We would go visit both sets of grandparents on Christmas Eve and open gifts with them. Then the next morning, we’d do family gifts at home. Then when we got older, the grandparental visits were shifted to Christmas day after we’d done presents at home.
We never did the Santa thing - not sure why, but probably because my mother didn’t think it was important. I don’t feel like I missed out - I pretty much knew who the gifts were from. We would always have a few packages from “Santa” for our daughter, but that didn’t last very long.
No earl or tahrs, no farmer’s market, no frame shop, no NYPD* as they wuz all closed for the non-holiday holiday. Some watches are better but one was left for repair. Almost ended up in the horsepistol for lunch because (almost) everything else was closed & I figured their cafeteria would be open but one has to both show photo ID & go thru a metal detector to get in.
Caught the Criminal but no Lump of Coals (Lumps of Coal?) & even got a couple of Santa’s Butt. Will watch Jimmy Stewart & Clarence the angel with the Elves tonight.
I may have to kill my sisters for Christmas.* They have finally updated me on Dad’s condition. Prognosis: not good. He’s forgetting things from day to day now. They have told me nothing of this until now. (Not even where he is–they finally told me that today too.)
Christmas will be spent with the cats and we are doing it low-key. At least the cats let me know things.
*Note to law enforcement: I am engaging in hyperbole to make a point. I will not actually kill my sisters because I’m keeping a distance of at least 150 miles 'twixt me and them.
You know, sometimes things happen that really make you think. Now you all know I’m a believer. Like swampy I’m a Whiskeypalian, and fairly devout. But like all the rest of us I’m a human being(you all are really there, aren’t you?) and sometimes I can be bitchy.
Like earlier today. I bought two VISA gift cards, not knowing they have a rather chunky purchase fee attached. So I went to customer service at the store, to return them, and was informed they can’t refund on them. I was put out, to say the least and started to stomp off, and the young man at the counter said “I’m sorry we can’t” I snapped “No you’re not!” and huffed my way out of the store. Later, as I was organizing my gifts I couldn’t find those cards(and one other that was with them) and called the store to see if I’d left them in the cart I’d used. Nobody had turned them in. I returned to the store anyway to look through carts, the parking lot, and to apologize to the young clerk for my rudeness. I left my name and number. I went home again, very depressed at the vanished money, knowing I’d have to go buy more cards of some kind
I was about five minutes of leaving the house when I got a call and it was customer service, saying the cards had been found!!! I thanked them profusely, taking a box of candy as a gift. I tried to give it to customer service, but they wouldn’t take it, and just wished me a Merry Christmas again which I returned gladly.
Ya know, someone up there may have been trying to tell me something, and I think I’d better listen.
As I said earlier this morning, everyone, no matter what, have a Merry Christmas. I’ll send up prayers and hugs for all of you.
I worked, I came home. It’s dark. I’m making catfish with jalapeno cornbread and black-eyed peas for dinner. Listening to the World’s best Christmas song(NSFW)
A steppe up from the usual salad.
{{{{BigKitty}}}}
Bubmba, when I was a kid we’d open some presents Christmas Eve, and some Christmas Day. Now I just open a bottle to get into the spirit of Christmas.
Thanks for reminding me that I had a load of towels in the dryer, Moooom. I put them in before I went out for gas today and forgot them. :smack:
bumba, this is the first time I’ve been home for Christmas eve in years. Since I tend to travel or spend the holiday with others, I just follow the tradition of the household. I’ll be with local family tomorrow, but my former stepkids will be in Nashville new year weekend. We usually get together at their dad’s for the weekend and celebrate Christmas, new year’s, the granddaughter’s birthday and mine, as they all fall within two weeks.
I made a broccoli salad and a cheese omelette for supper. I want to do a bit more work in the studio after folding the towels, then a little surfing before [del]putting out cookies, milk and oats for Santa and the gang[/del] turning in.
ETA: doggio, my friend’s Celtic band did this one the other night.
In true Aussie fashion, it’s pissing down rain here.
I finally got some relief last night, somewhat from my evening meds, but moreso from a top-up of oxycodone, and a hot bath. I actually fell asleep in the tub for a while, which was nice!
Anyway, presents have been opened, breakfast has been consumed (pancakes and eggs), and cinnamon rolls have been made. Potatoes have been peeled and parboiled, ready to roast later. Time to go sit with my family and enjoy my Christmas!
I am so not looking forward until tomorrow.
Now my mother tells me to go ahead and bring the dog so Sah-son can come too. Not going to happen, Sah-son doesn’t want to go and I think the trip and houseful of people will be too much for the dog. Last time we were there he was disoriented and fell? down the basement stairs.
