The Christmas 2008 thread

Talk about anything under the sun or stars - but keep it civil. This is where we really get to know each other. Everyone is welcome, and invited!
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Young Val
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Postby Young Val » Fri Dec 19, 2008 8:58 am

This is my first time bringing a significant other home for Christmas! Those of you who've crossed this threshold before me--any advice? Words of wisdom? Stories of woe?
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Postby Eddie Pinz » Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:02 am

My only Christmas tradition, aside from dinner with family, is actually a Christmas Eve tradition. On Christmas Eve, I always hang with my friend Mark, whom was one of my best friends growing up. We moved away and moved apart, but we also hang on Christmas Eve. I haven't seen the kid in months, probably close to a year. I thought that this year might be different, but needless to I got a phone call from him earlier this week. We never do anything special, except that we enjoy the spirits of the season and generally have a good time. We both have a wicked scar from a couple years ago which is a story in its own right. But I'm glad the tradition is continuing this year.

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Postby starlooker » Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:58 am

This is my first time bringing a significant other home for Christmas! Those of you who've crossed this threshold before me--any advice? Words of wisdom? Stories of woe?
Me too!

Yeah, I want stories! Traps to watch out for! Etc!
There's another home somewhere,
There's another glimpse of sky...
There's another way to lean
into the wind, unafraid.
There's another life out there...

~~Mary Chapin Carpenter

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Postby Eddie Pinz » Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:32 am

As someone that has been on both sides of this, meeting someone else's family is definitely more stressful. I would definitely warn against any wacky relatives, so to take what they say with a grain of salt. Definitely, let him (they I guess since there is two of you now) know if they share similar interests with anyone who will be there, makes conversations a lot easier. There is nothing worse than bring up a topic(in my case sports), and having everyone look at you like you have seven heads because no one there is in to sports. Warn what will turn your family off. For example, me = drinker(okay, big drinker). Gets your foot in the door sometimes, other times it is your first step out. Have they met any of your family before? (I am assuming not, because I think both of you have moved away from your hometown).

The best advice I could give is to stay calm and stay close. They are going to be more nervous than you are, so you have to be calm and reassuring that your family is going to love them. Stay close to save them from any awkward conversations that would make them uncomfortable.

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Postby Eddie Pinz » Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:38 am

*double*

Not a Christmas meeting the family for the first time, but there is nothing worse then meeting the family for the first time by them finding you on the couch in the morning. Talk about awkward. And it happened to me twice. Nothing like the awkwardness of "Yep I stayed here with your daughter last night and oh by the way it is very nice to meet you." The funny part is that both families (as far as I could tell) loved me. And I don't think anything could be worse/more awkward than that experience.

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Postby Young Val » Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:32 pm

David has met both of my parents and their spouses (they're divorced, for those of you who don't remember) and he's met my sister. He has not met the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins (of which there are many).

My family is, to be blunt, nuts.

Also, David is sort of a grinch. Ok, he's a total grinch. Not that my family is SUPER into the holidays or anything. But once we booze it up a little bit we're definitely all about singing carols and general Christmas frippery.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Postby Mich » Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:59 pm

This could be more awkward:

http://www.xkcd.com/275/
Shell the unshellable, crawl the uncrawlible.

Row--row.

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Postby Eddie Pinz » Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:44 pm

Nice Mich. I have seen that before and thought about my experience. But waking up on the couch(and in one case, the same couch the daughter is on), insinuates a little more than nipple liking if you know what mean. :lol:

Kel,

Well at least he knows some of them going into it. I think that definitely makes it easier. And if he's being a grinch, tell him to suck it up, get drunk and sing some Christmas carols. lol.

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Postby locke » Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:42 pm

heh, my brother's wife is 7.5ish months pregnant, iirc, and she was two weeks early last time. so on monday the doc ordered her not to travel.

We are currently in a flurry of packing christmas up to take out to them. :P my dad is having fits about how we're going to pack it all. I have to pack my clothes in my backpack because my small carryon suitcase is too big and there's no room for it.

the only really unfortunate/unfun side to all this is I will likely be very limited on internet as neither my brother or his wife have laptops or a wireless network at their house. ugh how primative. :P
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby zeroguy » Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:57 pm

I love that version of Carol of the Bells.
Oh, you mean that "Home Alone" song.

(And http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZEqFGWyvZg deserves a mention if for nothing else than the image...)
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Postby Mich » Sat Dec 20, 2008 12:54 am

I prefer "Somewhere in My Memory" when it comes to Home Alone songs.
Shell the unshellable, crawl the uncrawlible.

Row--row.

