"CHRISTMAS" Thread - 1500

[Stephanie]

Isn't Monday the Canadian Thanksgiving? I can't believe how quickly time is flying! When Byron gets home from work today we're going out to do a little window shopping. Hopefully, we'll spot some new Christmas items out here and there.

[mistletoe misfit]

Yes it is Stephanie. We are going to my Aunts trailer on sunday to celebrate Thanksgiving. I bought a turkey but will probably cook it in a week or two. I have a roast and of course some pumpkin pie for tomorrow. Christmas is coming quickly!

[mistletoe misfit]

I finally found some eggnog. YAY! They usually bring it out for a few weeks at Thanksgiving and then it disappears again until Christmas. I couldn't find any until today. I bought 2 containers. It is my favourite Christmas drink!!

[Noel+]

I was at the grocery store today and they had EGGNOG! Lucky for us, MM! That definitely puts me in a Turkey Day & Christmas mood!

[Noel+]

Noel-The pain from your Mom's death is still very fresh and the wounds are raw. Hopefully your family will reconsider when they realize that your Mom would not want them to be sad, but to continue with the traditions that have made all of you so happy. But if they still don't want to decorate, that's ok. Focusing on the true meaning of Christmas is a wonderful celebration all on it's own.

Thank you CandyKane for being so thoughtful. I appreciate your support! And, yes, one blessing would be we'd focus on the spiritual & true reason for Christmas and less on the material. And that could only be a good thing!

[Noel+]

This year we've decided not to decorate for Christmas. Atleast that's the words from Dh & children last weekend. I'm a bit stunned.........but they're still missing my Mom. IF they stay the course we'll just have to focus on the deeper meaning and by next year they'll be ready to restart the tradition alone.

I felt that way after my divorce. You could string the christmas cards you receive over doorways and across your kitchen 'bar' (had interview in Swedish today and can't think of english words...the opening in the kitchen where you pass things through to the dining room) if you have one. That is minimal decorating and still keeping the thoughts of others around you. You could get a single flower arrangment or candle arrangment for the Christmas dinner table and go to Christmas services if you are a religious person. You could also make a 'memory table' with your mother's picture on it with some candle or flowers. When my brother got married, his wife made a 'grandmother's chair' with a shawl, hat, and gloves that had belonged to her. Drapped over as if she was going to pickthem up and sit down any time.

As for the pumpkin pie, have you tried pumpkin bread? My mother makes the absolute best! Unfortunately no canned pumpkin in Sweden.

Hang in there!

Thanks for sharing your celebratory ideas with me, Jen. I'm in a holding pattern right now..........but we will celebrate Christmas from the heart either way. For us, it is Jesus' birthday and not ours.

[Jolly O'Leary]

I finally found some eggnog. YAY! They usually bring it out for a few weeks at Thanksgiving and then it disappears again until Christmas. I couldn't find any until today. I bought 2 containers. It is my favourite Christmas drink!!

I am from the southern US where eggnog is not common for thanksgiving but I think eggnog is common in the north. In the last few years before I left, we had 'halloween eggnog' on the shelves. hm...........eggnog. No commercial eggnog here, we have to make it from scratch, but that also means you can have it any time you like. We made some for Christmas in July. hm........tomorrow is Swedish thanksgiving and we have a few more things to pick up from the store, I'm thinking we have eggnog tonight! Woohoo! Thanks for the idea!

[Jolly O'Leary]

Thanks for sharing your celebratory ideas with me, Jen. I'm in a holding pattern right now..........but we will celebrate Christmas from the heart either way. For us, it is Jesus' birthday and not ours. [/quote]

My grandfather died at christmas one year. We had christmas presents under the tree for him and all the decorations were up. We donated the gifts unopened to a men's shelter, put together a hasty Christmas eve event at our house, and my grandmother wanted all her decorations taken down right away, which we did. But, by the next year, she was ready to put them up again herself. '

It will take time, but this could be a healing year and then you are ready for the whole sh'bang again next year!

Hang in there.

[CandyKane]

I used to HATE eggnog but now I actually enjoy a sip or two. My Mom loves it. We have Halloween eggnog out in the stores now and the only thing different from Christmas eggnog is the packaging.

