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Our Christmas tree this year
Hello all and good morning. I will not be joining you for next Tuesday’s post, as I’ve got little ones to tend to on Christmas morning. Margaret will be stepping in for me, and I truly believe I couldn’t be leaving you in better hands.
In light of my absence next week, and given the recent events in the news, I wanted to take a break from heavy stories and discuss my favorite holiday. Christmas!
My family has some strong traditions that I’ve carried through from my childhood. I’d like to share them with you this morning.
First and foremost, the Christmas lights went up on the house the day after Thanksgiving. This is an absolute must. No exceptions, even for bad weather. The day after Thanksgiving in our house marks the beginning of Christmas celebrations.
This year, my wife and I also did most of our Christmas shopping on Black Friday. I normally steer clear of this, but technological advances have given us the ability to do this shopping entirely online. About 60% of our shopping was done on Thanksgiving evening and the following day. We did spend some time at local business that Saturday as well, dumping money into the local economy where we could.
Christmas music cannot start in my home until at least the 2nd week of December. This is tradition number 2. Christmas music doesn’t pour through our speakers until our tree is going up. While decorating the tree, the first thing we listen to is Bing Crosby’s Merry Christmas album, now known as White Christmas. White Christmas just happens to be my favorite track on the album. Here it is for your listening pleasure.
An aside about trees – Ours must be live, must be a Douglas Fir, and must be at least 7 feet. That’s just the way it is.
Decorating the tree includes refreshments! Eggnog and cookies are the usual. We learned last year that our little one had become lactose intolerant, and found soy-based eggnog in stores for the first time this year, so she was able to partake again. She loves eggnog.
Presents go under the tree as soon as my wife or I have time to wrap. It’s tough keeping the dog and cat out of them, but we make do.
Packages, cards, and letters received from friends are a matter of same debate in our home. I am a firm believer that everything meant for Christmas consumption should be opened on the morning of the 25th. My wife believes in opening things from distant friends and far away relatives as they are received in the mail. We’re still sorting this out, but I’ve developed a system: if it’s from my side of the family or my friends, it goes under the tree. From her’s, she can let the kids do as they like.
Christmas cards and letters go into the tree amongst the decorations in our house. I love the fun of looking at our beautiful tree, all lit up, and seeing the photos of family and friends from around the country. This goes for unopened cards and letters as well. They go into the tree to be opened on Christmas morning.
We’re still sorting out Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in our new Texas surroundings. We haven’t developed a routine for that yet, being so far from a lot of our family now, but we will certainly spend time with oldnslow and cbl.
Christmas Eve dinner will revolve around a lasagna that I make. Don’t ask me how this tradition started. I couldn’t tell you. It just is, and always will be in my home.
The famous no-bake Christmas cookies!
Stockings go up after dinner, with more eggnog and cookies consumed. My wife’s grandmother made a no-bake cookie every year for Christmas, and since she passed my wife has kept up the tradition.
Christmas morning the kids will go to it. Stockings come last, Santa gifts come first. Santa gifts are never wrapped in our home, and will be the first things the kids see when they come downstairs. The Great Unwrapping of the Gifts typically takes around an hour, and then we’re on to the rest of the day.
I’ll cut it short here. There are a bunch of things I’ve left out (like cbl’s famous Christmas fudge. Er. Mah. Gerd.), but this post has gotten a bit long-winded.
I’ll wrap up by wishing all of you a Merry Christmas, and for those who don’t celebrate, a happy 2nd half of December. Or winter solstice. Or Sweet Saturnalia. Or Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah.
So please, join me in the comments and share your traditions. Friends and family? Pets and music? Food and snowmen? As always, off topic is safe and even welcome. So, what do you firedogs do for Christmas?
159 Comments
Good morning everybody.
Thanks, Kris. When my kids were small, Christmas Eve was such a long day, that I made it the tree decorating and cookie making (and icing) day, to keep them entertained. It worked very well. We always saved back a gift for Jan.6, the Fiesta de los Tres Rejes, too. That’s Twelfth Day.
Hi Ruth. I’m not familiar with Twelfth Day. What’s the story there?
