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  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
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    cahjah75 said:

    Dec. 11
    is my sister's bday (she's 58). On the 12th my hubby & I go to a tree farm and cut down our tree. (I'm still waiting for my ornament :-)) On the 13th I celebrate with 11 woman friends (my Bunko group). We exchange gifts after eating fabulous food we all brought. Christmas Eve we go to my daughter's house and help in building a gingerbread house with sil and 2 granddaughters. On Christmas day we are going to my mom's where my daughter and 2 sisters will be with spouses and grown children. The day after Christmas my son & his family are coming to CT and then all of us go to my sister-in-law's for my hubby's side of the family. There are probably more than 40 of us. Considering I have my last chemo next Tuesday I'll be lucky to stay awake for everything. It's a very exciting time of the year especially with 6 young grandchildren. I miss going to midnight mass and some day will attend again. I love listening to choirs and caroles :-)
    Char

    At my Mom & Dad's
    enjoying a meal with family and a thankful heart!

    Blessings,

    Sylvia
  • ladyg
    ladyg Member Posts: 1,577
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    A different Christmas
    We will be having a very different Christmas this year. We are going to Las Vegas to spend Christmas with our daughter. This will be the first time in my 64 years that I will not be at home on Christmas. She usually ocmes home to us but has been asking for the last few years for us to go to her. We finally gave in. I will still make Christmas dinner for us but I don't know what else will be in store. This has been a whole different year anyway so why not!

    Merry Christmas to all,
    Georgia
  • pinkflutterby
    pinkflutterby Member Posts: 615 Member
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    ladyg said:

    A different Christmas
    We will be having a very different Christmas this year. We are going to Las Vegas to spend Christmas with our daughter. This will be the first time in my 64 years that I will not be at home on Christmas. She usually ocmes home to us but has been asking for the last few years for us to go to her. We finally gave in. I will still make Christmas dinner for us but I don't know what else will be in store. This has been a whole different year anyway so why not!

    Merry Christmas to all,
    Georgia

    Christmas :)
    My favorite holiday!!!

    Christmas eve we bake cookies, watch movies, leave food for reindeers, leave cookies for Santa, open ONE gift.

    Christmas morning we have Santa come, open gifts and go to my moms house for prime rib yummm!!

    This year on Sunday we will go to my grandparents they are 94 & 93 years old!!

    My Carlie's birthday is the 27th so I rip the tree down and all decorations on the 26th so she has her Bday apart from Christmas!

    shew I'm tired just thinking about it :)
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
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    Jake and I
    Jake and I are going to a tree farm on 12/11 and picking out our tree and having them cut it and then bringing it home and decorating it. Jake's dad will be going to California to spend Christmas with Jake's step sister so it will be Jake and I Christmas eve--pizza, movies and jammies(matching ones if we can find some). Then presents in the morning and then to my mothers Christmas late morning for more presents and lunch.

    It was his idea about what to do x-mas eve--just the two of us.

    Margo

    We got our tree at a tree
    We got our tree at a tree farm too Margo! It was so much fun, even though it was kind of cold, but, not too cold. Just put hubby and I in the Christmas Spirit even more!

    Have a Merry Christmas!
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
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    Christmas :)
    My favorite holiday!!!

    Christmas eve we bake cookies, watch movies, leave food for reindeers, leave cookies for Santa, open ONE gift.

    Christmas morning we have Santa come, open gifts and go to my moms house for prime rib yummm!!

    This year on Sunday we will go to my grandparents they are 94 & 93 years old!!

    My Carlie's birthday is the 27th so I rip the tree down and all decorations on the 26th so she has her Bday apart from Christmas!

    shew I'm tired just thinking about it :)

    Christmas is our favorite
    Christmas is our favorite holiday too Libby! There is just something about it that puts a smile on my face the whole month!

    I hope you aren't going to over do it. Your Christmas sounds wonderful!


    Enjoy it to the utmost!


