Do y'all celebrate Christmas in the same way every year?

by panhandlegirl 19 Replies latest social current

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  panhandlegirl

  Like me, most of you never celebrated Christmas when you were growing up or when you were raising your children. Because of this, I don't place a great importance on celebrating Christmas. I do love the holidays because everyone seems so happy and I like the hustle and bustle of it all. I also enjoy Chistmas and all the things that go along with the season, but sometimes I don't feel like buying presents just to be buying. Sometimes I buy a tree and sometimes I don't. This year I told my daughter that I was not going to buy any presents. She agreed not to buy me anything either. I do not need anything. Last year, we had a big Chistmas and it was great, but this year, I just don't feel like buying. I may or may not buy a tree but I will put up some lights. I know things are different if you have little ones. It's more exciting when you have little ones to buy toys for. I will probably just send fruit and cheese baskets from Harry and David's to all those I usually buy for. I was just wondering how all of you do Chrismas. We, or at least I, ended up so warped by being a jw all my life.

  PHG
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  Satanus

  I almost put up a tree 2 yrs ago. I love the lights. I sometimes drive down well lit up streets just to take it in. 'Colored lights can hypnotize.'

  S
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  finally awake

  This is the first year we will celebrate Christmas since 1998, and the first time ever for my kids. I plan on going all out this year, but I don't know if I'll do that every year.
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  blondie

  I grew up in a "divided" household. My father celebrated and so did his friends. I grew up in Germany and follow many of their customs. We have an artificial tree and have been collecting glass ornaments. We prepare foods that I remember growing up. The local theater has a free event with group singing of Christmas songs. We used to go and sing in the local Messiah event. We get one special gift for each other and have a few friends over for dinner.
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  mamochan13

  I've struggled with trying to develop a family tradition. But it's hard to come into this as an adult with absolutely no familly history to build on. I did have xmas at my paternal grandmothers, which is where I learned to sing carols and make pumpkin pie. But that was it. My maternal grandmother hated the JW religion for taking xmas away from her. She used to buy gifts for herself and tell her friends they came from her children.

  The first year we had a big celebration on xmas eve, with all my daughters friends coming by three days in a row for leftovers. I made paella (which is always our xmas dinner tradition), tabouli, nachinka, hummous, perogies, pumpkin pie - we had a real ethnic mix. My youngest and I decorated the house to the hilt and had a blast shopping for gifts. We sang xmas carols and went on a crazy gift frenzy.

  OVer the next few years we toned things down on the gift part. By the time the grandkids came along, we started to limit the gifts to kids only. We've had a few xmas's where one family member acts out (not always the same one).

  So far we haven't settled on any particular way to do it. I still make paella and we eat very late. We always do it on xmas eve and we open our gifts throughout the evening. So I guess those are our main family traditions. Last year my grandson's father was an asshole and wouldn't let the boys come on xmas eve (the custody agreement alternates the holiday but he doesn't celebrate, he just wanted to ruin things for us.)

  I used to love the decorating part, but over the last few years I'd be just as happy to not bother with a tree. I do it for the grandkids but usually we set it up only a day or two before - they love helping decorate it. I've been trying to establish a tradition of taking them shopping for gifts and encouraging them to buy for others.
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  mamochan13

  Satanus - your Canadian is showing!!! American Woman, indeed.
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  Satanus

  Mamochan

  You caught that. I mean it in a good way, though.

  S
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  Berengaria

  Mamochan you beat me to it!!
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  Berengaria

  I love the holidays. I've pretty much gone all out since I left. Lights, tree of course I love that smell!, cookies for the neighbors, mini get togethers over the month, movies, music..............

  When it's just myself and my husband, we do something cozy, rent a cabin or have a picnic dinner on the floor in front of the fire, etc.
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  mamochan13

  satanus, berengaria - I love those hypnotizing colored lights, per guess who, not kravitz.

  But now that you mention it - I think I should go back to putting up lights again this year. They are not only beautiful, but I found something so soothing about all the beautiful xmas lights around my house. I plug in my xmas tree at night and just enjoy the peace those multicolored lights bring to my home.

  I've also tried to start a tradition of taking the grandkids around the city to see all the beautiful lights. What could possibly be wrong with a celebration that makes your city look so incredibly lovely and filled with color all night long?