I always liked all the holiday cooking and decorating. So did my husband. When we married, I wanted to give him some family traditions that had been my family's practices that my parents started. Even when my mother died when I was 12 and later my father, we kids made a point of keeping the traditions going for our family. DH had been raised by his grandparents, and his grandmother became bedridden when he was in elementary school, so he had not seen happy holidays for many years when I met him.

We did not have children till we were married 8 years, but I still loved to bake and make holiday meals that were special. Since my husband was the newest on-air employee when we were first married and had the worst schedule for the holiday itself, we had our celebrations at really odd times of the day, but we still had them.

Even if it is only two of you and even if you are tired from working, you ought to do some things for holidays of your choice to make the day special and to let him know that you both deserve to celebrate as a family too.

I have to admit I create too much work for myself with the holidays, but I like to make the time special for family. Perhaps you could find a happy medium to celebrate.

There have been times we too have not celebrated Christmas, due to the fact our kids were gone and had families of their own and it was difficult due to weather/illness we could not get together. We too did not decorate much, or put out much and did not even exchange gifts. But this was not a year to year sitution. If you feel good about this, I see no problem. There are other ways a couple can be together and yet do their own thing. It is your decision.

I do like to bake my famous Nut Cups during the season.

We used to put up a real tree and decorate but over the years we just started getting more simplified.

Although there is one thing I always do during the holiday season is that I watch all the old cartoons (Rudolph, etc). I also watch A Christmas Carol on TV.

SamKaren
your resident DJ

We don;t 'celebrate' at all. Our son and his family are far away and no one seems to get enough time off to travel all across the country at the holiday. We prefer to have our visits during summer down-time.

No presents for the two o us, just for the GS, and a major gift certificate for my son and his wife. Otherwise, it's a quiet time for us. One of these days I'll have to get rid of most of the tree ornaments that we haven't had out for almost 10 years.

We celebrated Christmas morning as long as our children were living at home, but now, they have all fledged and are on their own. We did have one son move back in over the winter while he was between jobs, but he is fully employed again. We'll decorate a little nad keep a little spirit, but the wife will not be cooking a big dinner. We have a favorite resturant we'll go to for Christman dinner and will take along whomever of our family shows up. We will play board games in the afternoon until people tires of that. We may invite a lonely batchelor neighbor to go with us for dinner. Our weather can be anything from 40 F to frigid and snowy. We let the weather set the tone about what we may do for outdoor activity.

We will send a gift to our daughter and very young granddaughter. They live about 800 miles away across the northern tier of states. I always recommend to my daughter not to travel here at that time of year, but defer it to when the weather is milder. Travel conditions are just too iffy - Why walk into a bad situation when it is not necessary. If you don't have the resources, its tough to handle a travel problem when its zero outside - car break-down, accident, stranded due to road conditions, etc.

After Thanksgiving, I will send out hoilday greetings to everyone on my Christmas mailing list. If anything interesting happened during the year, I may produce a "Christmas Letter" to update our aquaintences. It is a good time to maintain contact with my far flung relatives and friends.

We do I too enjoy all the excitement now hubby no hes the scrooge.He never liked getting gifts

I L O V E to cook! So I always make a BIG meal for the two of us. I also send out a few x-mas cards just to say hi to people and so they can add to their card collection. DH & I are very icky sweet to one another....no need to ruin it by giving worldly things to one another. :0)

We always celebrate Christmas and always with our family.

Sue

Not any more. years past our house was always Holiday Central. Now everyone lives far and wide, and with work schedules, economy ect, we just don't get together. It is easier for Hubs and I to just stay home. No tree, just a swag out side our APT door and on one wall i hang a big red bow, a couple little knitted stockings and hang the cards we get, all around them.

DH & I don't "celebrate". He's Jewish, we don't have children, and I really haven't felt like it since my Mom died 25 years ago. I love the idea of Christmas, but since Mom's been gone, it just makes me sad.

I DO like to give gifts, but don't have very many recipients.

Exchanging gifts with my hubby isn't much fun, as he askes what I want, but expects me to either buy it myself, or drive him to the stores to pick out the gifts! Where's the fun in that?

Oh, well...

When I was a kid, a teenager, a young single, newly married and when our kids wre little, I absolutely loved Christmas. We decorated, exchanged gifts, visited relatives, the whole magilla. Now it's different. ll but my Mother are gone. We celebrate with a decorated but small tree, a nice dinner and just gifts for our 2 daughters. We do attend church either Christmas Eve or Christmas day. But I no longer go all-out decorating. No house lights. Just a manger set, a small tree, and a wreath on the door are enough.

With just the two of us, we don't celebrate or decorate the way we used too but I still like the place to be festive. We have neighbors dropping by and our kids may or may not come to our home for dinner. I am going to shop this year for a smaller tree because the one we have is so huge.....but yes, we do all of the things one expects at the holiday just to a lesser degree.

