Where do you go for the "Holidays"- Xmas, Thanksgiving?

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

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Northeast PA. 3 miles from the Pocono race track
When I was a kid, my family- maternal aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents would go to one of my aunts homes for the big turkey meal. Then as the elder ones passed, it was just my family-mom, dad, brothers. Then I moved away. getting together for the "Holidays" got to be a hassle-we all lived too far away. So, where do you go for the "Holidays"- Xmas and Thanksgiving?
 

When I was young, my parents house was always the gathering place for holidays. Later, as the elders got older, or passed on, my one cousin took over Christmas with a family open house.
When it was Rick and I, we did holidays at my brothers place, when brother still lived local. Lately, I have had two cousins at my place for Thanksgiving, and we did Christmas and New Year on our own. I will keep the Thanksgiving tradition for this year at least. Not sure about Christmas this year. But I will still stay home for New Years.
 
When I was growing up we always had the major holidays at our house.

We often had an overflow kids table in the kitchen and a grandparents table in the living room. As the years went by we also had a few tweens and teens that camped out in the den eating and watching television.

These days my remaining family spends the holidays shopping, running in charity races, working on home projects, vacation getaways, etc...

None of them cook a big traditional meal or serve it on the good dishes they go in for potlucks, take out, delivery, etc...

These days I spend the holidays alone with my memories and a few special treats that make the holidays special for me.

I have been invited to a few holiday celebrations but I always decline, I would much rather be alone than be the odd duck at someone else's table.:):playful::eek:nthego:
 

I'm like Aunt Bea, would rather stay home alone than to be the "odd duck". Grandsons go to their mother's home. My son had Thanksgiving once for us all since he got remarried; his wife said "never again"- too much for her- so they go to her side with her kids. I've never been invited to her side.

They come here on Christmas Eve with my grandsons for a few hours and I order pizzas and make a salad. Yes, pizzas! It's hard to cook and serve everyone now in this small condo of mine. Plus, they like pizza better than KFC! dhUOuPYZcZvGXGxpJZZV.gif
 
When I was younger my mom always cooked Christmas dinner along with Christmas cake, Christmas pudding , trifle and all the things that went with it. Stuffing, gravy, potatoes, vegetables. We would have Christmas at home and then we went to our friends who we called our cousins but they weren’t, for another Christmas dinner. It was always fun and exciting.

My husband and I now go to my parents and take a meal along with gifts for them since they can no longer cook such a meal.
I either sing and play Christmas carols on the saxophone.
We normally celebrated on our own and have enjoyed every year so far.
 
Aunt Bea said:
When I was growing up we always had the major holidays at our house.

We often had an overflow kids table in the kitchen and a grandparents table in the living room. As the years went by we also had a few tweens and teens that camped out in the den eating and watching television.

These days my remaining family spends the holidays shopping, running in charity races, working on home projects, vacation getaways, etc...

None of them cook a big traditional meal or serve it on the good dishes they go in for potlucks, take out, delivery, etc...

These days I spend the holidays alone with my memories and a few special treats that make the holidays special for me.

I have been invited to a few holiday celebrations but I always decline, I would much rather be alone than be the odd duck at someone else's table.:):playful::eek:nthego:
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RadishRose said:
I'm like Aunt Bea, would rather stay home alone than to be the "odd duck". Grandsons go to their mother's home. My son had Thanksgiving once for us all since he got remarried; his wife said "never again"- too much for her- so they go to her side with her kids. I've never been invited to her side.

They come here on Christmas Eve with my grandsons for a few hours and I order pizzas and make a salad. Yes, pizzas! It's hard to cook and serve everyone now in this small condo of mine. Plus, they like pizza better than KFC! View attachment 66005
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Awwwww...... I’m sorry you both feel this way but can certainly understand why.
Isnt that your only son RaddishRose?
How hurtful that must be.
 
Aunt Bea said:
Don't feel sorry for me, I enjoy my quiet celebrations much more than I would enjoy spending the day with the Murphys. :):playful::eek:nthego:

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That's hilarious, AB!


Aww Keesha, I'm ok. I'd probably be bored over there anyway... I don't even know her people. Said hello at the wedding, that was it. Christmas eve is enough. I see my son and dil other times, too.
 
