OT: The Holiday Thread

[sarge88]

I have no problem admitting that I love Christmas. It’s different now that the kids are 22 & 19, but I still have young nephews and a niece, so the “magic” still exists for us.

As time marches on, things obviously change and we often think the stage we‘re in isn’t as good as the next one.

But coming from the father of adult kids, I’d like to tell all the young parents out there….

Embrace the chaos!

Someday you’ll miss assembling presents at 2 am or Christmas morning.

Make a tradition with your spouse and kids and stick with it.

My wife and I would always have a “date night” each December, where we’d spend a night buying all of the kids presents and then go out to dinner.

When they were old enough to understand, I‘d take the kids to the store and let them pick out a toy to donate to Toys For Tots.

Moments quickly become memories.

Make the most out of the moments you share and you'll always have great memories!

 

[Gee Wally]

A CHRISTMAS STORY Endures Because It Captures the Full Christmas Experience

A Christmas Story is beloved because it understands that Christmas is truly about everything---both good and bad---leading up to December 25.

nerdist.com

you really captured the spirit of the movie!

You also will soon experience something that will allow you to revisit through a new lens in the future. You will for a number of years revisited all those things through the eyes of your son. And trust me, it’s wonderful.

 

[Ladyfan]

Brians Chex Mix

3 cups Rice Chex
3 cups Wheat Chex
3 cups Corn Chex
3 Cups Cheerios
1 big bag pretzel sticks – break pretzels
2 cans deluxe mixed nuts
1 can cashews

Sauce
3 sticks butter
3 Tbs Lawreys seasoned salt
1 Tb garlic powder
4 1/2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
Melt butter and add seasonings. Pour over dry ingredients.
Heat in warm oven (150-200) for at least an hour....few hours better
Stir every 15 minutes

Everyone likes this!

 

[Gee Wally]

I have no problem admitting that I love Christmas. It’s different now that the kids are 22 & 19, but I still have young nephews and a niece, so the “magic” still exists for us.

As time marches on, things obviously change and we often think the stage we‘re in isn’t as good as the next one.

But coming from the father of adult kids, I’d like to tell all the young parents out there….

Embrace the chaos!

Someday you’ll miss assembling presents at 2 am or Christmas morning.

Make a tradition with your spouse and kids and stick with it.

My wife and I would always have a “date night” each December, where we’d spend a night buying all of the kids presents and then go out to dinner.

When they were old enough to understand, I‘d take the kids to the store and let them pick out a toy to donate to Toys For Tots.

Moments quickly become memories.

Make the most out of the moments you share and you'll always have great memories!

couldnt have said it better.
We also shop toys. My dentist does Toys for Tots ….and Mike does for Childrens Hospital.
It fills the void for us not having littles ( right now).

 

[sarge88]

As many of you know I’ve worked for a residential program for kids for nearly 30 years now.

The community has always been very generous to us at Christmas but when Covid hit we worried that the gift donations wouldn’t happen.

So in 2020 we started an Amazon wish list and Wally graciously allowed me to post to let people know to message me for the link.

Please do not feel obligated. I know many people have their favorite charities that they help because of family members, tradition, etc.

But, if you’d like more info, please PM me.

Thanks!

 

[Kate08]

I love holidays. I love traditions. My husband and I are both only children with only one parent in the picture (his mom passed several years ago, my parents got divorced when I was very young and my relationship with my dad is strained). We have also chosen to not have children of our own, but are blessed with lots of little ones in our life through friends.

My college friends and I have been doing a Friendsgiving since before it was a thing - we started in 2003. Everyone knows it’s the Saturday before Thanksgiving and while it’s moved from a friends childhood home to a friends home and changed from people showing up hungover to people leaving right after dinner to get the kids home before bedtime, it’s the one day of the year we all hold sacred and we know the whole crew will gather.

We host Thanksgiving, usually a smaller affair that was just us and our parents. Over the last few years with COVID, a lot of friends had their own traditions disrupted and weren’t spending the holiday with family for a variety of reasons. We’ve started hosting a morning open house/breakfast for anyone to drop in and watch the parade, enjoy a mimosa and some easy breakfast foods before heading out to do whatever they’re doing. We have dear friends who live in NYC and now that they have 2 little ones and want to be home for Christmas, thanksgiving has become the holiday they come to MA to spend with his family. It’s awesome to watch the parade with the kids. This year we have some friends who have had family challenges that will join us for dinner.

