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My Holiday Experience......

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2006 Jun. ~ 2006 Dec.: Free Expressions (ARCHIVES): My Holiday Experience...... users admin

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Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 1:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
Share some of your great holiday experiences this year.

This year was intermingled with some of the usual stresses.....what to get for who, whose house to have the celebration at....etc. Eventually gifts were purchased (or ordered on-line to be delivered in time). We settled on having Christmas at sis's house. Tentative plans on a ham for dinner.

Then a huge blizzard pretty much put a wrench in all our plannings. Packages due to be delivered didn't arrive in time to be given. And when streets were able to be travelled again, sis couldn't find any food at the grocery store (apparently food deliveries to the stores were delayed as well, not to mention the rush on the grocery stores before the blizzard hit). Couple that with her residential street had not been plowed. All that had been done was a snow plow drove up the middle of the street to the end, then backed out, leaving a one-car-width lane in the street. Residents had to dig out of their driveway, then back their cars all the way to the first intersection in order to leave their houses. Not a suitable place for a celebration, as there was no place to park our cars once we got there.

Add to the stress now is sis won't have the kids for Christmas after all. This is the year she gets them for Christmas Eve instead. But with the snowstorm, there just isn't enough time to change everyone's plans for Christmas Eve.

Change of plans....We decide to do the "Adults Christmas" as planned, and do the "Kids Christmas" in two weeks when she gets the kids again. Change of location to our house. We live on a established road that gets plowed first. I have another pork roast defrosting in the fridge (see the Cooking Corner, Crock Pot recipes). If we can't find a ham, I can put that in the crock. At least we'll have food (but one sis's sensitive stomach is a worry....she probably can't handle the sauerkraut). I'm not expecting more than three of the six people who are scheduled to be there to really like the stuff.

Sis/BIL will bring "some ham" left over from some meal they had during the week. Sis is able to at least find a 4lb ham at the store. Someone brings bread, someone else brings deviled eggs, etc. Eventually we end up with a bit of a smorgasbord of food. Not exactly a traditional Christmas Dinner With All The Trimmings. Someone mentions the old Folk Tale "Stone Soup." So this officially becomes the 2006 Brown Family Stone Soup Christmas Dinner.

It was a smashing success! The food was plentiful and delicious. The pork roast/sauerkraut not only came off, it came off BIG. My BIL came back for seconds, and even sensitive stomach sis (who wasn't feeling up to par anyway) cleaned her plate. Both of the visiting households are enthusiastic about going home and adding my impromptu pork roast recipe to their official crock pot repertoire.

The gifts that didn't arrive weren't a huge problem after all, since they were for the kids, who we'll not be seeing until two weeks from now anyway. A gift box from my San Diego sis also didn't arrive. Although she was disappointed to hear that when she called, she was enthusiastic that we'll be getting together again in two weeks anyway. So her gift box can be shared then instead.

Everyone loved their gifts all around. And the most important thing was, everyone got home safely on streets that, although cleared and passable, had ice to contend with. Mom and I were slap-happy exhausted by the end of the evening, but it was good kind of exhausted. I went to bed and barely remember hitting the pillow.

Our family often jokes about The Brown Curse. We often have odd things happen to us. Even the simplest of tasks can be hampered by the Brown Curse. A twenty minute task can turn into a three day task cause of the odd wrenches that can be thrown at us. In the end though, even if we have to go through a lot, things always seem to work out in the end.

I would say this was a perfect Brown Family Christmas.

Tater
Member

03-19-2003

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 2:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tater a private message Print Post    
Sounds lovely Who! I have found that the best celabrations are the impromptu ones.

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 2:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Way to go, Whomum!

Sounds like the "Brown Curse" has been broken.

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 3:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Whoami a private message Print Post    
I wouldn't say the curse was broken. Like I said, we usually go through a lot of struggle for even the simplest things, but it usually works out in the end. Just like our Christmas celebration did!

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 7:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Great story, Who!!! Thanks for sharing it.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 9:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
great story Who!!!

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 9:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
I love your story, Who!

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 2:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Okay, the usual stresses here as well, which as always, is my aunt and her family.

Being we just bought our first home, we wanted to have Christmas at our house, since it is bigger, more parking, and the novelty of new home new traditions is key in the first year.
We decided to have our usual Christmas Eve celebration at my grandmother's house, as always. This always includes a few pizza's, a few friends, most all of the family, beer, sodas, wine, and of course, our Trivial Pursuit/Balderdash tournaments.
I went over early to help Gramma out (she lives a mile from me) with prep work, putting leaves in the table, etc. Aunt Crazy (not her real name) calls about an hour or two before she is scheduled to arrive (she lives about 45 minutes away) and asks, no wait, TELLS us what games we will be playing once she arrives. We tell her that we are doing our usual trivial pursuit or balderdash and she need not bring any extra games. She says she wants to bring Battleship for her boys to play. We tell her no, DO NOT bring battleship because the small peices are a choking hazard for the little kids that are going to be there. I could forsee what would be happening. Her boys, which she think the world revolves around, would be sitting in the living room, right in the middle of where the little kids are watching TV (if her boys will allow it, and Aunt Crazy doesn't insist we put in something more age appropriate for her 13 and 15 year old and not my 10 month, 2 year old, and 3 year old. Seriously, this woman will turn off whatever you are watching right in the middle of your show, without asking, to appease her boys, no matter whose house she is at) and playing there will be battleship peices everywhere, the little ones will want to play, Cousin Crazies are violent, it would be a mess.

