The holidays are drawing nearer and nearer....

[lil_christian]

...And I'd like to ask you all some holiday-related questions! (This will either be a great thread or a complete bust. And I want to see which one it will be. )

SO, we all know that in just about a month and a half, Thanksgiving will be here. A month after that, Christmas and New Year will be here!

I'd do a poll, but I've tried adding one before, and I just couldn't figure it out. So we'll just stick with this!


So, what do you all do for Thanksgiving? What are some traditions you have now or have had in the past around that time?
Do you decorate your house in pumpkins and pilgrims? Do you OD on turkey (I did that...the turkey knocked me right out that night. Needless to say, no Black Friday Shopping for me that year)? Or do you eat conservatively?

Now Christmas...this one will have a few more questions.

Do some of you not celebrate Christmas? Any given reason why?

For those who do, when do you start decorating? And do you decorate EVERYWHERE, or just a little bit here and there?

Do you budget money for gifts, or just spend as you go? If so, how much do you usually spend? When do you start buying gifts?

What are some Christmas traditions you have now or have had in the past?

Have fun answering (feel free to skip out on answering all the questions if you don't want to. )!! I'm excited to hear from you all. I dunno about you, but the Holidays for me have always been something important. I realize they might not be as important to some, but for me the holidays symbolize family and their importance, and the day Jesus came on this Earth to set us free. God bless and have a great day.

No Pumpkin Smashers, Grinches, or Scrooges allowed in this thread.

 

[CatHerder]

Let me start by saying that I love your graphics. Charlie Brown is awesome.

...And I'd like to ask you all some holiday-related questions! (This will either be a great thread or a complete bust. And I want to see which one it will be. )

SO, we all know that in just about a month and a half, Thanksgiving will be here. A month after that, Christmas and New Year will be here!

I'd do a poll, but I've tried adding one before, and I just couldn't figure it out. So we'll just stick with this!

I haven't done polls for the same reason. I think that Kim should teach a class.

So, what do you all do for Thanksgiving? What are some traditions you have now or have had in the past around that time?
Do you decorate your house in pumpkins and pilgrims? Do you OD on turkey (I did that...the turkey knocked me right out that night. Needless to say, no Black Friday Shopping for me that year)? Or do you eat conservatively?

Thanksgiving is awesome family and friend time. We've done the "go-around-the-table-saying-what-you-are-thankful-for" thing a few times, but it's kind of artificial. Still it can get you to think and prepare your mindset for....how it should be all the time.

As for the food. Yes, I put on a big spread. I gotsta have the cornbread stuffin'. I do pumpkin pie, and then some other pie....could be another homemade, but is usually an apple pie from an earlier trip to Apple Hill (a collection of apple farming ranches in the high foothills).


I like to cook, so in recent years my kids and I have started the tradition of having one experimental side dish. The best one of the "new" dishes was an apple/onion/thyme thing.

Now Christmas...this one will have a few more questions.

Do some of you not celebrate Christmas? Any given reason why?

For those who do, when do you start decorating? And do you decorate EVERYWHERE, or just a little bit here and there?
Pretty much just the living room on the inside. I've been in an apartment for a while now....I've done huge candy canes outside my walkway...but some neighbors vandalized that one year. I do Christmas lights on the window.

Do you budget money for gifts, or just spend as you go? If so, how much do you usually spend? When do you start buying gifts?
I've been blessed by getting quite a few paid gigs around the holidays. I use that money for Christmas shopping. Also, the non-profit I work for has to periodically flush out extra funds, so once a year around the holidays, I get a "bonus" check...it could be a pittance or as much as an "extra" paycheck.

What are some Christmas traditions you have now or have had in the past?

Probably nothing unusual....but I forgot a Thanksgiving one (I'm too lazy to scroll back up there): In recent years, I have had my place be a haven for those who need to hide from their extended family members who are visiting them or who they are visiting. I have a "Don't ask, don't tell" policy about this, since the person who is driving them crazy may be my friend. Some just need a break from their family dysfunction. Sometimes unexpected guests stay for only 10 minutes...some stay for the entire meal. It would be quite amusing if the person they are escaping from shows up as well. I think we would turn off the football game and watch that instead.

