Christmas at Our House

[ronandannette]

Which of these activities are regularly a part of your Christmas celebrations? Feel free to add things that I've missed and if you celebrate something other than Christmas, what do your festivities include?

Attending church services YES
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies YES
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES (doing it today, actually!!)
Putting up lights outside YES
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties YES
Hosting holiday parties YES
Cooking a big festive meal SOME YEARS (depends where we're having Christmas)
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work YES
Travelling to be with family SOME YEARS (depends where we're having Christmas)
Hosting overnight guests SOME YEARS
Taking a winter vacation NO (I wish!)
Relaxing in peace and quite at home NO (it just never seems to work out that way)

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

Which of these activities are regularly a part of your Christmas celebrations? Feel free to add things that I've missed and if you celebrate something other than Christmas, what do your festivities include?

Attending church services YES
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies YES
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside YES
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties YES
Hosting holiday parties YES
Cooking a big festive meal SOME YEARS
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work YES
Travelling to be with family SOME YEARS
Hosting overnight guests SOME YEARS
Taking a winter vacation NO (I wish!)
Relaxing in peace and quite at home NO

Attending church services YES
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies YES
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES (doing it today, actually!!)
Putting up lights outside YES
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties Not if I can help it
Hosting holiday parties No
Cooking a big festive meal No, there are only 4 of us
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work No, we typically get about 2 weeks off
Travelling to be with family Not this year
Hosting overnight guests Not this year
Taking a winter vacation No but will hopefully start once we no longer have any Santa believers in the house
Relaxing in peace and quite at home Only in my dreams

 

[wenrob]

Attending church services No Holidays are secular for us.

Attending special pagents, concerts or movies YES Younger DD is in choir and we always hit up a couple of movies during winter break.

Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES Somehow we’re ending up with five trees this year. Will be getting the big one this weekend.

Putting up lights outside Sometimes Depends on DH’s mood and how much the kids hassle him. I’ve given up that particular battle. Saves me from pleading for him to take them down before Valentines though.

Buying and wrapping gifts YES

Giving special tips to service providers Some

Charitable giving YES

Sending Christmas cards Yes

Attending holiday parties Only when I have to.

Hosting holiday parties No We do have small get togethers though.

Cooking a big festive meal Always

Baking/making special treats YES It’s DD’s job now. She made some Brown Butter Sugar Cookies last night that knocked my socks off.

Having time off from work Nope I don’t work but I’m the Chief Elf, Christmas doesn’t happen without me.

Travelling to be with family Used to, not anymore.

Hosting overnight guests Same as above.

Taking a winter vacation NO

Relaxing in peace and quite at home Yes! Our holiday is amazingly relaxing and chill. Just our little family hanging out together and enjoying the day.

 

[sk!mom]

Attending church services YES
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies YES- DH is a singer. He's already performed with one group at a nearby Hermitage, last week he sang with his Alma Mater as part of a combined student/alumni chorus, he's probably doing something with the church chorus that he's in but hasn't told me when yet, and I'll go to the school program at the school where I teach. I'm not musical so this is a LOT for me.
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside No
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards Yes- although I vote no every year but DH holds on to this tradition.
Attending holiday parties YES
Hosting holiday parties YES
Cooking a big festive meal Yes, but not by myself
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work YES- 2 weeks
Travelling to be with family Not usually at Christmas sometimes for Thanksgiving
Hosting overnight guests SOME YEARS
Taking a winter vacation NO (I wish!)
Relaxing in peace and quite at home Yes- a lot of that throughout the season.

I'll add...
Nutcracker Ballet-Yes, we started going when DD21 was 2.5. She danced in it from age 7 through 17 and senior year (those years we saw it multiple times each season) We'll be going next weekend when DD gets home from college and will see my 14 year old niece as a Demi soloist. This year I'll only see it once. Last year we saw the local as well as The Canadian Ballet at the Walton Center in Arkansas. After 20 years, It is now our tradition to see it at least once. It's one of my favorite traditions.

 

[Micca]

Attending church services NO
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies Not unless DGDs have a program at school
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES--all done except keep finding new ornaments we haven't hung on the tree yet.
Putting up lights outside NO
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties NO
Hosting holiday parties YES--We're the dessert for a progressive dinner party
Cooking a big festive meal PROBABLY 2
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work YES
Travelling to be with family NO--Family travels here
Hosting overnight guests THEY'RE WELCOME but no takers
Taking a winter vacation NO (I wish!)
Relaxing in peace and quite at home A BIT

 

[LSUmiss]

Attending church services YES
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies YES
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES (doing it today, actually!!)
Putting up lights outside YES
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties Not if I can help it
Hosting holiday parties No
Cooking a big festive meal No, there are only 4 of us
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work No, we typically get about 2 weeks off
Travelling to be with family Not this year
Hosting overnight guests Not this year
Taking a winter vacation No but will hopefully start once we no longer have any Santa believers in the house
Relaxing in peace and quite at home Only in my dreams

Attending church services No
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies No
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside YES
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving No
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties Yes
Hosting holiday parties No
Cooking a big festive meal No
Baking/making special treats No
Having time off from work Yes!!
Travelling to be with family Not necessary-family lives down the street
Hosting overnight guests No!
Taking a winter vacation No
Relaxing in peace and quite at home yes

 

[ronandannette]

Baking/making special treats YES It’s DD’s job now. She made some Brown Butter Sugar Cookies last night that knocked my socks off.

