what do you do for christmas day/eve (hanukka, etc)

GreenTeaDisease

Christmas eve is the big event in my family (we've never done much on christmas day except exchange gifts) but this year, for the first time ever, my immediate family has not a plan for xmas eve (or day)...I'm a little depressed about it....something about sitting there ALL night staring at my parents and trying to have fun....it's not sitting well. that's what I don't like about holidays once all the cousins and stuff abandon you....it's like a holiday, so you can't really *do* anything else, but it's not like there's really anything going on at your parents' house...very weird. Same problem I have with thanksgiving has now crept into the holiday I actually like! I used to love seeing relatives I haven't seen in a year and eating good food and stuff. but this year, I don't get to see anyone.

so what do you all do? let me live vicariously...

AllIAm

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

Christmas eve is the big event in my family (we've never done much on christmas day except exchange gifts) but this year, for the first time ever, my immediate family has not a plan for xmas eve (or day)...I'm a little depressed about it....something about sitting there ALL night staring at my parents and trying to have fun....it's not sitting well. that's what I don't like about holidays once all the cousins and stuff abandon you....it's like a holiday, so you can't really *do* anything else, but it's not like there's really anything going on at your parents' house...very weird. Same problem I have with thanksgiving has now crept into the holiday I actually like! I used to love seeing relatives I haven't seen in a year and eating good food and stuff. but this year, I don't get to see anyone.

so what do you all do? let me live vicariously...

you could go to the Lynn christmas parade.. its all the rage and only the coolest of cool do it

decides2dream

for a long time now, my husband and i go to our fave restaurant and/or a new place for dinner. we sometimes go with my bro-in-law and his GF, altho now they're spilt so probably just the bro-in-law this year b/c he's sad/lonely ......and some years we go 'just us'....which i must say, i adore. so dinner out....theh back home, light EVERY candle in the LR and there are LOTS during the holidays....fire in the fireplace......good music......drinks....let the evening unfold . we usually exchange one gift after midnight and then off to bed.


christmas day hubby usually makes a nice breakfast, then he and i open cards/stockings/exchange gifts....just relax. about 3 we head over to my middle sister's and spend the day with her, her hubby, her father-in-law and my mom. we eat and drink lots, exchange gifts and good convo.....then back home and relax some more. mellow yet fun, just as i like it.

GreenTeaDisease

AllIAm wrote:

you could go to the Lynn christmas parade.. its all the rage and only the coolest of cool do it

hehe I always go to that actually...it's a little short though! not exactly an all-night event .

AllIAm

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

hehe I always go to that actually...it's a little short though! not exactly an all-night event .

true but having candy thrown in your face is worth the price of admission

RockinInCanada

Starting on the 22nd it is straight family suppers for me till the 26th and partying with old friends in the evening.....love this time of the year.

Hitch-Hiker

My Christmas Routine:

Christmas Eve: Get up late, doss about, wrap presents, go to pub with friends, get locked

Christmas Day: Get up relatively early (10am), open presents, go to yearly mass, go visiting, then depending on where we are having dinner that year - go home, or go to my cousins. Eat, Drink, Be Merry

Heineken Helen

last year we fucked it up a bit by getting WAY too drunk christmas eve but christmas day we were all dying and really really tired cos we got to bed about 5am hammered and then had to get up for my niece at about 9 :eek: so Christmas day we all took about 3 hour naps and I didn't even touch a drop of alcohol til about 8pm and only managed maybe 1 bottle of wine.

this year we plan to have everything ready before christmas eve so we don't leave the house and spend the day getting everything ready for christmas day so we can just sit back and enjoy it. For the first time though my father won't be with us :( cos he's spending it with his girlfriend and her family... but my brother and his girlfriend will be there so we're gonna change a few things around and make some NEW traditions... we're not sure yet what they'll be but there WILL be plenty of drink had

Brain of J.Lo

We're still sort of figuring out our traditions.

My family always opened presents a few days before xmas, and then drove to St. Louis to my grandma's house for the holiday, so the xmas eve/xmas day was always super boring to me as a kid, since I already had all of my presents...lol. And my mom's birthday is on xmas, so I always sort of just felt like that was her birthday more than Jesus'.

My husband's family always makes sort of a big deal about xmas eve and they exchange gifts, and then the presents from Santa (including stockings, which are a HUGE deal in their family) are opened on xmas day. I like this, so we've kind of adopted it as our thing, too.