Have fun answering (feel free to skip out on answering all the questions if you don't want to. )!! I'm excited to hear from you all. I dunno about you, but the Holidays for me have always been something important. I realize they might not be as important to some, but for me the holidays symbolize family and their importance, and the day Jesus came on this Earth to set us free. God bless and have a great day.

No Pumpkin Smashers, Grinches, or Scrooges allowed in this thread.

................

 

[arwen83]

Our thanksgiving day is this upcoming Monday. We usually do a dinner on the Sunday. Having turkey this year, pumpkin pie is a must.

 

[lil_christian]

................

I know, right? I love Charlie Brown. I looked for a Thanksgiving picture to put in, and found the Charlie Brown one. And I was like, "PERFECT!!" then, I decided "Why not do a Charlie Brown Christmas picture, too?"

But I'll go ahead and answer my own questions, too.

For my family, we've always went to one of my grandparents' houses for Thanksgiving, since families on both sides celebrate. We'd typically spend most of the day at one place, and then we'd spend the rest at the other. Of course, I gotta try every food there is out there. Though last year I barely ate anything for the first time ever. But last year, a lot of things changed. My grandpa (on my mom's side) died a week before Thanksgiving. My grandma on my mom's side is also in a nursing home. So we can't go to their house anymore.

We usually decorate the inside of the house for Thanksgiving, but never the outside. People put pumpkins out...pumpkins get smashed by hoodlums and mischievous teenagers. So we just decorate the inside with fake pumpkins, some pilgrims, some "Indian corn" and stuff like that. I might actually decorate the house in Thanksgiving/Autumn stuff soon.


I bake a lot for Thanksgiving. Two pumpkin pies, one pecan. I'll also make a gluten and dairy free pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and an apple. I love baking. It makes me feel good. I'll probably make stuffing, too, since we have a packet of stuffing that needs made sometime. And I'll tell you right now, Christmas is no exception. I'll probably bake even MORE around Christmas. Making fudge, maybe some peanut brittle (haven't made peanut brittle in FOREVER. Oh my word. It's amazing), and more pies.


Now Christmas, we decorate all over the house. Well...I decorate all over the house. I even decorated our bathroom last year! lol XD We always decorate the day AFTER Christmas, while having Christmas music on and stuff. Sweeping off the branches of our fake tree (Dad's allergic to real), assembling it and stuff....making sure all the lights work....

My parents start very early in the year for budgeting money for Christmas. I've no idea how much they spend, though I know it's not a whole lot. Some people spend a crazy amount (1,000+) but we aren't all that materialistic. We usually start Christmas shopping early December or late November. We wanna beat the Christmas traffic. This year, I've got money to spend, so I'm gonna spend about 100 this year. Not gonna do anything super fancy, for sure.

On Christmas Eve, we go to one of those Christmas Eve services. We'll also go to our grandparents on our dad's side maybe a week or two before Christmas. On Christmas day, we used to go to my grandparents on my mom's side on Christmas Day. But then they moved to the nursing home, and Grandpa died....last year, though, we held a Christmas gathering at our house. It wasn't near as big as what we'd do at Grandma and Grandpa's, but it was still great. I'd do it again this year. But we'll see what happens, I guess.

 

[Fenner]

On Thanksgiving I usually have my family at my house, to eat dinner. I don't decorate for Thanksgiving.
Christmas I put up a tree and a few other things. I try to keep the Holidays mellow. I keep it about spending time with family and try to put that in my kid's heads, but their kids so of course they are excited for the food and the presents.

 

[lil_christian]

Our thanksgiving day is this upcoming Monday. We usually do a dinner on the Sunday. Having turkey this year, pumpkin pie is a must.

That's right! I forgot when Canadians had their Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie is TOTALLY a must, wherever you are. lol


(Oh and...CatHerder, I agree. Kim SO needs to teach a class on how to put up polls on here. )

 

[MissCris]

I'll be back for this thread...later...

 

[kenthomas27]

Our thanksgiving day is this upcoming Monday. We usually do a dinner on the Sunday. Having turkey this year, pumpkin pie is a must.

Really? This coming Monday? That's messed up. I bet it takes the turkeys by surprise.

I don't know why Halloween wasn't included in this? I love Halloween! I know a lot of folks will say it's worshiping the devil but I don't do that. Well - I do on Mother's day but that's it.