In December we host a brunch/open house where people come and go all day. We had a few years off/very limited due to the pandemic but are feeling good about getting back to normal this year. @EverettMike texts me at least once a year for my French toast casserole recipe.

Christmas Eve was always the big one for me growing up, and I took that over too. We do apps and a beef tenderloin dinner with way too many desserts. Our parents join us, along with a friend that my husband made in college that is Jewish - he’s been spending Christmas and Easter with us since the early 2000s, and now that also includes his fiancé and dog. After dinner, the “adults” leave and throughout the night, many friends pop in when they’re done with their own families. There’s a group of about 15 - I buy us all matching pajamas and we hang out and stay up way too late watching Christmas movies and drinking wine.

Christmas Day we hang at home, just the two of us, and eat leftovers and lounge around. It’s perfect after a busy season.

Our two guiding principles: family can be what you choose it to be, and anyone that needs a table to sit at for a holiday is welcome at ours.

 

[GordonHowe]

A CHRISTMAS STORY Endures Because It Captures the Full Christmas Experience

A Christmas Story is beloved because it understands that Christmas is truly about everything---both good and bad---leading up to December 25.

nerdist.com

It came out in 1983; I remember loving the irreverence of the ads but did not see it until a few years later. It became an instant favorite, which I introduced to the rest of my family, who became besotted as well.

"But I didn't say fudge..."

 

[ODAAT]

Mrs Odaat and I buy a few things for one another but most of our purchases are for the household in general. This year our hope was/is to fly my son out for Christmas but struggling a bit with finding a flight that won`t put us behind the financial 8 ball. Been a bit of a year with my wife`s battle with cancer then me having to take time off for two masses they found in my lung. My wife is now cancer free and I`m in remission but the financial implications can`t be ignored

At the end of the day, really the only Christmas tradition we have is we celebrate Mrs Odaat`s birthday on the 3rd of December then get a tree. While we may not have much in the way of financial wealth, we are rich in so many other ways.

This will be my 17th clean and sober Christmas, prior to getting sober, I "celebrated" Christmas by myself, in whatever apartment I was living in getting hammered and stoned and telling myself how happy I was. So glad I`m not that person any longer

 

[Alicat]

I leave tomorrow to spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas with the fam. I have some time off sprinkled in these next 2 weeks and then will work remote. First holidays in the new house so my mom's double ovens are going to get a workout. We will be going through Christmas decorations this week and then she is letting me loose. We are getting the tree's the day after Thanksgiving. I get home just after Christmas and then it is the Winter Classic.

Christmas is tough since I lost my dad shortly after. Technically it is 7 years this year as he passed 2 days before new years.

Holidays are much different now but as long as we are together that is all that matters.

I'll be baking cookies for sure.

For gifts this year I'll probably do gift cards and maybe paint something for everyone.

 

[shelbysdad]

I leave tomorrow to spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas with the fam. I have some time off sprinkled in these next 2 weeks and then will work remote. First holidays in the new house so my mom's double ovens are going to get a workout. We will be going through Christmas decorations this week and then she is letting me loose. We are getting the tree's the day after Thanksgiving. I get home just after Christmas and then it is the Winter Classic.

Christmas is tough since I lost my dad shortly after. Technically it is 7 years this year as he passed 2 days before new years.

Holidays are much different now but as long as we are together that is all that matters.

I'll be baking cookies for sure.

For gifts this year I'll probably do gift cards and maybe paint something for everyone.

These are amazing...my son destroys them

Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

2 t ground ginger

2 t ground cinnamon

½ t cloves

2 t baking soda

¼ t allspice

½ t salt

3/4 cup butter flavor Crisco

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

¼ cup molasses​

Preheat oven to 375

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat Crisco and sugar until incorporated. Then beat on medium high for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through, until mixture is somewhat light and fluffy.

Add egg and molasses and beat on low -medium until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients and beat on medium until incorporated

Roll into 1 ½ “ balls, then roll in small bowl of sugar.

