trinityroyal
Well-Known Member
Christmas is without a doubt my favourite holiday. husband's too. Since we're both analytical IT-types (and I'm an Aspie), things get pretty regimented. Our traditions are:
1) In late November I update the Christmas spreadsheet. Tabs are laid out for Gifts to Family, Gifts to Friends, Christmas Cards, etc. I update the list with addresses for the Christmas list, gifts we've already bought, things we still need. Copy it to the home network, so we both have a copy.
2) The first weekend in December, we put up the tree and decorate the house. Our old pre-lit tree died this year, so this year's tree-trimming included a quick trip to Lowes with the monster-tots to get a new one. Delightfully, they had one with the same dimensions and light colours. The decorations are an eclectic mixture of old ones, new ones, handmade ones from the children, photos, tinsel, etc. I decided to edit them this year, so we have two bins full that are in the shed rather than on the tree.
3) Starting on December 1st, we start watching our collection of Christmas movies, with the goal of watching them all before Christmas Day. We watch Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch (the original cartoon, not that wretched Jim Carrey nonsense), all of those lovely animatronic ones with the puppets -- Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming To Town, etc, Frosty the Snow Man, Miracle on 34th St., White Christmas, The Bishop's Wife (it was re-made as The Preacher's Wife -- the original is better, and not just because Cary Grant AND David Niven are in it), and about 6 or 7 different versions of A Christmas Carol.
4) On Christmas Eve, the older kids come over. We have dinner and watch the last of the Christmas movies -- It's A Wonderful Life, and then the 1951 A Christmas Carol (the Alistair Sim one, with husband and I agree is the definitive version). We usually eat pizza or Chinese food or Thai food. Something that other people cook and then bring to our house.
5) Christmas morning, we open gifts, then have a traditional Christmas Breakfast (a significant tradition from my background), then relax until Christmas Dinner. We try to prepare as much as possible beforehand so there's not too much cooking and fussing around in the kitchen on Christmas Day. We play Handel's Messiah, sing Christmas Carols, and generally turn in early.
6) On Boxing Day, all the extended family comes over, and we have Christmas Day round-two. Gift opening, singing Christmas Carols, and another full-blown Christmas dinner. We usually pack up most of hte leftovers and send care packages home with everyone, so that we're not left staring at turkey leftovers for the next six to eight weeks. With 2 Christmas dinners in two days, it's that or eat turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, turkey puree, turkey milkshakes...you get the idea.
7) All decorations stay up until Epiphany.
8) husband and I have an annual New Year's Eve party -- something we've done since we got together. Some years it's big -- we invite all our friends and neighbours. Some years it's small. This year, it's tiny. I think the guest list totals about 8.
After that, we "decommission" the Christmas stuff in stages. Back into labelled containers, ready to be deployed for next year. Chocolates and other treats that are Death to the Diet go into work for distribution among co-workers. Things are put back into non-Christmas mode, and we get back to normal.
As for wild-beyond-imagining gifts, I can't think of a thing. I'm pretty happy with my lot overall.
1) In late November I update the Christmas spreadsheet. Tabs are laid out for Gifts to Family, Gifts to Friends, Christmas Cards, etc. I update the list with addresses for the Christmas list, gifts we've already bought, things we still need. Copy it to the home network, so we both have a copy.
2) The first weekend in December, we put up the tree and decorate the house. Our old pre-lit tree died this year, so this year's tree-trimming included a quick trip to Lowes with the monster-tots to get a new one. Delightfully, they had one with the same dimensions and light colours. The decorations are an eclectic mixture of old ones, new ones, handmade ones from the children, photos, tinsel, etc. I decided to edit them this year, so we have two bins full that are in the shed rather than on the tree.
3) Starting on December 1st, we start watching our collection of Christmas movies, with the goal of watching them all before Christmas Day. We watch Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch (the original cartoon, not that wretched Jim Carrey nonsense), all of those lovely animatronic ones with the puppets -- Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming To Town, etc, Frosty the Snow Man, Miracle on 34th St., White Christmas, The Bishop's Wife (it was re-made as The Preacher's Wife -- the original is better, and not just because Cary Grant AND David Niven are in it), and about 6 or 7 different versions of A Christmas Carol.
4) On Christmas Eve, the older kids come over. We have dinner and watch the last of the Christmas movies -- It's A Wonderful Life, and then the 1951 A Christmas Carol (the Alistair Sim one, with husband and I agree is the definitive version). We usually eat pizza or Chinese food or Thai food. Something that other people cook and then bring to our house.
5) Christmas morning, we open gifts, then have a traditional Christmas Breakfast (a significant tradition from my background), then relax until Christmas Dinner. We try to prepare as much as possible beforehand so there's not too much cooking and fussing around in the kitchen on Christmas Day. We play Handel's Messiah, sing Christmas Carols, and generally turn in early.
6) On Boxing Day, all the extended family comes over, and we have Christmas Day round-two. Gift opening, singing Christmas Carols, and another full-blown Christmas dinner. We usually pack up most of hte leftovers and send care packages home with everyone, so that we're not left staring at turkey leftovers for the next six to eight weeks. With 2 Christmas dinners in two days, it's that or eat turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, turkey puree, turkey milkshakes...you get the idea.
7) All decorations stay up until Epiphany.
8) husband and I have an annual New Year's Eve party -- something we've done since we got together. Some years it's big -- we invite all our friends and neighbours. Some years it's small. This year, it's tiny. I think the guest list totals about 8.
After that, we "decommission" the Christmas stuff in stages. Back into labelled containers, ready to be deployed for next year. Chocolates and other treats that are Death to the Diet go into work for distribution among co-workers. Things are put back into non-Christmas mode, and we get back to normal.
As for wild-beyond-imagining gifts, I can't think of a thing. I'm pretty happy with my lot overall.