billye's thread made me wonder about everyone's holiday traditions. i'm sure everyone's family here does something different or unique. i thought it would be fun to share.

we have a bunch. i married very young, then was a single mother for many years. none of my family lived in texas, so i made my own traditions.

one of my favorites is that each family member goes through my HUGE stack of cookbooks and picks a new recipe. when they were little they got help, but it didn't take long for them to make something all by themselves.

over the years it really has evolved. first only recipes were picked that had pictures. most were cookies. now they pick more complex recipes. some have become favorites and are made all the time.

we really enjoy cooking and baking together. good family time. sharing the memories or the most awful...and who makes the biggest mess. i swear it's not me.

Curious this sounds so close to the traditions I have with my family. When kids where young we would make cookies and I would try to teach my daughter to make the Polish Traditional Foods that we have on that holiday. Now they are grown and we still try to keep up with things. But, at times it is my health that puts a change to plans. My son also keeps up with the traditions. It is wonderful and fun to do these things with the kids when they are small before you know it they are grown and start making different traditions. Hope this season will be a happy family get together for you. ------Joyce-------

they do grow fast joyce. mine are now 27, 24, 18 and 13. plus i'm raising my 6 yr old grandson.

it's fun to see those tradition pass a long. i hope you get to help make some cookies this year joyce. but eating the fruits of their labor is soooo enjoyable.

For christmas dinner, we all take it in turns to have it at each others home, everyone brings something, like someone will bring the leg of ham another the pork another the chicken and the lucky people who are having it their house do the roast potatoes etc, big job seeing its nearly 20 adults plus children, but everyone pitches in so its pretty good really.

Then later on, one of the blokes gets dressed up as Santa Clause and hands out all the presents, the little ones get a real kick out of it so its a great day.

Brian

It's great to hear about everyone's traditions. I'm kind of in a different, weird place this year. My two kids are grown, but not married, so the family is small. And my son is in Iraq for Christmas this year. To keep from mising him so much and feeling so lonely this year, my daughter and I decided that we will do Christmas differently this year -- get a hot pink tree, or something like that, and have an untraditional meal, and do some different things on Christmas day. We are afraid we will miss him too much if we do the traditional things. But, when things normalize, we will dust off the traditional tree and go back to traditions!

I'm in an odd place this year too. I moved 600 miles away from my family the weekend after Thanksgiving 2006. Was too sick to do anything last year except make an appearance at my sister-in-law's house, which I barely remember.

This year, I'm going to the Mayo Clinic in December and have no idea how long I'll be there. Am too exhausted already to really come up with any cool things to do, so I'll probably just show up at the in-laws' again if I can. Maybe I'll be clear-headed enough next year to start a tradition or two of my own with my husband.

One thing my husband and I do sometime during the month of December is bundle up in the car with a city map, a flashlight and some Starbuck's (I only let myself have a small cafe mocha ONCE a year!) and drive around and look at holiday decorations. This was great fun in Denver because it's such a huge spread out city. Last year in Sioux Falls wasn't bad, and maybe if I'm stuck in Rochester, Minnesota for awhile, we'll take a look around there too.

fanfaire

I was in Fanfaire's boat last Dec. and my kids were all gone for the Christmas's before that. I have worked all day today to order my Christmas gifts. I have to wrap them and mail them to all of my family that isn't here. This Christmas my son will be home for the first time in 3 years. Today I put up my tree. It's not a traditional tree, I asked for a live one that could be planted outside after Christmas. So I put it on the grocery/errand list and my husband picked it up at Walmart. Unfortunately I told him it didn't matter what size. So now I have a one foot tall Christmas tree.

I am using it tho. I'm not dumping this little thing. It's got Christmas balls on it and our green and white glittery tree skirt too. I've put the singing Santa Clauses out and the Christmas candle we've used for 30 years. Looks like a giant glittery snowball. Every surface in my living room is covered with Christmas. I've got the wreath on the door and my welcoming Santa in the doorway. Started wrapping the things that have to be mailed. I did all of this today. And did it on crutches.

I'm very afraid that I'm going to be in the hospital soon and I want to get my Christmas done. I'm afraid I won't be able to if I don't. The pelvic bone that just fractured about a month ago is making a stange popping sound when I move certain ways. And it really hurts when this happens. I got an appointment on Friday morning with my rheumie to see what is going on.

Not much about my Christmas is going to be the same this year I'm afraid. Not much tradition in it. But there will be Christmas here. And a glass of eggnog and a sweet potatoe pie.

Dakota, my thoughts and prayers for your son. And for all of you who are having to do without him this year.

Billye
'

Dakota:

Do you and your son ever communicate via webcam?? I once saw a tv special and all the guys in Iraq got some special time to get on a laptop and speak to their families. I wonder if this can happen to you??

Wouldn't that be special? He's in my prayers, as are all the guys in the service of our country.

Every time I run into a solder on the street, I always extend my hand and thank them. I did that with firemen ever since 911, but I also do this with servicemen also. I want them to know that there are people who appreciate what they are doing. After the Vietnam war came and the guys came home, well, they were treated so badly. I always remembered to go up and shake their hands and I used to say "Thank You". The surprised look on their faces were amazing.