Place 2” apart on cookie sheet, bake 8 minutes

 

[Alicat]

These are amazing...my son destroys them

Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

2 t ground ginger

2 t ground cinnamon

½ t cloves

2 t baking soda

¼ t allspice

½ t salt

3/4 cup butter flavor Crisco

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

¼ cup molasses​

Preheat oven to 375

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat Crisco and sugar until incorporated. Then beat on medium high for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through, until mixture is somewhat light and fluffy.

Add egg and molasses and beat on low -medium until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients and beat on medium until incorporated

Roll into 1 ½ “ balls, then roll in small bowl of sugar.

Place 2” apart on cookie sheet, bake 8 minutes

I'm obsessed with these kind of cookies but they are hard to find a good recipe for. Will be trying this one for sure. Can you substitute the butter crisco to do 1/2 regular crisco and 1/2 unsalted butter?

 

[sooshii]

I love holidays. I love traditions. My husband and I are both only children with only one parent in the picture (his mom passed several years ago, my parents got divorced when I was very young and my relationship with my dad is strained). We have also chosen to not have children of our own, but are blessed with lots of little ones in our life through friends.

My college friends and I have been doing a Friendsgiving since before it was a thing - we started in 2003. Everyone knows it’s the Saturday before Thanksgiving and while it’s moved from a friends childhood home to a friends home and changed from people showing up hungover to people leaving right after dinner to get the kids home before bedtime, it’s the one day of the year we all hold sacred and we know the whole crew will gather.

We host Thanksgiving, usually a smaller affair that was just us and our parents. Over the last few years with COVID, a lot of friends had their own traditions disrupted and weren’t spending the holiday with family for a variety of reasons. We’ve started hosting a morning open house/breakfast for anyone to drop in and watch the parade, enjoy a mimosa and some easy breakfast foods before heading out to do whatever they’re doing. We have dear friends who live in NYC and now that they have 2 little ones and want to be home for Christmas, thanksgiving has become the holiday they come to MA to spend with his family. It’s awesome to watch the parade with the kids. This year we have some friends who have had family challenges that will join us for dinner.

In December we host a brunch/open house where people come and go all day. We had a few years off/very limited due to the pandemic but are feeling good about getting back to normal this year. @EverettMike texts me at least once a year for my French toast casserole recipe.

Christmas Eve was always the big one for me growing up, and I took that over too. We do apps and a beef tenderloin dinner with way too many desserts. Our parents join us, along with a friend that my husband made in college that is Jewish - he’s been spending Christmas and Easter with us since the early 2000s, and now that also includes his fiancé and dog. After dinner, the “adults” leave and throughout the night, many friends pop in when they’re done with their own families. There’s a group of about 15 - I buy us all matching pajamas and we hang out and stay up way too late watching Christmas movies and drinking wine.

Christmas Day we hang at home, just the two of us, and eat leftovers and lounge around. It’s perfect after a busy season.

Our two guiding principles: family can be what you choose it to be, and anyone that needs a table to sit at for a holiday is welcome at ours.

How lovely!
Also, recipe please!
We do the breakfast sausage casserole, but that sounds like a good addition.

 

[shelbysdad]

I'm obsessed with these kind of cookies but they are hard to find a good recipe for. Will be trying this one for sure. Can you substitute the butter crisco to do 1/2 regular crisco and 1/2 unsalted butter?

umm....yes no maybe ? lol....i think the butter helps with flavor but give it a shot

 

[sooshii]

Looking forward to getting back to traditional Christmas Eve in Virginia this year, which we haven’t done since Covid. Last year we gathered a week earlier for my niece’s wedding, so we were home alone for Christmas.

Christmas Eve is at my sister’s in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. Southern traditions include country ham & biscuits, cheese grits, shrimp, bourbon, fireball shots and a gambling/ shooting game.

Participants make their Mark (X) plus initials on a large piece of cardboard. $1 per X goes in the pot. When all Xs are placed, they take the cardboard out back and some older child under supervision (!) fires a shotgun in the general direction of the cardboard.

The X that’s shot through closest to center wins the pot. The eldest gentleman in attendance is final arbiter. (Now my dad.)