    Merry Christmas Libby!
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
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    susie09 said:

    I am sorry Roseann. I would
    I am sorry Roseann. I would think that Gretchen would consider his feelings and that they would spend some Christmas's with you too. Alternate every other year if necessary.

    Could he come see you before or after Christmas? Have a delayed celebration together?

    Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

    Wow Susie! You and your
    Wow Susie! You and your husband are really busy this holiday. And, I love your new picture. I need to put up a Christmas pic too.

    We have been busy Christmas shopping. Is there no end to it? LOL It is fun though, buying presents for our family.

    Christmas day, we are going to my parents and are looking forward to a great day there. We always have so much fun.

    I love this time of year too, and, am hoping for some snow on Christmas.

    Merry Christmas to everyone!


    Hugs, Debby
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
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    This is going to be a
    This is going to be a "different" Christmas for me, too! Reggie is taking his 2 daughters', his oldest daughters' hubby and granddaughter to Hawaii for a week on Christmas morning...and I'm staying behind. Sigh.
    Of course I was invited ( and Reggie is both shocked and disappointed I opted out) but my Siobhan has to work over the holidays and there is just No Way I would leave her to spend the hoildays alone!

    So~ the plan is: We are celebrating on Christmas Eve~standing rib roast, yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach... Siobhan and I will be preparing all of the good and way too fattening food! We are not exchanging gifts this year ( prolly a few stocking stuffers) as Yikes! 5 round trip tickets to Hawaii and a weeks lodging, etc is pricey!! LOL And, for Thanksgiving, I got 3 month reprieve from having to start chemo~ and I have a man who loves me madly~ and I got ornaments and an abundance of joy from the exchange here on the boards. I think my heart is full of the best kind of gifts!

    Christmas Day...Reggie and the family have to hit the road at 4AM to catch their flight.


    Siobhan and I will watch old movies, eat leftovers, and just relax!!!


    Reggie and I take food to the parks and I feed the homeless on a regular basis. Coats and sweaters which we no longer wear are also given to those who want/need them. I also always take dog food with me~ lots of the homeless have Faithful Four-Footed companions, which is why ( among other reasons) they are on the streets and not in shelters. I have lots of lotions and potions from hotels...the women who live on the streets are always so happy to get those.

    Happy HOlidays!

    And, Roseann here's hoping that Gretchen comes around...those of us with Chen as part of our names have a reputation to uphold! LOL Don't fret too much over those who might make life and us unhappy~ we have all been though so much by virtue of the fact that we are on these boards leaves little time for us to to fret over the thinbgs we have no control over. Find joy and make it yours! It's contagious, and feels so much better than hurt feelings.

    Hugs,
    Chen♥
  • BlownAway60
    BlownAway60 Member Posts: 851
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    This year I am cooking. Last
    This year I am cooking. Last year we had the big dinner at our house and I did all the planning but was not able to prepare it or eat it. I was going through chemo at the time and had just gotten out of the hospital two days before the big dinner. My 13 year old grandson followed my directions and he fixed everything, even all of the cookies. Gotta love him. He has asked if can come back and help me again this year. This time I will get to eat some of the crab and shrimp that I am planning on having. We usually have a house full for dinner. We always celebrate on Christmas Eve. It gives everyone else a chance to spend Christmas with their kids.

    I have to tell you that my grandson is 14 now and is 6 foot 3 inches tall and wears a size 13 mens shoe. This is the same grandson that wants me to teach him to crochet. Might make a good husband one day.

    I have crocheted almost all of our Christmas presents this year. I have finished everything that has to be shipped and am now working on the gifts for the family and friends that are here.

    Hugs

    Donna
  • lizzie17
    lizzie17 Member Posts: 548
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    chenheart said:

    This is going to be a
    This is going to be a "different" Christmas for me, too! Reggie is taking his 2 daughters', his oldest daughters' hubby and granddaughter to Hawaii for a week on Christmas morning...and I'm staying behind. Sigh.
    Of course I was invited ( and Reggie is both shocked and disappointed I opted out) but my Siobhan has to work over the holidays and there is just No Way I would leave her to spend the hoildays alone!

