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Post by Natalie on Dec 14, 2017 14:54:30 GMT -6
I thought it would be fun to hear about some of your celebrations or family traditions. Birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, New Years, the Feasts of the Lord, whatever they celebrate where you are.  I grew up with the birthday kid finding a quarter in their piece of cake. It started with my dad who used to get a nickel in his piece when he was a child. |
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Post by barbiosheepgirl on Dec 14, 2017 15:06:45 GMT -6
As a kid my parents would take us out Christmas eve and somehow when we got back, Santa had delivered the presents. This has led to a Christmas Eve present opening, and food eating on the Day. Now, my hubby and I and close friends eat standing rib roast on Christmas. Hubby and I watch our favorite Christmas movies as we approach the day itself. And then there is church service in there on the eve or the day depending what day Christmas falls on... Leg of Lamb? we eat lamb often enough so beef is a refreshing change  |
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the0sign
New Member
Updates to the countdown to the Day of the Lord : http://risen-from-the-dead.forumotion.com/
Posts: 3 
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Post by the0sign on Dec 14, 2017 19:52:20 GMT -6
Currently I update daily some numbers in the countdown to the Day of the Lord at sunset in the first time zone. There will be the Three Days of Darkness which I anticipate will make such updating impossible, so I am sowing the best I can now so things sort of 'carry over' . . .
The part that is a celebration is a two year recognition of the Madonna and Child victory, inclusive to prayer for the Day of the Lord Cruise, a one-time celebration for an oft foretold event which will only come once . . .
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Post by sawdy on Dec 14, 2017 20:55:57 GMT -6
I tried to host a big family Christmas dinner, but with my parents divorced it made it hard to choose who to invite. One year I had my mom, her mom, and my dad present with my in-laws. My Dad was well behaved but my Mom wasn't. So I stopped inviting my Mom. She showed up uninvited.
Fast forward a couple of years, my father in law has passed away and Christmas isn't the same without him. My Dad hardly comes because I haven't been able to prevent uninvited guests. So my Christmas is not a holiday I enjoy spending time with family. We go to as many Church services as we can to prevent having to have Christmas with my Mom. She has a Christmas eve get together- my family is not there as we are at a Candlelight Christmas Eve service with my Mother-in-law.
Sorry to dump my frustrations of the holiday in your thread, but I truly wish I could host a happy family dinner without a few people getting drunk, being insulting and just down right poorly behaved. I do enjoy cooking and having people over but I hate the drama demon that has attached itself to my mother.
We had a good tradition of going to a community Christmas Dinner which is now not fun because today my Mom chose to insult me twice infront of strangers, friends, and my children and my mother-in-law. We got up from the table and left.
I really am thankful to have such a wonderful Mother-in-Law, who is supportive of me and my situation.
I have already asked my husband if we could just skip Christmas prior to the events of this evening. I hate the stress that has attached itself to a time of year that should be happy. I miss my Father-in-Law. I hate that my due date for my last pregnancy which I miscarried (I guess I have a hard time getting pregnant because we've been trying for quite a while to have a third- our youngest is 7) was Christmas Day three years ago. Christmas seems to have become the "what could've been".
Things that I do try to make into happy traditions for my children: Christmas Eve Service, homemade stockings that were made by my Mother-in-Law get used yearly and treated with care, a tree that isn't matchy-matchy but a fun mixture of ornaments from my own childhood, coupled with ones that my children have received over the years and Scratch from Ice Age gets stuffed in my tree every year (kids tradition since my Dad put him in the tree when he gave him to us several years ago). My husband makes cinnamon buns for breakfast on Christmas Day and we eat them all day long until it is time for Turkey Dinner.
I find it even harder to focus on the season this year. My tree isn't up and I have only 1/4 done of my shopping. Hopefully I will make some progress this weekend, after all, I don't have much time left.
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Post by Natalie on Dec 14, 2017 21:23:40 GMT -6
It's okay to dump it on this thread. I have family issues as well. My mom's a bit upset about stuff this year; my husband's parents are divorced and there are issues there. I'm having a hard time focusing this year, too. I'd really like to be Home for Christmas. We have a tree and lights up only because my husband did it. I do have gifts bought, but each kid got a higher priced main gift so they aren't going to have many gifts. One tradition we have for Christmas Eve is to read the Christmas story or the book The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung and then we have a birthday cake for Jesus. We also usually have one small gift to open. |
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Post by barb84 on Dec 15, 2017 21:13:25 GMT -6
sawdy, this is the first year in at least 20 years we have a tree up before Christmas Eve. We would always go in the woods and cut one down. They were generally reminiscent of Charlie Brown's. My husband bought an artificial tree at an auction a couple of years ago. Paid $2.00 for it. I live 700 miles from my family so we don't get together at Christmas, weather is too iffy. We have shrimp cocktail and cocktail weiners on Christmas Eve, and suet pudding, which is a tradition in my husband's family.
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Post by sawdy on Dec 15, 2017 21:49:14 GMT -6
barb84After yesterdays incident with my mother, my husband and mother-in-law decided we are going to go to his family condo in the city for Christmas. I am thankful that they care about me but I am a little overwhelmed because now I have to pack everything to take there. I have hosted Christmas at my home for the last 9 years, so it feels weird to be someplace else. My husband is going to buy a tiny pre-lighted tree and my kids asked if they can take their favorite decorations for it. We've decided to not set up at home now. I've got 4 days to get my shopping done and wrapped as my husband is going to the dentist on the 20th, so I might as well send in the presents with him so that I have room in the car for turkey dinner supplies and a couple days of clothing. Although my mother-in-law has stocked the kitchen with most all supplies, it isn't ready to host a holiday meal. My husband suggested making non-traditional food, but I said that switching location is a big change for our kids, I want to still provide them with the turkey dinner on Christmas Day. We aren't leaving until late on Christmas Eve as we have two church services to attend at our church before we take off. I am needed to help out with the morning service and my mother-in-law and her friend are in charge of lighting the advent candle Christmas Eve. It is going to be a busy day. I hope I don't forget anything important. Lol I guess I should get started on a list.
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Post by barb84 on Dec 16, 2017 8:25:20 GMT -6
sawdy, lists are good! I pray the planning all comes together, I am sure it will. And remember, " all things work together for good..."
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Post by witness1 on Dec 18, 2017 7:32:01 GMT -6
I wish I had seen this thread sooner so I could share this. We LOVE Ann Voskamp’s advent book and candle thing. We light another candle each night at dinner and my husband reads the story after dinner while the kids and I color. We have a special tree to hang our advent ornaments on... there is one for each story. The kids really love it, and I know the adults get more out of it than they do. annvoskamp.com/2010/03/if-youre-looking-for-deeply-meaningful/ |
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