Every Christmas brings a new set of things to make you feel, well make you feel STRESSED. What used to be a really fun time for you as a kid, is now this "event" that many people dread, fear and resent taking over their lives. It doesn't last one day, it lasts for about three months and it can be hell!!
But it doesn't have to be. My sister has the right idea about Christmas. She does what HER immediate family wants to do, and that is keep it simple. They banned traveling, over-spending and the general feeling of wastefulness that comes with the holidays.
They stay home, only get a few truly treasured items and basically take it easy on Christmas. Eric thinks that is TOTALLY LAME, and I tend to agree.
Here's what we do for the holidays. We try and squeeze in as many family activities as possible. The more chaos and confusion the better. We travel on Christmas and Thanksgiving exchanging children on the turnpike, rip through presents like they were each concealing a winning lotto ticket, eat good food, get asked if the turkey/ham/roast is too dry about ten times, and generally regress into old family habits. One brother is busy with friends and we NEVER see him, the other is sleeping on the couch prior to and right after eating turkey, the other one (Eric) is up in his office madly commenting/writing/emailing/checking stats and the sister(s) that includes me, are cleaning/cooking/helping my overworked and martyred mother(in-law).
Grandkids, nieces, nephews are all playing, yelling and otherwise having a great time. Then the most fun thing is family movie night, we all go and take in a family oriented movie, say "Lord of the Rings" or something equally scary for little kids.
I wouldn't spend it any other way.
What about you? Express your ideal of the holidays in the latest poll!
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
what happened with the beer poll?
2 - Eric Olsen
I mean the scary movie poll
3 - jadester
xmas is a time for being grateful there are people in the world worse off than you, or something
4 - Jim Carruthers
Obviously Eric is spending the Xmas with scarey movies and beer.
5 - Eric Olsen
read me like a cheap book
6 - Craig Lyndall
Although there is nothing like a freshly pressed pizzelle sitting next to my junk, I think I would rather eat it, than put it down my pants.
7 - Natalie Davis
There is no selection for those of us who will be working rather than holidaying.
8 - Jim Carruthers
Plus no selection for those of us prancing around in red suits working the 'ho's.
9 - duane
The holiday season is the time to gather with loved ones, and to give our undivided and grateful attention to the multitude of ways in which we have been blessed by the Creators of good television. The Twilight Zone Marathon and turkey sandwiches all the way! I wish they would do an Outer Limits Marathon. Well, hope springs eternal. Ah, the hearth and home.
10 - Mark Saleski
i'm planning on drinking too much scotch while watching the full 24 hour A Christmas Story marathon.
then a nice morning of squeeky cats-on-piano jazz accompanied by some nice eggnog with nutmeg.
11 - Eric Olsen
Does one watch such a marathon with the unspoken hope that something will change in the movie on the second, third or tenth viewing? Like maybe the kid's tongue will come off when it gets stuck to the pole?
12 - Mark Saleski
i never get tired of the bully gettin' beat up.
i think that's it.
plus, i'm pretty sure that the dad uses the word 'assplow' while putting the furnace in its place.
13 - Eric Olsen
you can pick it up clearly in the digitally-enhanced remastered version on SADC-NYPD-PG&E-PDQ-DVD
14 - duane
And after Ralphie beats up on the red-headed needlenosed bully, he gets the Lifebuoy treatment for calling the kid a "pudsmear." And I'm pretty sure Dad calls one of the neighbor's dogs a "mangy fleabitten fucknuckle". I'm not sure.
15 - Mark Saleski
if we have year-end blogcritics awards, 'fucknuckle' just might edge out 'assplow' for "Best Pottymouth Word"
16 - Eric Olsen
"fucknuckle" totally rocks the rectum
17 - JR
That sounds more like something an assplow would do.
18 - Jim Carruthers
The best part of this is both "A Christmas Story" and "Black Christmas" were directed by Bob Clark. So which is scarier, a bb gun or dry cleaning bag?
19 - Taloran
I lucked out this year. My wife is having a huge spat with her mother, and they haven't spoken in two months. Therefore, I don't have to go eat my mother-in-law's turkey pucks at Thanksgiving. I have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take my family to Ouray, Colorado (dubbed "The Switzerland of America", a 40 minute drive from Telluride) for 6 days and five nights of peace and quiet, hot-springing, snowshoeing, 4-wheeling, family time, and all the stuff I've never ever been able to do with the people who live under my roof at the holidays.
Then my parents are coming for a nice, quiet Christmas holiday without the screaming hordes we're accustomed to.
It will be the best Nov-Dec in memory.
20 - debbie
We are going to Universal Studios/Disney World over Thanksgiving. We went last year and had a great time! We'll have our Thanksgiving "feast" at Emerils. (Fantastic Food!!!!)
Christmas is always at home, we do our family Christmas parties before the actual day so that Christmas is reserved for just our house. We used to travel to each family's house but it was way to stressful with 3 kids, so we do a family party with each side and Christmas is ours. It is usually spent assembling presents and picking up the little bits of wrapping paper and tape off of everything.....