    So~ the plan is: We are celebrating on Christmas Eve~standing rib roast, yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach... Siobhan and I will be preparing all of the good and way too fattening food! We are not exchanging gifts this year ( prolly a few stocking stuffers) as Yikes! 5 round trip tickets to Hawaii and a weeks lodging, etc is pricey!! LOL And, for Thanksgiving, I got 3 month reprieve from having to start chemo~ and I have a man who loves me madly~ and I got ornaments and an abundance of joy from the exchange here on the boards. I think my heart is full of the best kind of gifts!

    Christmas Day...Reggie and the family have to hit the road at 4AM to catch their flight.


    Siobhan and I will watch old movies, eat leftovers, and just relax!!!


    Reggie and I take food to the parks and I feed the homeless on a regular basis. Coats and sweaters which we no longer wear are also given to those who want/need them. I also always take dog food with me~ lots of the homeless have Faithful Four-Footed companions, which is why ( among other reasons) they are on the streets and not in shelters. I have lots of lotions and potions from hotels...the women who live on the streets are always so happy to get those.

    Happy HOlidays!

    And, Roseann here's hoping that Gretchen comes around...those of us with Chen as part of our names have a reputation to uphold! LOL Don't fret too much over those who might make life and us unhappy~ we have all been though so much by virtue of the fact that we are on these boards leaves little time for us to to fret over the thinbgs we have no control over. Find joy and make it yours! It's contagious, and feels so much better than hurt feelings.

    Hugs,
    Chen♥

    a little off subject
    Thanks for the reminder that we have little time to fret over things we have no control over.
    I have been a teacher for 31 years, and with a new boss this year....I just got a less than perfect evaluation. As a matter of fact, every teacher has a less than perfect eval.
    I have been fretting over it all weekend, and for what? I have a long record of good performance, etc. But it still hurts, even though she told us when she first got there:
    this is business, not personal. How can educating children not be personal?
  • lizzie17
    lizzie17 Member Posts: 548
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    Christmas this year
    My oldest daughter and I are traveling to NYC to stay with my youngest daughter. We plan to go to a tree farm and cut our own tree and then decorate it in our "family tradition" of
    wearing the same pajamas, drinking hot chocolate and singing Carols. We will hope for snow and cook a ham, sweet potatoe casserole and a few other things. My girls will make a delicious pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. Presents? Much fewer this year. We will shop in the city and share meaningful stocking stuffers.
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
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    lizzie17 said:

    a little off subject
    Thanks for the reminder that we have little time to fret over things we have no control over.
    I have been a teacher for 31 years, and with a new boss this year....I just got a less than perfect evaluation. As a matter of fact, every teacher has a less than perfect eval.
    I have been fretting over it all weekend, and for what? I have a long record of good performance, etc. But it still hurts, even though she told us when she first got there:
    this is business, not personal. How can educating children not be personal?

    Lizzie,It may not be
    Lizzie,
    It may not be right, and I am sure it isn't~ it is indeed not fair, considering all of you got less than perfect evals~ but your new boss is ( in my opinion) assserting her bossiness! If everything remained status quo, perhaps there would be no need for her! So, she pulls you all down a notch to justify her new position.
    There is an overwhelming number of teachers on the boards~ almost as if teaching causes cancer! I was never an "official" teacher, but worked as a volunteer in the same 2nd grade classroom, with the same teacher for 9 years! Of course educating is personal! And underpaid, underestimated, and yet...so fullfilling. Bless your heart~ you get a stellar eval from all of us!!!!
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
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    chenheart said:

    Lizzie,It may not be
    Lizzie,
    It may not be right, and I am sure it isn't~ it is indeed not fair, considering all of you got less than perfect evals~ but your new boss is ( in my opinion) assserting her bossiness! If everything remained status quo, perhaps there would be no need for her! So, she pulls you all down a notch to justify her new position.
    There is an overwhelming number of teachers on the boards~ almost as if teaching causes cancer! I was never an "official" teacher, but worked as a volunteer in the same 2nd grade classroom, with the same teacher for 9 years! Of course educating is personal! And underpaid, underestimated, and yet...so fullfilling. Bless your heart~ you get a stellar eval from all of us!!!!