Until I moved into my current house, I always went to a local nursery and bought a freshly cut Fraser Fir, at least 7 ft, wrestled it home and into the house and put it up. I have the high ceilings here also, but the way the furniture is arranged I don’t have a spot for a big tree, so I now have a fresh tabletop tree in the middle of the dining room table. Gifts I’m taking to family go beside it until I leave. I always spend Christmas with my kids in Indianapolis.
The outside stuff goes up in early December when there’s a decently warm day. Lights wound around my lamp post, and a big fresh wreath with a big candy cane over the garage with a spotlight.
Good Morning and thanks Kris for sharing your family traditions.
Things have usually been fairly hectic around Christmas time as Sonny’s birthday is the 21st. When he was younger, we made a real effort to have a separate celebration for him, with non-xmas decorations, wrappings etc., but usually there’s a glimpse of the tree in the background in the photos. Just how it is. Now that he’s older, we’ve sometimes incorporated the two events with my family. Also, since my daughter and her husband moved to DC, we plan the parties around their schedules when they visit.
(I’ve got a lot of housework to do between now and Saturday. I keep telling myself that if I do it all too soon, I’ll just have to do it all again. Ha.)
The tradition is that the Wise Men, or Three Kings, or Magi, arrived bearing gifts on 12th Day (Epiphany) and that’s where the gift giving comes from, so many countries celebrate then, Jan.6.
Our family Xmas traditions:
NOTHING Xmasy goes up before Thanksgiving weekend. Period. I think it started with my father, who got upset when he first saw an Xmas sale in August.
Invite people to Xmas dinner who would otherwise be eating alone or eating Chinese. Started several decades ago, with a cousin who was a catholic nun. Her nunnery was not located in the best of areas, and every Xmas she’d go to the sidewalk and snag the two hookers who worked there and try to reform them over roast turkey. AFAIK, they never reformed and she never gave up.
Open one present on Xmas Eve.
Kids can have stocking contents before Adults wake up Xmas morning. Self preservation for adults!
All Xmas stuff taken down weekend after New Years.
There is a family fruitcake. It was originally gifted by a crazy Aunt during WWII. Every year, it is gifted to someone different. Still in it’s original box.
Boxturtle (Can a fruitcake fossilize, or would that be redundant?)
My daughter and son-in-law have a family tradition on Christmas Eve. They go to one of those steak houses (maybe Logan’s) and have dinner. Next door to the restaurant is an outdoor farm equipment vendor with a huge piece of land, and they set up a big display of lighted Christmas stuff that you can drive around and through in your car. I’ve gone with them many times.
Good morning everyone.
Thank you for the post Kris.
Our middle daughter was born the day after Christmas and she always insisted on having her birthday presents wrapped separately and definitely NOT in Christmas wrapping paper.
She is 38 yrs. old now and still likes that tradition.
Yes, the smell of a real evergreen is part of the holiday for me.
demi, good to see you back here with us.
You may have been back for awhile and I missed it since I have not been here for about a week.
A memorable christmas past: I was the Church Lady’s Club santa.
Every year some young male from the congregation was picked to play santa and that year it was me. I was outfitted with the full santa suit and went around to approximately thirty house in the community in a two hour or so stretch. Too “fat,” to drive, my younger brother got that duty as I was plied with cookies and peppermint schnaps and given a handsome tip as I left each house. Much more to the story but there was an ice storm and slippery ice was forming fast on the roads by the time we reached the end of the list. WE made it though I understand that I was getting pretty jovial by the time we finished.
Good morning msmolly. Fraser firs are my alternative choice, but I’ve never had to fall back on it. I always manage to find a Douglas, though it took visits to 4 places this year before I got my hands on one.
When I was little and my sister and I still believed in Santa, my parents put the tree up Christmas Eve AFTER we had gone to bed. According to that tradition, Santa delivered the tree along with the gifts.
And speaking of wrapping, one year when all of our kids were small, my husband and I went to Massachusetts to spend Christmas with my sister and her family. We ran into an interesting situation: their gifts from Santa weren’t wrapped, while in our family they were. So how do you reconcile that when you have two groups of little Santa believers with different traditions. All these years later (kids are in their 40s) I honestly don’t recall what we did about wrapping Santa gifts.