So while Gramma is on the phone I tell her to tell Aunt Crazy to NOT bring battleship. And Gramma says "you don't have to bring any games, we already have decided which games to play".
As it is my Gramma's party, she should get to decide on the plans for it, no?

Anyway, with that Gramma says "see you soon" and heads outside to blanket the horses (in N. California, yeah, I know)

A few minutes later, the phone rings and it is Aunt Crazy again. I wish I wouldn't have answered it, but I did. She starts in with "well, we don't feel comfortable coming, and it is an imposition if you already have plans that don't include us, so maybe we'll just stay home." She is being super dramatic and wants me to say "Oh no, just come on up, it's fine, we really want you here....." but I wouldn't say it.

I was already frustrated at this point with this woman, and I didn't want to say something that I should regret, but knew I wouldn't regret it, so I just hung up the phone without replying in any way, which I think was the best way to avoid confrontation and continued making dip, shaking my head. I wanted to say "Stop being such a drama queen, come up or don't, but this is Gramma's house, she makes the rules, this is her party, which you are an invitee and you DON'T get to decide what goes on. You are a guest."
But I didn't.

Gramma comes in and sees the look on my face and says "what?" and before I can say anything the phone rings again, and it's, that's right, Aunt Crazy.
She starts in on my gramma in a continued dramatic speal that she doesn't feel welcome if we have already made plans that don't include what her boys want to do and games she would like to play, and my gramma can't even get a word in edgewise. So she finally says "Crazy, I am sorry you feel that way, but Battleship is not an appropriate game to bring around a lot of little kids. Please bring a game that is appropriate with no small peices for the boys to play and the adults will play the games I have already planned on." And in trying to rectify her drama, gramma goes ahead and tells her to "bring some games you think the adults would like to play aside from the ones I have planned on. We'll see if anyone wants to play them instead."


Aunt flies off the handle saying that we are purposely excluding her children, and why can't the adults play battleship with the boys in order to keep an eye on the pieces.

Who get's invited to someone elses party and decides they are going to be the hostess and make the decisions as to what is going to be done? WHO DOES THAT?

Gramma again says no, please don't, and Aunt says she's not coming. To that gramma hangs up the phone and my older sis and I do a silent cheer.

Drama drama drama.

However, without her there, and without her butter licking (tell you all about that if your interested), inappropriately touching, 15 and 13 going on 7 and 9, boys and her antisocial, holier than though, looking down his nose at everyone husband, it was a nice evening.

Sister has a new boyfriend. A guy I graduated high school with and I actually considered him my "backup" guy for a while, we were really good friends, and still are (you all have a backup, don't try to deny it :-) ). So sis was glad aunt didn't show up, because she always makes inappropriate comments to "newbies"

We all are really glad sis has moved on from the "JERK" from the previous six years.

Christmas morning went off without a hitch. We had brunch, then the kids opened presents. My cousin, who lives in Frankston, Texas, even flew out to see the family with her husband and son. All the great grandkids and cousins were all together, which will probably NEVER happen again, and wouldn't you know it, I didn't get a picture!

THen at noon we went to DH's mom's house and had lunch and the kids opened more presents. I'll tell ya, they got so much stuff, I will be donating a lot of their "unused" toys this weekend.

I am sure there is more, but for now, I am glad to be back at work, where I can relax.

I did get these cute boots for Christmas


Twiggyish
Member

08-14-2000

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 7:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twiggyish a private message Print Post    
I'm glad you stood up to her. There are members of my family like that, too. It's so nice that you still have your Gramma.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 8:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
being an only child with only child parents I never had those kinds of situations and I am thankful...what a mess!

glad it turned out fun for all that attended

I wonder what Crzy did all day LOL

Regee
Member

10-09-2005

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 8:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Regee a private message Print Post    
I don't post often but seeing this thread is like how I felt on Christmas Day!

I was sick and hurt and felt lonely even though I had Jeff right there.

I had worked for 8 day's in a row at our store from 5AM; to open by 6, as Jeff was so ill he couldn't get out of bed what so ever for the first 4 day's.

I worked until 10 at night as we were on holiday hour's.

So finally on Christmas Day Jeff felt and needed to go to Cherokee, Iowa our home town as his Father is in a nursing home and not doing well at all.

I had sent money to Mother to get all the Christmas dinner stuff as we didn't have time to make anything what so ever.

Well, my daughter called me about 30 minutes from my Mother's and asked me if I had heard about "Gram's", as she call's her, and I said no what!

She went on to tell me that she would have to be on kidney dialinus (?) soon if she didn't change her way's.

And that a lot of her blood work came back horrid, and then she tell's me to wave at her while we pass each other on the hi-way as she and her husband were going to his sister's. And we would pass one another.

Much more was said about Mother's Dr.s report but I couldn't digest it then!!!!!!!!

