adults all hanging out while the kids played together.
It'll be 8, count 'em, 8 Christmas's since I've celebrated it with my own family. I was hoping we could finally go to my family for Christmas, as Brennen is flying out of that city on Boxing Day to stay with his father's side for a week. No such luck. Apparently Wade's mom got whiny. Like that should matter.
This year, since I'm now working, I had to hide the presents in Wade's 3/4 ton and lock the doors. Otherwise I am darn sure those kids would know what they were getting long before Christmas morning.

What if your Mom got Whinny? I lost my Mom when I was 29. Make time for her if you would like my advise. These are your memories. If you can't be there for Christmas then make it New Years, switch them back and forth every other year. Fair is Fair. These are your Memories too! In the end it is the one thing no one can take from you.

Im waiting for hubby to get paid so we can go Christmas shopping, we havent got a thing yet.

Im really going to try a make a Christmas this year

I am a Bah Hum Bug person. No kids at home so don't have to do all the Christmas stuff.. I did when the kids were here. That's really what it's all about for me.. Beware, grown ups are way more talented at peaking at presents..

I didn't really feel like doing Christmas until I found out my son was coming home from the army for break! I have been decorating like mad!!

Wow now thats a tree.

We havent space for a tree like that, weve got a 3ft tree if that on the dinning table.

We should all post photos of our trees, No matter how big or small.. There are plenty of small cute, lovely trees out there.. Cindy you did a great job, for a quote quote hurry! Looks pretty to me! Me, I dont even have one up! No room yet, still doing constuction! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I haven't put up a tree since 1996. It doesn't bother us at all. But, if I had kids around or a son coming home for the holidays I would go all out as well.

My son is almost 37 and has 6 kids of his own. My baby girl is almost 34 and has kids of her own. They don't come up since I work just about every holiday. And, do their own decorating.. If I need a fix for the holidays I head to my Mom's. She way over does it all the time..

I told Wade's mom that since Brennen flew out the next day, we might just do Christmas supper at my grandmother's. Did NOT go over well. I get that she already bought a big turkey, but heck, she has had us there for 7 Christmas' in a row. Got pissy, excuse the language, one year because we spent Christmas Eve in Winnipeg instead of at her place. We were picking the kids up from my Mom and barely got any visiting done that year.
My idea is that we open presents at home, go to her place for lunch and boot it the 3 hours to Grandma's for supper. Then we are already in the city for Brennen to catch his flight in the morning.
Wade's parents live about 8 miles away. My Mom lives about a 3 1/2 to 4 hour drive from each other's houses. My mom sees the kids more often because we arrange to meet partway for supper, she takes the kids for weekends, sometimes longer. Just generally makes the time for them. I think that ought to count for something. That and the more I think about how selfish it is to keep having us there for Christmas, the more I don't want to spend it with his family again.

We staying at home this Christmas day, my parents are off to my brothers and as me and my brother do not get along we not going. We only got an invite through my mum anyway,he couldnt invite us himself. So Christmas day is not going to be spent running around which is fantastic. Boxing day we round friends that live just over the road. On the 29th we have Hubbies parents training it down.

I must admit i one of those people who cant stand all the running around over Christmas,yes its a time of families but it so stressful making sure you see everybody, hehe im a BAH HUMBUG

we have Jes this year for the 1st time and Ty is really into HOHO so we are hoping to do it up we are just late getting it done as we are having to drive to St Louis once a week to Shriners hospital for Jes about 9 hrs each way and I am still working 3 nights a week... I need to find a Santa for pictures

I have to work all day Christmas day.. So, no HO HO HO for me.. I don't mind though. They asked me today what I was doing for Christmas (elders I take care of). I told them I was going to be right there with them.. Big smiles.. Then I told them they could take care of me that day.. They all agreed..

I feel bad for other employees who have small children and have to work the 24th and 25th. I wish I could help them out.. I would do it in a minute..

I do have to say reading about people waiting to go to some other family members house for the celibrations. I have family who does this every holiday. Never once invited anyone to their house.. Why don't you have it at your place and have people bring some of the dishes? Make a traditions of not going to the same family members house every year. This is fun and takes the load off of one person having to do it all the time. If people do not want to come then so be it..

I did Thanks Giving at my house for years. Had over 20 people in this little tiny house.. Loved every minute of it.

I love the hustle and bustle of the Holidays. We are on the run typically for 2 days. Loading presents into trucks, going fom one house/party to the other. Then on Christmas Eve we go to Midnight Mass. If it wasnt for me my mom wouldnt decorate for Christmas either. Also, I can understand how alot of people just dont have the time to do it.

But I cherish the memories I have as a kid. The week before CHristmas absolutely killed me with having to wait. Making Santa his cookies and leaving him a tall glass of milk is something I will never forget. Oh and waking up Christmas morning, who needed a rooster? I was always the first one up making my rounds to get everyone up and to the tree. Oh and Santa always had my presents wrapped in the same paper so it all matched, that way I wouldnt realize my mom wrapped it. Then Christmas dinner always stuck with me. I remember being little and sitting around the table after dinner and listening to all the adults tell stories of things they did as kids, and different relatives doing silly things. Thats what I remember and will never forget...

I have all those wonderful memories as well B&B.. All the kids sat at a card table in the dinning area since the table was so full. Putting the cookies out for Santa and the big glass of milk. Then, finding it gone in the morning and the presents under the tree.

When I was a kid, nothing went under the tree before we went to bed on Christmas Eve.. I remember many Christmas's.. But, one that really sticks in my mind was the year I got the stuffed Lassie Dog.. I begged my parents for that toy. I saw it in the Sears Catalog. I swore if they got that for me that would be all I wanted.. I used every little thing I could to convince them. Because I wanted it sooo bad.. I got up that Christmas morning and there it was.. I have no idea why this one thing is still with me after all these years..

I then went on to make my own memories with my children. And, now them with theirs.. Just as you will one day..

I wish I could do Christmas here. I'd love to have my family all here and do things like sledding and sleigh rides. If they didn't all live 4 hours away, I'd definately do it.
We ended up doing Christmas dinner at my Grandma's last Sunday. All my family except my aunt were there and she hasn't been at a family get together in recent memory, so that wasn't a suprise. We had fun, but it was a lot of driving, as Sean had a hockey game in the morning here and we had to be back to put the horses in at night. Some people thought we were crazy, driving almost 8 hours in a day, just to go for supper. But it wasn't just for supper, it was to see & visit with the whole family.

That is a long day. Maybe next year you can figure out how to get them to your place and keep them a day or two? That would be fun.. There is nothing that compares to Christmas in the country.

I had to work.. So, made a nice dinner last night for Lonnie and I.. Prime rid and Lobster. It was YUMMY.. We also had a white Christmas. Not much snow. But, had about 4" on the ground.. I work on New Years day as well. I don't mind at all. Get paid more to do less..