 

[arwen83]

Really? This coming Monday? That's messed up. I bet it takes the turkeys by surprise.

perhaps the American turkey's...

 

[lil_christian]

Really? This coming Monday? That's messed up. I bet it takes the turkeys by surprise.

I don't know why Halloween wasn't included in this? I love Halloween! I know a lot of folks will say it's worshiping the devil but I don't do that. Well - I do on Mother's day but that's it.

Yeah, I kinda didn't put in Halloween because I don't celebrate it...I actually forgot about Halloween. I know, crazy. But I'm tellin ya the truth!!

I don't think it's devil worship, but I also don't think it's beneficial for us. ESPECIALLY all the chocolate one gains from it. Well, not me. Because I can't have most chocolates. Stupid milk allergy.... ANYWAYS! If you want you can put down what you like to do for Halloween.

 

[Ugly]

I stuff myself silly on T-day at family's house.
Probably on Xmas too.
I don't decorate. Sometimes we might hang a string of lights outside (since i've moved to NC). But other than that not a lot except go to some family's for the usual Xmas stuff.
When i was younger Xmas was a big deal. Everyone came to our house and we had presents everywhere. Then we went to my grandparents and everyone not so local went and there were even more presents. My mom decorated the inside of the house.
Now i just try to avoid buying anything for anyone and eat too much.
Having no friends locally and not having much in common with my family doesn't instill a lot of Xmas spirit.

 

[Dotann]

Well since I'm Canadian too, we are having Thanksgiving on Monday and YES we ARE having a big meal with family and some friends here to celebrate the season! Lots of food, including pumpkin, blueberry, raspberry, rhubarb, apple, cherry pies and homemade crispy thumb cake cookies that are to die for! These are just some of the deserts! We have both turkey and ham as well as stuffing and all the fixings. Baked beans, mashed potatoes, salads galore and many kinds of vegetables too! Oh yeah and homemade breads. We have over 18 people invited and will be doing the normal thing as the crazy imitations in our family that like to ad lib to the spur of the moment in jokes and sound effects! I have one funny family and Robin Williams would fit in just fine at my house!!! LOL We all talk at once and with loud voices so we all cant be out heard. LOL And have two or three little ones running around just to keep it all fun and games. There is NO sports on the TV as here we don't do football nor any of that American pass time, as we are Canucks! LOL Now mind you some of my family would prefer to put the hockey on ( but only a couple, but the rest of us out number them ROFL) but since its at MY house and since my hubby and i don't follow sports, that wont be happening! No sirree!!! So since we will be so full of the dinner anyways, will be doing the same thing as last year and have movies on for some, while the kids (or younger crowd) will either be outside playing on the 49 acres of country ground we have, or will be outside tossing a ball with the older kids, having a grand old time, while others are cleaning up the dishes waiting for the desserts to be displayed. But all in all, we all have a great time with family, and spending time together... Usually when all is done, they are so full and tired, they are so pooped that they don't want to do anything anyways except find a bed to snuggle up on to take a nap,, LOL but when that happens, you know you have done a good job! Its all good!

 

[AmberGardner]

Thanksgiving - I like the traditional turkey and cranberry sauce. I am trying to incorporate more of the less fortunate at our feast. No decorating for it. Too lazy.

Christmas - Love it and can't wait for the music to start!! I have never black friday shopped. I don't need that much.
We used to put up our tree, but since it's just mom and I I've gotten lazy about it last few years. I want to put it up though, it's so festive lol.

As far as spending, I don't like to spend too much. There is just plain too many needs out there that others have than to just horde up useless things for others or myself. I get a few gifts for mom though, and some for others. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

 

[lil_christian]

I completely agree we don't need oodles of stuff. It'll all fade away eventually and won't matter. Though I still like having nice things, they aren't priority.


Keep the answers coming! Y'all are great.

 

[MissCris]

For Thanksgiving, I bake pie. Apple, because everyone else makes pumpkin and chocolate and coconut. I do fancy lattice crusts and everything...and every year, I've messed them up. I forgot sugar for the filling once, and then last year, I couldn't get the apples softened. But the crust was AMAZING...

