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Holiday Plans | Pad Patter 12.23

Today has been laundry day. Yesterday we went to my baby brothers for a family dinner. So everyone is free to relax at home on Christmas day (and Christmas Eve)
 
djp332 said:
We have a neighborhood party tonight, Christmas Eve at my daughter's followed by Candlelight Service at our church. We're on our own for Christmas Day - our plan is to go on a hike to find a waterfall that I've been wanting to find, and then Chinese food for dinner.

The government shutdown put a damper on some of our plans for next week. No national parks for us, so we're going to a botanical garden and then we'll find some covered bridges.
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That sounds like a lovely way to spend Christmas!! Sorry you won't be able to head to the national park, but sounds like you have awesome alternative plans!! Wishing you a wonderful holiday, Donna!
 
kimingvtx said:
Fairly quiet here. Christmas morning will be my husband, son, and me opening gifts. Then we will go to Sister-in-law's house for dinner.
Today is our 37th anniversary and we are staying home and having a steak dinner - YUM.
On January 2nd, my son's sweetheart will arrive and we will have presents with her and then sometime in January my daughter and son in law will come and have Christmas with us!
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Happy anniversary!!! Sometimes you just have to have to make it Christmas when you can, huh? We've done that before! Wishing you a wonderful holiday season, Kim!!
 
BevG said:
Tonight we have our candlelight service at church. And then Movie Night (an usual Sunday night habit) at our house. Tomorrow will be last minute things and baking (if we feel like it). My dad loves German sweets so there is talk of making him stollen and pfeffernusse cookies. On Christmas morning, it is stockings and presents. Around noon, my parents are coming over and we are having a full dinner and presents with them. Then it is family Birthday party for the daughter (sweet 17) with presents but no cake because who can eat cake at this point. Besides, she had her friends party this past Saturday.

On Wednesday, we drive to Ky (about 10 hours) to see my husband's family - eat some more - open more presents, etc. Extended family Christmas party on Saturday, then we drive home on Sunday. On Monday, we are driving to my parents (just 40 minutes away) to see my sister and new hubby who are visiting from Michigan. New Year's Day, I will be at home starting MOC and enjoying my Christmas gifts.

This will be the last Christmas of our little family doing things together. Next year my oldest will have a wife and some things will change - like him sleeping here so he can open stockings with us - and him driving to Ky with us - and ??. There might even be a joint two family party as we really like hanging out with her family.
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Busy, busy, busy!! I relate to that 10 hour travel time. My husband's parents lived 10 hours away from us as well, but since they have both passed, we don't make the trip anymore. Things sure change when the babies grow up, don't they? But you just make new traditions! What's funny is that both my older kids who have homes and significant others of their own, still leave their stockings here for me to fill LOL I tried to give them to them to take to their houses and they were like...ummm seriously? hahaha I hope you have an amazing holiday, Bev! Safe travels!!
 
QuiltyMom said:
We had church this morning, a beautiful service of Lessons and Carols. Tomorrow we’ll be at home and eat our traditional Swedish foods for dinner then head over to church for the Christmas Eve service, and Christmas Day travel to my in-laws for lunch and a visit. My DH took next week off on vacation (staycation), but how long his vacation lasts depends upon the government shutdown. It may be longer...
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Sounds lovely, Jan! Safe travels to you and here's hoping the government gets its stuff together soon!!! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!!
 
LoveItScrapIt said:
Today has been laundry day. Yesterday we went to my baby brothers for a family dinner. So everyone is free to relax at home on Christmas day (and Christmas Eve)
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I did laundry all day today, too. I was way behind on putting things away! Enjoy your relaxing time, Kiana! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!!
 
It's just DH & I for Christmas Eve since our kids will be with their significant others' families on Monday. Tuesday morning we're hosting the Christmas Day festivities. We open stocking gifts first, then have a sit-down breakfast. Finally it's under-the-tree presents! We'll have soup and sandwiches in the afternoon and Christmas cookies, of course!
 
BevG said:
like him sleeping here so he can open stockings with us
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You never know! When I got married, we ended up going to MIL's for Christmas Eve because that was important to her. Then we schlepped over to my parents and spent the night so we were there for Christmas morning. The next year we followed this except we decided our own bed was more comfortable and got up early instead (phone call when the littles woke up, and we drove the 8 minutes over).

IntenseMagic said:
What's funny is that both my older kids who have homes and significant others of their own, still leave their stockings here for me to fill LOL I tried to give them to them to take to their houses and they were like...ummm seriously
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My mom filled mine for like 14 years after I had been married and moved out! She mailed it from UT to MA for 7 years! LOL! Then she decided to only fill those kids that lived at her house. Joke was on her - that was the year we moved back, and she filled ours because we'd be over Christmas morning. So, not only was she filling her kids, she filled her in-laws too.
 