In the pre-baby days, we used to go to Mia Francesca (a great Italian place in Wrigleyville) on xmas eve and then cook a big dinner on Christmas. I think this year we will order out on xmas eve (with the in-laws), and then we'll make a big breakfast at our house on xmas morning, and then my father-in-law will make some filets for dinner. He's an awesome cook, so I'm excited about that.

GreenTeaDisease

AllIAm wrote:

true but having candy thrown in your face is worth the price of admission

it's weird when you go out the next day and there's candy all over the street!

mindi

We used to have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. My dad and grandpa would come over and we would eat, watch movies, chat and open presents.
But this year both have died so not sure what we will do. Plus my mom was taken from my house in handcuffs and is living with my sister so I really have no family.
I think we will have to start new traditions this year. I am thinking of doing steaks for dinner on Christmas Eve this year instead of the usual stuff that we just had on Thanksgiving.
We don't even have a tree up yet. I am not feeling in the mood to do anything this year at all!

GreenTeaDisease

Heineken Helen wrote:

last year we fucked it up a bit by getting WAY too drunk christmas eve but christmas day we were all dying and really really tired cos we got to bed about 5am hammered and then had to get up for my niece at about 9 :eek: so Christmas day we all took about 3 hour naps and I didn't even touch a drop of alcohol til about 8pm and only managed maybe 1 bottle of wine.

this year we plan to have everything ready before christmas eve so we don't leave the house and spend the day getting everything ready for christmas day so we can just sit back and enjoy it. For the first time though my father won't be with us :( cos he's spending it with his girlfriend and her family... but my brother and his girlfriend will be there so we're gonna change a few things around and make some NEW traditions... we're not sure yet what they'll be but there WILL be plenty of drink had

I love the whole getting drunk thing. I wish my family were like that. it would be more fun in the old days when our house was packed with people.

sigh...I guess I just miss the old days. christmas is kinda pointless now. I see my parents and my brother and my grandmother quite often, especially now that's back in state, so it's like any other day, really.

PJaddicted

Before I do anything on Xmas Eve, I decorate a tree in my front yard with all sorts of goodies for the birds and animals. We then head over to hubbies Aunts house. It is a pretty drive, and we look at all the decorated homes on the way. My parents, who always spent Christmas with us since we had kids, would come too. My Dad used to dress up as Santa for all the kids. It was so much fun. This will be the third year with out dad, we still go to the Aunts, it just isn't the same with out my Dad, he was Mr. Christmas. We do get to hang out with all hubbies relatives and eat tons of great food. His Aunt's house is always decorated to the nines. After we would get home, my Dad would read the boys the book, The Night before Christmas. Hubby and I would put out all the loot under the tree, and fill their stockings. When the boys were asleep, I would put their stockings on their beds, so it was the first thing they would see when they woke up. The morning of Christmas....no one is allowed downstairs until hubby has the coffee perking and the camera rolling, and everyone is awake....my dad was always last up...used to drive the kids nuts!!! Now we miss it. When the boys were little, they would play with all the toys from their stockings for a good hour. When everyone is down stairs the kids open presents and play with the new toys. I make a special breakfast. My mom lives near me now, so she comes over when she gets up. We have a really big meal, always something good and different. This year I have a pile of pressies for Petey too! And his own stocking full of goodies!

oxc

Brain of J.Lo

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

I love the whole getting drunk thing. I wish my family were like that. it would be more fun in the old days when our house was packed with people.

sigh...I guess I just miss the old days. christmas is kinda pointless now. I see my parents and my brother and my grandmother quite often, especially now that's back in state, so it's like any other day, really.

I think getting drunk sounds fun, too...lol. My immediate family really doesn't drink, so it's not really fun to drink around them. But, they won't be here.

My husband and father-in-law can really put it away, and no doubt my husband will be making his famous "Greg Nog", which is more booze than egg nog, so I think I'll join them...lol.

GreenTeaDisease

Brain of J.Lo wrote:

I think getting drunk sounds fun, too...lol. My immediate family really doesn't drink, so it's not really fun to drink around them. But, they won't be here.

