Contest! Copper Creek Juice - 3 Winners!
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Okay, not ready to enter yet, so love the white kitty who finally says "la"
Animals of YouTube sing "Deck the Halls" - YouTube
Animals of YouTube sing "Deck the Halls" - YouTube
When my children were little I found a Christmas mouse. Every year around Christmas we take a new picture of them with the mouse. It lets us see how much they have grown from year to year!
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Morning Bump...
or
Family tradition #2
My family always celebrated on Christmas eve instead of Christmas day. Anyone old enough would help my mother make the Christmas meal. We would eat dinner at 5:00pm, and then after dessert and clean up we would sit around and watch Christmas specials on TV for a few hours. At 9:30 or 10:00 pm, my parents would pile my sisters and me in the car and we would drive around looking at Christmas lights and sing Christmas carols. We had blankets and pillows and thermoses of hot chocolate and my father would drive through all the neighborhoods where he knew the most houses or the best houses were decorated. We would get home at midnight on the dot, and as soon as we got inside and warmed up we would open our gifts. Come Christmas morning, my parents got to sleep in while we played with all the gifts we got the night before.
When we were young enough to still believe in Santa, there were never any gifts under the tree before we left to look at lights but when we returned all the gifts were under the tree and in our stockings. I never quite figured out how my parents managed that, perhaps a delay once we were all in the car while my father dashed back to the house? Maybe as my sisters got older and stopped believing, they would help in the conspiracy and keep the younger kids occupied and distracted while the gifts were brought out? I'm not sure, but it was magical to me. Since we never returned to the house until midnight, my parents told us that our house was Santa's first stop and that's why our gifts were there when we got home.
It's a tradition we keep to this day. Not everyone goes out to look at the lights every year, there's just too many of us with our extended families, but someone's minivan or SUV is always packed with carolers and Christmas light lovers. Christmas dinner is served on Christmas eve and we don't open the gifts until midnight.
or
Family tradition #2
My family always celebrated on Christmas eve instead of Christmas day. Anyone old enough would help my mother make the Christmas meal. We would eat dinner at 5:00pm, and then after dessert and clean up we would sit around and watch Christmas specials on TV for a few hours. At 9:30 or 10:00 pm, my parents would pile my sisters and me in the car and we would drive around looking at Christmas lights and sing Christmas carols. We had blankets and pillows and thermoses of hot chocolate and my father would drive through all the neighborhoods where he knew the most houses or the best houses were decorated. We would get home at midnight on the dot, and as soon as we got inside and warmed up we would open our gifts. Come Christmas morning, my parents got to sleep in while we played with all the gifts we got the night before.
When we were young enough to still believe in Santa, there were never any gifts under the tree before we left to look at lights but when we returned all the gifts were under the tree and in our stockings. I never quite figured out how my parents managed that, perhaps a delay once we were all in the car while my father dashed back to the house? Maybe as my sisters got older and stopped believing, they would help in the conspiracy and keep the younger kids occupied and distracted while the gifts were brought out? I'm not sure, but it was magical to me. Since we never returned to the house until midnight, my parents told us that our house was Santa's first stop and that's why our gifts were there when we got home.
It's a tradition we keep to this day. Not everyone goes out to look at the lights every year, there's just too many of us with our extended families, but someone's minivan or SUV is always packed with carolers and Christmas light lovers. Christmas dinner is served on Christmas eve and we don't open the gifts until midnight.
#1 - Family Tradition
The Christmas itinerary! So, for as along as I can remember we have always stuck by these Christmas traditions, and hopefully always will.
Sometime in December - The tree can be put up, but not decorated till all 4 of us kids are back home for the holidays. The tree has stayed bare until Christmas Eve night before, because while there are decorations all over the house, dressing the tree requires all 6 of us (parents and 4 kids). And while we often disagree about the theme for the tree, it is always amazing how beautiful it looks after and how much laughter goes into it.
