Holiday Traditions

[Aggies7]

Re: Holiday Traditions

We're having Thanksgiving at my house this year. That should be interesting. Watching the football games, then I go to bed around 8pm

You might have to stay up this year if you have the NFL Network.

Anyways,

Thanksgiving - Get up and workout early to get it out of the way, then go to my parents house watch the early game and then eat dinner. Then watch the late game and go home.

Christmas - Usually I just go to my parents house and open present and stay there all day long, but this year I will go there and open presents, but will be flying out to Denver later that evening, and will stay there for a week and catch the Broncos final regular season game. This is all tentitive assuming I get my new job, because that way I will have a week off paid and then one week off unpaid before I start with the agency.

[DC]

Re: Holiday Traditions

Me and my brother also have our own small tradition of watching Jingle All The Way and The Santa Clause before Christmas. I don't know why it was those movies but one year we watched them and have watched them the same time of year every year.

Thats just nothin but love right there man

[Nivek]

Re: Holiday Traditions

They've changed a lot. We used to have really big parties on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but a lot of people in the family don't get along anymore so they've gotten broken up a little.

I'm amazed how many different families have that same issue. Growing up my family was super tight, used to always have Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at alternating houses. I use to love those moments with my cousins since we were all the same age. A couple of years back my relatives started to have issues with my parents because they considered my family "too well off." Apparently, they felt insulted that we spent so much money on Christmas decorations, dinner plans, and presents. So they stopped showing up, all over the fact that my parents made more money. That translated to thanksgivings, birthdays, summer BBQ's, and even weddings! Things have gotten better since most of my cousins are all adults and have moved out. But it sucks that I missed out on most of my cousins teenage years.

Didn't mean to turn this into a rant, but the experience taught me a lot about the power of a dollar. As much as people deny it, it changes peoples perception of you.

As for me...

Thanksgiving - I head over to my folks place for some good eating! Watch football with my dad and uncle, and just chatting it up with my younger cousins.

Xmas - Usually the same thing, with less people. Nothing really special, I usually head out afterwards with some friends and hang out.

[ESPNdeportes]

Re: Holiday Traditions

I had a really small family growing up (only 1 cousin!) but most of the family came to our place for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We always would set up our manger scene after cleaning up Thanksgiving. On Christmas, we would always have a birthday cake. But other than that no major traditions growing up.

Now that I'm married, its just driving up to see our families in Columbus so far. This will be our 3rd holiday season together, and right now our only tradition is to watch Elf on Christmas Eve and go to the midnight candle service.

[RAZRr1275]

Re: Holiday Traditions

Thanksgiving Eve: Drunk
Thanksgiving: There are 3 houses that usually host Thanksgiving; my parents and two of my cousins. Lions game and Turkey are two constants.

Christmas Eve: Usually spent at a cousins house.

Christmas: Same as above minus the turkey and Lions game as constants. Everyone (on my dad's side) lives within 30 minutes of eachother. Everyonce in awhile we will hang out with my moms side, usually they come up when my parents host. One constant is a birthday cake for my cousin (she stole Jesus' birthday).

So you're saying that you're drunk right now.

[sportznut02]

Re: Holiday Traditions

Thanksgiving- we will head off to the wifes side of the family untill 4 and then head to my Grandmas, i have been going there since i was born. My Aunts and Uncles and Cousins from my Mom`s side are there. It`s pretty big get together. I don`t mind eating twice

Christmas Eve- do something with my wifes family untill about 5 then we will head to my Grandma`s its the same family that gets together at Thanksgiving. We will do a Secret Santa with all the cousins and spend about $25 on who ever you get.

Christmas Day- go to my mom`s in the morning after Me and My Wife open the gifts we got each other. THen in the afternoon back to her parents.

One of the biggest adjustments i have had with being married is splitting time on the Holidays. I still don`t like it. We have been doing it since we started dating. Hated it then and hate it now. And it`s not that i hate her family. I`d rather just spend all Holidays at my family`s. Anyone else have a problem with sharing time on the Holiday`s?

[Nivek]

Re: Holiday Traditions

One of the biggest adjustments i have had with being married is splitting time on the Holidays. I still don`t like it. We have been doing it since we started dating. Hated it then and hate it now. And it`s not that i hate her family. I`d rather just spend all Holidays at my family`s. Anyone else have a problem with sharing time on the Holiday`s?

