Christmas 2018

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2018

We had the annual family Christmas decoration painting party today. My Dad had Boney M Christmas playing, which is the “must have” music lineup.

Tomorrow if everything goes as planned, Mary and I will decorate ginger bread men for a Christmas activity. Then if the new fireplace mantel goes up, we will decorate the tree in my den.

All my Christmas shopping is done and I plan on wrapping them on Wednesday.

THEN...AMERICAN THANKSGIVING. Football, football, football. Then more people will be joining us in the thread.

We will watch the Santa Claus Parade that I PVRed today. My daughter Mary will love it.

[PVarck31]

Re: Christmas 2018

Like I mentioned before I'm exciter for Christmas this year, but I always tend to get really depressed when it's over. Even late that night.

See, the issue for me is the fact that this will be the third year in a row my parents won't be here. They are at my sister's place in Texas again. She had a 4 year old and a 2 year old and my parents are crazy about them. Which I can understand. I just wish we could all be together. I wish my sister would just come up here. My brother-in-law is deploying soon to somewhere in he middle east. He can't tell anyone where he's going. He's a green beret so I assume probably small surgical missions.

And I understand that my sister will need help with the kids and understand she's a wreck over her husband being deployed. But it still hurts. I just want everyone to be together.

Sorry for spilling my guts out and probably bringing the thread down. But I needed to get it out.

But anyway, let's all think positive and enjoy it. Putting my awesome tree up Thursday night with my family. I can't wait.

[SmashMan]

Re: Christmas 2018

Sorry for spilling my guts out and probably bringing the thread down. But I needed to get it out.

Nah man, it's cool. We all post about the stuff we enjoy about the holidays, but there are always things we don't like too. Nothing wrong with acknowledging that.

I'd just say to (if you haven't already) try Facetime or something with them on Christmas. We've done it a few times with my sister and her husband when they haven't been able to come in. Not the same as having everyone together, but it's better than nothing and you still get some of the fun of seeing the kids open gifts.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: Christmas 2018

Living in Arizona, I need this thread, lol. Never really feels like Christmas-time out here, but it's still my favorite holiday.

Gotta get out to Flagstaff while you can in the winter. Born and raised in Alaska so that was my getaway if I missed home.


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[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2018

Like I mentioned before I'm exciter for Christmas this year, but I always tend to get really depressed when it's over. Even late that night.

See, the issue for me is the fact that this will be the third year in a row my parents won't be here. They are at my sister's place in Texas again. She had a 4 year old and a 2 year old and my parents are crazy about them. Which I can understand. I just wish we could all be together. I wish my sister would just come up here. My brother-in-law is deploying soon to somewhere in he middle east. He can't tell anyone where he's going. He's a green beret so I assume probably small surgical missions.

And I understand that my sister will need help with the kids and understand she's a wreck over her husband being deployed. But it still hurts. I just want everyone to be together.

Sorry for spilling my guts out and probably bringing the thread down. But I needed to get it out.

But anyway, let's all think positive and enjoy it. Putting my awesome tree up Thursday night with my family. I can't wait.

I’m so very sorry to hear this. First, I pray that your brother-in-law’s returns home safe and sound. Second, I’m sorry that you’re family won’t be with you at Christmas. I’ve been blessed with never having to go through this, however I imagine I would feel the same way you do. I don’t have any real solutions, but how about setting up a FaceTime booth at both homes.

Maybe have the cameras centered around an area where everyone hangs out, that way you can see them and talk to them throughout the day. You could also mute them when you want to. I would mute my wife’s sister and her entire family if we did this at my place....hmmm...not too bad of an idea. I’ll tuck that away if the situation occurs where I could use this. I wish I had an answer for you, I truly do. I live 30 minutes away from my parents and my sisters, so I’m fortunate that I can squeeze everyone in on Christmas Day. I keep smiling at the idea of only seeing her sister’s family over Skype. I would no longer have to deal with her, her two kids and her two poorly trained dogs. All joking aside, I wish I had a better answer.

Never feel sorry for coming here to talk about anything Christmas related. It’s what makes this thread good. We all have different things going on in our lives that sometimes bouncing ideas or your feeling off of the members here is a good thing.

[mike24forever]

Re: Christmas 2018

IMG_0426.jpg

The mantle is finally up and that means my tree in my man cave goes up. So happy that the renovations are almost done.


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[PVarck31]

Re: Christmas 2018

I’m so very sorry to hear this. First, I pray that your brother-in-law’s returns home safe and sound. Second, I’m sorry that you’re family won’t be with you at Christmas. I’ve been blessed with never having to go through this, however I imagine I would feel the same way you do. I don’t have any real solutions, but how about setting up a FaceTime booth at both homes.