We always go to:

My mom's house, where we squeeze into a really narrow dining room at a slightly too small table together and eat turkey and a zillion mashed potatoes. There's always eggnog, because my step-dad and my uncle and my little brother are obsessed with the stuff. My grandpa, an old cowboy, says more and more the older he gets (he was never real talkative, til old age got the better of him) and he's the life of the party now, and my grandmother sits beside him and blushes and mutters, "For goodness sake, Jerry!" every time he swears or tells a raunchy joke.

My mom gets made fun of for her frilly, flowery apron, and we poke fun at her graying hair. Then she threatens us with a wooden spoon, we pretend to be scared, and my step-dad sneaks up on her and steals some of whatever she's cooking.

And then we eat pie. The men eat a piece of every one of them (there's usually at least 6 pies there), and the women cut teeeeeeny tiny slices of their favorite and pretend they're too full for another bite...and then have another tiny slice...

And then we go to my husband's grandma's house, where all is chaos and there are a zillion people and 4 dogs and a cranky old cat and we eat and eat and eat...and then we take our kid(s) outside to see the ducks, and the horses, and the cows.

...and then we never want to see another forkful of food again. Until the next day.

I'll be back to ramble on about Christmas after while

 

[BananaPie]

So, what do you all do for Thanksgiving? The all American preparations for the all Christian meal minus the cranberry sauce begin around 7 am on Thanksgiving Day. I cook the entire meal from scratch, and I use all natural ingredients; my daughters do the baking, while my youngest daughter sets the table; my son carves the turkey and helps with the clean-up.

If Latin guests have been invited, then the turkey is prepared "Latin" style in tomato & Chardonnay sauce.

What are some traditions you have now or have had in the past around that time? We gather at the table about 30 minutes before the meal is served to sing 7-8 hymns and for each child to say a blessing and to bring a thanksgiving prayer. I pray last, and I bless each one at the table. Then the child assigned as my "kitchen helper" helps me serve those at the table.

We always set a "special" table setting at the head of the table as a reminder that our Lord God Savior Jesus Christ is our Guest of Honor.

Do you decorate your house in pumpkins and pilgrims? Nope. The main decoration is at the table usually in Autum colors.

Do you OD on turkey, or do you eat conservatively? Frankly, because I'm doing the cooking, I hardly eat that day, so conservative eating here.

As for shopping and Black Friday, I do Thanksgiving grocery shopping the Monday of Thanksgiving week; then I burrow myself well into January.

 

[lil_christian]

I actually have not gone Black Friday Shopping yet in my life. BUT it's something I want to do...just because. My aunts and cousins do it every year, and I'm gonna try and go with them this year. I guess I could say, "It's on my bucket list."

 

[Jullianna]

[video=youtube;OQybajU2GNk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQybajU2GNk[/video]

So, what do you all do for Thanksgiving? What are some traditions you have now or have had in the past around that time?
Do you decorate your house in pumpkins and pilgrims? Do you OD on turkey (I did that...the turkey knocked me right out that night. Needless to say, no Black Friday Shopping for me that year)? Or do you eat conservatively?

I definitely do NOT do Black Friday shopping.

I love to cook and rarely have an opportunity to do it as I'd like, so Thanksgiving is a great excuse to go all out. I usually bake a turkey overnight (which makes the house smell amazing by morning ), mashed potatoes, sage/celery/onion dressing, gravy, fancy/fun relish trays, a huge baked mac N cheese for the picky kids who won't eat most things, cranberry/orange salad, steamed mixed veggies, a fruit/cheese tray, homemade bread of some kind, a cake (normally white with whipped crème/coconut frosting and a strawberry glaze center...a personal favorite), pumpkin pie and blackberry cobbler.

It's special family time for me. A time to remember friends and family that have passed or that I rarely see, and a time to talk about how God has blessed us in so many ways. It's playing in the leaves. It's throwing the football around in the yard. It's laughing at the male members of the family who are screaming at the game in the tv room. It's having everyone pitch in to clean up. It's trying new dishes other family members brought. It's seeing new family/babies photos I've missed in the previous year. It's snuggling with new babies. It's hearing the laughter of kids playing.

I do decorate with pumpkins sometimes, but mostly sunflowers and huge mounds of mums.




Now Christmas...this one will have a few more questions.

Do some of you not celebrate Christmas? Any given reason why?

