Who's ready for Christmas?

[jenyurko]

This gal!

Actually, I'm ready for 2016 to just be over with already. It's been a busy year what with Nick having to find a new job, moving, everything that goes with moving , new schools for the kids, new friends.... weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. The kids get out for their Winter Break today and don't go back to school until Jan 5th. I'm so past ready for this break (if sleeping through 3 alarms on an almost daily basis for the past 2 weeks is any kind of indicator LOL)

On the plus side, I have all the Christmas shopping done for Nick and the kids... AND it's all wrapped & ready to go. I just have to take the kids out to go shopping for Nick next week, which will be fun. Nick cheated and bought something for me from them, then told the kids to hand over 20 bucks each... and won't tell them what "they" got me, lolol.

We aren't going anywhere for the holidays this year. I'm just too tired What are your plans?

 

[Fayette]

I know this probably won't come as a huge surprise to anyone. But, I AM NOT READY FOR CHRISTMAS *grin* On the bright side, I'm almost done. I made some caramels this morning. I usually dip a ton of chocolates, but decided to scale way back this year so that the scale isn't screaming at me in January I did about 98% of my shopping online this year. I shopped a bit yesterday before going to see my dad, and remembered why I hate stores in December. Bah Humbug I hate playing bumper cars with shopping carts...the stores were crowded!

We're hosting a dinner here on Christmas eve with my kids and grandkids. They used to all spend the night with us, but their families are growing up now, so they're going home & we'll go visit each of them at their homes & have Christmas dinner with everyone at my daughter's house about an hour south of where we live. It means a lot of running around on Christmas, but it's better to do it this way so the kids can stay home and enjoy some family time

One thing I've done for years is go shopping the day after Christmas. I know...sounds weird, but I love finding great deals on things to give my siblings & neighbors for the next year & will put up with the crowds on that day It's not nearly as nuts as Black Friday. The people I give the gifts to love it, too...always comment on what fun things I give them. So, I'll probably do that again on Monday, although I'm starting to have some "I'd rather stay in bed" thoughts *grin*.

During the kids' Christmas break from school, we're having them come and stay with us again...but NOT all at the same time. We're spreading it out...older boys will spend one day & then stay the night. We'll take them to lunch & then take them home & bring all of the older girls home & they get to spend the night. We'll take them home & then we'll bring the three little people over to spend the day on another day. Lol, they are not invited to spend the night. A couple of weekends ago when we had two of our littlest grandkids staying with us (along with 4 of the older kids), we didn't get any sleep. The kids slept fine, but I don't do so well when I'm getting kicked in the kidneys all night. Lol, and our little Kendall sounds like he's wrestling a crocodile in the crib. He doesn't wake up, but he sure wakes us up. Lol, we'll give them another year or so, then they can sleep over more often

Dang, I'm tired just thinking about it. Bah Humbug! *grin*

 

[O-So-Squirrely]

Oh both of your holidays sound so nice and family-ish!! First, yes I'm done shopping, and like you Fayette, every bit of it was online or in Australia lol (still sounds funny to me). When I was there though it was the end of winter, so I got some amazing clothes for my daughter here for a fraction of the cost (go me!!). So 1/3 of my kids are in Oz, my son and his g/f and my sister and family are all in Vegas, and we're here in NY. It's a pretty quiet holiday now because my grands that I live with are too old for Santa, and too young to be fun again lol. Yep - TEENAGERS - eghad! We have my ex'es family around here and we spend a day with them....but all in all, Christmas is different now and without any little ones around that are mine. I remember when my Mom started to sing this same song too. It made her really sad, but not me really. It's just different, calmer I guess. Which isn't a bad thing after years of running around like a crazy person.

I guess I could start nagging my son and his gf to get married and give me a new toy for Christmas....hmmm......

:ThumbsUp:

 

[Caylynn]

I hear you on the moving, Jen! We moved this year too, as hubby was posted to a new city. I managed to finish my graduate degree just weeks before our move, so life was very busy finishing up my master's degree, getting the house ready to sell, selling it, moving, settling into the new house, looking for a job, etc. On top of it, one of our cats was diagnosed with large cell lymphoma. I ended up missing my convocation because he was doing so poorly. Fortunately he seems to be in remission now, but who knows how much longer he'll be with us.

