Christmas 2015

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2015

With a 4 and 2 year old, we just roll thanksgiving and Christmas together for 8 weeks of holiday excitement. Putting up the tree this weekend, and the kids couldn't be more excited. For me it's not about the specific titles of the holidays, but rather the spirit of them and what they represent. So we have no issue celebrating the whole month of November and December all wrapped up into twp months of fun.

This is awesome. I've always been envious of the American Thanksgiving and how it seems very festive to me. As for a 4 and a 2 year old, it must be so magical. I can't wait.

[bluengold34_OS]

Re: Christmas 2015

This is awesome. I've always been envious of the American Thanksgiving and how it seems very festive to me. As for a 4 and a 2 year old, it must be so magical. I can't wait.

I have said it before, but congrats on the little one. Truly a life changer, and although we throw that phrase around pretty easily, it really is.

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2015

Christmas starts being countdowned in September in the Philippines. Then it's celebrated all month long in December, it's pretty awesome unless your in Manila where the traffic is worse than getting hit in the nuts.

I'll be in Manila this year for Star Wars so that will lessen the pain of traffic and to also be Santa for my ladies family, which I'm really excited for.

For me Christmas growing up wasn't very big. Both of my parents are workaholics so rarely enjoyed a proper Christmas. My mom always pulled through and got us awesome gifts though.

Not complaining at all though, especially seeing the poor kids here never even getting one toy their whole life. I've started to buy small toys that I will giving away to kids in my area and as soon as the resort starts bringing in money one of the first things I'm doing is a toy drive for the local elementary schools here.

Sent from my Lenovo S860 using Tapatalk

That's awesome that you donate toys to the kids. That's very kind and generous of you. When I was teaching we started a Toy Mountain for a abused woman shelter near the school and the best part it's still going on 3 years after my accident. It's nice to know that we are able to help those in need throughout the entire year. Unfortunately, they don't let men know the location so I never got to deliver them to the shelter a female staff member did. The thank you letters we get are heart warming.

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2015

I have said it before, but congrats on the little one. Truly a life changer, and although we throw that phrase around pretty easily, it really is.

Thanks again.

[~LiverpoolRed~]

Re: Christmas 2015

As for gift buying for the kids...oh boy do I love going to Toys R Us.

Me too! My 8 year old is OBSESSED with Toy Story. Around these parts you don't see a lot of Toy Story toys. The ones our Toys R Us stock we already have. Walmart have absolutely nothing. So I am forced to being extortioned (is that a word?) from Ebay and Amazon. Picked him up Toy Story That Time Forget on blu-ray last week for him. When we went to Orlando in August I hit up the Buzz Lightyear store in Disney World. Good thing we brought an extra suitcase!

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2015



My wife hates when I go directly towards the Star Wars section at Toys R Us!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2015

Me too! My 8 year old is OBSESSED with Toy Story. Around these parts you don't see a lot of Toy Story toys. The ones our Toys R Us stock we already have. Walmart have absolutely nothing. So I am forced to being extortioned (is that a word?) from Ebay and Amazon. Picked him up Toy Story That Time Forget on blu-ray last week for him. When we went to Orlando in August I hit up the Buzz Lightyear store in Disney World. Good thing we brought an extra suitcase!

ABC is showing all those movies on there 25 days of Christmas. Something he may like to watch. We have a Toys R Us near us, the Star Wars section calls to me.

[bluengold34_OS]

Re: Christmas 2015

An AT-AT and a Notre Dame helmet - that could be the single greatest picture ever taken -

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2015

An AT-AT and a Notre Dame helmet - that could be the single greatest picture ever taken -

Thank you kind sir.

[Trent Booty]

Re: Christmas 2015

When I was a kid, every year my parents would never put out ANY presents until Christmas Eve, then once me and my brother saw them all we'd beg and plead to open at least one that night. Then Christmas morning we'd open everything and play with everything all day until we fell asleep, usually very late that night.

This last year, was the first Christmas for the girlfriend and I. We had been dating for about 10 months and both were in high school last Christmas, but my family accepted her and got her presents as well. It was a very fun day. Probably my favorite Christmas ever. I got so excited getting her presents, I asked my parents for the money they were giving me and went and bought them each something and my brother two Xbox One games and a new controller (mainly so I could play with him LOL). Also, her parents are divorced, so I went to her dads house (the one she lives at) all day Christmas after hanging out at my house all day Christmas Eve and waking up at my house on Christmas morning. We eventually stopped at her grandmas because her mom lives there (her moms side is a very dysfunctional family, long story) for about a hour or two and then went back to my house and hung out all day with my family some more.

