How do you celebrate x-mas [Archive] - Beyond.ca - Car Forums

C_Dave45

12-13-2011, 01:45 PM

During the time before Christmas we will do evening drives with coffee and baileys to look at Christmas lights. Went to Airdrie festival of lights. Will take in Zoo lights. Things like this.

Then for Christmas: I take the whole week off (Xmas to NYD). I get lots of firewood for the fireplace. It all starts Christmas eve in the early afternoon. I will work on the 24th til around noon or so. Then I put all my work clothes away, pour myself a rum 'n eggnog and get ready. A nice BBQ steak dinner and bottle of wine. Late at night (after midnight) my oldest son and g/f will arrive and spend the night. Sister and family will join us this year as well.

Christmas morning, I will be the first one up. Pot of coffee and Baileys, turn on the Christmas lights and tree and start a roaring fire. Enjoy some silence while I cruise the net. One by one, everyone will get get up and gather in the living room. For a couple of hours it will be mayhem, present openings, drinking, laughing, etc. Wife will make a huge breakfast. Then it's clean up time.

Then a large Turkey dinner in the dining room. I love just having family around with no thoughts of work for the week.
I'll take the boys skating/hockey to outdoor rinks. Go watch a few World Junior Games...and generally relax for a whole week.

Myrrinda

12-13-2011, 01:46 PM

Movie theatres are open Xmas day.

Usually we get up, have coffee in front of the tree, eat a big breakfast, then open presents. There's only 3 of us, so nothing too exciting.

sputnik

12-13-2011, 01:47 PM

On Christmas Eve we get together with family have a traditional supper of hot wings, stuffed potatoes and strawberry daiquiris.

We generally open our presents on Christmas Eve as well.

Christmas Day is more laid back for most of the day and then turkey shows up at dinner.

Boxing Day "sales" are a joke so we don't even bother. There are better sales to be had in the US at new years so we head down to North Dakota for that weekend.

ercchry

12-13-2011, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by The BMW Guy
^ I think it's closed...would suck to work on Christmas day.

they are normally open...

hurrdurr

12-13-2011, 02:00 PM

We're starting our own tradition this year with the addition of our son.

In previous years the wife would be with her family Christmas eve and have appetizers, while I would have a dinner at my moms where we would both stay the night and open gifts in the morning. Coffee with baileys, big breakfast, then off to the wife's family's house to open gifts. After - Go to my Dads to give gifts, spend some time, and back to my moms for Dinner.

It has been a clusterfuck for the past 5 years, but this year, I think we're gonna let everyone come to us and just relax all day.

Kloubek

12-13-2011, 02:10 PM

I always travel back home to Kamloops. Since my parents are split, I spend an evening with my father but most of my time is with the rest of my family. It generally includes gift opening on Christmas day - work schedules permitting... and I generally spend the other days with family or friends... and possibly early morning shopping with the family on Boxing Day. (Though in BC there is an extra tax which kinda sucks)

I'm not religious either, so Christmas presents a great time to spend my time with family and friends.... not to celebrate a religious holiday.

l/l/rX

12-13-2011, 02:17 PM

The last couple years been going to my brothers-gf's-moms restaurant on Christmas eve (peking garden), have a massive feast, drink the night away with close friends and family and then some fun gambling.

Tik-Tok

12-13-2011, 02:38 PM

Xmas eve, Chinese food
Xmas morning, open presents 9-10ish, then make a big brunch
Xmas eve big turkey dinner.

The rest of xmas day is spent preparing the 2 big meals, and cleaning up afterwards. Usually time for a nap as well.

12-13-2011, 02:46 PM

This is awesome! We grew up fairly poor and the parents had to work a lot to feed us all. Plus they really didn't know any better about Christmas since they were new immigrants from the motherland. I now have my own family and I want to start traditions like this so that my son can have great memories of his childhood and maybe a long the way pick up some things he would do with this kids and keep the tradition going. I don't want him to associate Christmas with presents when it really should be about family.

Originally posted by C_Dave45
During the time before Christmas we will do evening drives with coffee and baileys to look at Christmas lights. Went to Airdrie festival of lights. Will take in Zoo lights. Things like this.