Maybe have the cameras centered around an area where everyone hangs out, that way you can see them and talk to them throughout the day. You could also mute them when you want to. I would mute my wife’s sister and her entire family if we did this at my place....hmmm...not too bad of an idea. I’ll tuck that away if the situation occurs where I could use this. I wish I had an answer for you, I truly do. I live 30 minutes away from my parents and my sisters, so I’m fortunate that I can squeeze everyone in on Christmas Day. I keep smiling at the idea of only seeing her sister’s family over Skype. I would no longer have to deal with her, her two kids and her two poorly trained dogs. All joking aside, I wish I had a better answer.

Never feel sorry for coming here to talk about anything Christmas related. It’s what makes this thread good. We all have different things going on in our lives that sometimes bouncing ideas or your feeling off of the members here is a good thing.

Thanks man. We will definitely face time. It's just not the same though. I loved when we had Christmas at my parents house and everyone in the family would come over. Well it was more eve than day. We would go to my grandparents for day. But I've always love eve more than day. The anticipation was awesome.

But anyway, I'm excited to put up the tree tomorrow night.

[Majingir]

Re: Christmas 2018

Looks like one weird and ironic Christmas tradition will continue. Extended family Christmas will happen days after Christmas.

This is just turning into a big regifting event lol. Anything you get on Christmas you don't want, give it away days later.

Haven't even given a thought about what anyone is getting. Kids especially you have to put thought in.

As for immediate family, Amazon is adding to my procrastinating. The ability to get stuff within a few days with Prime has led to me holding off until December to get anything. Thoughts about gifts could change in a week or two from now.

Something like a microwave or projector in the $100-$150 range is something I thought about, but I feel like boxing day would have better deals than what this past weekend had.

[~LiverpoolRed~]

Re: Christmas 2018

Our local Cineplex have Saturday Morning Family Favorites every Saturday for $2.99.

We just saw Home Alone last week and this Saturday they are showing Elf and the next week is The Polar Express in 3D.

[AUChase]

Re: Christmas 2018

My wife and I took our kids to a drive-thru light show last weekend. I typically decorate our house with lights, but since we're moving some time around Christmas I can't this year. We are also going to take them to Noccalula Falls Park where they have a nice Christmas light show as well.

My parents still decorate their house so our youngest (who loves Mickey Mouse) doesn't want to take his eyes off the Mickey and Minnie mouse inflatables in their front yard. I had to bribe him to leave their house yesterday.

Our tree is up and about 95% of our Christmas shopping is done. I hate dealing with the rush every year so we are getting wiser and start slowly buying things through October and November. Amazon and WalMart.com have made our life so much easier. Last year we got our then 4 year old a pet Gecko and had to house him in my parent's basement for about a week so this year is going to be a lot easier... no live pets for gifts lol.

So do you guys wrap gifts from Santa or are they just left out for the kids on Christmas morning. My entire childhood "Santa" always wrapped his presents, but my wife's family just left them out under and around the tree so we have been doing that.

[DJ]

Re: Christmas 2018

Finished all of my Christmas shopping yesterday (thanks, Cyber Monday!), which is always a good feeling to have that all settled before December.

[Majingir]

Re: Christmas 2018

So do you guys wrap gifts from Santa or are they just left out for the kids on Christmas morning. My entire childhood "Santa" always wrapped his presents, but my wife's family just left them out under and around the tree so we have been doing that.

For me, they were always wrapped. that's half the fun is having to unwrap the gift

[moose1619]

Re: Christmas 2018

Finally started decorating the outside of my house yesterday. Weather felt right so it was a pleasant evening. Will have another nice evening tonight so I hope to wrap it up. Will try and post some pics when finished.


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[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Christmas 2018

So do you guys wrap gifts from Santa or are they just left out for the kids on Christmas morning. My entire childhood "Santa" always wrapped his presents, but my wife's family just left them out under and around the tree so we have been doing that.

We always had them wrapped. Why wouldn't Santa wrap them? What's the point of having all those elves if they don't offer gift wrapping?

Honestly, though, even without kids I do this for my wife and myself. Last year Santa dropped off a Switch and accessories. This year he's picked up some Switch games and board games.

Anyway, all the decorations went up this weekend. 95% of the shopping is done! Heck, we've even knocked out a large portion of the wrapping for our families, too.

I need to start wrapping the wifey's presents. I'll probably do that tonight with a high ABV beer and some Christmas records.

Speaking of which - what Christmas albums are your stand-bys? I try to pick up one or two every November. This year I went with Straight No Chaser's Holiday Spirits and Chet Atkins' Christmas with Chet Atkins.

[SmashMan]

Re: Christmas 2018

So do you guys wrap gifts from Santa or are they just left out for the kids on Christmas morning. My entire childhood "Santa" always wrapped his presents, but my wife's family just left them out under and around the tree so we have been doing that.

My Santa always delivered wrapped gifts. We still wrap now for family gifts - and we're all too old to get kid-levels of excited for these gifts, haha. I feel like unwrapped gifts would take away some of the anticipation of sitting there waiting to open everything and see what you got, but I've also never tried it so maybe it wouldn't?

Always interesting to me to hear about different families do things though.