Holiday activities?

[Prudence]

So, I'm in a new place and I'm wondering what to do for the up-coming Solstice/Christmakwanzakah/New Year's season. I'm looking for events to attend as well as personal traditions (as I'm trying to establish a new life with new traditions). What do you do to mark this time of year?

[Lance]

I'm actually looking for Holiday activities to attend too, this'll be my first December in OC.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I spend as much time as I can with friends. I try to cook and bake. This is the season for anything based in ginger or cinnamon- drinks, food, house scents.

I think if I had more energy I'd put up lights. Lights are pretty and make me happy. I've even gone to a mall on occasion just to enjoy the lights. :)

And don't forget eggnog! Small cups... lots of calories in that stuff...

[Disneyphile]

We're embarking on new traditions this year too.

Instead of a bunch of little gifts, we're using funds from my in-laws to buy a Wii and a few games.

We're also formally celebrating Yule with a log, spiced cider, and a lavish home-cooked dinner.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Does avoiding one's family count as an activity?

[Not Afraid]

I work during Christmas. It's loads of fun and very fulfilling. I wouldn't understand it if no one else desired the same festive Holiday. (At least my clients tip.)

New Years - well you all know bout that. And, soon, there will even be an evite making it "official" - and even more racist.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Along with the holidays, there are an inordinate number of family birthdays in December, including my mom, my sister, CP's brother, and my soon-to-be-a-year-old niece. And our families tend not to get together very often (it's better that way), so we are left with very little free time.

Not that we don't enjoy what we're doing with that time.

[Kevy Baby]

I used to HATE the holiday season for the sole reason of having DJ'd company Christmas parties. For many years, it was every Friday and Saturday in December (before Christmas) plus many additional parties. Last year was the first year in twenty where I did not have a single party.

Susan has been working hard to get me back in the spirit.

[madmonkeygirl]

I love Xmas lights. They are a must every year. It seems the neighbor's are adding so that the neighborhood look very festive and it wouldn't be the holidays without decorations. Just really relaxing and very soothing i find them as well.

My grandpa used to add rum to the egg nog. How i miss him but sometimes keep the tradition going. As well as making rum balls this year falls on my mom and then i will help her roll them and sort them to give out as gifts to my fellow coworkers. :) Helping make right before Xmas very merry.

I do miss our tradition (my grandparents have both passed on) of us going to Vegas together as a family right before Xmas or to go snow skiing in a nice storm in Big Bear making the holidays seem postcard perfect.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Oh, a good activity is the boat parades at the various harbors around SoCal.

Here's a list (http://golosangeles.about.com/od/losangelescalendar/ss/BoatParades.htm)

[madmonkeygirl]

We used to drive around Candy Cane lane looking at all the lights. :)

[Not Afraid]

We have a annual parade in my neighborhood. I missed it the last 3 years, but i may make it a point to see it this year. It's a whole 3 blocks away!

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Around town, we try to catch a holiday chorale or concert when we can. There are several of them around town, at various churches and spaces.

We're thinking of trying the Griffith Park Light Festival this year (Tom hasn't been before) which is a drive-through past lots of lights. Go early in the month, though - it gets super-crazy.

There's an outdoor skating rink at Pershing square - you could do a downtown one-two punch and also see Las Posadas on Olvera Street


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As for holiday traditions, we have lots of those.

We have a very specific order for Christmas morning. We open stockings - and stockings only - before breakfast. Presents aren't allowed until after.

We have a "pickle prize" tradition, where we hide a pickle-shaped ornament on the tree and the first one to find it gets a prize.

We eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve (if we're with his side of the family.)

We eat homemade butterscotch rolls (I've made them for some of you!) on Christmas Eve morning (if we're with my side of the family.)

We watch Rudolph, Charlie Brown, Frosty, and (only the original animated) Grinch while decorating.

My side of the family often strings real cranberries and popcorn to hang on the tree. (The cats go nuts, though.)

Both sides of the family do holiday tamale nights (we recommend ordering from http://www.cornmaidenfoods.com/ - lots of yummy, but the goat cheese and the green corn with sweet corn are the best!)

And both sides of the family do a holiday mini golf outing.

Wow, it seems our family traditions are starting to blend together! Must mean we're making our mark on each other's family.

[Stan4dSteph]

We're thinking of trying the Griffith Park Light Festival this year (Tom hasn't been before) which is a drive-through past lots of lights. Go early in the month, though - it gets super-crazy.Do they let you walk through? We have one of those here and we usually plan a night to run through it, but walking works too. They let pedestrians in earlier than the cars.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Tonight is the last day of walk-through, actually... (we were going to go last Sunday but we didn't realize it was walk-through and didn't dress warmly enough!)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I've been waiting maybe 6 months to post this. Eric Idle on Christmas. (http://www.jenniegreg.com/Images/IdleChristmas.mp3) Audio, language NSFW.

Heehee.

Actually I love this time of year. Hitting the park has gotten me in the mood, and I get to pass through downtown Orange each day, where the streets are decked out, old school style.

Keeping up with family events will keep me busy, and I have to get the Alaska package out tomorrow, even though I'm not even half done with the shopping, never mind wrapping etc.

Can't wait for New Year's - a deep tradition for us, to be sure.

