Traditions -- old and new -- that you celebrate

General Discussion
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Most people here celebrate it as a fun end-of-the-year festival. The malls used to get redecorated with a Christmas theme before the pandemic struck. Our church hosts an inter-denominational Carol Night, where different groups come and sing. They also rent a choir bus and go carol singing with their instruments to all the church members’ houses at night.

My family goes to our hometown to celebrate with the family. I have my maternal and paternal family homes there, and we alternate between them :sweat_smile: We open the attic and get out all the Christmas decoration boxes… Everybody is in charge of a different decoration aspect - someone does the lights, someone climbs up into the big mango trees and hangs lights(while the moms yell at their grown up sons- my dad and uncles- to stop taking risks :joy:), someone is in charge of the outdoor cooking fires(we only use them when the entire family gathers), someone does the garden decorating, and all of us kids help out wherever possible. Jim Reeves or the Homecoming Friends are always playing in the background. The eldest living daughter(my grand-aunt) and daughter-in-law of the house(my grandma) head the cooking. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation for the entire Christmas week.

The church is lit up with lots and lots of lights, and the everyone dresses up in traditional silk saris to go for the Christmas Eve service. It’s another chaotic experience because the whole house(usually about 20 people) has to share one bathroom. The church is usually overflowing with people because of all the families who’ve come to their hometowns for Christmas.

On New Years’ Eve, our family comes back to the house after church and sets up a table outside in the yard and we fill it up with all the snacks and desserts everyone brings. We sing till midnight and then talk about how the year was for each of us, and how far God has brought us.

Since we live very close to the beach, we either go and spend time playing on the shores or go on a day trip to the nearby island. It’s so much fun to be together and I can’t wait for everything to start happening!

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30

anyone hear of the “old christmas?” and how its celebrated?? oopps, January 6

31

probably by myself, but that can change

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32

well seems like my family doesn’t want to do traditional anymore, no not depressed or anything here, I just feel bad they dont want to spend time together as a family, y’know the whole thing what it means about the holidays.

sure find someone to share and so on(note my depression link) yes sharing with someone that IS alone, someone that needs cheering up,

someone even a homeless person, baking those cookies or cakes, even a meal, yeah. giving is what it is all about. a phone call, a card etc, etc, etc. those cookies & cakes, I will stop now. love reading these, made my day today, thank you!

now what we do, have a special feast, celebrate the birth of Christ give out presents to every one(family) sing songs, decorations, like christmas tree, lights, oh yeah go around to see the beautiful lights, my church is having a live Nativity, next few nights, which is a drive through, its really beautiful

one thing more, “my so called bucket list” I want to go in person and watch the Nutcracker swete(?) so I mis spelled it. anyway that can be seen on tv and all, but just one time, go see it in person!!

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I only know that Christmas gifts are given on that day in Russia.

As for me, I fondly remember my grandma since it was her birthday. In our family we would set up the tree and never put it away before my grandma’s birthday, I don’t know why, but it just turned into a tradition.
It’s Epiphany, children from the roman-catholic community will go out to sing costumed and bring the blessing for the house and it’s people.

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34

You can link your thread so I did it here!

I’m so glad you are making your OWN traditions and looking to help others that are lonely-

Isn’t that what it is all about!

Go to your local ballet and see the Nutcracker even if you don’t get a live orchestra I did it for almost 10 years and got the pleasure of seeing a NY Prima Ballerina - I live close to a metropolitan area here and need to travel to see it - So Beautiful and my favorite music during the holidays.

Look on your local events pages for parades - churches do free music events - the nutcracker at your local theater!!!

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I hope you do. :hugs:

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36

That sound like a lot of fun. :ocean: :beach_umbrella:

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37

I hope you get to see it! I only watched the Disney movie “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” when it was released in 2018 at an antique theatre :sweat_smile: I remember not liking it at first, but then I realized it was an art movie and not plot-centric.

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38

@vivi_1485, i want to come to your house to celebrate Christmas! It sounds like such a joyous time!