Then for Christmas: I take the whole week off (Xmas to NYD). I get lots of firewood for the fireplace. It all starts Christmas eve in the early afternoon. I will work on the 24th til around noon or so. Then I put all my work clothes away, pour myself a rum 'n eggnog and get ready. A nice BBQ steak dinner and bottle of wine. Late at night (after midnight) my oldest son and g/f will arrive and spend the night. Sister and family will join us this year as well.

Christmas morning, I will be the first one up. Pot of coffee and Baileys, turn on the Christmas lights and tree and start a roaring fire. Enjoy some silence while I cruise the net. One by one, everyone will get get up and gather in the living room. For a couple of hours it will be mayhem, present openings, drinking, laughing, etc. Wife will make a huge breakfast. Then it's clean up time.

Then a large Turkey dinner in the dining room. I love just having family around with no thoughts of work for the week.
I'll take the boys skating/hockey to outdoor rinks. Go watch a few World Junior Games...and generally relax for a whole week.

cet

12-13-2011, 03:01 PM

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Xmas eve, Chinese food
Xmas morning, open presents 9-10ish, then make a big brunch
Xmas eve big turkey dinner.

The rest of xmas day is spent preparing the 2 big meals, and cleaning up afterwards. Usually time for a nap as well.

Mine is really similar. When I was younger, on Christmas Eve, my parents used to take us to an early movie to keep us entertained and not going on about Santa every 5 mins. Then we would find something to eat which always ended up being Chinese food since they were the only place open. I haven't been to a movie on Christmas Eve for years but have always kept the dinner out, only now it's with friends. The few times I have been back to England to visit family over the holidays CHristmas Eve is always with friends, either round at someone's house or at the pub.

Christmas day we are up early and open presents in the morning, breakfast is usually cinnamon buns. Late morning/early afternoon is spent cooking dinner, or playing with whatever you got for christmas and making calls to family and friends. Usually have dinner around 3pm then spend the rest of the evening relaxing, going for a walk, playing games or watching movies.

JfuckinC

12-13-2011, 03:07 PM

Divorcey family christmas haha i just do whatever my sister tells me to do..

Usually dinner with one side, then sleep at the other, do christmas morning then go to one or the other grandparents or an aunty an uncle then another stop then another. :banghead:

I'd rather just chill out and visit in one place each day, but apparently that's selfish haha :dunno:

Type_S1

12-13-2011, 03:10 PM

Week before Xmas: Big extended family get together at the same hall every year. Potluck+secret santa crap+santa for the kids.

Christmas Eve: Usually go to Chinatown for dinner.

Christmas Day: Wake up, presents, big breakfast, grandparents house for immediate family huge dinner+more presents.

Boxing Day: Big Brunch at a family members, shopping and then another dinner with leftovers from the night before with the fam.

masoncgy

12-13-2011, 03:10 PM

It depends. If my parents are around, we do it their way, which is to enjoy the classic "Christmas Morning Wife Saver' baked breakfast dish my Mom always makes, enjoy coffee w/ Baileys and then go and tear open the gifts.

Afternoon is spent drinking with Dad & my siblings & whoever else is around... and getting the meal ready.

After I left home but prior to getting serious with my wife and then having kids, I spent all of those ones alone at home, with no tree or decorations or anything. It was actually kind of nice, no stress at all, didn't have to do a thing. I almost prefer it... I say almost because I have kids now and it's really for them anyway.

It will be different this year because it's just us and my brother-in-law... Mom & Dad are staying up north. I figure it will be very casual & low key around our place and we are doing the dinner with friends of ours in Ladysmith.

December 27 it all goes back into totes and into the crawlspace! :clap:

Unknown303

12-13-2011, 03:18 PM

I work night shifts for the Friday, Saturday, Sunday.. so no Christmas for me again. But I get paid for it so can't really complain.

Masked Bandit

12-13-2011, 03:20 PM

Ours has grown to a multi-day affair. By early afternoon on Christmas Eve we're over at the in-laws for many beverages, a big meal & gifts. Christmas morning is at our place with just the wife & kids. Then more beverages. The afternoon is filled with family showing up and more beverages. Giant turkey supper followed by a few more gifts and you guessed it...beverages. By about midnight everyone is gone except me, my dad & my brother...and the bottle of rum. Boxing day is the wife off shopping (what the hell for, I have no idea) and about a week of leftovers (no more beverages at this point).