My Christmas plans are to make the cookies I love tomorrow. And maybe caramels and dip pretzels. Dh really wants the dipped pretzels, and the caramels are pretty simple.

Then we are heading over to a friends for appetizers, games, and a nativity that rivals "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". Last year, our baby Jesus got bored and walked away while the shepherds were admiring him. And Joseph (munchkin) wouldn't talk to the innkeeper, so Mary had to try to get a room herself. And since the innkeeper was Mary's sibling, I seem to recall words like "You'll make a huge mess" being exchanged.

Christmas morning will just be the 3 of us. Hanging out, new games, and new movies. While I miss family, it's nice to not be running back and forth between the two houses. I look forward to a quiet Christmas.
 
bonnenuit said:
It's just DH & I for Christmas Eve since our kids will be with their significant others' families on Monday. Tuesday morning we're hosting the Christmas Day festivities. We open stocking gifts first, then have a sit-down breakfast. Finally it's under-the-tree presents! We'll have soup and sandwiches in the afternoon and Christmas cookies, of course!
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Sounds wonderful, Judy!! Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
 
bestcee said:
My Christmas plans are to make the cookies I love tomorrow. And maybe caramels and dip pretzels. Dh really wants the dipped pretzels, and the caramels are pretty simple.

Then we are heading over to a friends for appetizers, games, and a nativity that rivals "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". Last year, our baby Jesus got bored and walked away while the shepherds were admiring him. And Joseph (munchkin) wouldn't talk to the innkeeper, so Mary had to try to get a room herself. And since the innkeeper was Mary's sibling, I seem to recall words like "You'll make a huge mess" being exchanged.

Christmas morning will just be the 3 of us. Hanging out, new games, and new movies. While I miss family, it's nice to not be running back and forth between the two houses. I look forward to a quiet Christmas.
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Hahaha that nativity story is the best!!
When my kids were little, I told both families that we were not leaving our house on Christmas Day, that we would run around on Christmas Eve or even the day after Christmas, but on Christmas Day we were staying home. If they wanted to see us, they could come to our house. I was nice about it, but firm :) I've told my older kids that if they want to do the same, I am totally fine with coming to their house on Christmas Day so they don't have to drag all the kids out.
 
We used to travel to either my parents or my hubby's parents for Christmas Day. We did that for 21+ years, until the daughter, aged 3 at the time, insisted since it is also her birthday, that we be home. Now we travel the day after Christmas. I really like that - and it is sooo much easier than packing everything up to take somewhere.
 
I love to hear how everyone spends the holiday. We did our baking yesterday. This morning I have to work, I'll get the turkey into a cold water bath for a few hours (not quite thawed), will get stuffing ready and then at noon will head up to the hospital for a quick visit with Bailey and will bring a few baked goodies for her. Then on the way home we'll grab Jen (my daughter, who doesn't have her car this wk) and all her gifts and stuff as she'll stay over for 4 days. Then home to get bird stuffed and into the oven. Jen can finish wrapping gifts (she ran out of paper so wil finish up here) and I'll hopefully get dinner ready for around 6:30. Then we're going to have a scary Xmas Eve LOL. We've seen the first 2 episodes of Haunting Of Hill House and can't wait to binge watch the rest of the episodes. Xmas morning we will open gifts, have bacon/eggs breakfast and get ready to go spend the day with Bailey.We'll pack up the leftovers to bring to the hospital for an afternoon turkey dinner with her and open gifts with her there, then play some games. Then home later in the evening and then we can relax again and watch more shows/movies. Boxing Day (26th) will be a relaxing day and in the late afternoon we'll go to the movies but not sure what we want to see yet. Any recommendations????

On the 27th (weather permitting), I'm taking hubs' van with snow tires and head up into the mountains to go eagle viewing for the day with my daughter. They patrol the highway regularly to make sure that people aren't driving up there with all seasons or regular tires (like on my car). Hate driving the van (like my little putt-putt car) but it'll be worth it to get away on our little adventure. Don't know if there will be snow, or eagles, or whatever but it'll be fun! Then on Sat or Sun we'll head out to visit our other 2 daughters and their families. Time really flies around Xmas but somehow everything gets done and figure out schedules LOL.
 
It's quiet now...but not for long.

We just finished getting the house and food ready for tonight & tomorrow. We'll go to Christmas Eve service tonight (where a few of my kids & hubby are doing some music) and then all of my family will come over for appetizers/finger foods & opening presents with cousins. There will be about 30 people here.

Then tomorrow we'll do our own quiet (if you can count it quiet with 7 kids - haha!) morning opening presents and then later on in the day we'll head to my parent's for Christmas dinner & games.
 
I'm at my sister's place right now. We always leave for Christmas since my mom and siblings (and their families) all live 4 hours north of us so it makes sense to be with them. Tomorrow will be our Christmas breakfast followed by opening presents :)
 
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