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39

This brings back memories, when I was under nine.
vivi_1485,
Your description of activities is so palpable, consider your 20 people increased to include everyone reading. :blush::blush::blush::blush:

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41

Is this appropriate right now?:thinking:
You my dear, need to focus!!:eye::eye: :roll_eyes:

Good save!:smile::rofl::smile::joy:

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@frustratedwriter

So sad to hear that your family won’t do the traditional stuff anymore, but can’t you meet with them at some place outside? Like my plans (hope they don’t get jinx) are to go to Manhattan to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, and to see all the gorgeous window’s displayed at Macy’s/Sack’s etc…since is not recommended to have indoor reunion with too many people and my family exceed the limit.

We are hoping the weather cooperates bc it is a lot of walking and when is cold…ughhh :cold_face: Now with the thing that the stores are closed, and the ones that are opened have a never ending line…:dizzy_face::dizzy_face:

Your Church don’t make trips by bus to see shows and stuff? The Church in my area they even go to Casinos :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Well, sometimes we make plans and they don’t go through, and other times, we do it at the spur of the moment, and have so much fun! I hope things changes by then, and you can be out there having fun and telling us all about it here.

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You have a way of asking :expressionless:
Back then many people had a boiler in the bathroom for hot water and it wasn’t big for everyday taking a bath or for a family of 4 taking every day shower (whether there was a carp in bathtub or not)… there are also public baths you can go and wash if you are after 2 days so dirty and smelly :wink: you can adequately wash in sink with less water too…

Still many very old houses in Europe have boilers in apartments, Europe is older than US…
also when snowstorms hit east coast of US people can be up to 2 weeks without electricity, I lived 3 to 6 days without it, your boiler will not heat unless you have big generator built in…

There goes your wondering about 2 to 3 days no taking bath or shower… not everyone in this world has all the comfort, lol, yet they do survive this…

Besides the carp can live the days in tap water, it is also said that it’s a sort of cleaning method because carps live near ground which is muddy… you can explore this topic more with google…

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46

You still need to focus :eye::eye::roll_eyes:
Keep it merry, keep it bright!:christmas_tree::notes::partying_face:

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How about some Christmas music :musical_note::notes:?

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@simi11

Haha… I never heard of this tradition before so my OCD kicked in…:rofl:

I have to admit I was shocked beyond comprehension, but I keep forgetting how hard life was back in the days. I just realized how blessed we are bc most houses have two full bathroom, so taking a bath won’t be a problem.

Thanks for the info and taking your time to explain.

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MERRY MERRY AND BRIGHT :christmas_tree:

I like that saying! I’m so thankful to @frustratedwriter and @adrianmorales for starting the holiday threads that they have recently. One of the reasons I started coming to discussions and to Kdrama is because sometimes things aren’t all that merry and bright in the drama that is our own lives! I love coming here and being positive and listening to positive music, stories, friendship, watch parties - HOTTIES with all of you!

Here is to a Very Very Merry Joyous Holidays (whatever you celebrate) to everyone! I hope that you go to a beautiful Christmas performance, The Nutcracker - find a friend - someone lonely or someone who needs JOY in their life from you!!!

Cuz isn’t that the REASON for the SEASON!!

I have many traditions I need to sit down and write them out!

I love gingerbread house making and having a Big RIB ROAST for dinner with Yorkshire pudding because that is what my mom made every year! She could make a bow on a package that rivaled anyone’s bows ever! I collect a new ornament every year and have for years from places that I go or something that might mean something that year! Then you have a whole collection that has a memory placed along side of it. A few years ago I went to the library and took out Christmas Story books alongside some books I already had - fixed up a tote and picked some primary children that I love and went to their house to read to them!!! That was so uplifting for ME! :evergreen_tree:

The funniest thing I do is that I watch “A Christmas Story” for 24 hours starting Christmas Eve - I have done it for YEARS! and you better not change the channel.

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51

Growing up, I lived in a city where ALL of my immediate relatives on BOTH sides of my family also lived, as well as a lot of extended family, so holiday celebrations were large and numerous. We had too many specific goings on to share them all. However, my parents, brothers, and I adopted a special Christmas morning breakfast over time, and now that we live scattered across the state and often only have a short time together, we choose to recreate this breakfast meal no matter what time of day it is, instead of the big, traditional Christmas dinner. The sense of warmth and togetherness in the midst of the cold and dark winter days is my favorite thing of the holiday season. I have so many wonderful and comforting memories, and even though I don’t get to be surrounded by as much family anymore, it’s still easy to tap into that feeling when the sights and sounds of the holidays are everywhere.

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Same! :blush::+1:t5::joy:

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