Since I've Seen So Many Christmas Threads...

AKAtude · #1 11-07-2001, 04:39 PM

...I thought I would start this one. Are there any holiday traditions that you are looking forward to?

Also, if you believed in Santa Claus growing up please answer this question. On Christmas morning, were your gifts from "Santa" wrapped or unwrapped? Mine were always unwrapped. It was always so overwhelming, but fun.

AKA2D '91 · #2 11-07-2001, 05:06 PM

I'm looking forward to opening my gifts.

Our gifts were always wrapped.

No "real" tradition. Just open gifts, eat, visit, eat, open gifts...so on and so forth.

Total Elegance · #3 11-07-2001, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKAtude
...I thought I would start this one. Are there any holiday traditions that you are looking forward to?

Also, if you believed in Santa Claus growing up please answer this question. On Christmas morning, were your gifts from "Santa" wrapped or unwrapped? Mine were always unwrapped. It was always so overwhelming, but fun.

My gifts were always unwrapped and placed on the couch and floor of the living room. The only things that were wrapped and under the tree were the extra gifts my mom gave me that I didn't ask for like Christmas pajamas, outfits, and that one extra toy as a special treat.

We don't have any traditions really just the same as everyone else....eat, open gifts, and visit.

AKAtude · #4 11-07-2001, 06:18 PM

I didn't share my "traditions". I have two Christmas ornaments that I was given as a child that I use on the tree every year. Of course when I became an AKA, I was given an AKA christmas ornament. That became my new favorite ornament.

I love to make things (hence, the arts and crafts in my profile). If anyone wants to know an easy way to make your own ornaments to give as presents, just send me an e-mail.

Also, we always bought and decorated our Christmas tree on a Friday night, two weeks before Christmas. My mom said the decorations get "tired" if you put them up too early. The tree and decorations always came down the day after new year's day.

When I was little, my mom always read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to me before I went to bed ( that is until I didn't believe in Santa Claus anymore).

nikki25 · #5 11-07-2001, 11:19 PM

Christmas Traditions

AKAtude, you got me all excited---thinking about my Christmas past. I remember that as a child, my Santa gifts were unwrapped. They were always large toys...they we nearly impossible to wrap. For example: a bicycle.

I remember that as my family put up the Christmas tree, we would watch Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Charlie Brown's Christmas,the Night Before Christmas, and the Grinch who Stole Christmas. On the average, it would take about two nights to assemble the tree. About three of these would come on one night (on CBS), and then the other two on the next. I just enjoyed that!

On Christmas Eve, my dad would read the story, The Night Before Christmas to my lil' sis and I. He would then tell us to go to bed, and not peek out of our eyes until morning. My mom would place homemade cookies and milk near our bedroom window--because we wanted to be certain that Santa was properly fed so that he would leave all of our requested gifts behind.

As a child, all of the family on my mom and dad's sides would get together to exchange gifts and eat a hefty meal. It was so much fun. My grandparents lived one block away from one another, so it wasn't a big hassle for us to travel. We always went home with three lawn bags of gifts. We were set with enough toys for the year!

Now, I still go home for Christmas. We still get up early, exchange gifts, and listen to Nat King Cole, Mahalia Jackson, little Michael Jackson ("I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus"), Kirk Franklin, and others sing the holiday tunes to us. We still hang out with immediate family members as well. We have alternated this pattern however. Since my sis' and I live in different cities than my parents, we decide to stay home 1 year and another year go celebrate with the family. We have to maximize our family moment.

littlelady · #6 11-08-2001, 02:24 AM

Hearing "This Christmas"by Donny H. It doesn't feel like Christmas time untill I hear that song on the radio.

Ideal08 · #7 11-08-2001, 09:11 AM

Littlelady, that's my jam right there!!! I LOVE that song, I wish they played it all year 'round.

Well, my sister calls me Scrooge, now. I have no Christmas spirit. Ever since my parents passed away, it's just not the same. And I don't want to give in to the commercialism. I don't know if I'm going to let my kids (when I have some, lol) believe in Santa. But I've digressed (the coffee is kicking in, lol). Anyway, I haven't even had a Christmas tree of my own since '93. My sister puts one up, though, and the first one she put up in '97 I cried. It was our first one in 4 years, and our first one w/o our parents, and we had so many gifts, yall, we just felt so blessed that year. But as far as me doing it myself, I'm just not feeling it. Can you grow out of Christmas?

OH!!! I thought of some, I thought of some!!!

(I was starting to feel left out, lol) I love to watch the fuzzy cartoons: Rudolph, SC Is Coming to Town, and the New Years' baby one. They never show that one anymore, I don't even know the name of it. Those are my faves. And of course, my movie, A Christmas Story. I finally bought it on video last year, and I watch it all year long. Ooh, I thought of another, I LOVE the parades!!!!!

I am TRYING to develop some new traditions. Each year, I want to do Kwanzaa instead of Christmas. But in order to do that, I have to get info to give to my sisters and boyfriend. I'm bout to search and post about that.

AKAtude · #8 11-08-2001, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ideal08
And of course, my movie, A Christmas Story. I finally bought it on video last year, and I watch it all year long.