Bundle up and have a cup. :coffee:

ETA: Link fixed....or not working now

[madmonkeygirl]

My family used to open presents from Santa on Xmas morning when we were little. Then we waited til after our family meal to open presents from eachother. We would take turns opening presents or pick one a piece and open one going around the room. Now that we're older we usually sleep in on Xmas morning and have breakfast then get dressed (some of us go to Church or else Midnight mass not sure this year what i want to do yet) and then i usually open my presents from my friends who ship my presents to me (we exchange gifts via mailing them out as early as we can to get there in time or try to.) then once family comes over and we have our holiday meal we gather round and take turns opening gifts.

[€uroMeinke]

I'm thinking about getting some surgery for the Holidays - but that's just me.

I think for us it's all about New Years Eve. As our families have dispersed Christmas has become less and less something we celebrate in the traditional sense. I do like going to the park during this season, so I hope we get a couple park visits in before the year is out

[lashbear]

We always have a home-made Boiled Xmas Pud, and a Homemade Christmas Cake.

The tree resplendantly lit to over-kill with hundreds of C7's is also a must. Thank God we bought zillions while we were there in '02 ...

Oh, and if someone could get us some Flicker-flame bulbs to fit C7 sockets at the after-Xmas sales (I assume lights etc are cheaper then?), we would be eternally grateful, and we would be happy to despatch funds as required. It's not a tree without some flickering flames in 100-degree heat on an Aussie Christmas Day.

[madmonkeygirl]

Our Holiday tradition of going to the park on New Years Eve from opening to closing. It is fun to play "line to nowhere" and just ride rides and enjoy the day for what it is saying goodbye to the old year and hello to the new year. :)

[Kevy Baby]

We have a "pickle prize" tradition, where we hide a pickle-shaped ornament on the tree and the first one to find it gets a prize.You play "hide the pickle" for Christmas.

Huh.

[Not Afraid]

NOW Kevy's got the holiday spirit!

[Kevy Baby]

NOW Kevy's got the holiday spirit!Yeah, but which holiday?

I tend to be in a permanent mode of celebrating Beltane :evil:

[CoasterMatt]

boingy boingy boingy

[LSPoorEeyorick]

You play "hide the pickle" for Christmas.

Huh.

For the record, I gave Tom the following directive:

I have posted about a family tradition, and someone responded. What was the family tradition, and what was the response? One guess.

Tom was right.

[Betty]

You play "hide the pickle" for Christmas.

Huh.

So do we. It's a fun thing - I read about somewhere. Whoever find the pickle gets an extra gift.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

We always have a home-made Boiled Xmas PudI love it when words mean different things in different cultures. :evil:

[Disneyphile]

Oh, and if someone could get us some Flicker-flame bulbs to fit C7 sockets at the after-Xmas sales (I assume lights etc are cheaper then?), we would be eternally grateful, and we would be happy to despatch funds as required. Those are really popular and stores tend not to have them by the end sales. Usually, they're sold out everywhere by mid-December.

That said, I'll have Ken check Target today. They normally cost about $1 each.

How many do you want? :)

[Kevy Baby]

So do we. It's a fun thing - I read about somewhere. Whoever find the pickle gets an extra gift.Uh, yeah... That wasn't the "Hide the Pickle" I was referring to (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hide%20the%20pickle).

[Morrigoon]

(hyperlinking mine)
We always have a home-made Boiled Xmas Pud (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pud), and a Homemade Christmas Cake.

Oh you crazy bears.... ;)

[Morrigoon]

I guess now would be a good time to point out that this weekend is Candlelight Procession at Disneyland.

(Sunday would be a particularly good day to go ;) )

If you haven't seen it (Pru, Lance) it's a massive choir and full orchestra doing Christmas Carols interspersed with the reading of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator. It's really a beautiful event.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b321/morrigoon/12-05-06/candlelightawesome.jpg

[Lance]

I can't wait to go on Sunday

[Prudence]

I'm already doing dinner with the bro on Saturday, sadly, and since I didn't bother getting tickets, it seems kind of pointless to try to stand by anyhow.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I did standby the one year I saw it. No problem. It was standing, but I had a good view, and I got some good pictures. I didn't even have to spend hours waiting.

So go if you get a chance. Even if you don't have tickets.

[Disneyphile]

Oh, and if someone could get us some Flicker-flame bulbs to fit C7 sockets at the after-Xmas sales (I assume lights etc are cheaper then?), we would be eternally grateful, and we would be happy to despatch funds as required. It's not a tree without some flickering flames in 100-degree heat on an Aussie Christmas Day.Ok. Target has them for $1.29 each, and there are about 20 in stock. Plus, we get a 10% discount.

Would you like us to grab 'em? :)

[€uroMeinke]

Lamest Work Xmas ever

[Morrigoon]

I'm already doing dinner with the bro on Saturday, sadly, and since I didn't bother getting tickets, it seems kind of pointless to try to stand by anyhow.

Even if you don't get a "seat" you can see the show. There's standing room behind the roped-off seating area. We've been there as a group before. It's just fine!

[lindyhop]

Even if you don't get a "seat" you can see the show. There's standing room behind the roped-off seating area. We've been there as a group before. It's just fine!

I'll second that. I was at the Park and didn't even know it was happening. It was great even standing in the crowd.

[bewitched]

Does avoiding one's family count as an activity?

If it's mine, yes.


(hyperlinking mine)

Oh you crazy bears.... ;)

I think some tasty gingerbread poop would go quite nicely with your homemade pud. :p

[Prudence]

We ended up seeing Candlelight, although our view wasn't great. (Back of the crowd next to the opera house). Mostly my feet just hurt.