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Archive through November 21, 2008

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: General Discussions ARCHIVES: May 2009 ~ July 2009: The Holiday Thread : Archive through November 21, 2008 users admin

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Merrysea
Moderator

08-13-2004

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 12:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Merrysea a private message Print Post    
When my kids were little, our city had a "Santa Visit" program where we could have Santa and his helper come to our house and see the kids there. It made it much easier to get good pictures because the little ones were more relaxed being at home. It also reinforced their belief in Santa Claus!

Landileigh
Member

07-29-2002

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 12:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Landileigh a private message Print Post    
don't forget to watch "The Santa Clause" it explains so much!

Cinnamongirl
Member

01-10-2001

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 12:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cinnamongirl a private message Print Post    
OMG!! Santa visited your home?? How great is that!!! Lucky kids!

I get that Escapee! I can even relate

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 12:58 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
We have that option in our city too. My son and his girlfriend both work for the city so we have Santa coming to our house this year for her kids because she doesn't live in our city. It will be fun to have little ones getting excited about Santa in the house again. My son actually played Santa last year for the city but since he's had knee surgery this month, he won't be doing it again this year.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 1:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
LOL, we have a friend who for years dressed up as Santa and came to sis for the kids. Then a couple years ago, my niece climbed up in Santa's lap, peered into his face, and exclaimed, "MART! That's you!" Lesson: Use a Santa that doesn't hang around your house all the time, lol. Since then his father, who the kids don't really know, has played Santa while Martin sits at the table proving he's definitely not Santa!

I respect the decision of families to not do the whole Santa thing for whatever reasons they have. It's hard to raise kids and as a parent you have to do what you believe is right. I understand that decision, though don't agree, but I do understand it. What I don't get though is why some of those people feel it's up to them to spoil the secret for those who do believe. We have friends whose parents decided it was up to them to tell the grandkids that Santa wasn't real. Kids were about 4 and 6 at the time.

Of course, that's all silly since Santa is real! Santa's a part of the spirit of Christmas. Yes, I know Jesus and we discuss that part of Christmas with the kids, but to my way of thinking there's no reason the two can't coexist peacefully which is why my little ceramic Santa sits outside the mangor of my nativity set. Santa's that little bit of extra push towards the kindness of strangers and thoughts of giving more than recieving, and that little taste of magic in the air around this time of year. Santa's that older man in Costco with the big white beard and belly who carries candy canes in his pocket and hands them out with a Merry Christmas when kids stare at him with wide eyed wonder (we actually had that happen, lol) and he's that kid dropping quarters or a toy into a donation box and he's that woman who carries gift certificates for McDonalds to hand out to the homeless so they can get a meal. Try to tell me Santa isn't real, pfft!

I was a bit worried how my kids would take the news but once Caleb asked about it and we explained why we perpetrate the Santa myth and why I still believe, he was fine with it and got excited about the idea of carrying on with the younger kids. He's the first one in Santa's lap, to show the little ones there's nothing to be afraid of, tells them how he once heard Santa, gets them excited, and had a blast last year dropping reindeer poop outside ours and sis' house for the girls to find. He's having too much fun encouraging their belief to be upset about it, lol.

Pippin04
Member

10-26-2007

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 1:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pippin04 a private message Print Post    
we have always encouraged our daughter to believe in Santa. Not so much for the getting but for the fact that he gives so much.

When she found out the truth I confessed that I was Santa but still encouraged the giving.

Now that she is 18 we continue the Santa spirit of giving. Anytime we see a giving tree or a group collecting toys for Christmas. We both donate. It is a special part of Christmas.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 2:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
I'll never forget when Dylan found out Santa wasn't real. He was so upset and loudly proclaimed, 'My whole life has been a lie!!!' we laugh about it now but I felt like shit then, esp when he said why did you lie to me, Dylan has always been about truth and fairness, even as a young kid.

Sharinia
Member

09-07-2002

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 2:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sharinia a private message Print Post    
awww, he sounds like a good kid, pamy. funny story, tho

Neko
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 3:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Neko a private message Print Post    
If I wasn't living at home right now, I'm not even sure my mom and step dad would celebrate Christmas.