JRSC00LUDE

12-13-2011, 03:25 PM

There's a shitty pub that stays open on christmas eve and day, I typically just go there. It's ususally relatively busy so you can play some pool and golden tee with someone and get a bit liquored.

civiclvr

12-13-2011, 03:25 PM

My mom is fairly nuts for Christmas so it usually goes like this:

Whole family is there for xmas.. Most of us at least a few days early. Big sis will be arriving with her rugrats and husband on xmas day.

Christmas eve: usually a movie and relaxing in the early eve. Generally a board game or two and some general libations! Then writing our wish list to Santa.. this has degenerated since we are all older to see who can write the most funny letter to "Santa" but the reality of it is still there for the little ones. Once everyone goes to bed, there's some frantic gift wrapping and filling the kids santa gift sacks. Then bed

Christmas day: Recently imposed 8 am earliest allowed wake up call.. usually involves one of the youngest running into rooms and jumping on the bed. Everyone gathers in the living room. Tree lights on, Pot of tea made (we dont drink coffee), baileys on offer. Kids open Santa gifts. Then gift exchange happens with everyone randomly getting up and giving their gift to the other. With a big family, this usually takes a while. There's a fire on (damn log channel now that mom doesn't have a fireplace anymore), some snacks are out during this. Big breaky after, then it's time to prep the turkey, cleanup and relax/nap/play with the kids/whatever.
Big dinner follows in the dining room. Wine, xmas crackers, baking.. etc etc.. pretty awesome actually. The tree stays on all day and just general contentment. I can't wait.

Boxing day: usually someone wants to brave the sales.. a couple go out, the rest stay in and play games, movies, eat so much leftovers.. oh god...

the rest of the week is pretty relaxed.

n1zm0

12-13-2011, 03:30 PM

when all my family was around and i just moved out with the gf, she went to her family's and i as well to mine overnight, ours was usually me and the little bro heavy hit the alcohol with the old man and eat stuff from 'the finer things club'- i.e: all sorts of breads, crackers with roasted bone marrow, foie gras, foie du lapin (if some of you know what that is) brie, truffles etc, , talk about our childhood lols and experiences and the last 2 years was drunken Beatles rockband all night. then usually stay there even through xmas day - have hot noodle soup of some sort (greatest hangover fixer ever) for bfast, stay until run of the mill turkey dinner then go back home that night to prepare for boxing day.

since my bro is in Van and can't come back this year so my dad is visiting him and parents are going through rough patch i actually have the chance to spend xmas with the gf in my own house for the first time since owning it, that is after going to visit my mom for dinner first.

so a very different xmas this year for me i guess

JordanEG6

12-13-2011, 03:50 PM

Christmas Eve - Dinner/Party at my house with extended family and family from my father's side (+50 ppl). Huge dinner/open gifts at midnight. Have a huge COD/Halo tourney with us 'kids'.

Christmas Day - Another dinner/party with my family on my mothers side (around 20 ppl). Again, huge dinner (ham/turkey usually) and gift opening during NBA Christmas game.

Boxing Day - Shopping.

Abeo

12-13-2011, 04:08 PM

Before I moved to Calgary: Family would gather on Christmas day, drink a bunch, then start yelling at each other over turkey. Words would be exchanged that could not be taken back. One of my (adult) sisters would cry and storm out (usually before dessert).

Now that I have moved to Calgary: quiet dinner with friends on Christmas Eve or Christmas day. Call family for 10 min on Christmas day to wish them Merry Christmas.

Tomaz

12-13-2011, 04:18 PM

Things have changed up a wee bit since my brother had kids. The families are quite divided on what to do, so I just play it by ear each year.

Christmas Eve, the family goes to my brother's house for dinner and will spend the night.

Christmas Day, open gifts and have a big breakfast.

My brother and his family will pack up by lunch and head to his in-laws for the rest of Christmas day. Mom and dad go back home or MAYBE visit grandma if she isn't being hurtful.

