angleigh Posted December 17, 2020 Author Share Posted December 17, 2020 I haven't seen Polar Express in forever! I might have to actually watch that one this weekend. Congrats @Pab for being the Wednesday winner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angleigh Posted December 17, 2020 Author Share Posted December 17, 2020 Thursday question: Do you get together and have a big Christmas dinner? Is it the same thing every year or do you change it up yearly? What do you have for Christmas dinner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angleigh Posted December 17, 2020 Author Share Posted December 17, 2020 We've always had a low key holiday. Our family is pretty spread out so it's usually just us and my parents (sometimes my aunt/uncle when they aren't in Arizona) We usually get together Christmas Eve for dinner. Honeybaked Ham and Turkey...more finger foods. Stuff that we bring home and eat sandwiches and such for a few days. When the boys were younger my parents would come over in the morning to see them open gifts. Now more often then not their gifts is money so they can combine it and buy something big for their car or something..lol So we will be doing the same this year. Nothing will change for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celestine Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 I cook a fancy meal on Christmas Eve. By tradition, it always features new-to-me recipes from appetizers to dessert. This year I will be doing lamb chops with mustard sauce. With adult children living in different states and now having in-laws of their own to consider, plus with my ER nurse daughter's work schedule, Christmas Eve has been a small affair at times. Christmas Day is unpredictable where and with whom we will spend it, and often depends on the plans of my in-laws, who rotate among their 11 children for holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida granny Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Our Christmas Eves have changed a couple of times. However, for the past 15 years we have spent them with our son's family in New Jersey along with our other son, and our daughter-in-law's family. It's always fun, especially when the kids open their gifts. Christmas day we spend at my husband's sister's house along with Marilyn (MariJ) and the rest of the family, many of whom travel from other states. It's a full house! Several of us bring appetizers, side dishes, desserts and they are pretty much the same each year. The main course varies somewhat but lately has consisted of mostly Italian food such as pasta, chicken, bracioli, meatballs and sausage along with veggies and salad. It's quite a feast! Christmas will seem very different this year with just the two of us, and, for the first time, being in Florida for the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pab Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 3 hours ago, angleigh said: I haven't seen Polar Express in forever! I might have to actually watch that one this weekend. Congrats @Pab for being the Wednesday winner Yea, thanks! Definitely have some hot cocoa ready to enjoy to go along with one of the best songs of the movie! Hot Chocolate!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pab Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 We do get together every year and have big Christmas dinner. There's been a very few that we changed it up, but most of the time we follow our traditions of Ham and one other kind of meat. Sometimes turkey or a roast. I do eggs, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes along with providing the meat. Then the adult kids all bring other sides and such. And of course MANY desserts to choose from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatricemi Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 My husband has a large family and traditionally we go to his sister’s house Christmas Eve but not this year. We will get together with his kids and our grandkids on Christmas Eve. My side is tricky because my kids do not get along and one does not celebrate. Add to that my married son and his family (the 3 boys in many of my layouts) have Covid. So long story short I’m not sure about Christmas Day. Probably just DH, dd and me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsoarty Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Just me and Lauren & Ryan - as usual. Bryce lives too far away, and I'm not much for Christmas celebrations with my siblings, they have too many at their house, and I don't like the noise. So just a quiet day at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-M Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 We are doing the same as we did the last few years with celebrating with daughter and her family Christmas Eve ( roast turkey this year). After breakfast the next day we drive to my older sister in the next state to us to have two nights with her. We have a traditional Aussie Christmas Day lunch - cold meats and salads. It is too difficult for this sister to go away for Christmas as her son and his son live with her. Little James is very autistic and would not cope to go away from his home to a different setting. He does attend special school which is helping a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celestine Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 4 hours ago, Florida granny said: Christmas day we spend at my husband's sister's house along with Marilyn (MariJ) and the rest of the family... So, Diane, I did not know you and @MariJ are related somehow! How fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida granny Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 3 minutes ago, Celestine said: So, Diane, I did not know you and @MariJ are related somehow! How fun! Yup, she's my husband's sister's daughter. And, yes, fun!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in N.Z Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 We always have a big Christmas dinner of ham and turkey with all the roasted veggies and the trimmings. Christmas pudding and trifle for dessert. Depending how many are coming I'll add another dessert to the mix. Used to do a starter as well be not these days. All the kids and partners come for this and it will be Lucy's first Christmas It can be a bit hot cooking(as its summer here) so have all the fans on and windows open and I do it all and love it When we came from the UK we kept the Christmas dinner tradition going as do a lot of expats over here We have our family dinner these days on Christmas Eve so that way we're not sharing with the in-laws, it gives us the excuse to celebrate with good friends for another Christmas dinner on Christmas Day (this year its boxing day though) and have another roast turkey dinner (yes they're English as well ) This meal is shared between us so we are only doing some of the cooking each. Thankfully we are able to have large gatherings in NZ as we have no community cases of covid at the moment. They say this year it might be wet as we could be getting the tail end of the cyclone thats just hit Fiji. Steve and Steph fly up on the 23rd so hoping flights aren't cancelled due to bad weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angleigh Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Congrats @Florida granny for being the Thursday winner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angleigh Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Friday Question: Do you go all out on decorating for the holidays? Do you decorate inside and outside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angleigh Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Ok..funny story. We haven't actually decorated for Christmas for about 3-4 years now. Yeah, I know....Mrs Scrooge BUT my rule was either everyone helps put up/down the tree or it doesn't get done, I wasn't doing it all on my own why they sat there and watched. When the boys stopped wanting to help it stopped going up. We even had a collection of cartoon/disney decorations that went on it that they gave to a family friend that had a young girl. Well this year before Thanksgiving the boys got in the mood they wanted to