Since after I turned around 16, they've made Christmas feel like it's a giant hassle.
They hate shopping, hate snow, hate everything about the holiday (except for the time off from work I'm sure), and it's really frustrating to me.
Rather than enjoy the positives of it, like watching someone's face light up when you give them something they really wanted, or getting to spend time with the family you don't normally get to see, they seem to have just focused on the negatives.

They've told me that once I've had kids and have had to make a big deal about the holiday for 18+ years, I'll be tired of it too.

I sure hope not.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 3:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
My dear old Grandma is 73 years old and she gets animated about the holidays every year the day after Halloween and she leaves her decor (over the top) up until mid January. She still aint tired of it, tell your mom to suck it up, LOL.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 3:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
I love everything about Christmas. I loved it as a child, when my kids were small, and now that they are in their 20s, they still get stockings stuffed with goodies and Santa gifts on Christmas morning. I think they love it as much as I do.

Neko
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 3:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Neko a private message Print Post    
LOL Escapee.
I'll do that, then tell her one of Juju's imaginary friends told me to.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 3:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
LOL, does that make me one of Jujus imaginary friends?!?! I am cool with that.

Csnog
Member

07-18-2002

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 4:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Csnog a private message Print Post    
They are reporting that prices will drop even lower on goods the closer we get to Christmas.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 4:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Yippeee!

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 9:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
We'll probably do most our Christmas shopping in the next couple weeks. Darren cashed out his sick days last week or the week before and that's usually the majority of our Christmas budget. This year the checks going to be a bit smaller (ok, about 35% smaller) which kinda hurts, but we'd already planned to cut back.

Last year with the kids we painted clear glass Christmas balls. This year I'm doing something different...I don't know if ya'll have seen wine glass charms (beaded strands that hook onto the stem of a wine glass) but I'm going to do something similar with the ornaments. I'm hoping they come out looking simple, yet pretty. If they do, my sister and sils will be getting them as presents (no wine drinkers in the family.)

If anyones interested in the smaller, clear glass ornaments for crafts or whatever, here's a tip. Last year I spent a small fortune on them at Michaels and Walmart...the other day I found the same damn ones at the 99 cent store!

Anyways, with so many in the family being laid off this year, we'd agreed to not buying presents for siblings/nieces/nephews/aunts/uncles/etc. But, we all have our things. My little adopted sis knits (so she's making the kids scarves with yarn she already has,) sis bakes (she's making goodies,) I bead so lots of beaded gifts this year.

Pamy, I'm so sorry about Dylan's reaction! I know other kids who have been the same and that's always tough. Caleb's always been one of those everything is either black or white, right or wrong kids and I have to say we were a little surprised that he wasn't more upset when he learned the truth.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 10:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
Csnog, I predicted that last nite in my carpool, they were talking about shopping next Fri and I said I would wait. Stores are going to see a big decline in Blk Fri sales, panic, and go lower and lower thru Dec.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 10:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
War, his reaction back then made me question why do we do this lie to kids, I felt horrible. of course now we laugh about it and Dylan will do Santa for his kids but boy oh boy at the time I felt like a horrible mom!

I guess the moral of the story is...if your kid is mad at you for lying, he will get over it and you can laugh about the great story you have to tell LOL

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
DD at 14 and DS at 19 have never publicly acknoweledged to me that they do not believe in Santa! LOL

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 8:22 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
It's a tradition to do black friday shopping with me, my gram, sis and mom. It's fun and we view it as almost a treasure hunt.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 8:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
I used to work in a store and Black Friday was the absolute worst day! I don't put my foot into a store on that day now.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 8:40 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
I looked thru a bunch of the ads and I really do not see any great deals.

Here is the link to the ads. The other links have items listed but I don't like looking for stuff like that. I like looking at the actual ads. It took me a while to find this:

http://bfads.net/Adscans

You click on what ad you want to see...

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 8:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
The ads usually don't come out until Wednesday.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 8:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
They are on the above link. People find them (they are printed well ahead of time) and scan them in...

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 8:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    


Notice how bad the quality is? That's cuz it's scanned in.