I need a Christmas tradition

deewee

deewee

Pursuit Driver
I need to do something at Christmas. I love it when we have the kids on Christmas morning, but their mom hasn't allowed that since 2007 (in spite of custody/parent visitation papers). My parents are divorced (so we celebrate separately and usually a week or two before Christmas) and my sister, and her family, usually head to Memphis to see by BIL's family. I'm tired of Christmas feeling like just another day. Everyone in my family just goes their separate days at Christmas and I'm usually alone. It sucks!!!!!!!!!!!

Vent over, thank you! :love
 
Christmas traditions can be a big part of the Holiday. I know that I miss so many of the ones from my childhood. I think I need to bring some of them back for my kids/family now. Just a few off the top of my head:

~oyster stew for Christmas Eve dinner
~luminaries out/lit for Christmas Eve only
~drive around to look at Christmas lights
~open 1 present on Christmas Eve, right before bed
~first thing in the morning ... Christmas stockings in parents' room
~into the family room for Santa presents
~breakfast of croissant and OJ
~remainder of the presents
~phone calls to family to touch base and/or thank them
~formal Christmas dinner in the dining room
~desserts in the family room by the fire
 
Why don't you go with your sister? I, personally, would be fighting the Christmas thing with the mom, but that is up to you guys. I would not sit at home though. I am sure that either going with your sister, going to a friends, or even volunteering would make for a much happier Christmas.
 
I originally planned to go down to mom's house. Then remembered we had to pick up the kids early evening, last night. That would have had me driving for 8 hours yesterday. I wish we could have a year or two where we had the kids on Christmas morning and Marc was off work. It was just an all the way around "off" Christmas this year. Maybe I'll just crash someone else's Christmas next year. LOL
 
You need to find something to do. Christmas can easily be a depressing time and it soooo should not be.
 
Most churches do a Christmas eve or day service. This year with Christmas being on Sunday, most churches had a special service to celebrate.

Lots of factors can make it impossible to have the whole family together on Christmas morning. Even with my daughter grown, we had to have Santa on Friday night because she was going to SC with her hubby's family on Saturday. But it was just as good having Santa on Friday night. Better, in fact, because we didn't have to wake up early. ;D There's plenty of evidence that Christ wasn't really born on December 25th anyway. More likely, early summer.

You being sick probably made things a lot worse. You have a lot of love in your family to be thankful for. Thinking about that would make anyone feel better. :)
 
Guard Dad said:
Most churches do a Christmas eve or day service. This year with Christmas being on Sunday, most churches had a special service to celebrate.

Lots of factors can make it impossible to have the whole family together on Christmas morning. Even with my daughter grown, we had to have Santa on Friday night because she was going to SC with her hubby's family on Saturday. But it was just as good having Santa on Friday night. Better, in fact, because we didn't have to wake up early. ;D There's plenty of evidence that Christ wasn't really born on December 25th anyway. More likely, early summer.

You being sick probably made things a lot worse. You have a lot of love in your family to be thankful for. Thinking about that would make anyone feel better. :)
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I do admit being sick made everything seem more...blegh. I would have prob been at my best friend's house, or would have tried going down to mom's and wearing myself out driving all over creation, if I hadn't been sick. Dad & Deb were in Maryville, Cyndi was in Memphis, Mom at home in Valley, AL, Marc working and the boys with their mom.
I am thankful that since it's a rather close knit community out here, some of our friends made Marc a Christmas lunch and took it to him at the PD. I wouldn't let anyone come over here cuz I was passing along germs to another family.

Funny thing though...this would have been the perfect year for Mom, Dad, my sister and myself to have done a Christmas day thing cuz all 4 of us were sick (I was the only one running a fever though). Not sure how my stepmom would've felt about that though. LOL
 
Madea said:
If I had realized, you would have been welcome to join me. :love
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You wouldn't have wanted me...I'd have passed along this bug. But that would have been fun though! :love

(Today is the first day I've felt human since last Wed)
 
I'm thinking there are a whole lot of folks in nursing homes and rehab that don't have family close by. We used to go to the nursing home on Christmas Eve when my daughter was in Girl Scouts. One of the families brought blanket throws for all the people in Rockmart. Another one made a jingle bell necklace from a large bell and a piece of ribbon, another one brought cookies for everyone!! Several brought cards and even more brought prayers.

Deewee, some of my most amazing memories have revolved around my volunteer work. I know that's why I can't say NO when someone asks me to help, I know it's good for me and the recipient. :love

I'm also thinking all those years of taking the girls to the nursing home are actually starting to pay off. Hard as it was, I 'm thinking everything will work out. God is good, all the time. :cheer1
 
naturegirl said:
I'm thinking there are a whole lot of folks in nursing homes and rehab that don't have family close by. We used to go to the nursing home on Christmas Eve when my daughter was in Girl Scouts. One of the families brought blanket throws for all the people in Rockmart. Another one made a jingle bell necklace from a large bell and a piece of ribbon, another one brought cookies for everyone!! Several brought cards and even more brought prayers.

Deewee, some of my most amazing memories have revolved around my volunteer work. I know that's why I can't say NO when someone asks me to help, I know it's good for me and the recipient. :love

I'm also thinking all those years of taking the girls to the nursing home are actually starting to pay off. Hard as it was, I 'm thinking everything will work out. God is good, all the time. :cheer1
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The nursing home is a great idea......When we did the float and gathered gifts for the nursing home and we were able to have Jeff Brewer sing and we handed out gifts that brought so much joy to my soul....and I know the people enjoyed it....even a few thought Jeff was the real Elvis...a lot of tears flowed that day.......and this year....instead of having Sunday Christmas service the church was able to gather gifts and go spend Sunday morning giving out these gifts in the nursing home....instead of our regular Sunday Christmas service....what a full filling event......what an awesome feeling.......you can't buy that joy......

Below is a pic of our gift bags on Christmas morning...filled with Chapstick; Kleenex; Lotion and Antibacterial Hand Wipes ..etc

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MrsB said:
I'm sorry you had a crappy Christmas, Deewee. I did too, so you're not alone. Lol
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Awwww! I'm sorry you did too!

It's all good now. There's always next year! :)
 
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