My wife’s birthday is on Valentine’s Day. Not as big a holiday as Christmas, of course, but we run into the same problem. There must be separation between the two.
I got Douglas Firs for many years but then started seeing Frasers and switched. I love them.
Definitely don’t overdo the housework. You might even get some help!
Hm. I was unaware. I thought the gift giving was a Pagan thing.
When I lived in the little house with the fairly large yard, we would buy a live evergreen for a xmas tree and always planted them in the front yard. We had various different kinds and some of them were almost Charlie Brown xmas trees. We also had two large eucalyptus trees and the front yard was like a little grove. When I visited some of my old neighbors after I sold that house, I saw that the guy who bought it had cut down all the evergreens. Broke my heart.
Isn’t that the point of Caroling? Sounds great.
This is one I left out above. I really had to edit for time. My kids are allowed to do the same, a gift of their choice. Grownups can if they want to.
The traveling fruitcake? That’s too damn funny.
Hi AC2. I think that’s important, marking the events separately. Young people get a lot of their personal identity from outside input and interactions, so being validated by having people celebrate just for you is pretty special.
No doubt it derived from pagan traditions, but in midwinter, everyone needed to celebrate.
Ah, there’s a story there too. Sonny is a huge help with the larger chores, and I was counting on the two of us doing everything in two days, Thursday and Friday. Found out two days ago that his father’s health insurance won’t cover dental or vision after he’s 19 because he’s not a full time student. He needs 3 impacted wisdom teeth taken out. So, after going back and forth with his dad, confirming that the insurance really wasn’t going to cover it, I called the oral surgeon’s office yesterday and he’s going in on Thursday at 1:30. Nothing like cutting it really close. So, he’s going to be out of it for a few days. Better double up on my vitamins. Whew. But, with insurance, our co pay will be $400, and without the insurance, $2,000.
Kris,
I had a chuckle when you said your wife’s birthday was on Valentine’s Day.
Bet you will never forget her birthday.
I was gone for a week too. Just stuck my head back in myself.
Always good to see you, Mr. Canyon.
I haven’t seen the fruitcake in years. But there’s a package beneath the tree from my sister that could easily be it.
Boxturtle (but it wouldn’t be the first time somebody wrapped a 2×4 to LOOK like the fruitcake)
No caroling, just grab the bag of presents on the front porch and ring the doorbell. Children photographed with “santa,” ask ‘em who is naughty or nice to get some of them a little apprehensive and empty the bag, mumble something about the reindeer and elves waiting and on to the next stop.
Stepping out for the morning, have a good day people.
Nope. Never will. And it’s how I won her over, I’m pretty sure. Every year I do something incredibly over the top to mark one occasion or the other. A couple of years ago I did presents for Valentine’s Day from February 1st through the 13th, a new gift each day, progressively increasing their size or value, and then only celebrated her birthday on the 14th.
It’s a challenge to come up with something new and different every year, but I’ve done it for 11 years now.
I’d think a wrapped brick might better look like one.
Whew, that is the St. Nick of Time.
In the lexicon of my idiotic generation, this is ‘epic’.
Kris,
Your traditions are almost identical to mine. We really love the holidays and the traditions are so important.
Sorry, bad manners.
Good morning firepups. Blizzard coming here on Thursday so getting out the skiis today.
After actually trying to make a fruit cake once, I do go to the local super cake place, and get fruit cake cookies. Just love them, but I know that’s not the usual reception fruit cake gets.
My daughter’s birthday is Dec. 27th. The hospital sent all of the holiday babies home in a red stocking! But for years we couldn’t have a smidgen of red or green paper on her birthday gifts. Too bad we didn’t start when she was young celebrating in the summer.
Now she and hubby are on a very tight budget, and I take her birthday shopping (fairly generous) and she’s quite happy with that.
Happy holidays, Kris! Gorgeous tree.
Never ever in my life have I had snow on Christmas. It would be very nice, to me. Not to anyone who needs to drive, of course.
My question has always been this -
Why ruin a cake with fruit? That’s like putting vegetables in ice cream or something. It’s just unnatural.
Good morning Jane. Happy Holidays to you and yours as well!