    If everyone got a low
    If everyone got a low evaluation Lizzie, then I would say it is the boss. Since they are new, they may not even be aware of how everything runs, and, what a terrific job you and your coworkers do.

    I hope that you can put this out of your mind and have a great weekend.


    Teachers are gifts! So, thank you for what you do Lizzie.


    Big hugs,

    Debby
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
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    tgf said:

    Going to Connecticut
    I'm heading to Connecticut and will be spending Christmas with my son, the most wonderful-daughter-in-law-in-the world, and 2 adorable grandsons. I can't wait. I only see them twice a year ... and the boys seem to grow sooooo much between my visits. Christmas is always great fun. My grandsons are 10 and 3 and for the past 4-5 years the oldest boy and I have made it a tradition to make Christmas Pretzels ... but this year we're going to include the 3 year old. I'm sure many of you know about these but ... just in case:

    Place the small pretzel shaped pretzels on a cookie sheet ... flat ... not over-lapping then on top of each one place a Hershey chocolate kiss. Put in oven at about 200 degrees for just a few minutes until kiss is soft but not totally melted. Take out of oven and place a red/green M&M on top of the chocolate kiss ... let sit until chocolate sets up ... and whammy ... a yummy holiday treat! We make tons and they are really gobbled up. My grandson thinks he does all the "work" but while he's putting the pretzels on the cookie sheet I'm madly unwrapping the Hershey kisses trying to keep up with him. Then of course ... I do the oven part. Can't wait to include the 3 year old this year!

    Holiday hugs to all!

    Teena

    Yum Teena! I am making
    Yum Teena! I am making these pretzels! Thank you for sharing your recipe with us!
  • Texasgirl10
    Texasgirl10 Member Posts: 668
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    lizzie17 said:

    Christmas this year
    My oldest daughter and I are traveling to NYC to stay with my youngest daughter. We plan to go to a tree farm and cut our own tree and then decorate it in our "family tradition" of
    wearing the same pajamas, drinking hot chocolate and singing Carols. We will hope for snow and cook a ham, sweet potatoe casserole and a few other things. My girls will make a delicious pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. Presents? Much fewer this year. We will shop in the city and share meaningful stocking stuffers.

    Christmas
    We always have Christmas eve at my house. We exchange gifts with my family and make a fun evening out of it. We started doing this when my kids were little in hopes that it would settle them down a little before santa came :). We will go to my parents house on Christmas day. I can't wait for that turkey and dressing.
  • Jean T. Szabo
    Jean T. Szabo Member Posts: 193
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    Christmas
    Will be having Chrstmas early, on the 19th of December. Chemo #4 is Dec. 21st. Will have daughter and her family over for Chreistmas dinner, gifts and then off to see "Candy Cane Lane"..neighborhood that is decorated all of 4 blocks, then back to my condo for dessert. My son and wife don't keep in touch with me ... so understand how hard holidays can be. Still get gifts for the grandchildren and give them to daughter to pass them on in case she sees them. Don't understand it but know it is not uncommon that the wife tries to "rule". The last time I saw my two grandchildren from him was a year ago. They are now 7 and 8. Have 3 grandchildren from daughter that I am very close to. 17, 15, 8 years old. Already have house decorated, recovering from Chemo #3. This one is taking longer to bounce back from. Plan to finish shopping and wrapping next week, only have the 17 yr. old to go, video game, jeans and a hoody will do. Love Christmas, keep in mind the true meaning for celebrating, Jesus. Praying for peace, compassion and love for all.
  • Texasgirl10
    Texasgirl10 Member Posts: 668
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    Christmas
    Will be having Chrstmas early, on the 19th of December. Chemo #4 is Dec. 21st. Will have daughter and her family over for Chreistmas dinner, gifts and then off to see "Candy Cane Lane"..neighborhood that is decorated all of 4 blocks, then back to my condo for dessert. My son and wife don't keep in touch with me ... so understand how hard holidays can be. Still get gifts for the grandchildren and give them to daughter to pass them on in case she sees them. Don't understand it but know it is not uncommon that the wife tries to "rule". The last time I saw my two grandchildren from him was a year ago. They are now 7 and 8. Have 3 grandchildren from daughter that I am very close to. 17, 15, 8 years old. Already have house decorated, recovering from Chemo #3. This one is taking longer to bounce back from. Plan to finish shopping and wrapping next week, only have the 17 yr. old to go, video game, jeans and a hoody will do. Love Christmas, keep in mind the true meaning for celebrating, Jesus. Praying for peace, compassion and love for all.