My husband is Jewish and there are just the two of us, but I always decorate. I put up a tree and my lighted Christmas Village and a few Boyd's pieces. Hang lights in the window. I do it for me, because I love the tradition.

And then Christmas morning we go out for breakfast at the only place open - our favorite Jewish deli! LOL.

Me! I don't celebrate Christmas. Just my husband and myself and my daughter and she always goes to boyfriend's family's big get together. Oddly enough, I do collect Christmas ornaments, vintage ones. If my house is EVER finished, I would decorate for Christmas and cook...just because I like to, but the shopping and all the gift giving is of no interest to me. My husband and I don't exchange gifts. If I want something, I go buy it. I always give my daughter and her boyfriend something for Christmas and it is always something they need or really want...like tires for her car one year and some software that he wanted to edit videos and maybe some assorted gift cards like Visa cards and restaurant cards. I like giving gift cards...include some for the books stores, electronic stores, etc. That way they can get something they want.
Furthermore, I don't like people giving me things.

I haven't had a really close family get together since I was in high school. After my nephew went away to the service, my niece moved away to work, my father died, my sister's husband died...it all ended. To tell you the truth, I don't miss it at all.

My husband is thinking of going to Florida around Christmas to visit his few remaining family members there. I will stay here...too hard to get someone to take care of the animals and I don't want to travel anyway. Some people would feel left out, being alone at Christmas. It won't bother me at all. I'm happy he gets to do something he wants to do, because he works hard all year.

I would feel very sad if we didn't do something for the holidays. You can sit around any day of the week, so why not make a "hoilday" special and have something to look forward to. Put up a tree, its so nice to just look at and it warms the room. It doesn't have to be big or expensive, just do a little decorating and watch how good it will make you feel. JMO

My holiday has dwindled. Escaped two years ago and went on a Christmas cruise. Horrible!

I just have to accept the fact that I'm alone and make the best of it and celebrate the occasion with my son whenever I can.

I love Christmas.. I don't decorate like I use to but still do the tree and a few other things. All our kids and families come on Christmas Eve Day and we go to each of their homes Christmas morning. Love it.. I try to do a few special things for neighbors that don't have anyone close by.

My DH has a terrific family and we all get together each year. We take turns hosting it. Love seeing all the kids and the new babies in the family. My family doesn't get together anymore and this makes me sad. I did it for a few years but no one else seemed to want to host it. I am just tired of always having to do it.

I feel bad for the families that have no one. We have always been so blessed. I try to make sure I give to the food pantry more this time of the year. We have a home in the southern part of our state and we always make fruit baskets and toss in some goodies for the kids for the neighbors. Love surprising them.. Holidays are for giving.. Sometime the smallest things can make a huge difference. Just showing them you care mean so much.

One Christmas our niece was having a difficult time. We were hosting the family gathering that year. I contacted all the family about bringing something for her and her children. We ended up with a huge amount.. At the end of the day I had her and her mom and dad go into our back room to receive the gift from all of us. It was a surprise to her Mom and Dad, too. We all cried... I remember that day as if it was yesterday.. I know I have people that would help me if I was down and out so I want to help others in the same way.

I always decorate and celebrate. Some years have been pretty minimal, but I love the spirit of Christmas too much not to enjoy it to the maximum that I can. In fact, sometimes I'll make cocoa and play some Christmas music or watch a Christmas movie during weird times of the year just to recapture the joy of the holidays.

I don't, it is just another day to me. I don't hate Christmas, but I do hate to think that people feel sorry for me. I use to receive invitations and turned them down. I enjoy my quiet day. I do miss my family's home cooking, but not my family and the stress.

I don't entertain in my home - we rent a local small bar and the whole fam damily gets together - both for Thanksgiving and Christmas. There's just too many people to dump on one home.

This rental situation allows the guys to drink and shoot pool, and the women to 'do whatever they do' - I get there late and leave early, taking my grandkids with me - let 'em have at it without us!

I celebrate Christmas by putting up a small tree for the kids and taking them shopping to buy what they want.

We do celebrate but its sometimes stressful for me. My DIL is Jewish and my son (who was raised Catholic) has adopted their holidays. I still decorate, still buy presents but wrap most of theirs in blue paper. Now that they have a son, I have to be really careful as to how much I do that might push the limits. Of course there is no Santa, no Christmas pictures taken professionally. She does allow me to take a picture to use on our
Happy Holiday cards - he's only 16 months old so last year was our first year that I had to figure out what was acceptable. I did a cute card, dressed him in an outfit that had a polar bear on it and used my snowmen as the background. Looked adorable and got her okay to do it. This year, I want something different. I think I will try to get a picture of him with my hubby and me in front of the mantle. I'll decorate it with either the snowmen again or find something "not to red and green".