The GUILT I felt when I knew she was making dinner for Jeff and I as we worked so many more hours this year than last (63 more) and well I was light headed and sick, right then and there.

No one in the family wanted to tell us (me and Jeff) as we were working long hour's.

HELLO, it would of been better that I had know as I got so sick I didn't eat and then I tryed to act normal and I couldn't, any little thing she did I would jump at and say Mother can you lift that can you do that.

My Mother raised 4 children from under 3 year's of age, as my brother and I were not a year apart with out my sperm donar Dad, so she is all we have.

She is 73; WHICH I just found out giggle I always thought she was 75, which she soon informed me she wasn't.

Then I had to open at 6 so I had to be there at 5 on the 26th and I couldn't even work for 4 hour's Jeff called me at 8 and asked if I was busy and I told him that I was sick which is the first time in 8 year's I have been to ill to work.

He asked me if he needed to change clothe's and be right in and I stated no, just get here as soon as you can, and he was at 9:23AM, as I just wanted to come home and go to bed and cover up.

Anyway, I don't know if this belong's here but, I just hurt so badly, what will I do with out her.

Thanks for listening, as I know I am rattling on and on and on, and I am sorry if this doesn't belong here.

Reg'ee

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 10:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
{{{Reg'ee}}} No wrong place..

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 10:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
Great Story Whoami! I've never heard of the Stone Soup story, but totally loved BOTH your story plus the linked Stone Soup story. I bet that is a Christmas that will be remembered in your family for years! Often it seems that one Christmas drifts into a different Christmas when you look at family pictures - unless something really important happens. This is one your family sure won't forget!!!
- -
Escapee, great story - - well told! Maybe next year you all can simply 'forget' to invite Aunt Crazy & her lil' wackos, and that obviously makes for a happier BETTER party & more fun for all! You were ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT to not pander to the drama, so it didn't leave your Gramma forced to follow along, trying to keep peace in the family!!! Love the boots too, they look not only cute, but seriously functional!
- -
Hugs Reg'ee!
The Thread's titled "Holiday Experience", not only G-O-O-D & Picture Perfect experiences, looks like to me! So it sounds like you put your story in the perfect spot. I can appreciate that it would have been easier & helpful if you had known about your Mom's situation beforehand. On the OTHER hand, I know about the 'stoic/secrets/don't worry nobody when they're working so hard type processing' - my people come from the same mindset. Still, I'm so sorry to hear how hard it was! Maybe in some ways, your Mom was a little bit glad to be carrying on the dinner prep part, no matter how she felt - - - just to get her mind off other issues and to make it a special dinner. There's comfort in carrying on the holiday routines, no matter how she might feel physically, JMO!

Believe it or not, all the relatives that I've ever known (on both sides) come from not far due south of you and your family Reg'ee, down in the Logan/Pisgah/Council Bluffs area. I was born just across the Nebraska border, but we moved to Phx AZ when I was about 3 yrs. My Sister is coming up from Phx mid-January and I have about a quart of black walnuts Aunt Agnes picked out (many trees in her yard), up in my freezer. We're going to make some serious batches of fudge and I plan to do my Christmas Celebrating then when she comes up.

Again, {{{Reg'ee & Hubby}}}

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 11:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
BTW, that is a little funny. Granted that I'm a bit prejudiced, but my Sis makes the best stuffed turkey (yep, I've got a bird waiting for her in the freezer) and the best fudges on this planet! I've been collecting the marshmallows & choc chips, ALL the makings, trying to gently nudge her in the 'right' direction during her last two visits (heck, I don't CARE if it's a holiday! I want some turk and I want some fudge!!!) but her trips are so short, so much to do that we always run out of time.

Last week she called, kind of upset. Seems that she had made up all her own black walnuts from Aunt Agnes into fudge she mailed out & shared with people (Yes! including Yours Truly, Me). Wonderfully YUMMMMY batch, too! By the time she was all done and people stopped by snagging some samples, she discovered that SHE only got two bites of ALL her black walnut fudge - which she truly loves.

"Not to worry Kid Sis. I'm saving MY stash of your fudge to share with ya come mid-January! And I just HAPPEN to still have Aunt Agnes' quart of nuts up there in that ol' freezer of mine!!"

Bisc, Generosity Overwhelms Me in Seattle

Regee
Member

10-09-2005

Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 7:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Regee a private message Print Post    
Thanks so much Seamonkey and Biscottiii:

I know about black walnuts as Mother has a tree in her yard, which I didn't know until recently that they only product a bumper crop every 3 year's.

I wouldn't be so worried but she only has one kidney, she lost one to cancer in 93.

Thanks so much for the hug's and if we get another bumper crop I will send ya some walnut's :-).

I NEVER thought about how she may of been happy to do the dinner, and she was in a rare mood when we got there, all happy and giddy.

I brought up I knew everything and she said real quite; please just don't say anything til after dinner, which I didn't.

Again thanks so much.

Reg'ee

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 2:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Reg'ee, I'm sure it gave your mother great joy that she was able to have you for dinner and that she was able to do it. She was probably very proud of herself, as well she should have been.