That’s so great of you msmolly. As I said above, that individual recognition is really important to a person’s psyche.
Kris,
What a neat story. I am sure she appreciated all your thoughtfulness in doing what you did to celebrate both her birthday and Valentines Day.
I would bet that this year you will come up with something special too.
I would like to add a “thank you” for your choice of topic today after all the heartbreak of news stories these last few days. We will never forget in honoring those lost, I just needed a break from it for a few hours.
Too heavy. Two pieces of 2×4, one on top of the other, is just about the right size and weight.
Boxturtle (I know, I know, it’s hard to believe a fruitcake weighs less than a brick)
That sounds nicer than having one’s wisdom teeth extracted for one’s b-day present. Ha.
My 10 day weather forecast shows next Monday at 73 degrees and next Tuesday at 62 degrees.
No snow for us.
You’re welcome AC2. I sat down to write my usual post last night, and every link I’d bookmarked for further review and possible inclusion just seemed hollow. Meaningless. I figured if anyone else was feeling the way I was feeling, a break would be nice and much needed.
You didn’t say two pieces of 2 x 4, silly. So, I sit corrected.
The lady on SportsCenter right now is orange. Like, John Boehner orange. Oddly captivating.
Good Morning Kris and Firedogs,
traditions . . .
This was Southern Dragon’s favorite christmas song – he would post it every year, telling us all he knew it was silly but just couldn’t help himself, it had grown on him :D
Ermahgerd! That’s a brand new one on me. I’ve never seen anyone sit corrected. I’ve stood corrected, and seen others stand corrected, but you’re the first one who has sat corrected.
You’re awesome. ((demi)) [glad you're back!]
Fix the link lady! It’s broke!
Ya make me blush, mister.
And it was a great idea, Kris. Talking about everyone’s holiday traditions and memories is a wonderful, friendly thing to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myGgjTcJJQ8
crosses fingers, prays to unknown linking dieties
The Epiphany/12th Night is also the basis for the 12 Days of Christmas song….gifts each day. “My true love gave to me….”
It’s almost entirely selfish. Trust me. I’m glad it benefits everybody else as well, but I just couldn’t suffer through writing last about weighty topics last night.
Gives me a serious sense of admiration for DDay, Kevin, Jane, Jon and others who have continued to cover the news around the world.
There you go!
Where’s the fudge Mom?
:( Link doesnt work…what is the song?
Adorable.
That makes perfect sense! How have I missed that celebration and tradition all these years?
I blame it on the heathens and non-believers that raised me.
Here’s another tradition for me. Several days or even weeks after the big event, I find presents that I bought early and hid too well.
prolly making it today – was going to make some cookies to decorate with the girls, but recipe says it has to sit in fridge for 24-36 hours after mixing :/ – so I’ll get out the vat and the trolling motor for some fudgin’ :D
Ha! We had that problem when Lexi was little, so now Kristen keeps a list of everything we’ve bought for everyone. We check that list almost obsessively over the last few days before Christmas, making sure everything has been accounted for.
After the first time that was done, people started feeling the edges of the wrapping for the gap between the boards. So when I did it, I put cardboard around the edges before wrapping.
Why would we do this? Well, there was once when the fruitcake was identified in advance and the tags were switched.
Boxturtle (MOOOOOOMMM! I CAN’T have the fruitcake, I’m only 12!)
If you like classical music at all, dig up the Twelve Days of Christmas by the Canadian Brass.
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Some brass music on a CD.
On the second day of Christmas the CD played for me
Samuel Scheidt’s Galliard,
Baroque brass music on a CD.
(after each verse, they play a little clip of the piece. They’re all familiar to most of us. I love it!
p.s. – your lovely tree appears to be missing something :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHf_PyajeVs
of course mine has angel wings doncha know !
Noble Fir was our tradition until (the horror !) we bought an artificial tree several years back – I wuv it
Just so there is someone to blame…very important;)
Your fruit cake mitzvah!
I didn’t care for fruitcake when I was a youth, but I developed a taste for it now.
Funny, when the kids were little, they did not want clothes, especially under clothes for xmas. Now, the boys expect me to get them new underwear and socks. Funny how that works.
