Sleuth Home - Message Boards - The Gumshoe Lounge

Dec-10-2008 14:18

Hi all -- Breit is recovering from her to-do this summer and my mother is gearing up for a round of radiation therapy, so I'm really trying to bring some cheer to our holidays. I'm doing everything I can think of, including Dungeness crab and Canasta for Christmas Eve and a movie night this weekend. But my question to you all is, What are some of your holiday traditions? And yes I don't care which holiday you celebrate, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas or none of these; I just want to see if I can find some ideas and have a laugh at the same time. So Happy Holidays and let fly all!!!

Not Breit

Dec-16-2008 23:30

we always had Manhattan style clam chowder with fresh clams and fresh bread for dinner Xmas eve. that's the chowder made with tomato juice instead of cream

My mom always got about 6 pounds of chocolates-she was the school secretary! We used to try to guess the centers and swapped if we didn't like them. Mr. Dog got what nobody liked. If you found a chocolate cherry, you had to show it around, so everyone could search the box for another one. Evidently the swirls on the top of the chocolates are a mark telling what is inside. We never could remember, so we just nibbled at them! I know that sounds gross but we were kids !!

We usually got a few board games for gifts. We spent the mornings in our PJs playing the new games, figuring out the rules and eating warm danish. My dad likes to bake and sometimes he would make them.

For years we had turkey for dinner, but then everyone decided that we hateed eating left overs forthe next week so my mom started to make chicken or leg of lamb.

At new years we went to a matinee, and then had Chinese food and then birthday cake or ice cream because it's my birthday!

Dec-17-2008 05:25

Those sound like very good, warm memories Sally Rose : )

Dec-18-2008 01:09

Hi Sally -- i THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading about your traditions. The one with the chocolates is perfect for little kids i agree. And I liked the ones with the movies and Chinese food too!

So Happy Upcoming Birthday (cake with candles)!!!! :-D

And Thank You for adding your memories into the pot! We really appreciate hearing about all of them!!!

Not Breit

Dec-18-2008 15:00

Ok this isn't a tradition but it's christmas related so I hope you don't mind me putting it here :)

This year is going to be the first year I have Christmas dinner with my mum AND my Dad. My parents divorced when I was a baby and I grew up with my Dad. Mum has always had Christmas with her partner whilst me and Dad have always gone to my grandmas with the rest of the family. But this year it's not only the first time I'm cooking Christmas dinner but also the first time I have it with Mum and Dad. So whilst I'm 23 it's probably the most exciting Christmas I've ever had :D I should point out that they get along better now they're divorced just in case anyone's thinking it could all end up in tears :)

Of course that may change once I realise I've served raw turkey, burnt roast potatoes and lumpy garzy :D

Anyway sorry for interupting the traditions, keep them coming they're great to read :D

Dec-18-2008 15:12

well that is awesome Ms Helen!! :o))

Dec-18-2008 19:45

That's wonderful, Ms. Helen!! Sounds like a great way to start a new tradition!! Thank you for that, I'm glad I got to hear it. And I hope things go fabulously!! ;-D

Merry Christmas!! (regardless of how well the stove works ;-)

Breit

Dec-18-2008 20:21

Just a word of advice Ms Helen:

When roasting the potatoes, if the recipe says to bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, don't try to take a shortcut and bake it at 500 degrees for 15 minutes! ;-)

And for all of you wondering, no I have never done that, but having worked in a kitchen for 20+ years I've seen some really funny stuff! ;-)

Dec-20-2008 12:33

Hi all -- Just wanted to let you know, we had the pizza and movies party on Wednesday night and it was a BLAST!!! They loved the cranberry drink (I'd found a recipe for a cranberry cooler and zinged it up a bit)! They were less enthusiastic about the safety pin game (actually they didn't want to play). But it was a fantastic night and everyone had a ball!

I'm thinking i'll try to get them to do the gift grab idea for Christmas Eve. I'm hoping they'll want to play along for that one. Wish me luck!

And thank you EVERYBODY for your terrific, grandi0se, wonderful, formidable (that's french) ideas!!! Keep them coming guys!

Not Breit

Dec-20-2008 18:39

To Miss Helen -- I'm delighted to hear that you will be having a wonderful (if untraditional for you) Christmas. I did have a tiny idea for it, although you'll have to decide if you want to do it or if it's even practical. You might want to incorporate a favored (or at least liked) dish in the menu for each parent. Now if one is just wild for Strawberries and Sour Cream and the other is allergic to strawberries, that might not work. (My great-grandfather also had a thing for Limburger cheese -- no kidding -- and i'm not sure that I would want to put that in the menu if i were in your shoes, as it were.) But food has a wonderful way of bringing up memories and warming up the atmosphere. So if one likes chestnuts, roast away!

Hope it goes well!

Not Breit

Dec-22-2008 12:23

Hello all, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays, and such.

For some reason, my dad's side and my mom's side can NOT celebrate Christmas together, so I will attempt to explain.

We have a company Christmas party, as it's the family business. Everyone is really close and we all have a grand time. However, tonight is only the third ever Triple E Services Christmas party. My cousin has hurt himself in time for the party the past two years; to continue tradition, he has only four hours to hurt himself!

We have a "Secret Santa" thing. We draw names and so on. Quite simple. We also pass present wrapped multiple tmes to music; think musical chairs. Whoever has the gift when the music stops peels off a layer. Again, simple.

For Christmas eve we go to my uncle's. It's my mom, dad, sister, uncle, aunt, two cousins, grandma, and random friends. This year my neighbors are coming. Last year, a new employee came. We watch the amazing ventriloquist, Jeff Dunham, and Christmas movies. And the rest of the family delights in a once-a-year treat; SHRIMP!!!!! I, however, don't like it. The others gorge on it. We hand around till about 3 am then go home.

Christmas day is spent at my mom's mom's. Her kids (my mom, two aunts, and two uncles and spouses) attend. We eat, take pictures, have a "How many candies in the jar" contest, among others, and open presents.

However, my Auntie Twila doesn't get her kids Christmas day, so this party is moved to Christmas eve. Aunt Darla has to stay down South whether Savannah's biological dad wants to visit or not, and Uncle Jeffrey never comes up from Alabama so... We will have drastic population decreases.