There are 2 rounds.
Below is the backyard, so shooting no big deal. Although it’s more likely to be 60degrees than snow covered.

This is one year I won. (Very rare. I think I’ve won twice in 38 years.)

 

[Gee Wally]

Looking forward to getting back to traditional Christmas Eve in Virginia this year, which we haven’t done since Covid. Last year we gathered a week earlier for my niece’s wedding, so we were home alone for Christmas.

Christmas Eve is at my sister’s in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. Southern traditions include country ham & biscuits, cheese grits, shrimp, bourbon, fireball shots and a gambling/ shooting game.

Participants make their Mark (X) plus initials on a large piece of cardboard. $1 per X goes in the pot. When all Xs are placed, they take the cardboard out back and some older child under supervision (!) fires a shotgun in the general direction of the cardboard.

The X that’s shot through closest to center wins the pot. The eldest gentleman in attendance is final arbiter. (Now my dad.)

There are 2 rounds.
Below is the backyard, so shooting no big deal. Although it’s more likely to be 60degrees than snow covered.

This is one year I won. (Very rare. I think I’ve won twice in 38 years.)View attachment 607562
View attachment 607560View attachment 607558

What a beautiful view.

Many, many years ago I took a ride on Skyline Drive in Virginia. Just beautiful.

 

[Bruinaura]

These are amazing...my son destroys them

Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

2 t ground ginger

2 t ground cinnamon

½ t cloves

2 t baking soda

¼ t allspice

½ t salt

3/4 cup butter flavor Crisco

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

¼ cup molasses​

Preheat oven to 375

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat Crisco and sugar until incorporated. Then beat on medium high for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through, until mixture is somewhat light and fluffy.

Add egg and molasses and beat on low -medium until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients and beat on medium until incorporated

Roll into 1 ½ “ balls, then roll in small bowl of sugar.

Place 2” apart on cookie sheet, bake 8 minutes

 

[Bruinaura]

I love eggnog. My favorite is made by Barber's dairy which is sadly not available in Tennessee. It's super thick and delicious.

This sounds totally gross, but mix it with Sprite. It's amazing.

 

[Bruinaura]

Growing up, we always had the big family get together at my grandparents' house. My grandma LIVED for Christmas. There were six of us grandkids and she bought a ridiculous amount of presents every year. They had a tiny tree, I think it was maybe only 5 feet. But the presents were piled almost as high as the tree lol.

So we'd go over there and have a big dinner, and then the adults had to sit around and drink coffee before we all opened presents. I swear it took them two hours to drink a cup lol. Then the kids had to pass out all the presents and then we sat in a circle and took turns opening them. It was quite the production

 

[Gee Wally]

I love eggnog. My favorite is made by Barber's dairy which is sadly not available in Tennessee. It's super thick and delicious.

This sounds totally gross, but mix it with Sprite. It's amazing.

 

[Bruinaura]

View attachment 607571

Don't knock it till ya try it!

 

[Gee Wally]

I’ll pass. Dont like Sprite. Matter of fact I rarely drink soda at all.
Unless rum & coke or Crown & ginger.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

I would try it with the old 'sprite remix' if they still made that these days

 

[Kate08]

How lovely!
Also, recipe please!
We do the breakfast sausage casserole, but that sounds like a good addition.

I add cinnamon and spices into the custard mix and usually skip the topping, just to make it simpler.

Rise and Shine! It's Cinnamon Baked French Toast Time

It's super easy and can be assembled the night before! 🙌

www.thepioneerwoman.com

 

[sooshii]

I add cinnamon and spices into the custard mix and usually skip the topping, just to make it simpler.

Rise and Shine! It's Cinnamon Baked French Toast Time

It's super easy and can be assembled the night before! 🙌

www.thepioneerwoman.com

Thanks! Some of my favorite recipes are from Ree.

 

[Bruinaura]

I add cinnamon and spices into the custard mix and usually skip the topping, just to make it simpler.

Rise and Shine! It's Cinnamon Baked French Toast Time

It's super easy and can be assembled the night before! 🙌

www.thepioneerwoman.com

Good heavens to mergatroid

I'm gonna have to find time to make that. And take it to work so I don't eat the whole thing lol