This year will likely be a lot of the same. I'm excited to get some stuff for everyone. My brother has a girlfriend as well now so it'll be nice to see her with our family and stuff, hopefully she doesn't drag my brother away to see her family the whole time, as that would be disappointing because last year was the first Christmas I didn't spend all day playing with my brother lol. Also, this is my first year out of high school so I have a job, so I have my own money to use to buy people presents. I'm really excited for Christmas AND Thanksgiving this year

[Majingir]

Re: Christmas 2015

When I was a kid, every year my parents would never put out ANY presents until Christmas Eve, then once me and my brother saw them all we'd beg and plead to open at least one that night. Then Christmas morning we'd open everything and play with everything all day until we fell asleep, usually very late that night.

lol ya, the whole "open just 1 on christmas eve" stuff. Kinda fun but at same time, it means that's 1 less to open on Christmas. Though present searching under the tree on Christmas eve is when I noticed one from...Santa. Ya, put 2 and 2 together eventually lol.

If you would have taken time to read and comprehend what I wrote, you would know that this is not needed. Thanks for contributing though.

I'm not American, so Thanksgiving is over for me.

It's a Christmas tradition on this forum. Every year there's a Christmas thread(before thanksgiving,almost always started by a Canadian lol), and then within first few posts,despite OP even saying "I know it's not thanksgiving(in usa) yet", someone will be like "Christmas? It's not even Thanksgiving yet!".

[Majingir]

Re: Christmas 2015

Will be real hard to top last years Christmas for me. Ironically,I never opened a single present on Christmas day itself last year. Past 2 years actually,nothing really on Christmas. 2 years ago it was cause everyone I saw for Christmas I didn't see until day afterwards(cause we had major snow/ice storms during that week). Last year,just exchanged presents in early December with people I usually see right around Christmas,so opened it weeks beforehand.

Actually,the more I think about it, I don't think I've had a "full Christmas"(with all traditions I usually have around that time of year) since 2011. So this year even more then,hoping it gets back to that traditional stuff.

Past the whole "present/toy" days of Christmas, now I find more fun actually looking through stores flyers/catalog/websites and seeing what they got,and seeing what might be good for some people. Even more now with younger family to shop for,which is more fun to do than finding something fitting for older people lol.


As always,I rarely have an idea what I want for Christmas. Might push for money even more this year,put everyones money together and buy tickets for NBA All Star weekend.

Least fave gifts I see people giving each other:
Giftcards
Movie passes
Fancy dishes
Some sort of fancy candle holder
Expensive tin of chocolates

Chocolates forces you to basically eat it out even if you didn't want to eat so much chocolates lol. Candle holders/dishes...I know some people like shopping at bed,bath and beyond but come on,people you're getting stuff for, aren't you,they don't want that. Movie passes/giftcards force you to go. I'd rather get money,so whenever I do spend money,I can be like "I spent $___ on ___,I'll consider that part of my Christmas present".

Was so much simpler when I was younger. Just be like "I want digimon/pokemon toys" and that's it. Even if people just spend $10 on the toys,I enjoyed that as a kid more than some $30 starbucks/tim hortons giftcard I get now.

[slickdtc]

Christmas 2015

I think Mike should host the OS Christmas party.

Just set the plans for which side of the family the wife and I will be with on what days. Switching it up and heading downstate to my grandmother's for Christmas Eve with my Dad combining his "new world" cooking with my grandmother's "old world" (aka that standby soul food).

Christmas Day will actually be more chill back home with the in-law's. My wife is super excited to host Christmas's in the future so we may have a couple friends and similar aged siblings over for a little shindig since we haven't graduated to hosting the big days yet.

Got some good ideas for presents this year. Yall know they make ocarina's that come with song books for all the songs from Zelda? You're welcome!

The wife and I may be getting a very special present this holiday, but it's super premature for that talk just yet. Couldn't imagine a better gift. Fingers crossed.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the holidays for the chance to get the family together. We see each other at least every two months but there's just something special about being together for Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Good eats, good drinks, good hangs with my brothers, Dad, and their significant others. And the dogs!

Wishing all you guys and your families a happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas!

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2015

I think Mike should host the OS Christmas party.

Just set the plans for which side of the family the wife and I will be with on what days. Switching it up and heading downstate to my grandmother's for Christmas Eve with my Dad combining his "new world" cooking with my grandmother's "old world" (aka that standby soul food).

Christmas Day will actually be more chill back home with the in-law's. My wife is super excited to host Christmas's in the future so we may have a couple friends and similar aged siblings over for a little shindig since we haven't graduated to hosting the big days yet.

Got some good ideas for presents this year. Yall know they make ocarina's that come with song books for all the songs from Zelda? You're welcome!

The wife and I may be getting a very special present this holiday, but it's super premature for that talk just yet. Couldn't imagine a better gift. Fingers crossed.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the holidays for the chance to get the family together. We see each other at least every two months but there's just something special about being together for Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Good eats, good drinks, good hangs with my brothers, Dad, and their significant others. And the dogs!

Wishing all you guys and your families a happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas!

If I'm reading between the lines correctly, may I extend a premature congratulations.

Sounds like your Christmas plans are shaping up nicely.

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2015

Maligner,

May I suggest that as Christmas seems to be changing around you, that you start to shape how you want your Christmas to be. Sometimes family needs a reminder of the great memories and traditions that they have started and you may need to direct people in your life back to those types of activities. Be vocal my friend. Also, start traditions of your own and carry them throughout your life.

Just some suggestions.