December 23rd - Light night! At about 8pm all of jump into my mom's suburban (which sometimes I think she keeps just for this night!) with our homemade mexican hot chocolate and drive street by street to see the lights. We usually cruise around for a few hours and head back home for a night of movies and hanging out.
December 24th - No presents are allowed under the tree until this night! So most of the day involves wrapping gifts and relaxing (unless you're my dad, who never fails to wait till the last minute to go Christmas shopping!). And once A Christmas Story starts it's 24 hour marathon, the channel never changes! Come close to midnight we all head to midnight mass and after come back home to put out gifts.
December 25th - While the day has it's fulfillment of gifts, the real gift is getting to have so much family over to laugh with and enjoy. We always hit the stockings in the morning and there is a rule against waking anyone up, the one day of the year we can truly sleep in! We all take turns unwrapping one gift at a time before the grandparents come over and to keep us from knowing whose gift is whose, my mom still uses a sticker system to keep us in suspense, haha. And it wouldn't be Christmas morning without eggs and biscuits and gravy. The only day of the year we ever have biscuits and gravy is Christmas morning. The afternoon is free time to visit with the grandparents that have come over and then the traditional Christmas ham for dinner. And it sure wouldn't be Christmas without Uncle Bob and his gifts of wine! Even before I was of legal age, there has always been a cool named wine for all the ladies in the family.
And while it may not be the most exciting Christmas schedule, I honestly cannot imagine Christmas day without any of these traditions. In fact, my mom tried to cook a breakfast casserole a few years ago and she was vetoed! Instead, my sister and I took over the cooking, nothing was going to stop us from the breakfast tradition!
The Christmas itinerary! So, for as along as I can remember we have always stuck by these Christmas traditions, and hopefully always will.
Sometime in December - The tree can be put up, but not decorated till all 4 of us kids are back home for the holidays. The tree has stayed bare until Christmas Eve night before, because while there are decorations all over the house, dressing the tree requires all 6 of us (parents and 4 kids). And while we often disagree about the theme for the tree, it is always amazing how beautiful it looks after and how much laughter goes into it.
December 23rd - Light night! At about 8pm all of jump into my mom's suburban (which sometimes I think she keeps just for this night!) with our homemade mexican hot chocolate and drive street by street to see the lights. We usually cruise around for a few hours and head back home for a night of movies and hanging out.
December 24th - No presents are allowed under the tree until this night! So most of the day involves wrapping gifts and relaxing (unless you're my dad, who never fails to wait till the last minute to go Christmas shopping!). And once A Christmas Story starts it's 24 hour marathon, the channel never changes! Come close to midnight we all head to midnight mass and after come back home to put out gifts.
December 25th - While the day has it's fulfillment of gifts, the real gift is getting to have so much family over to laugh with and enjoy. We always hit the stockings in the morning and there is a rule against waking anyone up, the one day of the year we can truly sleep in! We all take turns unwrapping one gift at a time before the grandparents come over and to keep us from knowing whose gift is whose, my mom still uses a sticker system to keep us in suspense, haha. And it wouldn't be Christmas morning without eggs and biscuits and gravy. The only day of the year we ever have biscuits and gravy is Christmas morning. The afternoon is free time to visit with the grandparents that have come over and then the traditional Christmas ham for dinner. And it sure wouldn't be Christmas without Uncle Bob and his gifts of wine! Even before I was of legal age, there has always been a cool named wine for all the ladies in the family.
And while it may not be the most exciting Christmas schedule, I honestly cannot imagine Christmas day without any of these traditions. In fact, my mom tried to cook a breakfast casserole a few years ago and she was vetoed! Instead, my sister and I took over the cooking, nothing was going to stop us from the breakfast tradition!
#2 - Disappearing decorations
About 15 years ago we decided the theme for the Christmas tree decorations would be the collection of homemade ornaments my mom had been saving from all of us kids while we were in Elementary school. And to go along, a string of popcorn in the tree since it would then be all homemade items. So mom and I sewed up some strings for the tree and it looked great when we were done. But after a few days we began to notice that the tree was looking a bit empty. None of us could quite put our fingers on it until we caught my littlest brother, then only 3, eating all of the popcorn off the tree! And no matter how many times was restrung and chased him away, by Christmas morning he had cleared as much as he could reach. Needless to say, it was the first and last time for strung popcorn!
