OT - favorite Holiday Traditions

Hay/Feed for the Reindeer
The first thing that comes to mind is putting hay/feed out for the reindeer. Many remember to put out goodies for Santa but not many think about how hard the reindeer have to work and they need something too to keep going.

I lived in France as a small child and there it's normal for the kids to put out something for Pere Noel's horse so of course I had to start feeding the Santa's reindeer. When boys were little and we lived in houses with chimneys they insisted that the hay/feed had to be put on the roof because that's where the reindeer land. Even as they got older we always had to put hay out with a sign so the young neighbor kids would know that there was food for the reindeer. Boys are grown now and not around here but I have a lighted sign that they made for me that says "Reindeer Fuel" and I get the neightbor kids (with parent permission) to help me set it up each year and put out hay. Of course by morning the hay is under a tarp in the back of the truck and the snow/mud trampled and 2 lines drawn for the sleigh runners. Of course - if you don't have hay/feed (we do - we have horses), reindeer like carrots, apples and sugar too.

Susan

disneyfan2008 said:

I LIKE TO have breakfast
I LIKE TO have breakfast with santa at local firehouse and then go cut our tree. we all go-(adult girls and grandsons)Each year we bicker which is the best tree...if we dont' it wouldn't be Christmas...
We all work, full time college, day care (ALL LIVE AT HOME) so we have such different schedules so this is one of the few times we all get to DO something at one time!

I am not one (NO time per say) bake from scratch but we do the slice and bake cookies and boys love that. (we did Holloween ones last night)

***we just took boys to Holloween tunnel -then went to get costumes followed by pizza

Thanksgiving-just me doing all the cooking....hehe...hubby does all the clean up

Denise

I started making all my own Christmas cards several years ago an
have kept that tradition - people look for them and I enjoy the rubber stamping and embossing. Not sure how I'll make out this year since I reconstructive surgery coming up. Did okay last year working around chemo and before my mastectomy but just can't seem to get "charged up" this year. Maybe they'll be New Year's cards instead. Every time we take a trip we buy a Christmas ornament, or 2, in that area, of a landmark or atttraction. Since we visit a different city each year to go to the ballpark and take ina game (my husband's dream is to see them all) we're developing quite a collection. Our Christmas tree gets loaded with those ornaments and ones that were special gifts. Last year we didn't put the tree up because of my surgery and the 2 adorable Siamese kittens that turned the house into a race track and jungle gym. I'm still not sure if we'll make it this year or not but we hope to.

Reaindeer food - always heard it was oatmeal mixed with red glitter. Glad to know there are options.

traditions
october is warm up apple picking then apple pies and fall dinner with friends then thanksgiving well all the usuals then friend and I add new dishes every year then i decorate every wall table piece of floor space that there is plus the whole outside then go to my friends and do hers as well make cookies with her and kids have christmas with family and friends and breakfast xmas morn we all get new pjs and since we live in same house no one has to get dressed if they choose not new years repeat of xmas but you must bang pots and pans at midnight then new years day annual roast beef dinner hope you all enjoy the holiday season be safe stay well

After Hurricane Katrina when
After Hurricane Katrina when our house was gutted, we decided to make lemonade out of a real lemon of a situation and we booked a room at the Windsor Court Hotel and visited the French Quarter. It also felt like the right thing to do because, at the time, tourism was suffering (in part because folks didn't realize that the French Quarter and historic Uptown did not flood).

Anyway, we had such a great time, we have done it ever since. Sometimes my sisters join us and sometimes it is just Katherine, Danny and I. It works out well with my work schedule because we can plan it around when I am off.

I don't know if we can swing it this year or not, but I am watching the specials and hoping.