This is such an awesome tradition.
A couple of things that are similar – my mom, youngest brother, and younger sister (before she left for college) had a tradition of hiding a little guy around the house. It was a happy meal toy or something, a little plastic iguana about 1 inch tall, named Armando. Whoever found Armando hid him somewhere else. They kept that up for 4-5 years, moving him constantly.
We have an Elf on a Shelf this year. We have to move the elf somewhere new every night after the kids are in bed, and they have to find her in the morning. It’s been pretty fun for the kids, a pain in the ass for the parents.
Luv it. We have a gold statue of a naked lady on the B-3 and it was discussed if we could put it on the tree. In fact it’s too heavy, :(.
I’ll be there!
I tried to talk to Dad on Saturday about plans for Xmas Eve/Xmas Day, but he got caught up in chopping his hair off and the conversation dropped. We need to figure out what we want to do :)
Dad sent me a picture of Elvis yesterday :)
(For the firedogs, Elvis is a plastic tyrannosaurus rex with angel wings and a halo. Elvis has gone on the cbl/oldnslow family tree since I can’t remember when. Probably about 20 years or so)
We had one totally weird ornament on the tree each year, once it was a vulture, once it was a jingle bell jock strap. Hung out of sight, for our own giggles.
people joking about fruitcake have simply never had Texas Blonde from Colin Street Bakery
http://www.collinstreet.com/pages/online_bakery_gift/deluxe_fruitcake?previous_url_id=0
it can always be purchased early and one can wrap it in a rum soaked muslin strip for a week or two before the big day – if that is how one rolls
good to see you – sorry about the wisdom teeth, happened with our princess in 04-
we do the socks thing as well, ‘cept our tradition is they must be tossed aside over one’s shoulder, a la A Christmas Story :D
Socks and underwear have to be changed at least once a year. What better time than Christmas, when the traditions are holy, and the socks and underwear are holey too!
We have Yahoo with huge pecans and whole fruit, too.
http://www.yahoocake.com/?gclid=CKPCx_OTpLQCFQKRPAod3jwA1g
I go to the store and pick up goodies for a discount, too.
this year’s ornament
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32202438@N06/8283387191/
…in case I don’t finish the fondant/gumpaste Ikea Monkey in time :D
Hey ya, cbl. Looking at that link, I swear I can taste it. When I was in HS, the band did a fundraiser to raise bucks for lights for the football field. It was those fruitcakes, I’m pretty sure.
(Have you gotten used to your honey’s New Do? It took me a while when mine got his tail cut.)
Good time to change, since it’s too cold to bathe.
surprisingly, it didn’t bother me at all, very easy to adjust to it,
prolly doesn’t hurt that he’s such a sexy beast
lordy that looks luscious – will have to give ‘em a try
This year my daughter told me she needed new underwear, so yesterday we went to the mall to Victoria Secrets. Yes, I went to a mall. I’m crazy, I know, but we went early and it wasn’t too crowded.
My daughter had gotten her husband a bartending course for the recent anniversary and I was looking for a high end kitchen store to find some items that he might need. No kitchen store but they had a Bed, Bath and Beyond. I’d never been in that store, so I approached a clerk and asked where I might find those kinds of items. She looked at me like I just arrived from Mars and pointed to the back. That would be in the back of the store in the Kitchen Ware. I asked Sonny if I was being overly sensitive to her dripping attitude. No, mom, she’s a total beotch.
Hey! We have that same lamp, too.
as oldnslow would say – that’s the ‘beyond”
Well, there is that. You knew him when he had short hair before, right? My guy had a poney tale when I met him, so it was really a change for me. Poney tale, tatoos and an earring. My dad nearly fainted when I took him to meet the fam. But, he got over it toot sweet, cause he’s such a nice guy.
Recommended! The business began with cake in cans, to send to the troops.
Customer service folks can be mighty cranky this time of year. I kill ‘em with kindness, flirt shamelessly, flatter, and make general merriment whenever I’m shopping.
That’s exactly what mister said.
I’m thinking of making a poster from over my bed that reads “Bed, Book and Beyond.”