About 15 years ago we decided the theme for the Christmas tree decorations would be the collection of homemade ornaments my mom had been saving from all of us kids while we were in Elementary school. And to go along, a string of popcorn in the tree since it would then be all homemade items. So mom and I sewed up some strings for the tree and it looked great when we were done. But after a few days we began to notice that the tree was looking a bit empty. None of us could quite put our fingers on it until we caught my littlest brother, then only 3, eating all of the popcorn off the tree! And no matter how many times was restrung and chased him away, by Christmas morning he had cleared as much as he could reach. Needless to say, it was the first and last time for strung popcorn!
#3 - Snow in South Texas
The only time I have ever seen snow, besides a few flurries, was on a Christmas morning. Growing up in South Texas you get use to beaches and palm trees and never needing to own a real winter jacket. And while we always talked about going somewhere to see snow for Christmas, with 4 kids and a tight budget that never quite panned out for my parents and us. But a few years ago, it finally happened. Leaving midnight mass with my family that Christmas Eve night, we actually had to use a paint stir stick ton scrape the frost off our windshield, but thought it was amazing, it never freezes! Imagine our surprise in the morning when we woke up to almost a foot covering our front lawn! We spent all morning in the snow, presents forgotten till later. And after many mini snowmen and snow angels, marveled as it melted away as fast as it had shown up. And don't think we didn't get pictures, the first snow in over 100 years was monumental. Eventually our city even put out a snow book, much to the amusement of some of my northern friends. But whenever they see it, you can always see the surprise in their eyes. It's not often that you see snowmen with fallen palm fronds as hair!
The only time I have ever seen snow, besides a few flurries, was on a Christmas morning. Growing up in South Texas you get use to beaches and palm trees and never needing to own a real winter jacket. And while we always talked about going somewhere to see snow for Christmas, with 4 kids and a tight budget that never quite panned out for my parents and us. But a few years ago, it finally happened. Leaving midnight mass with my family that Christmas Eve night, we actually had to use a paint stir stick ton scrape the frost off our windshield, but thought it was amazing, it never freezes! Imagine our surprise in the morning when we woke up to almost a foot covering our front lawn! We spent all morning in the snow, presents forgotten till later. And after many mini snowmen and snow angels, marveled as it melted away as fast as it had shown up. And don't think we didn't get pictures, the first snow in over 100 years was monumental. Eventually our city even put out a snow book, much to the amusement of some of my northern friends. But whenever they see it, you can always see the surprise in their eyes. It's not often that you see snowmen with fallen palm fronds as hair!
That's such a neat White Christmas story! It sounds like your family has some really nice Christmas celebrations!
This isn't an entry, but there was the time some friends and I were driving to Mexico for Christmas. We left a little late, and Mexico was closed for the night. We spent Christmas under the influence of questionable substances and eating seafood at some restaurant in Phoenix. 
And bump.
And bump.
Entry #1: (shooting for funny)
A Christmas tradition was born in my family many years ago. I was in my 20's and while exchanging Christmas gifts with my family, I made a comment about how it pretty much sucked that I never got toys anymore due to becoming an adult. The next Christmas I received a couple of toys along with the usual shirts, socks, and assorted knick knacks. I'm 41 years old now and I still get toys for Christmas every year. I keep them in my closet unopened and it drives my kids nuts. They're more fun that way.
A Christmas tradition was born in my family many years ago. I was in my 20's and while exchanging Christmas gifts with my family, I made a comment about how it pretty much sucked that I never got toys anymore due to becoming an adult. The next Christmas I received a couple of toys along with the usual shirts, socks, and assorted knick knacks. I'm 41 years old now and I still get toys for Christmas every year. I keep them in my closet unopened and it drives my kids nuts. They're more fun that way.