For those who do, when do you start decorating? And do you decorate EVERYWHERE, or just a little bit here and there?

I.LOVE.DECORATING.FOR.CHRISTMAS

For those of you who saw the pics I posted of my house on Facebook last year, you already know this. Each room has its own theme, from gold/girly to elegant to to nutcrackers to snowmen. I start decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving (as my mom always did), which is why I don't do Black Friday ). I take everything down on New Years Day. It's a rule.

The Sunday evening after Thanksgiving I usually write out all of my Christmas cards and mail them. My family is scattered all over the country, so this is very important.

Do you budget money for gifts, or just spend as you go? If so, how much do you usually spend? When do you start buying gifts?

For the past couple of years I used my Christmas bonus for shopping, so I waited until the first weekend in December. Now that I am otherwise employed, bye bye Christmas bonus. So, when I have come across something this year that I think would be perfect for someone, I go ahead and get it, and hide it in my utility closet.

I'm a very particular gift giver. I want someone to really appreciate and enjoy a gift, so I don't just buy any old thing out of obligation. Watching people open gifts is one of my favorite things. I enjoy it far more than receiving gifts.

What are some Christmas traditions you have now or have had in the past?

When my son was little, one of my favorite things was to drive around looking at Christmas lights with him and my late husband on Christmas Eve. One of us would take my son out and put him in the carseat while the other got all of the gifts out and set them under the tree. When we came back home, the look on my son's face was always priceless. We would spend our private family time unwrapping gifts, listening to music, eating warm cookies with hot chocolate in our new jammies. Christmas Day was extended family time at the in-laws usually, so our private time on Christmas Eve was very special. Memories of Christmas church services are precious to me too.

 

[RickShafer]

It depends on the heart.
Those who celebrate traditions are not inherently trivial, (even though those traditional days have become quite worldly)
Conversely, those who eschew these two holidays should in no wise judge others who keep them as being deluded by the world. (Unless they can judge the souls of the same)
It all depends on the heart.

 

[GreenNnice]

Black Friday almost engulfs Brown Turkey Day. Seriously, it's like everyone eats and then its look at all the ads in the special thick bunch of store inserts of Thursday paper (and online now). Really sadi ,really But, do I participate? Yeah. Most times, I do. For the record, my best memory of Thanksgiving is when I didn't go rush off and do that stuff. It just kind of takes the air out of that special day of Thanksgiving to God, I think. But, yeah, everyone's doing it--except julieannie -- and so it's a Pavlov's dog (conditioning) situation for most americans now.
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LOL to the turkeys by surpirse, kentom I laughed. Just like that .
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mizcris is all about the lattice for the deserts and forgetting the sugar filling. LOL, the crust was spectacular, I guess, it better've been with such a sour pie But, I'm sure, even without suger in filling, mizcris, that pie you made was sweeeet

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yes, littleChristone, it's true, family is what Thanksgiving should be about, it's a special time, like Christmas to spend with loved ones, at least, it should be. Again, I don't know about there, but, here, in Seattle area of WA state, people start camping outside Best Buy and some other stores at 7pm on Thanksgiving Day to get the best deals once the store opens at 4AM that next morning. Some stores even open at midnight now, pretty much usurping Thanksgiving.
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My Thanksgiving is at mom's, I always cook for mom for Mother's Day but don't do much at all for Thanksgiving, usually I watch the Macy's Day parade in the morning with family, I then watch the Detroit Lions get smashEd up (except when barry sanders was there way back when) and then the Cowboys have a knack for usually winning in the afternoon NFL game.

Then, i eat, eat, eat, and, then I look at the good ads and plot out my plan of going to shops (no, I have never camped outside Best Buy or any other store all night, but, for the fun of it , I've thought about it. Plus, the first shoppers get some grubbin' good deals ).

but, nah I just usually get to stores around 9am after all the grubbin' good deals are gone and just the great deals (Trust me, 'great' is nowards near as great as 'grubbin' good' ) are left so I usually get a good deal or two, or three

Christmas is more of the same, I go to mom's and we eat some good grub and eggnog is for CHRSITMAS, who was it that is having Eggnog at Thanksgiving, you're ruining the spirit Anywhoo, that's all, I'm all out of words , which is probably a wise thing in your minds