She wasn’t exactly cranky, just extremely haughty. Sonny was having one of his I’m extremely uncomfortable here moments, so I just was in and out. I know how to deal with him when he gets that way and on the way home, the closer we got, the more relaxed he became. He told me Thanks mom, for being so understanding when I get all poopy headed. Love that guy so much.
I give them room.
I tell them to eat shit and fuck off. They love me for it.
Good morning all. Off to catch up on the comments.
Nice post Kris and thanks.
Sounds like you’ve got a good kid there :)
Even more important, it sounds like you’re tuned in to him pretty well. A lot of stuff can be avoided if people just listen to the signals others give off. It seems you do that.
Better late than never dood. We’ve just been sitting around drinking lukewarm coffee and badmouthing you.
Like, at a motel? Or just personal space?
Mine would have to arrive by email.
So you have.
I’ve actually had to work this morning. Since I walked in the door here at 6:25. I think it more than a little troubling when my employer expects results.
Don’t give her any ideas. Nice post Kris. I have a live tree in the house and so far the lights are on it. I have time to finish it I think.
The room is made by the space I’m not taking up because I’m not there.
Thanks, Kris. We’re pretty close.
He’s always been pretty good when I’m around, but other situations, like “school” where I couldn’t be with him were more challenging. It made it difficult to work with the teachers for special ed because I didn’t see him they way they saw him. Am I explaining this correctly?
but you say it with a great deal of charm
I think so. When you know and understand someone so well, and feel that comfortable around the, you kind of develop a private code. It’s nuanced and built on years of experience and sharing. Very tough to make someone ‘outside’ understand the code.
A tree so prickly the cats can’t scratch it to death, I understand.
My ideas were passive aggressive.
Good morning. Nice to see you active in a comment thread again.
Wonderful that any of us survive that stage.
That’s very true, Kris. Parents of special children have the opportunity to have a real understanding of unconditional love. Well, all parents do, but it’s even more so in some circumstances.
Parents of special children certainly give more of themselves every day. The circumstances simply demand it.
How does ‘unconditional love or else’ work for you?
Sometimes days and days go by so smoothly that I almost forget there’s an issue. And, then something happens and I’m reminded. He took the Friday events very emotionally.
Not so much, I’d have to say.
Actually, the qualifier rather negates the unconditional part, right?
Agree, but it still makes me giggle. Yep, my own felt a big reminder that at some point he was in that sort of meltdown and has always felt like he could have been the shooter at some point in time.
Confession time. There’s a 20 something who lives across the street who has spoken to me maybe twice in 10 years. Recently, there was some police activity at another close neighbors’ house involving gun shots. I found out then that the father across the street has a gun. Starting this past weekend, I started locking my doors. I hadn’t done that previously. Okay?
Something we always did for an unknown reason was stop and talk with the neighbors, even go out of our way. Today it has me shaking my head. I want to report that my neighbor though sweet is a moran. She was by my porch, talking, and asked me why my plants were so green. Her ferns had gone all brown. It was less than 25F two nights last week and she left them out. I tried very delicately to explain that I brought mine in when it got really cold She seemed a bit bemused.
How do people not learn these really simple facts?
But no, no need to lock the doors, I would see anyone coming.
Remember that the houses in my community are Very Close together. Very narrow streets, so anyone would be in before I knew it. But, I hear you. Having the hound dog with the fierce, in ferocious bark is my real security system. Thank you, Brindle.
Doctor, when I slam my head against the wall, it hurts.
Don’t do that. Yes, morans abide.
One of oldnslow’s classic sayings.
If it hurts, don’t do it.
Police have told me a dog is your best protection.
Thanks, Kris, for the warm fuzzy post and hosting.
Now I do have to get things done.
Yep. It’s why we’re supposed to Pay Attention, don’t you think?
Of course, there’s also the t-shirt that says It’s fun until someone gets hurt, and then it’s hilarious.
It’s been real, man. Take good care, Ruth.
I haz told you also too. /Larri
And, no dog? Keep telling her.
Have a great day Ruth!
It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.
Then it’s one-eyed fun and games.
Ah ha! Hadn’t heard that one.
It’s a dark and stormy morning in Sylmar. I’ve got oatmeal on the stove and am going to relax with a book now. Maybe I’ll fire up some logs.