Entry #2: (holiday tradition)
When we were kids, me and my big sister took sibling rivalry to the next level at every opportunity. On those magical Christmas mornings when we were finally allowed to tear into those presents that had been sitting under the tree for the better part of December, we somehow started plotting against each other. Our mutual goal was to be the last one to unwrap a gift and to rub the other's nose in it. "You're done? Oh, look! I have one more present to unwrap!" As our presents were handed to us, we both tried to hide one out of sight to give the impression that we had opened all of them, then we'd pull out the hidden gift and claim victory. When that didn't work, we'd just each hold on to the last unwrapped gift and wait for the other to break.
When we were kids, me and my big sister took sibling rivalry to the next level at every opportunity. On those magical Christmas mornings when we were finally allowed to tear into those presents that had been sitting under the tree for the better part of December, we somehow started plotting against each other. Our mutual goal was to be the last one to unwrap a gift and to rub the other's nose in it. "You're done? Oh, look! I have one more present to unwrap!" As our presents were handed to us, we both tried to hide one out of sight to give the impression that we had opened all of them, then we'd pull out the hidden gift and claim victory. When that didn't work, we'd just each hold on to the last unwrapped gift and wait for the other to break.
Entry #3: (just a favorite holiday memory)
My paternal grandmother passed away in 1998. She was a gentle lady, but strong and fierce if she perceived any slight or threat to her family. A grand Southern matriarch, if you will. My dad was her only child, so me and my sister were her only grandchildren. One Christmas season, when me and my sister were both still younger than 10, we were visiting at Grandmama's house and she had the deluxe 70's cabinet style stereo radio tuned to some pop station pumping out seasonal holiday music. "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" started playing and my sister and I started singing along. My Grandmother came into the room and let us know she found that song to be in poor taste and didn't find it to be funny at all. Being the evil youngsters that we were, me and my sister took every opportunity to push Grandmama's buttons buy humming that song when we passed her in the kitchen, turning the volume up when the radio played it, and gifting her with the song on vinyl. She always acted huffy and unamused, but she knew we were having fun at her expense and she let us get away with it. She was awesome beyond words and I'd give a kidney for one more Christmas at her house.
My paternal grandmother passed away in 1998. She was a gentle lady, but strong and fierce if she perceived any slight or threat to her family. A grand Southern matriarch, if you will. My dad was her only child, so me and my sister were her only grandchildren. One Christmas season, when me and my sister were both still younger than 10, we were visiting at Grandmama's house and she had the deluxe 70's cabinet style stereo radio tuned to some pop station pumping out seasonal holiday music. "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" started playing and my sister and I started singing along. My Grandmother came into the room and let us know she found that song to be in poor taste and didn't find it to be funny at all. Being the evil youngsters that we were, me and my sister took every opportunity to push Grandmama's buttons buy humming that song when we passed her in the kitchen, turning the volume up when the radio played it, and gifting her with the song on vinyl. She always acted huffy and unamused, but she knew we were having fun at her expense and she let us get away with it. She was awesome beyond words and I'd give a kidney for one more Christmas at her house.
Here is my story (Entry):
I spent my very young years in an abusive atmosphere and was the second oldest of 6 children. Our birth parents cared more about their booze than they did for us and by the age of 6, I had been thru and seen things that would bring a grown man to his knees. We had to beg for food and other things for the neighbors all the time. In June of 1969, after several complaints for the neighbors to the authorities, we were taken away for our birth parents and placed in foster homes in pairs based off of our ages. Two and a half months later, my youngest brother and sister were adopted and at that time the remaining four of us were placed in a Christian home for unwanted and troubled children in Northeast Oklahoma. Even though we were not all in the same house, we were together.
Here is where the good part starts. There was a couple that could not have kids and were thinking about adoption. One day the phone at their house ran and the man on the other end of the line asked if they were still interested in adopting. They were told that there was a catch however. He told them that they had four brothers and that they all had to stay together. The children that he was referring to were my three brothers and I. After taking a few weeks to meet us, they made the decision to do it. The day before Thanksgiving, myself and my three brothers were all called together and told to gather our things, we had a new place to live. A couple hours we were picked up and driven to our new home by two of the most wonderful and caring people in the world and we had a mom and dad that did truly love and care for us.