I've finished all of my holiday prep. No real plans for Christmas, although we may visit with my family for the first time in ten years, since we now only live about a 2 hour drive away. So if the weather cooperates we'll spend a few days with my family over the holidays.

Fay, I can't imagine going shopping the day after Christmas - that's Boxing Day here in Canada, and while there are some good deals to be found, the stores are so crazy that I simply don't want to have to deal with the crowds!

 

[jenyurko]

Wow ya'll sounds like some of you are going to be busy busy busy!

Caylynn, before we moved here, we lived 2 hours from my parents house - a straight shot too, it was only 2 turns and a long stretch of highway both ways. It was nice....... the first couple of years. LOL! Now we're about 6 hours away, so I can avoid the ... drama ... coming out of the female members of my family

You're nuts, Faye! I couldn't imagine braving the stores day after Christmas! Not even Kroger for groceries ... eesh. I'll be poking around online to see if there are any cyber sales going on though!

Our kids are all teenagers, too! It's not AS fun as it was when they were smaller, but I still look forward to Christmas morning. Since I have a bad habit of buying most everything we want/need throughout the year, the gifts the last 2 years have been "fun" gifts. Like, last year? I think it was? Or year before... I got them all t-shirts that said "personal space invaders" (because they are always over my shoulder). And of course, we are gamers. There are always several new board games under the tree

 

[LBickford]

Hey everyone, great topic, and typically I'd be all cheery and having a blast, but this year has been a tough one for us, and at the moment I'm going through the stress of losing my job beginning Jan 1 :-( I'll still be employed, but it is putting me back where I was for the first 10 yrs with the company, and not what I've been doing for the last 5. I did apply and interview for something that would look a bit like my current job, but not completely. And they began notifications three days ago, and I haven't heard a thing yet, so I'm pretty depressed about it.

We did celebrated Christmas last weekend with the two younger grandkids - they live in Maine still, where we are from, but we live in Alabama now. We had an awesome weekend, and even snow before we left, which we didn't need, but gave us the feel of a white Christmas. We'll see the oldest grandson, who is here nearby, at some point for the holiday, to celebrate with him and his dad and our daughter who moved down here shortly after we did.

I think I'm about done shopping. We'll see, I tend to pick things up even last minute and after the big day, to take for certain loved ones when I go to Maine. I haven't yet gotten or made anything for my aunt or my sis, and I always give them something. I need to get on that.

I love seeing what you all are doing! Faye, that is a boatload of grands! Smart move to split them up for visits - how many of your kids do they belong to? So are the older boys and then older girls and then young ones mostly cousins, or some siblings too?

 

[Fayette]

I have 3 kids, 2 girls (32 and 29) and then a boy (25). Each of my girls have five kids, (my oldest has a blended family - her hubby had one daughther when they got married and they have one sweet little boy together.). So, when the boys come, it's 2 boys from each family - they love getting together with their cousins. When the girls come, it's my oldest daughter's 2 girls and my middle daughter's oldest daughter - more cousin time. When the littles come, it's my oldest daugher's little boy (16 months), and my middle daughter's 2 youngest girls (2 years 2 months & 9 months). Lol, and YES, that's a lot of little ones. Is your head spinning yet? Lol, mine is! My son doesn't have kids yet, but he and his girlfriend are expecting their first in May. Lol, I don't think he's going to go for five kids.

 

[Fayette]

Your Boxing Day compares to our Black Friday. I don't go anywhere near the stores on that day here I used to, but it's become insane, and well, it doesn't make me feel Christmasy at all if I have to wrestle with someone to get whatever I wanted to buy Yes, it really does get that ridiculous sometimes. The day after Christmas is much more relaxed, at least it has been. I didn't go last year because I was sick. Lol, I hope it hasn't changed, or I won't last long!

 

[LBickford]

Wow, Faye, that's a lot!!!! I'll bet holidays are BONKERS - in the best possible way!