My husband and father-in-law can really put it away, and no doubt my husband will be making his famous "Greg Nog", which is more booze than egg nog, so I think I'll join them...lol.

i really shouldn't be drinking or eating anything bad this christmas with the half marathon coming up...I guess that's a benefit of not having any guests, there won't be any bad foods! (no matter what I tell myself, every year I end up with a glass of egg nogg). I actually decided that I'm going to have a full fat, full sugar, WITH whip gingerbread latte from starbucks on christmas eve .

Brain of J.Lo

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

i really shouldn't be drinking or eating anything bad this christmas with the half marathon coming up...I guess that's a benefit of not having any guests, there won't be any bad foods! (no matter what I tell myself, every year I end up with a glass of egg nogg)

I'm going to throw caution to the wind and eat whatever I want on xmas eve and xmas. Those are the only two days we'll be around lots of tempting food, so I don't feel like it'll hurt me too badly.

Brain of J.Lo

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

I actually decided that I'm going to have a full fat, full sugar, WITH whip gingerbread latte from starbucks on christmas eve .

That sounds good. I think I'll "join" you and have a full fat white mocha! Those are my favorite!

GreenTeaDisease

Brain of J.Lo wrote:

I'm going to throw caution to the wind and eat whatever I want on xmas eve and xmas. Those are the only two days we'll be around lots of tempting food, so I don't feel like it'll hurt me too badly.

I usually do that on christmas. the only thing is that I don't want to OVER do it. you know what I mean? Like just eating a ton of crap because I gave myself permission to do so is going to be something I'll regret the next day. Like I have to remember my intuitive eating book that says even things that look delicious might not really be.

decides2dream

Brain of J.Lo wrote:

I'm going to throw caution to the wind and eat whatever I want on xmas eve and xmas. Those are the only two days we'll be around lots of tempting food, so I don't feel like it'll hurt me too badly.

i think that is wise, one must allow themselvs to indulge and live! it Is only 2 days, and hell...life is short, enjoy! i know i will...and i have a few more days besides those 2 for 'temptations'......but i just don't care! i try and be as 'good' as i can be, but when the opportunity to be 'bad' arises....you know i will be!


and i know we should'nt refer to foods as good and bad, etc....but yea...it's just fun!

Brain of J.Lo

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

I usually do that on christmas. the only thing is that I don't want to OVER do it. you know what I mean? Like just eating a ton of crap because I gave myself permission to do so is going to be something I'll regret the next day. Like I have to remember my intuitive eating book that says even things that look delicious might not really be.

Exactly. I don't want to eat a bunch of stuff just because it's there and it's "my chance" to eat it...lol. That's not even enjoyable.

Brain of J.Lo

decides2dream wrote:

i think that is wise, one must allow themselvs to indulge and live! it Is only 2 days, and hell...life is short, enjoy! i know i will...and i have a few more days besides those 2 for 'temptations'......but i just don't care! i try and be as 'good' as i can be, but when the opportunity to be 'bad' arises....you know i will be!


and i know we should'nt refer to foods as good and bad, etc....but yea...it's just fun!

It IS fun! Eating is one of the great pleasures of life!

decides2dream

Brain of J.Lo wrote:

It IS fun! Eating is one of the great pleasures of life!

it IS! i am such a hedonist.....if it feels good, tastes good....i am IN! i think this is going to be a very good weekend/holiday!

Brain of J.Lo

decides2dream wrote:

it IS! i am such a hedonist.....if it feels good, tastes good....i am IN!

Me too! I think that's a good way to live!

GreenTeaDisease

decides2dream wrote:

it IS! i am such a hedonist.....if it feels good, tastes good....i am IN! i think this is going to be a very good weekend/holiday!

I wish I could live like that! whenever I have tried there have been negative consequences :(.

I have a sign I made on my bedroom door that I read every morning that has my "rules" on it so I don't do the "feels good, tastes good...i am IN!" thing, because that is my natural tendency. sometimes it doesn't work, but trying makes me feel better.

decides2dream

Brain of J.Lo wrote:

Me too! I think that's a good way to live!

of course ya do....lathering in chocolate is both, eh?

i do know i AM getting chocolate for christmas. it is the ONE thing i requested b/c i've already gotten so much.....godiva chocolate ganache. mmmmmmm. add in the stockpile of red wine we just stashed at home....lots of time together.......i am envisioning a very good holiday indeed.



seriously, i so love christmas! or i should ay all the *stuff* about christmas! the trees, the lights...giving gifts....food and drink...time with friends an family....sooooo GOOD! EVERY day since we put up our tree december 1st...i have spent some time in the LR, all the lights off except for the tree, some candles, some music....just magical. i love the holiday season.