    Oh Jean I'm so sorry about
    Oh Jean I'm so sorry about your son & his wife. How hard it must be for you not to see your grandchildren from your son. I don't understand why some wives have to be that way. You seem like such a good person & I admire you for buying gifts for them. Just remember that your grandchildren won't be children forever. They will want to know you and will probably spend lots of time with you as adults. I know that's not much comfort at that moment but hopefully it gives you something to look forward to you.

    God Bless,
    Dawne
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
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    Heading to the French Quarter
    We are going to my niece's house on Christmas Eve. And that should be fun because she just bought her first home.

    Then, of course, I work Christmas Day. But I don't mind as Katherine knows we celebrate the season not the day--that's just part of being a healthcare worker. My sister and other niece are coming in town Dec 26-30th and we are all staying at the Windsor Court Hotel in N.O. and going to shop in the French Quarter, hit some yummy restaurants, etc. We are also going to "high tea" one day. I can't wait!
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
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    Christmas
    Will be having Chrstmas early, on the 19th of December. Chemo #4 is Dec. 21st. Will have daughter and her family over for Chreistmas dinner, gifts and then off to see "Candy Cane Lane"..neighborhood that is decorated all of 4 blocks, then back to my condo for dessert. My son and wife don't keep in touch with me ... so understand how hard holidays can be. Still get gifts for the grandchildren and give them to daughter to pass them on in case she sees them. Don't understand it but know it is not uncommon that the wife tries to "rule". The last time I saw my two grandchildren from him was a year ago. They are now 7 and 8. Have 3 grandchildren from daughter that I am very close to. 17, 15, 8 years old. Already have house decorated, recovering from Chemo #3. This one is taking longer to bounce back from. Plan to finish shopping and wrapping next week, only have the 17 yr. old to go, video game, jeans and a hoody will do. Love Christmas, keep in mind the true meaning for celebrating, Jesus. Praying for peace, compassion and love for all.

    I'm sorry to read this Jean
    I'm sorry to read this Jean about your son and his wife. And, you are so right, remember the true meaning of Christmas, for Jesus!
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
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    susie09 said:

    We got our tree at a tree
    We got our tree at a tree farm too Margo! It was so much fun, even though it was kind of cold, but, not too cold. Just put hubby and I in the Christmas Spirit even more!

    Have a Merry Christmas!

    We've got the whole house
    We've got the whole house decorated and our tree is finished and sparkly with lights!

    We are hosting Christmas here and we can't wait. My family will be here and part of my husband's family. A few have other obligations, but, will come later in the day to join in our Christmas day celebration.

    We just need snow now! So, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. hehe


    Merry Christmas!

    Jan
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
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    Heading to the French Quarter
    We are going to my niece's house on Christmas Eve. And that should be fun because she just bought her first home.

    Then, of course, I work Christmas Day. But I don't mind as Katherine knows we celebrate the season not the day--that's just part of being a healthcare worker. My sister and other niece are coming in town Dec 26-30th and we are all staying at the Windsor Court Hotel in N.O. and going to shop in the French Quarter, hit some yummy restaurants, etc. We are also going to "high tea" one day. I can't wait!

    I was wondering if everyone
    I was wondering if everyone has a favorite Christmas song. I think my favorite would be Silent Night. And, it doesn't matter who sings it, it is still beautiful.


    Jan