The next day we spent Thanksgiving and a true family for the first time in my life. From that day, this holiday has had a special meaning to me and my brothers. My parents have both passed away, and I often wonder where I would be if they had not entered my life. I feel I owe all of my successes the the two who instilled the values and morals that I have today into me.
I spent my very young years in an abusive atmosphere and was the second oldest of 6 children. Our birth parents cared more about their booze than they did for us and by the age of 6, I had been thru and seen things that would bring a grown man to his knees. We had to beg for food and other things for the neighbors all the time. In June of 1969, after several complaints for the neighbors to the authorities, we were taken away for our birth parents and placed in foster homes in pairs based off of our ages. Two and a half months later, my youngest brother and sister were adopted and at that time the remaining four of us were placed in a Christian home for unwanted and troubled children in Northeast Oklahoma. Even though we were not all in the same house, we were together.
Here is where the good part starts. There was a couple that could not have kids and were thinking about adoption. One day the phone at their house ran and the man on the other end of the line asked if they were still interested in adopting. They were told that there was a catch however. He told them that they had four brothers and that they all had to stay together. The children that he was referring to were my three brothers and I. After taking a few weeks to meet us, they made the decision to do it. The day before Thanksgiving, myself and my three brothers were all called together and told to gather our things, we had a new place to live. A couple hours we were picked up and driven to our new home by two of the most wonderful and caring people in the world and we had a mom and dad that did truly love and care for us.
The next day we spent Thanksgiving and a true family for the first time in my life. From that day, this holiday has had a special meaning to me and my brothers. My parents have both passed away, and I often wonder where I would be if they had not entered my life. I feel I owe all of my successes the the two who instilled the values and morals that I have today into me.
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Entry #1 (the one and only)
My most heartwarming Christmas would have to be every Christmas since my son was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He was first diagnosed in Oct '08 at 32 years old. After grueling rounds of chemo and radiation he had a very radical surgery in Jan '09, just three days after his 33rd birthday. His insides were completely rebuilt, with lots of them now missing including his stomach. In March '09 he was diagnosed with a reoccurance and given 6 to 24 months to live, the doc told him only 1 in 10 people survive this type of reoccurance. He refused to give up even though his body had been ravaged yet again by more chemo and radiation. In December '09, to spite every statistic known, he went into remission and has now been in remission for 23 months. His oncologist said that next month he will proclaim him a miracle. Therefore, each Christmas that my son is still alive, and every day in between, is my most heartwarming holiday.
My best to all that have similar stories. xxx
Jeannie
My most heartwarming Christmas would have to be every Christmas since my son was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He was first diagnosed in Oct '08 at 32 years old. After grueling rounds of chemo and radiation he had a very radical surgery in Jan '09, just three days after his 33rd birthday. His insides were completely rebuilt, with lots of them now missing including his stomach. In March '09 he was diagnosed with a reoccurance and given 6 to 24 months to live, the doc told him only 1 in 10 people survive this type of reoccurance. He refused to give up even though his body had been ravaged yet again by more chemo and radiation. In December '09, to spite every statistic known, he went into remission and has now been in remission for 23 months. His oncologist said that next month he will proclaim him a miracle. Therefore, each Christmas that my son is still alive, and every day in between, is my most heartwarming holiday.
My best to all that have similar stories. xxx
Jeannie
Survivors Mom, that is so beautiful. He is so special and brave! Give him a hug for me!
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Good lord at the smiles and sobs this thread has brought me! Some truly beautiful and funny stories... thanks so much for sharing them everyone.
Thanks 36tinybells... and I will give him that hug!
P.S. I hate it too and I love hearing it too!
Thanks 36tinybells... and I will give him that hug!
P.S. I hate it too and I love hearing it too!
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