In The Run Up To Our Favourite Day.....

[JOHNOR]

in the run up to christmas, do you have any traditions? do you make sure that you shop at the same place every year, do you have a specific day that you go present buying? is there a certain family member that you visit only in december? what is a typical december like for you in the run up to christmas?

every year on the second saturday in december i host a christmas party for all the children in my family, that morning my cousin and i go to a shopping centre that i only ever go to once or twice in the rest of the year. the reason i choose to go here on the morning of the christmas party is because it has the most beautiful decorated tree, it blasts christmas hymns in every shop and there is a wonderful grotto where the children can see father christmas/santa whatever you call him! and there is just a great christmas spirit. anyway, we go and purchase all the food and drink for the party in the same supermarket in this shopping centre every year, it takes us about 2 hours, we load the shopping trolly with far too much! after we have shopped we go to the same little restaurant every year (this is the only time i visit this particular restaurant in the year) for lunch and we always order the same thing! i know it's not much but that is one of my best days of the year, i am always so excited for the party in the night time and it is just generally a fantastic festive day. i can't wait to do it this year!

[Holiday]

Sounds like a completely wonderful day!!!

Last year we started a new tradition of going to a lake neighbors Christmas party (we normally only see our lake neighbors in the summer) & they now have included us in their annual Christmas party which is the 1st Friday of December. We had such a good time & it was so great to see all of them again! I'm looking forward to continuing this tradition! :) Every year I shop at the "Enchanted Village" which is the holiday shop in our local hardware store - they turn their garden center into a winter wonderland! I love it & I can't wait! My friend & I shop in the same town in Indiana every year for Christmas & that is the only time of year I visit that town & we eat at the Texas Roadhouse every year after shopping (at about 10:30 PM) & that is usually the only time of year I eat there. It's funny how I now relate that town & the Roadhouse with Christmas!! :lol:

[JOHNOR]

holiday, that sounds fantastic!

anyone else?

[Amanda Elf]

Hmmm...guess I need to change a few things..I can't really think of anything we do...
I don't think we've done it every year but me and my sisters go shopping with Mom..she had 5 girls (one sister passed Feb.07 and one lives in another province). So it'd be just the 3 of us with mom now.

Man..that's sad that I can't think of anything other than shopping!

[kidzrme]

Johnor...I too have special Christmas activities every year for the kids in the family. I love Christmas even more through their eyes :)

[JOHNOR]

kidzrme - i couldn't agree more, i love to get my younger relatives in the christmas mood, it is even more enjoyable for me then

[Billy Battles]

Every night in December me and my nephew watch Christmas movies together.

[Rennabelle]

Christmas Eve at our house is one of my traditions. I make pies during the early part of the day, I usually make between 25 to 35 pies and other various desserts like christmas yule log, chocolate eclairs, cream puffs and such. My grandchildren come over and help me especially with the taste testing.
Around 2 everyone comes over there atleast 25 sometimes more people that come over. Everyone brings their presents into the house and places them under or as near under the tree as possible. Everyone buys gifts for the kids and the adults buy one nice one that can go for either man or woman.
We have hot cocoa, hot spiced cider and lots of finger foods and salads. We play games for a few hours, sing christmas carols and listen to christmas music. When the games are over and the eating is done we have pie.
When we are through eating we all gather in the frontroom and watch the kids open their presents. We draw a name and that person gets to pick a gift to open. The next person drawn gets to either pick the gift that person has or get their own gift. If they choose someone elses gift that person gets to choose another gift. This goes on until everyone has recieved a gift then the very first person gets to rechoose any gift. We have found that everyone prefers to do this as it is lots of fun and a lot less expensive.
We all sit around and chat after the mess is all cleaned up and have more pie, coffee, cocoa what ever.

[Montana's Santa]

I'm too busy working... listening to the children make their requests, appearing at parties, riding in parades and generally having a good time. I'm usually on the road home Christmas Day... so I guess I really don't celebrate Christmas like most people do. That's the penalty for being a professional real bearded Santa.

[Chillywilly]

On the run up to Christmas: It is a must for me to visit the Sears Christmas Section. It is also a must that I visit Walmart and Target stores. We always go to my mother-in-laws to make sure she was able to do her shopping (she doesn't drive). We alway order our ham early in December from Honey Bake store. These are just a few things that my family and I do early in the month of December.