Swell post and thread, Kris. Thanks and hugs.
(And, we Will be talking to each other again. Wink)
First, thank you again pups who helped me bring Nagi home. That was the bestest Christmas prezzie ever!
We will celebrate Solstice with Grammy, a newer tradition since she loathes all things Christmas except spoiling the kids. That and we’re hippies, so it works. Heh
Christmas eve we spend with Mr’s extended family and that is the one time a year we see most of them. We do a fun gift exchange draw from a hat for adults where everyone wants lottery tickets or cash. We eat and watch cousins, nieces and nephews open presents.
Christmas Day we open presents, Santa present first, wrapped, then mom and dad presents and then stockings last.
The best part of Christmas is the decorations and the food. We start traditionally the day after Thanksgiving too…more time to enjoy the tree.
Kris:
I just reviewed your last comment to me on yesterday’s Over-Easy diary.
While I was attempting to be but friendly to someone who appeared to enjoy harmless, polite banter, it is obvious that I grossly misjudged you: my error.
And, unfortunately, I must conclude that my innocent, passing comments were interpreted by you for some inexplicable reason in an abjectly pathological, dark, cruel, and vicious manner.
Therefore, in order to avoid any such future leap on your part to false and base conclusions, this will be the final time I will address you for any reason and under any circumstances.
How very sad that you or anyone else would think or worse put in writing any suggestion or hint of nefarious or unsavory ulterior motives on my part.
My intimations were based upon societal and cultural norms. Talking about a stranger’s child, repeatedly, is not considered good form sir. If you weren’t aware of this, you’re obviously pretty detached from the simple nuances of being polite in social settings.
While I’ve enjoyed that majority of your comments, some have been fairly rude and have targeted other readers here with name-calling and harsh language. Those types of comments are not appreciated and violate the rules here at MyFDL.
You’ve made quite a name for yourself over the past weeks as a rude troll. Nothing more.
If you want to participate in the discourse, you are certainly going about it the wrong way. If you sincerely want to be a part of this community, you might step back and evaluate your actions. If you’re trolling, well done. No skin of my ass. I find you amusing, to be truthful. Yet you crossed a line with your repeated references and queries about my child, and a boundary needed to be established.
If the inappropriate behavior continues in any way, especially on my threads, I’ll begin flagging your comments. Again, no skin off my ass. While I do find you amusing, I’d also not miss you if you were gone, based on the reputation you’ve built for yourself here.
Oh, and Merry Christmas!
No personal attacks on My Firedoglake. -MyFDL Editor
In Internet slang, a troll (play /ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is someone who posts inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[3] The noun troll may also refer to the provocative message itself, as in: “That was an excellent troll you posted.”
Please do not continue a flame war on MyFDL, but use the flag function instead. Thanks. -MyFDL Editor
Looks like doremus35 has his own personal editor shadowing him. Good.
Boxturtle (play nice, others will play nice with you)
Please do not continue a flame war on MyFDL, but use the flag function instead. Thanks. -MyFDL Editor
At this point I’d really rather that doremus played elsewhere. My comment yesterday was polite and concise, and didn’t need any further discussion.
For context, here’s what I said yesterday –
His choosing to draw out the issue and not respect my request is inappropriate yet again, and leads me to believe that we’d be better off without him around.
Most interesting: My factual, logical response to you statement was removed, but your ‘rude, harsh’ response to my deleted response is allowed to stand.
And you even employed ‘bad’ language, which I did not.
Shame on you.
So, ultimately who is the real bad guy here?
For those following along at home, let’s play troll bingo!
Kris, you’re making me smile.
FWIW, I’ve got chicken fajita, rice, tomatoes, white onions, celery, three colors of peppers and, of course, cilantro in the crock pot.
Should anyone be hungry in a little while.
(((Kris)))
I just had a couple slices of brisket in a sandwich. Leftovers from a friend’s bbq on Sunday.
Dinner tonight will be hotdogs and mac n cheese, as there’s grocery shopping to do this evening. No time for anything fancy.
Glad I could make you smile dear. It’s what I’m here for.
((demi))
But then the troll couldn’t play victim.