[Jolly O'Leary]

I used to HATE eggnog but now I actually enjoy a sip or two. My Mom loves it. We have Halloween eggnog out in the stores now and the only thing different from Christmas eggnog is the packaging.

Arby's and Jack in the Box have eggnog shakes from sometime around now until after Christmas (January, or whenever they run out). One year I started asking at Arby's and they opened a carton for me! I was so impressed. Someone go have one for me! Here is it too much trouble to make the eggnog and then mix it with ice cream. By the time I make the eggnog, I'm ready to drink it.

We tried making little peep marshmellow ghosts one year. Total disaster! Somethings are not meant to be homemade.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Christmas in Oktober!

[Noel+]

Thanks for sharing your celebratory ideas with me, Jen. I'm in a holding pattern right now..........but we will celebrate Christmas from the heart either way. For us, it is Jesus' birthday and not ours.

My grandfather died at christmas one year. We had christmas presents under the tree for him and all the decorations were up. We donated the gifts unopened to a men's shelter, put together a hasty Christmas eve event at our house, and my grandmother wanted all her decorations taken down right away, which we did. But, by the next year, she was ready to put them up again herself. '

It will take time, but this could be a healing year and then you are ready for the whole sh'bang again next year!

Hang in there.

Oh, that is a beautiful story -- it brought tears to my eyes. Now that is something I can do in Mom's name not only Christmas Day but on her birthdeay December 20. Thanks for sharing it with me -- I'm sharing it with family & friends. What a comfort!

[/quote]

[Stephanie]

We went window shopping yesterday and just about every store had some Christmas out. Some more than others, but it was a lot of fun to see. The Christmas Store was still getting set. I'm getting impatient!! I'll give them another week and come ack.

[CandyKane]

With only 8 weeks left until our kids Christmas craft bazaar,we still have a ton of things to do. Today we worked on Christmas gift wrap. We have rolls of brown kraft paper and the kids are using markers, stickers, and cookie cutter shapes to decorate the paper. It's actually pretty neat.

[Noel+]

Yes, its great fun for children to design their own gift wrap! A couple of years ago I let my children use my Christmas stamps and we bought some Christmas stickers and they did a great job! Homemade and heart felt!

[mistletoe misfit]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating today!!!
We spent yesterday at my Aunt and Uncles trailer in a provincial camprground. It was absolutely gorgeous all day and into the evening. There were 20 of us there for turkey dinner. We sat around the fire, and also walked down to the beach. It was wonderful spending time with cousins and their children. It was a perfect day! I am very Thankful for yesterday!!
PS I spotted a half an aisle of Christmas lights at Walmart Saturday.

[CandyKane]

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

MM--That sounds like a marvelous way to celebrate. So glad that you enjoyed your day with family.

Spending the day taking care of odds and ends. I have some really quick Christmas crafts that I'm going to make for the bazaar. I layed out all the supplies on my craft table and I know I can get them done today.

[Jolly O'Leary]

[quote="mistletoe misfit"]Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating today!!!
quote]

We had a great day yesterday too even though it was just the two of us. Swedes don't 'gather' for thanksgiving. Those that celebrate it at all usually just do so with a fancier than normal Sunday dinner with the nuclear family. We make more of it because the American Thanksgiving is so big. We watched the History Channel-Thanksgiving special and Christopher Columbus (the one with Tom Selleck as King Ferdinand) online while peeling and chopping. Just-Like-Thanksgiving Chicken (www.food.com) with a few Swedish touches was a success. We're having thanksgiving leftovers tonight for dinner! Some things never change.

Christmas is just around the corner!

[ksrjreed]

Seeing signs of Christmas in my neck of the woods, on the radio they are already announcing the dates and times of the local Christmas parades and when the local park will unveiling their annual Christmas light display.

I am really looking for some Christmas cheer, my youngest is not doing very good health wise and my wife and myself feel like we are on an island with his problems, if anyone could, please pray for my youngest, he has autism which makes it tougher, he can't tell us how he feels, we just have to go on his actions and our parental instincts.

Also, happy Belated Thanksgiving to all friends up north.

[Noel+]

HAPPY CANADIAN THANKSGIVING!! to all my Canadian friends!

[CandyKane]

ksrjreed--Prayers for you son. I hope you and your wife can figure out what's wrong with him so he can get better. Christmas cheer being sent your way!