Comments on: Last Christmas I wa-a-sn’t strong

By: spencer

spencer — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:36:24 +0000

this is so -totally- cool. omg. i have to make a diet coke christmas tree. i love it. i’m doing this

By: Pioneer Woman Will Sigh (I thought of that other phrase “Romeo Must Die,” but I certainly harbor no ill-will) | What About Mom

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:05:19 +0000

[...] was hoping they’d be the answer to my competitive Christmas baking needs: cheap, easy, and STUNNING, but, unfortunately, they were cheap-ish, WAY HARD, and (honestly) kinda [...]

By: Natalie

Natalie — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:39:50 +0000

Last year my soon to be husband and I spent all day on Thanksgiving juggling his family (and their 5 different places we HAD to go) and my family. Then we did the same thing on Christmas. We just moved to KY in April and I have told my husband that we can't afford to go home for the holidays. Mostly because I want to enjoy my holiday for once instead of being stressed about all the things we have to do. But we are going to go home in January after all the comotion has died down Natalies last blog post..Free Bottlecap Jewelry Making Class

By: amyb

amyb — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:05:00 +0000

i wish i could get out of buying presents for the neighbors...unfortunately they are all my family! lol amybs last blog post..winter is finally here!

By: Kristine

Kristine — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:55:12 +0000

Let me clear; I hate Christmas. Hate. It. With the passion of a thousand fiery suns. It comes from having too much family; adopted, divorced parents, remarried, and now, everyone wants to see the baby, and on THEIR schedule, not ours.

I want to crawl down a hole and not come out until January, I’m not even kidding.

Needless to say, I don’t do Christmas cards.

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:44:08 +0000

Maggie — Dude. NOTHING says classy like a tower of Mountain Dew cans.

Tracey — Hmmm. Two really great ideas. I esp. like your anti-clutter plan. Makes a lot of sense! (and of course you’re right that the cards are important to me, but THANKS A LOT for pointing it out — now I should really reconsider, and FAST).

Happy Campers — good point. LOTS of energy.

Heather — The flower idea is fantastic. I would LOVE to get a flower (do you need my address?).

Sharla — Are you MOCKING that way-cool tree? I think your candle idea is great — having stuff on hand to hand out sounds wonderful, so that you know for sure you’ve reciprocated.

Kirsty — That’s exactly what I mean. I WANT to do these fun holiday things, but they’re always more work/time/money than I expect.

Tracey — Haha. That’s what Sally keeps saying. Not about the pilgrims, but she keeps saying, WHAT ABOUT THANKSGIVING??

By: Tracey

Tracey — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:16:27 +0000

Christmas lights before Thanksgiving…I’m very bothered by that. If you can’t wait till after Thanksgiving, at least wait for a few weeks past Halloween. Just because trick-or-treating is done doesn’t mean you should break out the Christmas carols. What about the pilgrims? They deserve some time and consideration, I think.

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:21:41 +0000

Hm, move to Australia, live somewhat inner-city-ish, and have at least one set of neighbours you don’t even want to talk to, because that’ll bring out the Grumpy Old Lady in you and you’d want to ask them to please not ever play that Red Hot Chilli Peppers CD at 3am again because it’s so OLD already.
Or, rather than give gifts, you could invite the neighbours over for a drink? (Tea? Mountain Dew? Kool Aid?) I’ve been meaning to do that with one neighbour for years, but haven’t done it. I hate it when my actions don’t live up to my intentions.
As for Christmas traditions that I could do without? Hmm, I love making Rum Balls and White Christmas and am known for them at work, but I often end up making them on the night of the 23rd, and spend the 24th hunting people down in the office and forcing them to eat my Christmas goodies. I like it, but it often ends up more stressful than I intend.

By: Sharla

Sharla — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:02:55 +0000

I was laughing when I saw this post because I’ve just been thinking about this same question. I am determined that this Christmas will be one of peace in my home and that we will focus on what’s important. You know, presents. Just kidding. Actually when our oldest was little we decided that our kids would get one gift from Santa, one from Mom and Dad and then one to exchange with each other. It has been so good for us to take the focus and stress off of gift giving. Last year I had some candles (from the dollar store)stamped and decorated cheaply on hand to give out. Then when people brought things by I would just give them one. And we always go caroling around the neighborhood. I really do love this year and I’m going to be done with all the preparations by the end of November. (ha ha) By the way, that is my favorite song of all time and my favorite version! Although I must say I thought the MD tree was hideous.

Sharlas last blog post..Book Giveaway

By: Heather

Heather — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:33:59 +0000

I quit the Christmas Card tradition a few years ago. When I first got married I used to send out literally HUNDREDS of them. But heck stamps are freakin’ expensive anymore!! Now I send about 15. That’s it. Sometimes I don’t even get that many sent. But I have to confess, I am one of the dreaded neighbors that does a cookie tray for each person in our neighborhood (we live in a very small sub-division in the country with about 9 homes)

One year, I forced paperwhites, and gave them instead. If you want to do that, you need to start this week. . . (or sooner – grin)

By: HappyCampers

HappyCampers — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 17:24:58 +0000

Just think how much ENERGY you’ll have after you drink all that Dew!!!