I have 4 siblings, 1 half sister (from my dad, we don't really see her much at all) and my mom married a man with 7 kids. There were 12 of us in a house with 5 bedrooms (only 4 for the 12 of us) when they got married, when I was a young teen. One bathroom! They have an Open House now all day Christmas Eve, but before they did, when everyone came at once, it was a ZOO. No one could move. Sometimes I miss it.

 

[Fayette]

That's the thing about family get-togethers. They're chaotic, but provide such a great way to bond with everyone. I only see my cousins at our family reunion once a year, and then at weddings or funerals. I miss those days when we all went to Grandpa & Grandma's house for Christmas Eve, too. Now everyone comes to mine...it's a full circle

 

[LBickford]

Two hours is still a long drive when you have to do it both ways, especially with excited or tired kids! For 6 hrs you'd need to stay at least a night or two to recover. How often do you get back home? When you do are you able to scrap along the way, or are you a driver? Hubby fixed me up a 'table' when we'd drive long distances in his truck. Now with the RV I just move to the table in the back and try to click the right things and hit undo a lot, when the roads are rough!

 

[LBickford]

Full circle, just as it is meant to be!

 

[jenyurko]

2 hours is nothing for me and the kids. we'd scoot over without Nick every so often for 3 day weekends or in the summer for a week long stay, and Nick would come with us for thanksgiving. this year we didn't go at all - long, complicated, drama filled story, but suffice it to say, i've just about been black-sheeped (again) because i haven't been able to drop everything and 'come when called'

a 6 hour drive isn't so bad - we did that drive 4 times this year no problem to get set up here - but if/when we go to my parents again, i'll be driving I65. i hate I65. it's SO boring... trees lining both sides of the highway almost the whole way. the tunnel vision is awful.

when we do go, my computer stays home. i take my tablet so i can be reached if needed, but that's the extent of my electronic use. i'm kept hopping with stuff mom needs done and hanging out drinking with my dad & brother, lol. i use any and all trips as a break from the digi world

 

[jenyurko]

I hope you get some good news about the job! That's tough - Nick completely lost his job at the beginning of the year this year, hence the move ... where in Alabama do you live? We are now just outside Huntsville and my parents live in Mobile!

 

[LBickford]

Jen - NO. WAY!!!! We live in Madison!!!

 

[jenyurko]

No freaking way! So do we!

 

[Caylynn]

Jen, our times basically reversed! I used to live a 6 hour drive from my parents; now it's two hours, and it's pretty direct too. When we lived 6 hours away, I only visited my parents twice in 5 years, mainly because I went back to university for a second undergraduate degree and then a graduate degree, and just didn't have the time. My parents did visit for my undergraduate convocation, and my dad visited when we took him to a CFL (Canadian football) game. So 6 hours felt a bit far.

Two hours is far enough away that I'm not expected to visit for every single event (i.e. My mom's birthday, my niece's 6th grade "graduation", etc.) but close enough to visit for major holidays or events (like Christmas). But given that we are in Ontario, and they live where they get a lot more snow than us (we're on Lake Ontario, so we don't get a lot of snow compared to where they are, 2 hours North), we make it very clear that any visits are always weather-dependent. Traditionally my husband and I don't travel on or near major holidays, it's just too much hassle. But this Christmas is the first time we've lived so close in a long time (prior to living in the 6 hour away place, we lived in another province that was basically a 5 day drive away for two years, and before that we were in Germany for four years) that we will visit if the weather is okay. My mom lives with my sister (and my niece and my sister's fiancé) and my dad lives in the same city, so we can see all of my side of the family. My husband's family is in another province, that you either need to fly to or take a ferry to, and, if driving, is a 2-3 day drive (plus ferry ride) but he visited them this past summer (I was busy with a practicum placement for grad school, so I couldn't go), and then we are both visiting next June.

 

[jenyurko]

Two hours is far enough away that I'm not expected to visit for every single event

This. That was a huge issue for me when we lived 2 hours away. I was expected to (not asked to) be able to drop every.thing. without notice and just go flitting on over for whatever reason. And that's caused the rift I'm sitting in now