Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Judging from the activity on the site, most of you are away from the internet, having a great time with family and friends. But I'm just curious, for those of us who are hanging around Ricochet: Where are you? And what are you doing?
Tomorrow we'll do our annual tradition of celebrating Jewish Christmas here at Ricochet. But what is Christmas Eve like for you? Are you running around getting last-minute gifts? Or as Teresa Kopec tweeted out a few days ago:
After 19yrs of marriage I've decided if my husband ever goes Christmas shopping before Dec. 24th, he's probably having an affair. #safesofar
I love it. We celebrate the full 12 days of Christmas so I just wait for the post-Christmas sales to do much of my gift-buying for the godchildren and nieces and nephew.
The Hemingway children are about to have the most ridiculous Christmas in the history of Christmases, with piles upon piles of gifts. I told them that they only get to open them up tonight if they do a fantastic job singing in the choir (our 3-year-old makes her Lutheran choir debut tonight) so they have been practicing every day. (Am I turning into Rose Hovick?)
The only downside is that I've been laid low with a cold so the pre-baking is not going quite as well as I wish.
Well, that and we're all alone this Christmas. My brother is with his Canadian in-laws in Canadia, of all places. My folks and sister are back in Colorado. The Hemingways are buried under feet of snow in Oregon. And there is no snow here.
Tonight we will hear that Jesus' birth is at hand. With little ones, we won't make it to midnight mass so instead will return at 10 AM for Divine Service. My own family tradition is to read Luke 2 prior to opening gifts tonight. Since our 5 year-old just learned to read, we may let her try to read parts of it.
What about you?
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Apr '12
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
We own out own business so around Christmas events at school, church, parties, and sledding, we are doing year end inventory & finishing up the paperwork to close out the year and give it all the the accountant. Most of my red wines are just finishing the secondary fermentation so after Christmas the wines have to be racked and put to bed. After that it is back out to the vineyard to prune.
May '11
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
As Tuesday is a regular work day here in Japan, we celebrated Christmas on Sunday with a friend and his family, we had a good time, ate too much, enjoyed some good wine and some good conversation. First time in 18 years we have not had any kids at home, feels very strange.
As for me, I'm at work, running the liquor shop, it's about 8 minutes before midnight here, so it's almost Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Dec '10
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
If it's the 24th and I'm not shopping, it isn't December.
Merry Christmas to all
Oct '10
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
I am sitting across I-25 from you in Saudi Aurora contemplating some baking and reading.
Dec '11
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Well, I am eating some coleslaw because its relatively healthy and I like it.
My mother in law is visiting and now I need to sweet talk my alterations lady into putting a rush into finishing my new suit.
I ordered a new navy blue chalk stripe suit from the brooks brothers during their 70% off sale. Which was serendipitous because my grandpa went into hospice 3 days ago, and the day before yesterday after I asked the alterations lady to adjust all my clothes he passed on. So merry Christmas I have officially run out of grandpas. Its not exactly unexpected, and everybody is coping well.
So after christmas is over and the company leaves its off to blustery cold western NY to do what needs to be done.
My wife is getting, in my quest to arm my wife with the heavy artillary of upper middle class one-ups-man-ship, receiving 2 interesting pieces by Christian Louboutin. A small sparkly purs-y thing, and a pair of patent leather black round toe pumps.
Edited on December 24, 2012 at 4:12pmDec '11
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
In my early life with my bio family Christmas Eve would definitely be a shopping day. But with my married family a priority was to have all the gifts obtained early. So no frantic shopping day for me. Presents will be opened tonight, freeing tomorrow to have the professionals serve us Christmas Dinner. All of the women have reached a point in their lives where a Martha Stewart dinner no longer holds much allure. Merry Christmas to my fellow Ricochet members and....with a nod to Rob and Peter...future Ricochet members!
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
I'm surprised by how much time today I've spent thinking about how to avoid our daughter's hair getting caught on fire again this year at the Christmas Eve service. To keep CPS out of our midst, we're going to have a no-candle policy for the girls for a few more years.
Feb '12
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
I'm working today - - well, at least part of the day. Then home hopefully early afternoon to prep for dinner with my husband and then dinner with friends tomorrow. But O! Tonight! Candlelight service and then back for the Sacrament in the morning. Blessed services of light and salvation and joy in the midst of such a darkened world. Empty places at the dinner table where both grown children are absent . . . holes that can't be filled. Come LORD Jesus.
Jun '11
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
My wife is getting a massage and my son and I are enjoying a hearty Scots breakfast at McDonald's. We're bracing to head across the street to Michael's for supplies to finish off decorating a bird feeder my son built for the grandparents. And I'm basking in the "Thank Yous" from recently delivered Ricochet gift subscriptions. They indeed make a great late gift!