Why can't you invite both families and just rotate who's going to serve as the host?

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: Holiday Traditions

Things have changed ten fold for me over the past 5 or so years. Our family used to be extremely tight (about 30-40 of us living within 20 minutes of each other), and we'd always alternate holidays and do everything as big as we could. Then my great grandmother, who was the one that really kept all of us together, passed away, and we all just separated after that. Everyone started arguing, people moved away, stuff like that. We didn't lose anyone to college or anything (that's me next year), we just got disconnected I guess. It's a shame, because out of all families, I thought ours would be the last to get separated and not close.

Thanksgiving has changed a little bit since my gram passed. My mom's side of the family goes to my grandfathers house for a 12:30 meal, which hasn't changed. My mom won't be coming with me this year though, I'm just driving out there alone. After that, we got about 2 hours to digest and then we'd go to my gram's house for the late dinner and watch the football game with my uncles. She would always host and cook the food (which was amazing, I might add). After she died, nobody picked it up, and now my day is free after about 3:00. Whenever my dad decides to call me, and he almost never does, I'll go over there and eat with them, but I'd rather not because I can't stand his wife's family. They despise me because they think I was spoiled as a child.

We did Christmas pretty big also. On either the 23rd or 24th, we'd have a party, and we'd exchange small gifts with each other and eat. Since we've almost always had some young kids in the family, my great aunt would dress up as Santa and come give my youngest cousins (and me until I got older) presents. She'd also give some prank gifts to my other relatives which were always pretty funny. We had a period where me and the rest of my cousins were too old for it, so that stopped until a few years ago when my aunt had three kids. I'm not sure about the status of this party this year because noone seems to care anymore.

On Christmas Eve when I was younger, I'd go back home. My grandmother and great grandmother would come over and help me set up this christmas village under my tree. We had a bucnh of glass/porcelain houses, cars, people, you name it, it was huge. My gram would buy me a new piece every year to add to it. I don't know where that stuff went, but I haven't done that in years. After that was done I'd help wrap any presents that needed to be wrapped, and then I'd usually be up until about 2 in the morning waiting for the sun to come up.

On Christmas, we'd wake up at about 8 and open everything and my gram and great grandmother would come over just to see what I got and stuff. From there, we went to my grandfather's for lunch and opened stuff there, and after that we'd go to my grandmother's house just to chill. After that I'd mess around with my new stuff for hours on end.


Looking back, it's really sad to know that our family doesn't do 90% of that stuff anymore. It makes both holidays so much less enjoyable. My plans went from all of that to next to nothing...And also, my dad's side of the family has pretty much shut me out. They don't call me, don't e-mail me, nothing. Most of them don't even buy me Christmas or birthday presents anymore. I didn't get a present or even a call on my birthday last year, and I didn't get a Christmas present from him until about 2 weeks after. The worst part about that is that I went there on Christmas. So yeah, here's my itinerary.

Thanksgiving- go to grandfathers at around 12, eat, watch some TV and stay there until about 3. After that, I might go to my grandmother's house, but I'll most likely be coming back here and sleeping/watching football.

Christmas Eve- normal day, maybe some last minute shopping, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Christmas- wake up, open stuff, go to my grandfather's for lunch, sit around and watch some TV there (usually that American Chopper marathon they have on TLC/Discovery), go to grandmother's, mess with my new presents, sleep. If my dad ever decides to call me, which I doubt, I'll go there.

[Chaos81]

Re: Holiday Traditions

Thanksgiving - Watch football

Christmas - Umm....watch whatever sport is on TV.

[chance]

Re: Holiday Traditions

I'm amazed how many different families have that same issue. Growing up my family was super tight, used to always have Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at alternating houses. I use to love those moments with my cousins since we were all the same age. A couple of years back my relatives started to have issues with my parents because they considered my family "too well off." Apparently, they felt insulted that we spent so much money on Christmas decorations, dinner plans, and presents. So they stopped showing up, all over the fact that my parents made more money. That translated to thanksgivings, birthdays, summer BBQ's, and even weddings! Things have gotten better since most of my cousins are all adults and have moved out. But it sucks that I missed out on most of my cousins teenage years.