*greentea...it's an overall mantra for living, i don't indulge every day. life is all about balance. moderation obviously comes into play, b/c i don't imagine being 300 lbs feels too good ya know? so yea, i try to moderate AND enjoy all...it IS possible!

know1

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

Christmas eve is the big event in my family (we've never done much on christmas day except exchange gifts) but this year, for the first time ever, my immediate family has not a plan for xmas eve (or day)...I'm a little depressed about it....something about sitting there ALL night staring at my parents and trying to have fun....it's not sitting well. that's what I don't like about holidays once all the cousins and stuff abandon you....it's like a holiday, so you can't really *do* anything else, but it's not like there's really anything going on at your parents' house...very weird. Same problem I have with thanksgiving has now crept into the holiday I actually like! I used to love seeing relatives I haven't seen in a year and eating good food and stuff. but this year, I don't get to see anyone.

so what do you all do? let me live vicariously...

Tell them that you can't make it to Christmas Eve because you've got some big plans...and then don't tell them what they are.

GreenTeaDisease

know1 wrote:

Tell them that you can't make it to Christmas Eve because you've got some big plans...and then don't tell them what they are.

then I'll just be sitting at home, what would be the difference? (plus no one would believe me. who has other plans on xmas eve?)

SENROCK

NORMALLY we all have a huge 2day party and have a FEAST. this year is totally different and everyone has gone their way so i do believe me, my 2 bros, and my sister in law will barbecue and lounge all damn day with no parentals. HOPEFULLY watching another rock of love or tila tequila marathon. or watching john candy movies......

GreenTeaDisease

decides2dream wrote:

*greentea...it's an overall mantra for living, i don't indulge every day. life is all about balance. moderation obviously comes into play, b/c i don't imagine being 300 lbs feels too good ya know? so yea, i try to moderate AND enjoy all...it IS possible!

yeah I would agree that moderation is key for most people. my experience in life is that I'm not most people...things tend to go very badly for me when I slack off in any area of life for any amount of time. work, exercise, food, dental hygiene, personal finances...no matter how hard I try sometimes I give in and then I'm screwed. For example, I didn't floss for a month because I ran out of floss and kept forgetting to buy it. of course I ended up with a root canal and a crown (and the cost of the two). I get in late one night and don't wash my face before bed, whamo the next morning I have boils on my face. I have to keep reminding myself not to do anything stupid or irresponsible.

Brain of J.Lo

decides2dream wrote:

of course ya do....lathering in chocolate is both, eh?

i do know i AM getting chocolate for christmas. it is the ONE thing i requested b/c i've already gotten so much.....godiva chocolate ganache. mmmmmmm. add in the stockpile of red wine we just stashed at home....lots of time together.......i am envisioning a very good holiday indeed.



seriously, i so love christmas! or i should ay all the *stuff* about christmas! the trees, the lights...giving gifts....food and drink...time with friends an family....sooooo GOOD! EVERY day since we put up our tree december 1st...i have spent some time in the LR, all the lights off except for the tree, some candles, some music....just magical. i love the holiday season.


*greentea...it's an overall mantra for living, i don't indulge every day. life is all about balance. moderation obviously comes into play, b/c i don't imagine being 300 lbs feels too good ya know? so yea, i try to moderate AND enjoy all...it IS possible!

I love the holiday season, too. I have lots of happy memories and am enjoying making new ones every year.

Oh, and re: chocolate ganache... If there is a heaven, it is made of chocolate ganache. I had a very tiny and non-traditional wedding, but the one majorly traditional thing we had was a huge and beautiful cake. It was chocolate with a white chocolate mousse filling and covered in a white chocolate ganache. It was divine!!!

GreenTeaDisease

Brain of J.Lo wrote:

I love the holiday season, too. I have lots of happy memories and am enjoying making new ones every year.

Oh, and re: chocolate ganache... If there is a heaven, it is made of chocolate ganache. I had a very tiny and non-traditional wedding, but the one majorly traditional thing we had was a huge and beautiful cake. It was chocolate with a white chocolate mousse filling and covered in a white chocolate ganache. It was divine!!!

what is ganache?