put lights on the house. They kept bugging me and bugging me until I told them if they wanted them, they buy them. So they went out shopping, bought lights for the front, a Santa hanging from the house, decoration for the porch and all new ornaments for the tree. Then spent a day decorating everything and putting up the tree. Even though their main gift is money, there's a few gifts under the tree wrapped and they even brought up their stockings so I have stuff to put into there. So this year we are very decorated. I kind of hope the tradition continues for a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pab Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 We do get together every year and have big Christmas dinner. There's been a very few that we changed it up, but most of the time we follow our traditions of Ham and one other kind of meat. Sometimes turkey or a roast. I do eggs, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes along with providing the meat. Then the adult kids all bring other sides and such. And of course MANY desserts to choose from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pab Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I think my previous reply was just sitting in the convo. I must have forgot to hit send yesterday. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pab Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Angie, That's great that you "put" some of the responsibility on them. There future wives will be thanking you! lol We have always wanted to put up lights outside but never have until this year at our "new" house. We have been here two years now and it's out in the country. So it's beautiful out here when it snows with all the trees we have. But some years I go all out and some years no. I have had the tree up since Thanksgiving, but haven't gotten anything else out yet. So may not be putting everything out this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariJ Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 @angleigh That's a really nice story and it must make you feel good to look at the decorations and know your boys did it all themselves. I normally go all-out decorating for Christmas. My Mom was a huge decorator and I’ve definitely gotten that over-the-top gene. Even the years when I had shoulder surgery and then a broken foot I took one piece at a time from the attic and walked it downstairs. It took awhile, but I like doing it. A friend comes now to help me put up a big manger on the porch, that’s done this year. And a few weeks ago on a 65º Sunday I put up the outdoor wreath and lights my Mom loved. But since there’s no family Christmas that’s it for me this year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celestine Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 @angleigh - loved your story of this year's decorations! What an achievement! I have always put up quite a bit inside the house - two trees (one is little with Coca Cola decorations) and my Dickens Village. After my mom passed away, I inherited her vintage Holly Berry Lefton collection and half of her huge Santa collection. Now it seems to take me twice as long to decorate with half the help, LOL. When the kids were little we decorated outside the house in a candy cane theme. That stopped when they were in high school - I think mainly because wrestling and figure skating are incredibly busy sports in December, and getting the outside decorations up was just not possible given our frantic weekends. Last year was a really warm December and we no longer have sports obligations, so husband I decided to put up the outside decorations. After several years of harsh winter weather and then several years of storage, a lot of the stuff was in really bad shape. I think we tossed 2/3 of it at the end of last year. So, no Candy Cane Lane this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida granny Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 2 hours ago, angleigh said: Congrats @Florida granny for being the Thursday winner Thanks so much, Angie! I'm lovin' this game, enjoying everyone's comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsoarty Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I go all out. Well except for lights on my roof. I can't get up there. I have 2 trees up this year, I usually have 3 (one in my bedroom) or 5 (2 attached to each other inside) one on my dining troom table and then the main one. I also made and framed some WA and hung them up on my walls. this year I didn't do as much as I usually do though. Just not in the mood. MY grandkids hang the ornaments and they do a great job. I may put up the 3 small trees outside today. Still deciding if it's worth it. Feeling like I do. Oh, and my color theme changes every year. this year it's pink silver and white, and my black tree in my dining room is always black and silver and white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida granny Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I'm already a winner but want to play anyway. We always put up a tree and decorated inside. Many of the decorations and tree ornaments were made by myself and by our kids. At some point my parents gave up decorating a tree (because they spent Christmas with us) so gave us their ornaments. They arrived with several boxes to face our fully decorated tree. We stared at the tree for a few minutes, then shrugged and started adding the new ornaments one by one. Somehow we got them all on and the tree looked even better. I guess there is never too much decorating for Christmas! Outside we had candles in the windows and a wreath so pretty conservative there. Now it's our turn to travel at Christmas time (except for this year), so we keep it simple inside and out, but I still put out the old ornaments on a little table top tree and in baskets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-M Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Friday question..... We do not do any decorating outside. We used to put up some lights but with the last few years always being away we did not want to let it be known we are away which lights not coming on would show to those would be thieves. Inside I do minimal decorating these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceJ Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Day one - Yes I love Christmas music, but my favorite is We wish you a Merry Christmas, actually I wrote this, singin' it, lol. Rae thank you so much for sharing the video, beautiful song Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceJ Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Day two - somebody said hallmark movies? this is my favorite part of the season, simply love hallmark movies. I have my very fav saved in my EHD, some of them: Love on the slopes (2018) Christmas in Viena The wish Love on the sidelines (this is really one of my very favs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceJ Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Day 3rd - Do you get together and have a big Christmas dinner? Is it the same thing every year or do you change it up yearly? What do you have for Christmas dinner? Usually we spend the Christmas with my mom, siblings and their families, and we have a big dinner with turkey, roasted veggies and casseroles, plus some cake or sweet treats, but this time just the hubby and I will spend at home, he is a real Grinch, and for him Christmas is just another day like whatever another, so I've organized "video visits" and my mom, siblings, etc., we are going to meet and eat almost the same in front of computers, tablets, etc. I know isn't the same but in someway we're going to be "together". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceJ Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I'm a huge decorator, and a real Christmas junkie, so the house is in and outside well decorated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida granny Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 @Jane in N.Z Can I come for dinner? It sounds wonderful! And I haven't had trifle in years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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