I, too, wish I could ditch the Christmas card tradition. It’s especially hard now that 1/3 of our children are in college, and is only home for 3 short days at Thanksgiving!

I did come up with a solution for the Christmas card picture though, so I guess we’ll be doing cards again this year. I DO love getting them from others though, so I would hate to disapoint anyone without sending ours (yea, right!)

HappyCamperss last blog post..A Thousand Tiny Pieces

By: tracey

tracey — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:34:02 +0000

Hmmm. Maybe Christmas cards are actually more important to you than you think, if you are always doing them even after saying you won’t? Perhaps whipping some up NOW, and sending them out early will make you feel better than hitting mid-December and changing your mind? Just a thought.

There are some traditions that are just too important for my family to lose. The tree cutting and trimming. Baking cookies the day after Thanksgiving. Writing letters to Santa.

But the ONE THING that I think makes Christmas more enjoyable?

A clean, uncluttered house.

Really. If ever there was a time to rid yourself of those extra papers, shoes, and odds and ends that don’t have a “home” in your home, now is the time. I will be donating a big ole pile of stuff in a week. And emptying the toys bins and clearing out my corners. Nothing makes me more stressed over the holidays than knowing my house is a disaster STILL. That it is the end of the year and we are bringing MORE stuff into an overcrowded house.

Bye bye clutter!

traceys last blog post..A Quiet 3 year old

By: Maggie

Maggie — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:00:30 +0000

I think the can tree would be so much classier when done in Pabst Blue Ribbon cans.
I’m contemplating the Sears photo dealio, but Becca hasn’t willingly posed for a photo in 1.5 years, and I’m not sure I feel like wrangling the two by myself. But they just sent out that postcard with the $5 package. Hmmm…

By: Jane

Jane — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:56:01 +0000

Tara — you totally should, since Seagull Fountain is having its very own Turkey Trot that morning.

Memarie Lane — Good idea. I’ll only have to make 7 miles of them.

Marcy — oh, but where’s the creative spirit there?

Grampa — only if we can do that while you’re here.

Beth — You’re not lobbying your mom every day to come read my blog? I’m hurt. (But I guess I’m glad to offer you a safe place to confess these dark secrets.)

Emily Jones — I love Christmas too, and I even love the cards I end up making — I just wish I were more organized and did them early (instead of pretending to myself that I’m not doing them this year). I love the decorating and the tree. We always get a real one for the smell, and I even have a homemade (with folk embroidery) tree skirt and a felt advent calendar. I’m just sayin’ — sometimes the “accoutrements” as Tara says get in the way of just breathing it all in, you know? Good advice — only do what you want to do!

Rebecca — Like what you’ve done in the past. I’m sure there are tons of good (easy, cheap) ideas online. I just need to look ‘em up.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:36:34 +0000

The giving to the neighbors is hard on my street because almost everyone is a ward member–like 25 houses worth. And they all bring us something each year. Not only is it hard to receive everyone else’s goodies, it gets expensive coming up with that many return gifts. Two years ago I gave out bottles of cinnamon decorated to look like snowmen. Last year it was a homemade CD of Christmas music. I am still working on this year’s idea.

Rebeccas last blog post..Birthday Wish List

By: Emily Jones

Emily Jones — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:36:00 +0000

I must admit I adore Christmas. I don’t do the decorating thing, but we have a tree. I only make desserts for gifts for friends, and I love sending out Christmas cards (but I only do about 25 cards). If I know other people who sing, I also love to go caroling. I know, I’m a big
Christmas nerd. Generally speaking, I don’t do things I don’t want to do, so I enjoy the holidays immensely, b/c I don’t feel any pressure to perform. I just pick and choose the things I enjoy doing, and stick with those.

Emily Joness last blog post..Elimination Communication

By: Beth

Beth — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:30:36 +0000

Only because my mother will never read this blog — every year at this time my mother starts calling me and asks me for gift ideas and then when I suggest something she says “great, can you just buy that and wrap it and give it to them on my behalf”. This results in me doing MY Christmas shopping AND her Christmas shopping. Very annoying but I can’t say no – she’s my mother

Beths last blog post..F Is For Freaks

By: Grampa

Grampa — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:26:42 +0000

You might want to consider getting your family together and practicing some Christmas carols. Then you all could go up and down your lamp-lighted street and sing to your competitive neighbors. Traditional shepherds’ costumes shouldn’t be too hard to come by.

By: Marcy

Marcy — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:30:31 +0000

Some people in my neighborhood got together and made up a Christmas letter about how we could all take the money we would spend giving each other (neighbors) gifts and instead donate food to the local food bank. They will have a box provided on someone’s doorstep to collect the food. I found the letter taped on my door yesterday. It’s exactly the kind of thing that I love. I don’t have to think of something creative, and some people who actually need something important like food will benefit from it. I’ll give you the letter if you’d like to see it. Maybe you could start a tradition in your own neighborhood!

I love the song!

By: Memarie Lane

Memarie Lane — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:21:15 +0000

omg streetlights???? fancy! i’m telling you, give pumpkin rolls a chance. even if you screw them up somehow no one can tell because it’s all rolled up, and after one taste people will sell their soul for a second one.