Mmmmm - recipe please!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Attending church services No
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies Some years
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside YES-but just a few lit birds and a deer on the terrace, no strings of lights, no ladders needed
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers Yes---we just have one regular service provider and we'll double the pay for the final visit before the holidays.
Charitable giving No---we give during the year, but not at the holidays
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties Some years
Hosting holiday parties no
Cooking a big festive meal yes. Chicken enchilada, rice, beans, tres leches cake MMmmmm
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work YES (Dh would rather work one of hte weeks, but shut diwn is two weeks, no choice)
Travelling to be with family Oldest travels to us
Hosting overnight guests usually just our college kid, though this year the person they are dating is coming too
Taking a winter vacation Yes. Usually Spain the week of Christmas. This year we'll be just south of Barcelona
Relaxing in peace and quite at home Some of the time
Nutcraxcker Ballet: not anymore, but it was a tradition when i was younger. I do miss it

Adding: Christmas Markets!!!!! I adore them. We got to 3-4 every weekend on advent. Little, local ones with lot of handmade things are my favourites

 

[wenrob]

Mmmmm - recipe please!

It’s from a blog she follows. I’ll get a link for you when she gets home. *see disclaimer



*wenrob is not responsible for how many of these you will eat or how much weight you will gain...

 

[luvsJack]

Attending church services Yes but not Christmas Day. Our church Christmas service this year is the 23rd and 24th.
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies Yes
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside NO
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties Yes
Hosting holiday parties Yes
Cooking a big festive meal Yes. And contributing to at least 2 more
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work YES
Travelling to be with family NO
Hosting overnight guests No
Taking a winter vacation NO (I wish!)
Relaxing in peace and quite at home Yes! My favorite part of Christmas is the 26th through the 1st. The house is still decorated and it's still clean. Lots of leftovers so not much cooking required. I will have my grandkids in and out and they still want to watch Christmas movies, eat cookies and drink hot chocolate. Plus we can play with some of the things they got for Christmas.

It's always been that way. I have never shopped after Christmas sales because I didn't want to miss a minute of playing Mario brothers with dh and both sons or playing with Dd and her doll house or the family playing board games. Or watching whatever movies somebody got for Christmas! And just relaxing with family.

 

[ronandannette]

It’s from a blog she follows. I’ll get a link for you when she gets home. *see disclaimer



*wenrob is not responsible for how many of these you will eat or how much weight you will gain...

I hereby indemnify you against all liability .

 

[sk!mom]

Adding: Christmas Markets!!!!! I adore them. We got to 3-4 every weekend on advent. Little, local ones with lot of handmade things are my favourites

Forgot about these! I, too, love Christmas markets. I've already been to three with one more to go. I wish there were as many around me as you have the chance to go to.

 

[rastahomie]

Attending church services NO
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies NO
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES AND NO (There's no tree; with limited space and a cat, it's a disaster waiting to happen, but Mrs. Homie zhuzhed the house in other ways)
Putting up lights outside YES
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving NO
Sending Christmas cards NO
Attending holiday parties NO
Hosting holiday parties NO
Cooking a big festive meal YES AND NO (Both Christmas meals we attend are potluck)
Baking/making special treats YES (My pecan pie brings down the house every year)
Having time off from work YES AND NO (I'm self-employed, so I set my own hours, and work a little here and a little there, when I can)
Travelling to be with family YES
Hosting overnight guests OH HELL NO
Taking a winter vacation NO (I wish!)
Relaxing in peace and quite at home YES

------

Mrs. Homie and I attend two Christmases

Her Side of the Family

Five miles away, always on Christmas eve. There will be a traditional meal of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, all that. Afterwards, everyone will sit and talk. And talk. And talk. And talk and talk and talk some more. For hours. There will be no alcohol because Grandma Jean is devoutly religious and won't allow it, and there will be no games, no laughter, and no fun. Substitute mirth & merriment for misery and gloom - they'll talk about who died, who's sick, whose teenage daughter is pregnant by a *gasp* a black guy, and so on. And on. And on and on and on. Rastahomie will be pulling his hair out by about 7:30 that night.

My Side of the Family

200 miles away, whenever Mom can get everyone's schedule cleared; sometimes it's well into January by then. The food will be a mishmash of hors d'oeuvres, amuse bouche, and snacks, many of which Mom found on Pinterest. There will be Jello shots and wine and Captain & Coke, and my niece will bust out the Cards Against Humanity game and everyone will be laughing hysterically. Even the devoutly religious, teetotaling members of the family will have a good time. Rastahomie will be thanking his mom's deity that his family knows how to lighten the heck up.

