Tuesday, December 21, 2010

My Christmas Traditions

We're talking about our Christmas or holiday traditions this week.

I've had so many over the years (remember, I'm the ancient one of this gang) starting with my childhood tradition of waiting until Santa came and then not being able to get into the living room and our gifts until our folks woke. Believe me, we did everything to wake them up.

I better back up a bit, we also went to family friends to go Christmas caroling and have homemade clam chowder and mulled apple cider.

On Christmas morning, after we opened all our gifts, we headed over to my Grandparents for dinner and more gifts.

When our kids were little we did much of the same, heading down to my parents the night before Christmas, and the same routine. We veered off course a bit the year I was expecting my third child at any time--then everyone came to my house for Christmas dinner. Not sure if I was the one who cooked. Baby arrived on the 28th.

One year I had to work a split shift and the kids opened their gifts before I got home. I was really unhappy. We ate dinner out. The only Christmas dinner we ever had in a restaurant.

When most of my family moved up here, grandparents had passed away, we had Christmas Eve at our house complete with Santa and a gift for everyone, including the ladies I was caring for by that time.

We soon out grew even my big old house and held Christmas Eve in the rec room where one of my nephews and family lived in a mobile home park. I think we were probably up to about 60 people by then.

My sis and her entire family moved to Las Vegas and that ended our Christmas Eve get-together.

The adults at our church always have a Christmas party where everyone brings one ornament and we kind of fight over them and of course we have goodies to eat.

Another tradition that's been going on probably about 20 years is the writing critique group I belong to will have dinner together in one of the nicer restaurants, spouses invited.

Hap and I retired from the care business, but we still have family around. So this is what happens now: Son and his wife and his two grown sons and another grandson who lives with us will have a nice dinner Christmas Eve and open gifts.

On Christmas Day I'll cook a big turkey and some big containers with dressing, candied yams and green bean casserole and take it all over to the church. This is our second year to invite anyone who has no place to go for Christmas dinner--no charge. We had a great time last year and are expecting an even bigger crowd this year. Posters have been put up all around town. My son and his wife, granddaughter and her fiance have already volunteered to help.

So Merry Christmas to you all, and be sure and enter our contest.

Happy Holiday $$$ Giveaway

Win a $70 Amazon gift certificate from the Stiletto Gang! Just leave a comment on weekday posts starting on Friday, December 17 and ending Friday, December 31, 2010. Each comment earns you one entry per day. Following the blog and Tweeting about the contest can earn you another two! So that's up to 12 chances to win! Winner will be drawn randomly on January 2, 2011, and announced on the blog on January 3, 2011. So happy reading! And good luck

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your Christmas traditions with us.

    I volunteered once on Christmas Day at a soup kitchen and I had the most fun with the participants and staff.

    Merry Christmas!

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  2. Have you ever gone to Vegas to have Christmas with your sister? I'm thinking Vegas at Christmas would be...unique =)

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  3. It's nice to hear all the ways you have celebrated. We used to go to my mom's but now that our family is larger we go to my daughter's because she has the biggest house and the most children, seven!
    Happy Holiday!

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  4. Dru, we have lots of poor people in Springville and it's great to see them enjoy a Christmas dinner.

    Zita, my sis has over 40 people at her house on Christmas though she vows this is the last year. That's a lot of people to serve Christmas dinner too (almost like what we do at church.) We go to see her in Vegas when the weather is better. We've had far too much rain and snow is predicted for the areas we have to drive through.

    Carol, because our family kept getting bigger and bigger is why we split. Our little Christmas Eve gathering is great, we'll be having ham that night.

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  5. Here are the answers to yesterday's quiz. So glad that everyone is enjoying The Stiletto Gang's Days of Christmas.

    Christmas Word Scramble

    1. We Three Kings

    2. Jingle Bells

    3. Santa Suit

    4. Reindeer Games

    5. Elf Ears

    6. Rudolph

    7. Green Wreath

    8. Holly Berries

    9. Christmas Tree

    10. Wrapped Packages

    11. Falling Snow

    12. Merry Christmas

    13. Glass Ornament

    14. Happy Holidays



    Evelyn David Characters Word Scramble

    1. Mac Sullivan

    2. Rachel Brenner

    3. Whiskey

    4. Snickers

    5. Julianna Jarrett

    6. Edgar Freed

    7. Jeff O'Herlihy

    8. Kathleen O'Herlihy

    9. Bridget

    10. Brianna Sullivan

    11. Cooper Jackson

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  6. Marilyn, I'll bet you have a whopping crowd for the Christmas feast at your church. I remember how great it turned out last year! What a wonderful gift to give so many!

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  7. On Christmas Eve we make, ironically, latkes. They just feel festive!

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  8. All traditions seem to center around all the people we can gather round, one reason Christmas is so special.

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  9. We have several things we 'always do' at Christmas but they never feel set in stone....like a wassail fruit punch (apple cider, orange juice, other juices as we choose and spices like cloves). We always snack on crackers, summer sausage, and cheese while lingering over the gifts. There's always the Christmas service. We often go see a movie &/or the light display at the local park (used to be driving round the best lit houses). Our Christmas celebration is always simple ~ but we love it ~ and each other!

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