We always spent holidays at my grandparents. Very traditional and fun.

Then, later in life, holidays were at my parent's house. Still fun, but quite often spent with people I didn't enjoy being with.

Much later, big events tended to be somewhat stressful because of problems that some family members had with alcohol. At that point, I started staying home and making excuses not to come. I couldn't take the "airing of the grievances".
 
Aunt Bea said:
Don't feel sorry for me, I enjoy my quiet celebrations much more than I would enjoy spending the day with the Murphys. :):playful::eek:nthego:

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Hahaha. That’s what I thought. For some reason we are conditioned to believe it’s a bad thing to be alone at Christmas but I understand that this can be a good thing. :yes:
RadishRose said:
That's hilarious, AB!


Aww Keesha, I'm ok. I'd probably be bored over there anyway... I don't even know her people. Said hello at the wedding, that was it. Christmas eve is enough. I see my son and dil other times, too.
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Sounds like you didn’t get a chance. It’s their loss. I’d come visit you if I was closer and you’d have me. Lol :grin:
 
Like many of you, my childhood Christmas's were at our house where we lived with my grand-parents. When my grandparents died, the y continued at the same home hosted by my mom and dad. They died early in life (mid 60's) and my wife and I became the host at the same location. As we've aged our kids have taken over hosting our Holidays and the family continues to surround us as we've now become the seniors in our family chain. Christmas usually musters just over or under 30 of our generations of off-spring.

In recent years the whole family shifts from Mass., to Rhode Island, to Connecticut, an with the exception of one couple who live on the west coast, the rest of our kids, grandkids, and great grands live nearby and make up the celebration. As a side note to one of the previous posts, no liquor is ever present at any of our gatherings and no one smokes.

When we're gone, I hope the closeness remains although our kids will become the grand-parents and heads of their individual families. For now, we're blessed to have happy troublefree gatherings and we look forward to them.
 
When my parents were alive all Holidays were spent at their house. When they passed away my older Sister took over. Recently my sister and I rotate between her house and my house. My daughter just mentioned on the last holiday that she would like to take over the holiday dinners. My Sisters daughter also said the same thing. So we'll have to decide which place we will go to first and then they will rotate.
 
There were five in our family and now there are only two and we aren't friendly. I'll be alone this Thanksgiving and Christmas. I should probably start volunteering with the Salvation Army now, so when the holidays come around I'll have a place for myself serving turkey to the lost souls who don't have anywhere else. That's what the S.A. is for.....some of the lost ones stand in line for their dinner and other ones stand behind the steam tables ladling out that dinner.
 
Aunt Bea said:
These days I spend the holidays alone with my memories and a few special treats that make the holidays special for me.

I have been invited to a few holiday celebrations but I always decline, I would much rather be alone than be the odd duck at someone else's table.:):playful::eek:nthego:
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RadishRose said:
I'm like Aunt Bea, would rather stay home alone than to be the "odd duck".
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Both of you sound like me. Ever since my husband passed away, the thoughts of going to an event like that does not appeal to me. Like both of you, I don't like feeling like the "odd one". I have been asked several times to go to these events but I have turned down the invitation each time and stayed at home which I enjoyed so much better than being there and feeling so odd and out of place.
 
Every Thanksgiving/xmas when my siblings&I were growing up we would have grandparents,cousins,family friends over for delicious meals,fun time together
When my parents moved to a retirement community in Hanover,NH in '92, I could never get off from work to go be with them during the holidays,saw them during summer vacations or they would come home for a visit
Since my parents are no longer with us, almost every Thanskgiving I spend a couple days with my brother &family who live in Rye,NY{burb of NYC} Its always tricky flying out of Buffalo in NOV,not knowing if a snowstorm will cancel my plans
I stay here for Christmas,I spend xmas day afternoon with my close friends who live 2 blocks away
 
We purposely stay in Chicago area as most of our combined families live in this area (otherwise I'd be 1000 miles away). So, we have some holidays, siblings have some, wife's siblings have some. The 'hassle' with these holidays is that there are so many people --- multiple generations.
 


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