Also, I am planning on stopping by my friend’s house on the way home and that will not work with the dog. She says it’s okay to bring him but she has a dog and three cats and will have a houseful of people. I think that is too much for the old man, let him stay home in peace.
I told Sah-son he has to get his license and next year he has to go to the party and I get to stay home with the dog - if the dog makes it another year.
He just carried everything out to the truck for me. Then he lost my keys. I was feeling a bit sleepy but that woke me up. He finally found them, he had thrown them in the drawer with the key to the shed.
His brain is on nothing but whatever game he is playing on the computer. Starting to get a bit on my nerves. He keeps saying he is going to make dinner, but then he doesn’t. I think he’s hoping I’ll do it.
When I was a kid, and up into my 30s, we celebrated Christmas Eve with my father’s side of the family. There was a rotation and each one of the siblings (there were 6) got a turn. Then at the end of the rotation names were picked for the next set. It was $10/person and whoever’s turn it was did everything. The left over money went to my uncle who held the 4th of July party every year, only everybody brought a dish to that event.
Anyway, there was no allowable excuse for missing the Christmas Eve party, until we cousins started getting older and getting jobs that we had to work on the holiday. Then some moved away. One cousin married a woman who refused to participate because she said Christmas Eve was family time - whatever bitch, never liked her anyway. I haven’t seen that cousin in years and years.
Anyway, on that side everybody picked names, so you had to buy a gift for the name you picked and for your godparents and godchildren. Then it went to just picking names. Then that stopped because everybody wanted gift certificates and it basically turned into a gift certificate exchange, so what’s the point?
To answer the question, we opened our extended family gifts on Christmas Eve, and we got to select one gift from under the tree at home to open. We weren’t allowed to open our gifts on Christmas Day until everybody was up.
Six loads of laundry for the day and some various puttering including unpacking new socks purchased through Da Jungle. Opened a bottle of wine a couple hours ago and just washed out the bottle so I’m thinking midnight services this year (us Lutherans usually have midnight at 10 PM) ain’t gonna happen.
It doesn’t look good for my dad. Thinking of visiting him in the hospital Christmas morning. I don’t know if I’ll post any further updates here on the board, in this thread or elsewhere, as I don’t want to be a downer on anyone else’s holiday.
I was putting finishing touches on the video that I really, really, really wanted to get out tonight (It’s an SNL parody of drunken, off-key caroling) when the program crashed & corrupted the save. Not only do I have to start from scratch, but the program has horked one of the clips w/in it. (the raw clip is fine but the software won’t let go of the wacky version.) It took me an extra 20 mins - ½ hr just to fix that issue.
My choices are redo it or watch the annual Jimmy Stewart movie while drinking the ‘bad’ elves. My life is not wonderful right about now. :mad:
Please post. I’d like to know how it’s going. You won’t bring us down. I’d rather know than wonder. {{{Extra hugs}}}
Dotty feel better.
BigKitty hang in there. Sorry your family is causing you issues.
In our family, we let the kids pick out one present on Christmas Eve (all done now). My mother was raised with all presents being opened on Christmas Eve. My dad was raised with all the presents being opened Christmas morning. Growing up, we ended up being a Christmas morning opening family.
We are now watching Christmas Story 2. Who knew? None of the same actors, but clearly in the same spirit. I wish they’d kept the actors who played the parents the same at least.
Ho Ho Ho - Cozmo is going to get coal flung at his little skull. He was scratching at our bedroom door shortly before 4, so I’m up. I’ve let the dogs out for their morning constitutional, but they won’t be fed till after 5. Dunno if I’ll get any more sleep - I’m wide awake at the moment.
There’s a huge difference between Christmas with my family and with my husband’s family. On my side, gift opening is like a feeding frenzy - wrapping paper flying, people talking over each other, total pandemonium. It’s over in less than 30 minutes. On his side, it’s one gift at a time and everyone watches to see who got what from whom. It could take hours.
Of course, now that there are no little kids (the youngest is 27) there’s almost no gift-giving. We’ll do the $10 gift-stealing game at my brother’s today, and my mom gives everyone a platter of cookies. Ho ho ho.
It’s still dark outside, and it’s 40 degrees. Not too cold and no chance of ice or snow.
I barely slept last night and twice I woke up with chest pains.
Not the heart attack kind, the stress kind.
I do NOT want to go. But if I’m going to go and get it over with, I want to go early so I don’t have to park around the corner.
I’m grumpy to the max this morning.
I need to get upstairs and get into the shower. Putting it off isn’t going to make it any better.
Just re-awakened by a phone call on FCD’s phone - it was his mom. I’m surprised she called so early… But it’s a good thing she called. I have stuff to do and just over 2 hours to do them. Laterz!!