Jul '11
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
All my brood went to the Nutcracker last night. The five year old girl magically won a nutcracker doll. Some of us are leaving for skiing, the ones who ski, in 20 minutes because there's a couple feet of powder. We have an inch on the ground here, enough for snowballs later. I have ten people in my house that is not at all made for ten people.
Jun '10
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Two activities:
1. I now shop online. But, of course, I did it too late, so I'm here hoping UPS gets it delivered today.
2. Most importantly, I'm serving as Mrs. Tabula's servant.
Apr '11
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Baking some cookies, watching movies, and reading. Later, I'll be making crab cakes for dinner after church.
Aug '10
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Oh, I'm jealous. Un-Christian as that is.
Our family celebrates on Christmas Eve. My family isn't churchgoing, so they expect me to be at home visiting with them and helping Mom make sure Christmas runs smoothly. For a long time, I resisted, insisting on singing the midnight service with the choir. Well... nothing says anti-social, unhelpful, and even dangerous like leaving a houseful of relatives to go to church.
Eventually I decided that yeah, from their perspective, my abandoning them for church could seem pretty selfish. So I don't go anymore. I miss it, though.
May '10
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Trying to help my youngest son & his wife decide to give it another try instead of getting a divorce next year. Seems like a very severe case of 2nd year adjustment difficulties (vs. anything from the "adultery, abuse, abandonment" triad).
Please pardon this very down note for this thread but if any of you Ricochetti who have religious inclinations would pray for hardened hearts to be softened it would be appreciated.
Jul '10
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Currently, I'm mentally preparing for the evening at My Brother's Compound.... where there will be scores, upon scores, upon scores of Family and Friends... the noise... People shoulder to shoulder throughout the house... the music... up and down the stairs... the laughing... lined around the pool in back and among all the ridiculous decorations in the front... the yelling over one another... a tournament or two will develop at table tennis, or darts, or some video game with much wagering... with much gloating, bragging, and "in Yer face!"... kids running, ducking, and dodging everywhere... the dancing... the flow of alcohol... something valuable gets broke... more food available than most nations have... You know, typically everything associated with the Birth of Christ.
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Nick Stuart: Trying to help my youngest son & his wife decide to give it another try instead of getting a divorce next year. Seems like a very severe case of 2nd year adjustment difficulties (vs. anything from the "adultery, abuse, abandonment" triad).
Please pardon this very down note for this thread but if any of you Ricochetti who have religious inclinations would pray for hardened hearts to be softened it would be appreciated. · 31 minutes ago
I'll keep your family in my prayers, Nick Stuart. Reminds me of how very thankful I am for my brother telling me -- on my wedding day no less! -- that the first year or two of marriage is *hard.* So when it was, I just thought back on what he said, and the beautiful marriage he had, and felt much better (even though I also despaired, at times). For some it's harder than others -- prayer, humility, extra doses of forgiveness, counseling are all encouraged.
Jan '11
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
I'm waiting for older daughter to wake up to assess her health. She was feeling poorly last night & may have beginnings of a cold or flu. I'll proceed w/ Christmas Eve feast preparations but am prepared to have a very quiet Eve and Christmas Day instead of the usual round of festivities with extended family.
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Oh, I'm jealous. Un-Christian as that is.
Our family celebrates on Christmas Eve. My family isn't churchgoing, so they expect me to be at home visiting with them and helping Mom make sure Christmas runs smoothly. For a long time, I resisted, insisting on singing the midnight service with the choir. Well... nothing says anti-social, unhelpful, and even dangerous like leaving a houseful of relatives to go to church.
Eventually I decided that yeah, from their perspective, my abandoning them for church could seem pretty selfish. So I don't go anymore. I miss it, though. · 45 minutes ago
This makes me so appreciative of what I get to do tonight and tomorrow. I'm sorry you're not able to, MFR.
Dec '10
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
Today is the annual trip to Uncle Ben's house for my mother-in-law's side of the family. Like Thanksgiving there will be 25-30 people milling about, eating too much, and playing whatever silly party games my mother-in-law comes up with this year. The kids (my 10 year old is one of the youngest) will gather to hear to the Christmas story read. It wasn't that long ago when the recently married were the kids listening to the story and mine were the babes in arms. After the eating and reading there will be caroling, avoided by some, cherished by many. Hopefully we'll be on our way home before the temperature drops too much and the snow starts. At home will begin the Santa preparations, checking Santa's location, and the manufacture of "reindeer food." After the kids finally in bed we'll wrap the last few presents and prepare for tomorrow's torment of the children...
(con't.)
Feb '11
Re: Where Are You? What Are You Doing? (Christmas Eve edition)
And here I thought Ol' Billy was no longer among us.