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Postby locke » Sat Dec 20, 2008 1:06 am

"christmas eve" at my brother's house (normally would be my parents house) is sibling gift exchange and one (sometimes more) parent present. we also let my niece open her presents from her aunts and uncle. was fun. I got 4 dvds, WallE and total recall on blu, aliens and house season 2 regular dvd). this christmas is going to be a tidbit disappointing because I forgot to remind my mom that I want mostly clothes, and she uses my amazon list which is all movies, DS games and books. guess what I"m probably getting most everything. :P

I'm not complaining, but I do have more dvds than I can watch as it is. I love getting them and adding to my library but new clothes are more of a need. stupid of me not to remind mom that's what wanted. but yay for christmas and presents. everyone seemed to really like what I got them so far, which is good.

but ugh, too much travel today I could sleep for a week but we're getting up early tomorrow (whenever my neice wakes up) to do "christmas morning" with the santa presents and what not. then apparently when we get back to our house on Sunday night, we'll do the rest of our christmas from my parents to me and my sisters as we couldn't fit all the presents in the tahoe. :P

And then on the 24th, we head down to my grandmas for a white elephant exchange at my aunts and christmas morning at my grandma's house. :) then it's back home after that for a day or two or relaxing before preparing for the new years party. :D

I'm going to have to not snack on goodies the whole time, must watch myself on that. :/

As for taking a SO to christmas to meet extended family for the first time, I have no advice from personal experience, but it seemed to work out well enough for my brother. then again I think he might have used thanksgiving as the main introduction as there are more people there anyway. :P but I think he and his future wife did practice relationships and names in the car ride to the holiday, so she at least was somewhat familiar with who people might be. I hope you both have fun introducing your man around. :)
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Jayelle » Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:37 am

I'm here at my in-laws in Niagara Falls for Christmas. It's been really nice and relaxing so far. It's sad that my sister-in-law and her partner (really, she's also my sister-in-law) can't be here because of impending baby, but other then that the rest of the family (including all five grandkids) are around. There are so many stockings on the fireplace that they loop around the sides. It's awesome.
I miss my family a bit - it's one of the things about getting married, we only spend every second Christmas with my family - but I'm getting to love the traditions of Caspian's family.

There is so much snow here this year that it makes it all better and happy. Snow=Christmas=Love.
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Postby Rei » Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:54 pm

I made gingersnap cookie dough this evening. Well, sorta. As in, I forgot to buy ginger and therefore replaced it with nutmeg. So now it's more like apple spice snap cookie dough. But it tastes good all the same yet and will taste even better after it has chilled for the day!
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Postby Valentine » Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:08 pm

I love Christmas. It's the time of year when my family gets together and plays games and watches movies and generally enjoys eachother's company. I love having all three girls at home, too. It's nice to spend time with everyone.
I have my first Christmas family event tommorrow, and I can't wait. I get to celebrate w/ my little cousin Phoebe, who is just the most adorable 5 year old ever. I love her to death :D

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Postby daPyr0x » Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:30 pm

I honestly feel like such a grinch this Christmas. My work's making me go in first thing Christmas eve and work half a day (or more - likely more) and it totally ruins the Christmas I have with my family, with Christmas Eve with my dad's side, and Christmas Day with my mom's. So they've basically given me a choice of driving 4 hours on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, or having my mom miss Christmas Dinner. It's honestly the very first time I've felt my job seriously interfere with my family life, and it's something I've never wanted to have. And, as such, I've been overall pissy this holiday season.

On the plus side, this year - for the very first time ever - I get to have Christmas dinner on Christmas Day with my whole dad's side of the family and with my mom. I'm honestly really looking forward to it, because I enjoy getting to spend time with a large part of my family rather than doing smaller get-togethers; and it's kinda cool to have my mom involved with my step-mom and little brother. Another reason I'm so pissed my work screwed it up for me.
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Postby Jayelle » Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:43 pm

Image
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Postby Wil » Wed Dec 24, 2008 4:12 pm

Oh wow, that's so cute!

Merry Christmas!

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Postby Gravity Defier » Thu Dec 25, 2008 1:22 am

That's great, Jan. :D


Merry Christmas, guys.
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Postby Valentine » Thu Dec 25, 2008 10:53 am

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

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Postby locke » Thu Dec 25, 2008 11:35 am

Merry Christmas to All! :D
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Hector.Victorious » Thu Dec 25, 2008 12:08 pm

Merry Christmas!
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Postby locke » Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:49 am

Christmas at my grandparents was fine indeed, we had to come home earlier (tonight) rather than tomorrow, but that was okay, all in all it was a peaceful easy feeling being there, warm company and familiar times. :)

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So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Sun Dec 28, 2008 2:44 am

http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3036

I love the Little Drummer Boy one of my two favorite christmas songs (that and Carol of the Bells)

so I LOVE that comic. :)
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Rei » Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:16 pm

I got chocolates of deliciousness from Adam! Thank-you so much!
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