General Holiday Chatter

[Rosanna]

General Holiday Chatter
What holiday do you celebrate? What do you want to get/what did you get? Any cool traditions?
Talk about anything holidays related here!

Please note: forum rules (such as about double posting) still apply here

[Keika]

My family has a few fun Christmas tree traditions. We've been in the US for generations and generations now, but before that, a lot (read: all) of my ancestry comes from Northern Europe. We've incorporated Christmas tree decoration traditions that have been passed down through those lines. I don't know where they're all from, but I'm curious to know if anyone here who's from Europe recognizes any of these... and maybe knows where they come from?

1) We have a garland of paper Swedish flags that we hang on the tree. I assume this is from Sweden.
2) We also have a garland of red beads.
3) We hang mushrooms on the tree. More specifically, red-capped mushrooms with white spots.
4) Every year (or at least, every year until we as kids got too old), my parents would hide a ornament shaped like a pickle somewhere in the tree, and the first one of us to find it would get a prize (usually a large candy bar).

Sound familiar to anyone?

[Teresa]

We will be celebrating Christmas with our families this weekend. The immediate family (mine and his) will gather tomorrow and the extended family (his) will gather Sunday. It is going to be a long weekend. Somewhere in there, we will be going to see the last Hobbit movie. Christmas Day will be quiet at my mom's house eating leftovers from tomorrow. My daughter has been in Asia for more than a year and I realized that without her I don't feel like decorating. We had a computer printed tree hanging on the treadmill last year and a "sad" tree on the end table this year. I never have decorated much but we always got the tree up.

[nicholaplaysthesims]

Not really sure how Christmas will go down in my house this year since it's the first year without my Grandma. My mum is working nights so I'll be going to see her on Christmas eve for a cup of tea (and some cake if we're feeling naughty, lol diets!) and then watch The Nightmare Before Christmas with my sister. On Christmas day we'll go see my Grandad with our immediate family and open presents once my mother finishes work at 10am. It'll be a strange year, I don't feel very festive right now but things may change. Watch this space!

[ceajaye]

I live with my band in a tiny apartment, and two of them are going to see their families for the holiday, so my guitarist and I are probably going to go to a movie (Not The Interview, apparently...) and work on demos. It's a bit late to go for a Christmas tree, so I'm going to print out a picture of one and post it on the TV.
Also, I plan on drinking eggnog like I'll never see it again.

[Teresa]

... so my guitarist and I are probably going to go to a movie (Not The Interview, apparently...) ...

The Hobbit would be good...

[ceajaye]

The Hobbit would be good...

That's at the top of my list!

[Teresa]

We have our first gathering in a few hours, then off to see the Hobbit. This is going to be a long weekend.

[ceajaye]

Anybody else in the service industry working Christmas Eve? Woo![emoji51]

[Emily Whalers]

I'm not doing holiday stuff at the moment, because I'm desperately trying to finish school stuff before I head to my parents' place on Tuesday. I did most of my Christmas shopping yesterday, so now I just have to pick up some cards for my grandmother and my boyfriend's mom. I'm also hoping my boyfriend and I can squeeze in the Santa Claus Conquers the Martians or Santa Claus episodes of MST3K tomorrow night after he's done work.

I'm not sure what will happen on Christmas Day. Usually my parents and I drive about two hours to my grandmother's place for turkey and awkward socializing, but a giant storm is supposed to hit our area over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so we might not make it this year!

[Keika]

Anybody else in the service industry working Christmas Eve? Woo![emoji51]

I'm in fast food and working Christmas Eve! We're lucky, though--we're closing early that day.

[candiedgala]

I have a pickle for my tree, too! My mother gave it to me. A spider, also, it's a German tradition passed down from my mother's side.

We did the last of our Christmas shopping today, groceries mostly, so we are getting ready to stay in and enjoy snow (hopefully) and tasty treats. My parents visited last week and brought pies for the Christmas and New Year desserts. My daughter is 4 and so looking forward to presents. Our gift to ourselves was a small computer upgrade. The Sims plays better now!

[Teresa]

With Christmas past, what is everyone doing for New Year's? At this point, we have no plans

[Chase]

Unfortunately I'm doing nothing I was invited to a couple of shindigs, but I'm out of town -_-

[Siem]

Nothing and sleep. I don't like all the fireworks, at least this year they changed the times when lightning them is allowed so most of it will be lit in a shorter time.
I do look forward to eating oliebollen and a kind of appelbeignets (appelflap).

[Ani-Mei]

Well good thing is that boyfriend now has New Year's Eve Day off apparently. He was scheduled but they changed things on him again. He has to work early New Year's Day so I guess that's his punishment for having New Year's Eve off. And I have to go home on the 3rd.

[ssAly88]

4) Every year (or at least, every year until we as kids got too old), my parents would hide a ornament shaped like a pickle somewhere in the tree, and the first one of us to find it would get a prize (usually a large candy bar).

Sound familiar to anyone?

That definitely sounds familiar. I've never done that tradition, but I have heard of it. The internet says it's a German tradition, but I don't trust the internet to give me good info on most days, sooooo....

I usually celebrate Yule, but this year was kind of hectic, so I didn't do anything special. I hope to celebrate New Years with some of my friends, though. I get to go home early on New Years Eve. I can't stay up too late given I have to work the next day and I'm in a business where the first of the year is going to slam us, but it's better than a sharp stick in the eye.

[Emily Whalers]

My boyfriend and I are making roast beef tomorrow, which we're going to have with a nice wine he picked up. After that we're going to stake out a spot at a pub near my place and meet up with some friends of ours who are stuck working until 11:30 pm! It should be a fun night.

[DreamWeaver]

Probably just going to go and watch t.v. and say Happy New Year at midnight.

[ssAly88]

My boyfriend and I are making roast beef tomorrow, which we're going to have with a nice wine he picked up.

Ooh! That sounds good! I'm making green chili tonight too, so I'm looking forward to deliciousness as well!