Christmas is Coming!

Rather than an actual game, I thought we might share a bit. So, I'm going to ask something and I hope to see fun responses from each of you.

What is something sad that happened involving Christmas at some point in your life?

When I was 8, I got Type 1 diabetes, so for Christmas that year, or the next, my parents got me a large sugar-free chocolate candybar. It was in my stocking, but the dog pulled down the stocking and got it out and ate it. I was devastated (kid here), especially as we didn't have much money, so it wasn't replaced. The dog was fine, though you'd think it would have at least gotten sick after that much chocolate.

The Christmas when I was 13, I had pneumonia. It was horrible being sick but to make it much worse...my favorite cousin was home from the Navy and we didn't get to hang out! I remember he picked me up, hugged me, put me back in bed, and left with all the other cousins to go sledding! (He was only home 3 days and that's the only time I was awake to see him!)

Oh, that's awful, Trudi. At least you got a hug.

Next question: What is one bit of tradition that you love about Christmas?

My grandfather used to call early on Christmas morning to ask my brother and I what Santa had brought us. My father continued that tradition with my children.

This isn't really sad but my youngest daughter was born on December 21 and because of some complication she didn't come home until the 27th and I couldn't even go get her because I had some complications too so my husband and sister-in-law brought her home....it was a stressful Christmas this was almost 41 years ago.

The tradition I love the most is ever since my daughters were young we would sing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus first thing in the morning (to honor his birth)...so to this day the tradition is still going on because I have 5 grand children and they sing Happy Birthday first thing in the morning too.

Terrie, that is definitely sad.

I love your tradition of singing happy birthday to Jesus first!

Our family tradition:

Christmas Eve dinner and 1 present with my Dad's family at the Grandparents house. When Grandpa died, Grandma didn't want anyone to visit...so we started having Christmas Eve lasagna dinner with my kids & my parents. (Just the 8 of us)

Christmas Morning at home with my kids & open Santa's presents

Christmas Dinner (presents at 11 and "dinner" at Noon) with my Mom's family. Now, my sister and I take turn hosting "dinner" for that side of the family and a whole bunch more! (We both married into LARGE families!)

Christmas Evening....I veg-out in front of the fire and the kids fend for themselves from all the left overs!

How fun to get to know all of you a little better through these memories. Good idea Golda.

My sad Christmas memory was when I was a Sophomore in HS. My grandmother was killed in a car crash on Dec 23rd. Christmas that year was so very sad... and my Mom struggled during the holidays for many years that followed. Her only comfort was knowing that Grandma was celebrating Christmas listening to real heavenly music... probably while serving yummy decorated cookies and steaming mugs of egg coffee to a mansion full of guests!

Our family traditions-
My mom was quite the baker, and her frosted Christmas cookies were loved by all.
Early in our marriage, I tried to make mom's cookies... but sadly, I'm more of a cookie burner than a cookie baker! So, we started a tradition of enjoying nachos on Christmas eve while watching Christmas movies. We added a movie a year for our first dozen years... and have added a few more since then. Oh... and Hot Buttered Rum. Yum!

You ladies are making me cry! Can't say I've had many sad Christmases. The only one that comes to mind was the year I had the flu and my fiance dragged me to his parents house instead of letting me stay home. So while they were eating dinner, I was in the bathroom puking. Great impression I made on the future in-laws.

Family traditions were always my favorite part of Christmas. I loved making Christmas cookies with my mom and carried that over into adulthood with my daughter. We would make a dozen or so different kinds and take them to the neighbors. I enjoyed Black Friday shopping for bargains (but now it's more online than in stores). Every year my mom would make this awesome Christmas bread for Christmas morning and she still makes it if we go down to Florida for Christmas. And lastly, my mom was in church choir, so we always went to midnight mass.

I'll have to think about adding Christmas nachos to my traditions. :lol:

I love all the baking conditions. Christmas nachos do sound like fun! I used to always get each of the kids and my husband a movie for Christmas, so that night we would watch a couple of movies.

The sad stories are too sad.

Sorry I'm late with the question today:

Is there a present you got that really stands out in memory?

One year, at the beginning of our marriage, we had very little money and my husband stayed late at work to carve (electric tools) two "hot pads" for me out of wood. I love those and still use them. They embarrass him, but I still love them.