The past few years I have been getting some friends together on Christmas Day for dinner as some of them either don't have family, or cant see their family. We go to Swiss Chalet and have a good time. I try to give them some "family" to see on Christmas. It doesn't look like it is happening this year though. :(

Hamann

12-13-2011, 04:28 PM

Last couple years have been:
Christmas Eve: Either my Gf's Mom's or Dad's
Christmas Morning: My Parents place
Christmas Dinner: Which ever of my Gf's parents we didn't spend Christmas Eve with.

This year we're going to be having Christmas dinner at my House because My Gf and I bought a house at the beginning of the year. So We're having everyone coming over for a big family Dinner (Her Family, My Family, and some extended family)

Only Christmas tradition my Family has is my Dad starts cooking a Turkey Christmas eve and we have turkey for breakfast while opening presents.

Feruk

12-13-2011, 04:58 PM

Big dinner Christmas Eve with traditional Polish braszcz and meat dumplings followed by a big expensive fish. Open presents Christmas morning. Have friends over for dinner Christmas Day (turkey). Avoid leaving the house on Boxing Day.

Originally posted by R!zz0
Big breakfast on Christmas eve
What? :rofl:

ZorroAMG

12-13-2011, 05:50 PM

Like a boss.

http://www.likeaboss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/christmas-tree-like-a-boss.jpg

codetrap

12-13-2011, 08:31 PM

I usually celebrate by building an airtight alibi, like going to BC to family. But in reality, I go find myself a nice hooker or 3 to kill, and dump the body in odd, yet amusing locations after the proper preparation.

jwslam

12-13-2011, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by max_boost
Are the ski hills open on X-mas day? If so I'm going boarding. I see my family everyday, X-mas is important because I get a day off from work. :rofl:
i think my dad went to louise one year and said it was dead.
went again on boxing day and he's never making that mistake again.

pretty sure that's what happened... maybe i got some other holiday mixed up lol

R!zz0

12-20-2011, 11:07 AM

Originally posted by C_Dave45
During the time before Christmas we will do evening drives with coffee and baileys to look at Christmas lights. Went to Airdrie festival of lights. Will take in Zoo lights. Things like this.

Then for Christmas: I take the whole week off (Xmas to NYD). I get lots of firewood for the fireplace. It all starts Christmas eve in the early afternoon. I will work on the 24th til around noon or so. Then I put all my work clothes away, pour myself a rum 'n eggnog and get ready. A nice BBQ steak dinner and bottle of wine. Late at night (after midnight) my oldest son and g/f will arrive and spend the night. Sister and family will join us this year as well.

Christmas morning, I will be the first one up. Pot of coffee and Baileys, turn on the Christmas lights and tree and start a roaring fire. Enjoy some silence while I cruise the net. One by one, everyone will get get up and gather in the living room. For a couple of hours it will be mayhem, present openings, drinking, laughing, etc. Wife will make a huge breakfast. Then it's clean up time.

Then a large Turkey dinner in the dining room. I love just having family around with no thoughts of work for the week.
I'll take the boys skating/hockey to outdoor rinks. Go watch a few World Junior Games...and generally relax for a whole week.

Best

Sugarphreak

12-20-2011, 11:19 AM

Originally posted by codetrap
I usually celebrate by building an airtight alibi, like going to BC to family. But in reality, I go find myself a nice hooker or 3 to kill, and dump the body in odd, yet amusing locations after the proper preparation.

:rofl:

CapnCrunch

12-20-2011, 03:31 PM

I usually start out by making a paper mache Jesus early on Christmas eve. Then, once I finish I quickly drink down a bottle and a half of absinthe. I then spend most of the night in a sort of semi-conscious state where my mind convinces me that I am time travelling through the 1900's with my paper mache Jesus.

Last year I woke up in my neighbors back yard completely naked, and spooning his dog. :(

Darkane

12-21-2011, 01:07 PM

Originally posted by CapnCrunch
I usually start out by making a paper mache Jesus early on Christmas eve. Then, once I finish I quickly drink down a bottle and a half of absinthe. I then spend most of the night in a sort of semi-conscious state where my mind convinces me that I am time travelling through the 1900's with my paper mache Jesus.

Last year I woke up in my neighbors back yard completely naked, and spooning his dog. :(

Green Fairy gets you everytime :(

Me, same thing for the last 5 years.

Work xmas because you dinks needs power, then drive home after my set on the 28th to get liquored up for new years.

Game set and match.