Aaaaahhhhh!!!! I found someone else that loves A Christmas Story!!!! Oh, my gosh! I got it on dvd earlier this year! I love it! I watched the TNT marathon last Christmas. Folks thought I was crazy. LOL! I had to get my Ralphie fix.

Ideal08 · #9 11-08-2001, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKAtude

Aaaaahhhhh!!!! I found someone else that loves A Christmas Story!!!! Oh, my gosh! I got it on dvd earlier this year! I love it! I watched the TNT marathon last Christmas. Folks thought I was crazy. LOL! I had to get my Ralphie fix.

What are the special features on the DVD????????? Girl, if they are good, I will give the video tape away and get it on DVD.

I thought everyone watched the TNT marathon every year? Are we alone, soror? Dang, who knew?

AKAtude · #10 11-08-2001, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ideal08
What are the special features on the DVD????????? Girl, if they are good, I will give the video tape away and get it on DVD.

I thought everyone watched the TNT marathon every year? Are we alone, soror? Dang, who knew?

I haven't watched it yet, but I will be soon! I'll let you know!

DreamfulOne · #11 11-08-2001, 09:58 AM

Every Christmas my grandmother wakes up and makes Keesh (I think I spelled that wrong but you get the point). Everyone in her house opens gifts then all the rest of the family comes over and eats keesh and opens presents...I will miss that tradition because I have my own apartment and plan on doing something here.

HopefulProspective · #12 11-09-2001, 01:12 PM

A Family Christmas Tradition

We don't wait until Christmas to open our gifts. We usually get together on Christmas Eve and have a dinner together. We stay up until midnight and play games and just enjoy each others company. Once it is after twelve, we then open gifts. We started this about 7 years ago and it just stuck.

sphinxpoet · #13 11-09-2001, 03:11 PM

Phamily Christmas Traditions:

This year for my family I don't know what we are doing but 1 tradition for my other Phamily is the writing of the annual Alpha Christmas Story: In case you missed it here is last years story and pre production has begun on Alpha Christmas the Movie:

Starring:

Orignal Ape as Alpha Claus
AKA2D as Mrs. Alpha Claus
Ideal08 - As Ivy
Sphinxpoet - As Pharoah
The Workers - all of GC

Oldy buy goody:

THe Night was dim as the Tree was taken with Care. And Mr. Alpha Claus was ready to be on his 12 ape sled. He searched the cities Hi and Low and gave gifts to all those who knew. Then Mrs. Alpha came in her pink and green dreams and told the children a story with Glee. Then the children fell asleep wondering if the would ever be part of the first family. So under the tree MR. Alpha left A pharoh head for the boys and a bunny for the ladies to help them rest. Ivies decorated the room along with Black and Gold Trim and as if the year was 1906 he made it with perfect care. Mrs. Alpha reminded him it was a serious matter that the pink and green also light the house as well. So he did as he felt aligning the home with Sphinx and Ivies making it a first family christmas for all. Then on his twelve apes slay Mr and Mrs. Alpha left into to night Saying "06-08 to all and to all a Blessed First Family Night!"

Happy Holidays
The Sphinxpoet

Professor · #14 11-09-2001, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sphinxpoet
Phamily Christmas Traditions:

This year for my family I don't know what we are doing but 1 tradition for my other Phamily is the writing of the annual Alpha Christmas Story: In case you missed it here is last years story and pre production has begun on Alpha Christmas the Movie:

Starring:

Orignal Ape as Alpha Claus
AKA2D as Mrs. Alpha Claus
Ideal08 - As Ivy
Sphinxpoet - As Pharoah
The Workers - all of GC

Oldy buy goody:

THe Night was dim as the Tree was taken with Care. And Mr. Alpha Claus was ready to be on his 12 ape sled. He searched the cities Hi and Low and gave gifts to all those who knew. Then Mrs. Alpha came in her pink and green dreams and told the children a story with Glee. Then the children fell asleep wondering if the would ever be part of the first family. So under the tree MR. Alpha left A pharoh head for the boys and a bunny for the ladies to help them rest. Ivies decorated the room along with Black and Gold Trim and as if the year was 1906 he made it with perfect care. Mrs. Alpha reminded him it was a serious matter that the pink and green also light the house as well. So he did as he felt aligning the home with Sphinx and Ivies making it a first family christmas for all. Then on his twelve apes slay Mr and Mrs. Alpha left into to night Saying "06-08 to all and to all a Blessed First Family Night!"

Happy Holidays
The Sphinxpoet

Excellent - LOL

Christmas just ain't Christmas without my grandmother. My parents did not celebrate Christmas so I always spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and others with my grandparents. Although my mom has converted and now celebrates Christmas, I still dislike the holidays. They make me long for the comfort and support that only grandparents can give. Those of you that have children please make sure that your parents are part of your children's lives. The relationship is a blessing. I know of nothing that I would not do if I could spend just one more day with my grandparents. As I kee this I can only thing "When we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing there will be."

AKA2D '91 · #15 11-09-2001, 04:16 PM

LMAO. That was cute...Sphinx.