 

[Meriweather]

Attending church services NO
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies not attending, but movies at home
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside YES
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers YES
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards YES
Attending holiday parties NO
Hosting holiday parties NO
Cooking a big festive meal SOME YEARS
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work RETIRED
Travelling to be with family NO
Hosting overnight guests YES
Taking a winter vacation YES
Relaxing in peace and quite at home YES

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Attending church services YES - on Christmas Eve
Attending special pageants, concerts or movies NO - we watch our old favorites on TV over the holidays
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside YES
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers NO
Charitable giving No - we do that at other times of the year
Sending Christmas cards MOST YEARS, but I skipped last year
Attending holiday parties YES
Hosting holiday parties No
Cooking a big festive meal YES
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work YES
Travelling to be with family MOST YEARS - for the weekend before or after Christmas
Hosting overnight guests NO
Taking a winter vacation YES - only for 3-4 days over Christmas break, started it once our kids went away to college. It is the only time we can travel together as a family now.
Relaxing in peace and quite at home Sometimes

I added:
Going to a special restaurant for Christmas Eve Dinner - YES
Added by others:
Driving around to look at others' Christmas lights and decorations - NOT ANYMORE, we did this for years when the kids were little

 

[Kitty 34]

Attending church services NO
Attending special pageants, concerts or movies NO but love watching certain Christmas theme movies at home
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside YES but DH does all that!
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers YES
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards YES; used to even send a bunch to DISers
Attending holiday parties NO
Hosting holiday parties NO
Cooking a big festive meal SOME YEARS
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work Retired
Travelling to be with family NO
Hosting overnight guests YES
Taking a winter vacation NO
Relaxing in peace and quiet at home YES especially when it's all over!!

 

[NYCgrrl]

Attending religous services YES
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies YES
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES
Putting up lights outside NO
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers YES
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards A VERY SELECT FEW
Attending holiday parties YES
Hosting holiday parties SOME YEARS
Cooking a big festive meal SOME YEARS
Baking/making special treats SOME YEARS
Having time off from work RETIRED
Travelling to be with family SOME YEARS. Not counting a 25 mile or less ride.
Hosting overnight guests SOME YEARS
Taking a winter vacation SOME YEARS
Relaxing in peace and quiet at home YES

Added by others:
Nutcracker Ballet: YES
Christmas Markets: No
Going out to a special restaurant for Christmas Eve dinner: First time ever this year.

Added by design_mom:
Driving around to look at others' Christmas lights and decorations: NO
Watching holiday specials on TV: Yes

 

[design_mom]

Attending church services YES
Attending special pagents, concerts or movies No
Decorating the house and putting up a tree YES (Thanksgiving weekend)
Putting up lights outside YES (Thanksgiving weekend)
Buying and wrapping gifts YES
Giving special tips to service providers SOMETIMES (Usually only if I see them near the holiday)
Charitable giving YES
Sending Christmas cards YES
Attending holiday parties NO
Hosting holiday parties NO
Cooking a big festive meal YES
Baking/making special treats YES
Having time off from work YES
Travelling to be with family SOME YEARS (we haven't recently)
Hosting overnight guests NO
Taking a winter vacation NO (I wish!)
Relaxing in peace and quiet at home YES

Added by others:
Nutcracker Ballet: No (We did it once, but not a yearly thing.)
Christmas Markets: No
Going out to a special restaurant for Christmas Eve dinner: No

Added by me:
Driving around to look at others' Christmas lights and decorations: Yes
Watching holiday specials on TV: Yes

 

[wenrob]

*

 

[wenrob]

Her Side of the Family

Five miles away, always on Christmas eve. There will be a traditional meal of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, all that. Afterwards, everyone will sit and talk. And talk. And talk. And talk and talk and talk some more. For hours. There will be no alcohol because Grandma Jean is devoutly religious and won't allow it, and there will be no games, no laughter, and no fun. Substitute mirth & merriment for misery and gloom - they'll talk about who died, who's sick, whose teenage daughter is pregnant by a *gasp* a black guy, and so on. And on. And on and on and on. Rastahomie will be pulling his hair out by about 7:30 that night.

My Side of the Family

200 miles away, whenever Mom can get everyone's schedule cleared; sometimes it's well into January by then. The food will be a mishmash of hors d'oeuvres, amuse bouche, and snacks, many of which Mom found on Pinterest. There will be Jello shots and wine and Captain & Coke, and my niece will bust out the Cards Against Humanity game and everyone will be laughing hysterically. Even the devoutly religious, teetotaling members of the family will have a good time. Rastahomie will be thanking his mom's deity that his family knows how to lighten the heck up.

My Sister and I found ourselves guilted into going to my mother’s side of the family on Christmas Eve for years. While the talk wasn’t as gloomy (that was reserved for my paternal grandmother’s side of the family but it was usually a competition to see who’s cancer or medical conditions were worse that year) they were definitely teetotalers. Before kids, Sis and I would get nice and baked on the way over. (DH drove) If it happened to be held at grandma’s it was a bonus because there was a bar right around the corner. The bartender knew us and would be all set up as we took turns “going for a walk” or running up to 7/11 to grab something we “forgot.”