1. #1

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    Favorite Christmas Traditions?

    What were and/or are your favorite Christmas traditions? As a child growing up Catholic, we would attend midnight Mass, then come home and open presents. In my adult married life, we had a small business and worked at The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar in Austin for 10-15 days up through Christmas Eve, so we really didn't set up for a holiday at home. We would drive to my mom's home for Christmas Day for a small celebration. (The first Christmas after she passed was really hard for me.)

    In recent times, my new sweetie and I go to a local tree farm on the Friday after Thanksgiving to pick out our tree. It may take a day or two to get it trimmed to fit the tree holder, and we set it up in the entry way of the house. And my new favorite - a community theater production of "A Christmas Carol" - I've seen it three times in the past three years. The first time I sat in the audience and enjoyed the singing and performances by local actors. Last year and this year I was the Stage Manager, working with a cast of 70+ adult and child actors! It's likely that I'll do it again next year if I can...
    Be Happy Now.

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    DAVESBABYDOLL's Avatar
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    Growing up, we always went to my sister's and her families house for Christmas.



    Once I had my kids, we had Christmas at my house. Once my kids got older, they all come stay the night (they are all adults except one now) if not they are here early. We go every Veteran's day to go tag our tree. Then we go cut it down after Thanksgiving. I cook, everyone eats lol

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  6. #3

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    Since I've moved from Texas, I make my annual holiday trip to Texas in December to see my ex; attend a holiday dinner for faculty, staff and retirees; visit my friends at The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar; and spend some time with my brother and family And see several friends that I can work into that time. It's my new holiday tradition
    Be Happy Now.

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    Well, this is a year of firsts, first Thanksgiving without mom, now my sister makes the stuffing, first Christmas with mom gone, it went better than expected. It was her Great Granddaughters first Christmas and boy did she rake it in, we have many pictures with her on moms lap and mom had prepared for her and the older grandchildren knowing she wouldn't be here. Found out another is on the way and I know that makes her happy. I don't know about new traditions yet. But this year I made a reverse Advent box, every day I put a canned good or personal item in a box and will be taking it to the Senior Center food pantry next week because I know it will be empty. The best food deals come during the holidays. Next year I will send out more Christmas Cards, I only received a few this year a huge drop from last year and I miss them, I know I can't be the only one so I've started early buying cards and making a list of names and addresses I want to send them too, ecards don't do it for me. There is a certain excitement about a card in the mail even if it just says "Love Mary" on them. I used to send them out the day after Thanksgiving because I always worked Thanksgiving and that is when I would fill them all out, I worked at a call center and it was very slow. I vowed not to give gift cards this year but did it anyway, will vow not to do it again next year. It forces someone to buy from somewhere they may not shop and if they do it might cost more than they might spend putting them farther in the hole. I'm going back to giving cash to my nieces and nephews, they always need money and I should have given money to some of my friends who work for the Feds who are on furlough and could use it right now. One year I went to the city utility and local cable company and put credits on some of their bills, I did it anonymously and I mailed the receipt in an envelope addressed by someone else so they would know it wasn't a mistake, just an extra $20 or $30 can make a big difference. This year I did not use gift bags, I wrapped everything and used ribbon and bows, all those gift bags look so tacky, it was ok when it was a novelty but anymore its just sacks under the tree with tissue sticking out and I love to see people rip open packages. I have enough paper to last until the rapture but picked up a couple more anyway. A few years ago I picked up some of those prepackaged gift boxes, clippers and tweezers etc and put them in bags and gave them to a group giving to the veterans home in Danville, they were so cheap the year before at 75% off, I'm going to do that again, but what I hear is they really need socks, like the homeless shelter. I will concentrate my garage sale shopping for things like that and jewelry I can rebox, I passed up some real beauties last year and a small town store was collecting for an Alzheimer's wing asking for trinkets and liquid bath soap for their residents. So here are some of my new or revived Christmas Traditions, but mostly I'm going to enjoy the holidays, not going to stress, start earlier, try to end on a high note, you never know when it will be someones last one. The reverse Advent box is the one I'm most proud of, will be doing that every year and maybe not just for Christmas.
    Last edited by Mary_Jo3; 01-08-2019 at 12:10 PM.
    Keep your hands to yourself, leave other people's things alone, and be kind to one another.

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    Mary_Jo3, those are some wonderful ideas. I've gotten away from mailing Christmas cards but plan to do it next year (bought some cards on sale). Also, I agree with you about wrapping packages versus gift bags - so much fun, and wrapping can get creative. Your random acts of kindness (applying funds to people's bills, etc.) is truly a gift. You've inspired me to look at different ways of giving!
    Be Happy Now.

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  12. #6
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    Very kind of you to say, it's easy to say what you like to do for others here where no one knows who you are, it sounds less like bragging (look at me) and more like this is how I want to help. A little help goes a long way, I should know a friend is coming over to dig us out, he has a blade on his pickup, just stopping by and that is a great help for me. Tomorrow or the next day I'm going to stop by Sams and pick up some of the $4.99 rotisserie chickens and surprise a couple friends who work for the Feds and furloughed and a friend who is going to need surgery and is having difficulty fixing dinner. Someone did that for me a couple weeks after mom passed and it was a great help, just when you think everyone has forgotten someone surprises you with a chicken. LOL
    Keep your hands to yourself, leave other people's things alone, and be kind to one another.

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