Alan and I don't have Christmas Spirit in our hearts. Too much pain there.

But perhaps someday, down the road, we shall put up decorations, etc.

But every time I go into a store and I hear "I'll be home for Christmas", well my heart just breaks. I'll be in a much better frame of mind on January 2nd.

This always happens and I expect it always will.

So I just go about my business and live each day and just cope.

But God Bless those guys who serve our country. I hope they all come home soon.

I too, moved away from family, and at times, I seriously think about moving back, especially holiday times. We are a very family oriented group and we do spend holidays together, so the holidays are tough for me. Thanksgiving hits me especially hard and this year was no exception. On the Friday after, my daughter im'd me in aol and asked if she could come spend December with mebless her heart, was just what I needed. She has come out and spent every Christmas with me since I have been here, but I didn't expect it this year. Usually I drive to Michigan for a vacation in December, but was there in May for a wedding this year and absolutely need to go in April for the birth of my next grandbaby, so can't go now. Her coming will be wonderful, just the pick-me-up I needed.

I have my tree up, but will wait for her to get here on Wednesday to decorate it. She doesn't care, but I want her to help. My kids always teased me about my need to celebrate Christmas from Halloween until New Years!

This will be my decision year--stay or go back. Michigan has such a high unemployment rate right now and I have a good job here with full coverage insurance--we all know how important that is. I love my family and I miss them so much. I love it here too, I just wish I had a significant other with me, that's the hardest part. What to do?

I am a firm believer in the fact that everything happens for a reason and I know I am here for a very good reason.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Deb

Deb:

Family is very important.....so is the fact that you are employed and have benefits. That HAS TO TRUMP the family bit. It's being practical.

Now that's why they've invented the airplane, trains, cars, etc. For you to go and visit, for them to come and visit.

Also, and this is the next best thing since sliced bread, since you obviously know how to use a computer, get yourself a good webcam (with good resolution), and make sure the other people have the same.

You can view them every single day if you wish, you can see new grandkids, you can see YOUR own kids, you can COMMUNICATE. This is 2007. The technology is there. It's not that expensive.

Let me explain how this applies and why you should do this (if you can).

My girlfriend has an adopted son. He's is almost 30. He never knew he was adopted. They chose to tell him this fact about 8 months ago. To say he took it badly, is putting it mildly. He also found out he has a sister, other parents and grandparents (in another country). He does not understand one word of the language from the other country. But his adopted father is a native of that country and can speak it perfectly.

So what did the father do. He flew to his native country, he found his son's sister, (she never knew she had a biological brother), Being 2007, this girl had a computer, and a webcam. (She spoke no english whatsoever).

So when the son found out that his father found his sister, he was ecstatic.

He got a webcam for the family computer. So now we have two different countries, two different languages, but thankfully, an adoptive father who wanted to bring his son, his biological sister.

When that first transmission was made and everybody SAW each other for the first time, and translations are being made, well just imagine, everybody crying because even though they are thousands of miles away from each other, a little bit of technology known as a computer, allowed two families to connect to each other.

So if you are even a little bit computer savvy, and you may or may not have a webcam, all you have to do is make sure you have one, the other people have one (I'm just thinking that this is 2007 and everybody I know has a computer), well can you just imagine sitting down at your computer during dinner time, with a nice dinner and a glass of wine (that is if you can indulge), and at the other end, is your daughter or another family member and they are doing the same thing), You can SHARE A MEAL, with a family member and be thousands of miles away from each other.

I once did this with my son after he moved away (and before he became lost to us), I will never forget the joy of hooking up a webcam and at the other end, there was my smiling handsome son laughing his head off because Alan and I were going oooh, and aaaah, just being able to see our son who lived across the United States.

So don't fret for a minute if you can't move to Michigan. If you have a job and benefits and you think you can't get this by moving, just stay the course, hook up a webcam and visit with them whenver you can. It's free. I mean, thank goodness for the internet and computers.

While it's not the same as being in the room with the people, at least you can see each other.

I'm getting my 85 year old uncle to finally hook up his computer.

I just had to tell him 'don't you want to see your daughter's children whenever you want to??" He already had the computer in the house, but was afraid to go near it. I gently explained that it was not going to blow up, that if he wanted to accomplish a task, he had to get out of his comfort zone, and being an ex-teacher, and an ex-principal, he would have to do this. he completely agreed, he had someone hook up his computer, and he is going to get the webcam and start joining the computer society of webcam users. He had no idea. He is so excited, I can't tell you. So are his children.

And the people who live downstairs from me, well they are in their 80's and speak no english. I found an online translation service that translates for free, english into italian, and the reverse (in all languages), I have begun to write them e-mails and they receive it in italian. Imagine a guy over 80 sitting at a computer, and Melody, the lady who lives upstairs, is writing to them in italian. They think it's a hoot.

So don't fret. You'll find a way to deal with all of this. And have a good time wiith your daughter.

Merry Merry.

Melody