No reason for fancy right now. There’ll be fudge!
:O) Does that make my nose look big?
“In short doremus, keep my daughter’s name out of your fucking mouth.”
A doctoral psychology candidate working on their dissertation would have a field day with the juxtaposition of images you have presented in the above statement, and for some strange reason it is you and only you who continues to interject your progeny into your pathologically disturbing rants.
Res ipsa loquitur
You should stick to the lower case ‘o’. Tinier nose.
:o)
Flag em, bag em, drag em.
I like that. Is that a spudtruck bumper sticker?
I’m still cute, tho, right?
I bought a lot this morning, and may have to make two batches, but that’s okay ’cause my daughter and sil will be arriving on Saturday and they miss Mexican food, big time. DC’s MF doesn’t do it for them.
I’ll freeze the other batch for when they get here.
And, I’ll wait until Saturday morning to go out and buy corn tortillas.
I like it.
Spuds!
Been there, done that.
Oi. I see the editor got to my comment as well.
H/T to the editor.
I’m having a Demi moment.
I feel sorry for people who don’t know when to stop slamming their head against the wall.
Oh, gosh, just how I am.
But, still.
Buh bye.
No, just some terms from another blog a sphere where we are trained from infancy to detect these things.
I made portobello fajitas at a friend’s graduation party the other night and only got to eat a couple because everyone snatched them up before I got to them (the cook’s usual plight). I made sure to grab some more at the store yesterday.
I need to figure out what’s for lunch …
PBJ and bananas? Oh, that’s right, you’re going shopping tonight.
Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Sorry, Kris is going shopping. Still, I can’t keep bananas in the house. The get eat up.
Hi Kit.
I’d offer the rice, chicken stuff, but it ain’t ready yet.
It’s all yum, ain’t it? Except, when it’s not.
Thanks.
Mmm PBJ & Bananas! That’s making me wish I had some bananas.
Gosh, if I sent them through the tubes, they’d most likely be mushed.
Oh, look, it’s nappy time. ((kit))
Hello everyone, thanks Kris, great topic. Sorry to come by late but I was away most of the day for an appointment.
Brings back so many warm memories, and when I think of this holiday, I always am brought ‘home,’ and that is my childhood home. (I grew up in the Pacific NW, so very familiar with the Doug Firs!)
Sigh, so much has changed, and it seems that I am struggling with some bitter-sweet feelings as the realization that ‘you can never go home’ sinks in. But still a child at heart, I love snow globes, even today, the decorations from the keepsake serious to the silly, the lights….
My family (the family of my parents, because they are the matriarch and patriarch) transitioned away from gift exchange several years ago, unless there are small children- then okay. We decided it was too much. So, we embraced this and we try to enjoy good company. (again talking my giant family on my side- Fred does not celebrate Christmas)
Then, I was exposed to a whole other side of Christmas when I began dumpster diving, and I sort of got a grasp of the sad trend to a disposable holiday. I had to put an overwhelming sense of sadness into perspective around this.
So many meanings for so many people. I guess for me, it’s a time to look at family, and the joy it can bring.
PS Who put the angel on top?
Hi CS. Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
I imagine dumpster diving puts a whole new spin on Christmas, seeing everything that is discarded or left behind after the holidays.
I put the angel on top of the tree. We don’t have any tradition around that, I’m just the one tall enough to do it.
Sorry I had to scoot this morning. I was helping a friend burn DVDs of photos for her grown children. She fed me brunch!
Great thread, Kris, nice to talk about family stuff this week!
Yes, the holiday diving, wow. It tells a story, brings lots of interesting information, that’s for sure. Actually, that was the subject of the first diary I ever posted.
But, for me, and I think for my aging family, things have not changed in the heart. There are styrofoam and sequins ornaments still in the family that we made when we were children. I love bubble lights. Anise cookies. Watching my brother begin Christmas shopping on the evening of the 23rd. Reading the updates in people’s Christmas letters.I love seeing joy in people’s heart and on their face, and maybe most of all: the feeling of peace.
From time to time, various members of my family (including me) have actually spent Christmas on the ski slopes! Great day to beat the crowds, and I never had a problem with it because we generally celebrated on Christmas Eve.