I'm sorry to hear that man I hope that never happens to my family Christmas and Thanksgiving are my two favorite days of the year because of the family.


Thanksgiving: The whole family comes to my or one of my aunts house(most of the time ours) and just have fun. A whole lot of different things going on laughing telling old family stories,drinking,playing games, watch football or movies and eating.

Christmas Eve: The same thing above except everyone exchanges gifts they got each other and we get pizza.

Christmas Day: Open gifts go watch the early basketball games and then we do the same thing as Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve but we dont order pizza we eat the Thanksgiving type food.

[ndeezlo]

Re: Holiday Traditions

So you're saying that you're drunk right now.

I was pretty close by 8:30, biggest bar night of the year was a great success. After dinner at the bar, my buddy decided to help everyone out by ordering about 15 drinks and handing them to people at the table who needed to step up. Long Island and Jager Bomb in between the 2nd and 3rd pitcher of beer. Great Success!

[jmood88]

Re: Holiday Traditions

Things have changed ten fold for me over the past 5 or so years. Our family used to be extremely tight (about 30-40 of us living within 20 minutes of each other), and we'd always alternate holidays and do everything as big as we could. Then my great grandmother, who was the one that really kept all of us together, passed away, and we all just separated after that. Everyone started arguing, people moved away, stuff like that. We didn't lose anyone to college or anything (that's me next year), we just got disconnected I guess. It's a shame, because out of all families, I thought ours would be the last to get separated and not close.

Thanksgiving has changed a little bit since my gram passed. My mom's side of the family goes to my grandfathers house for a 12:30 meal, which hasn't changed. My mom won't be coming with me this year though, I'm just driving out there alone. After that, we got about 2 hours to digest and then we'd go to my gram's house for the late dinner and watch the football game with my uncles. She would always host and cook the food (which was amazing, I might add). After she died, nobody picked it up, and now my day is free after about 3:00. Whenever my dad decides to call me, and he almost never does, I'll go over there and eat with them, but I'd rather not because I can't stand his wife's family. They despise me because they think I was spoiled as a child.

We did Christmas pretty big also. On either the 23rd or 24th, we'd have a party, and we'd exchange small gifts with each other and eat. Since we've almost always had some young kids in the family, my great aunt would dress up as Santa and come give my youngest cousins (and me until I got older) presents. She'd also give some prank gifts to my other relatives which were always pretty funny. We had a period where me and the rest of my cousins were too old for it, so that stopped until a few years ago when my aunt had three kids. I'm not sure about the status of this party this year because noone seems to care anymore.

On Christmas Eve when I was younger, I'd go back home. My grandmother and great grandmother would come over and help me set up this christmas village under my tree. We had a bucnh of glass/porcelain houses, cars, people, you name it, it was huge. My gram would buy me a new piece every year to add to it. I don't know where that stuff went, but I haven't done that in years. After that was done I'd help wrap any presents that needed to be wrapped, and then I'd usually be up until about 2 in the morning waiting for the sun to come up.

On Christmas, we'd wake up at about 8 and open everything and my gram and great grandmother would come over just to see what I got and stuff. From there, we went to my grandfather's for lunch and opened stuff there, and after that we'd go to my grandmother's house just to chill. After that I'd mess around with my new stuff for hours on end.


Looking back, it's really sad to know that our family doesn't do 90% of that stuff anymore. It makes both holidays so much less enjoyable. My plans went from all of that to next to nothing...And also, my dad's side of the family has pretty much shut me out. They don't call me, don't e-mail me, nothing. Most of them don't even buy me Christmas or birthday presents anymore. I didn't get a present or even a call on my birthday last year, and I didn't get a Christmas present from him until about 2 weeks after. The worst part about that is that I went there on Christmas. So yeah, here's my itinerary.

Thanksgiving- go to grandfathers at around 12, eat, watch some TV and stay there until about 3. After that, I might go to my grandmother's house, but I'll most likely be coming back here and sleeping/watching football.

Christmas Eve- normal day, maybe some last minute shopping, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Christmas- wake up, open stuff, go to my grandfather's for lunch, sit around and watch some TV there (usually that American Chopper marathon they have on TLC/Discovery), go to grandmother's, mess with my new presents, sleep. If my dad ever decides to call me, which I doubt, I'll go there.

Damn that's messed up.