They do come over Christmas morning and we open gifts then we spend the day with hubby's family. Of course there are no church services. I think each year it will be harder and harder for me to not want to do the things we did with our son. We will see how it goes with the tree this year. I am afraid with him wanting to touch all the ornaments, she may say something to discourage me from putting up the tree. I keep him a couple days each week so its not like it will just be one day or so that he will be around it. But, I guess I am lucky we have them in the same town and I am truly grateful for that, so I shouldn't feel sorry for myself or the issues we have to deal with.

We just took him to have pictures made last week. They turned out so cute. We used a fallish background - I dressed him in a Florida Gator outfit and had a Nerf football and basketball as props. The gal was really good - she let us take them with two different backgrounds . The other was white but we put my husbands Florida Gator throw on the floor and Asher stood a little off center of the emblem in the center. He was holding the basketball above his head and looking slightly upwards. The photographer stood on a step stool so she shot the picture looking down on him. Turned out adorable.
If they weren't so expensive, I would use it as a card.

They spend Thanksgiving with her family but her parents usually invite us as well. They only live about a half mile from us so all works out. However this year they are all going to Miami to some other members of their family. I am certainly okay with it but it will be lonely here for sure.

We have raised our grandson since he was a baby, he will be 18 in March. We always had a big tree and lots of presents; Christmas music, a fire in the fireplace and a big Christmas dinner.

The last couple of years we have been going to Florida to spend Christmas with my folks, my Dad will be 90 in February. It means a lot to them for us to come and I enjoy being around family. This year Bobby is going to spend Christmas with is Mom (our daughter) in Atlanta. They have not seen each other in about 5 years so he is excited about going.

I have made all the arrangements for our travel with the RV and will stay near where my folks live. I do all the cooking while we are there because I enjoy it and it gives my Mom a break. They put up a little tree and she plays holiday music and we play games in the evening before heading to the RV.

My Dad is in the beginning stages of Dementia so I want to be able to spend time with him while he still recognizes me. He is all I have left of my childhood family so when he is gone I will then be alone with my husband and grandson. Our kids live far away so we don't get to see them very often and we hardly ever hear from our son.

My husband and I do nothing for Christmas at all. I used to put up a little tree and lights until I realized he didn't even notice it, then I stopped decorating.

I really don't mind not doing anything here at home.

But I do spend C. Eve with my family and we open gifts and eat goodies there. That's it.

Growing up, my mother was the original 'Scrooge', she hated Christmas and let us all know. When I had young children, I tried really hard to make it festive, even though we were very poor. I did not want to have my children remember me as a Christmas scrooge. Since our grown kids and grands are scattered across the country, the last few year, DH and I did the bare minimum in decorating, a wreath on the door, candles in the windows. This year we are so blessed to have our youngest DD and her little boys, ages 2 and almost 4 (he will be 4 Christmas day) with us. SO i am decorating. Putting up the big artificial tree (i am allergic to the real ones), setting up my Christmas village with all the accessories, putting out DH's collection of Santa Golfers. Also making a small golf themed Christmas tree. And I think I will do an small tree for the boys with matchbox cars. As hard as I tried for those years, this DD is not very big on Christmas and if left to her, she would do nothing. But I know that we are unlikely to have these sweet boys here next year, and with their dad deployed to Afghanistan, I want them to have a nice Christmas. I even went to Kohl's today to catch the 40%off sale on the village houses. I have NEVER started even thinking about Christmas this early.

When I first got my apartment I did a lot of decorating and continued it when I bought the house. Then after changing jobs and was more in retail I got so sick of the whole holiday season I wanted nothing to do with it for a lot of years. Then a few years ago I started some minimal decorations and this year I just felt like some lights and the little fake tree which is what I have.

I give gifts throughout the year so that part is moot. I've been doing that for a long time now. I find that a lot more pleasurable for me and the recipient. Holidays are so often so stressed and filled with obligations and such that it's hard to enjoy.

This year I might try making some lefse again, possibly some more baking. I used to do a lot of cooking and baking but haven't been able to for a while. But I'm doing more of this during the year now too.

It just got so sickening with people going out and spending a bunch of money they couldn't afford to spend, on people they didn't really like, buying them stuff they really didn't need or want and then everyone puts on a fake smile, ooh and ah over it like the hypocrites they are.

The people with whom I'm close now pretty much agree with me that we don't get caught up in the obligatory traditions. With some, we try to get together in some time frame but often it just works better in other times of the year when there's more daylight and more comfortable temps for sitting outside.

For the most part I treat the days pretty much the same as any other although I am enjoying the decorations a lot.

The one thing I usually tried to do was watch the "Grinch" once or twice during the holiday season even though I don't like movies with sad endings.

Jennava, we also have a grandson who will be 4 on Christmas Day. He and his 1 year old brother will be spending the day at his house with his other grandparents visiting this year. They alternate with their daughter and visit for alternating Christmases and Thanksgivings.

I like to see the decorations up in the house and to bake, but the energy level is just not there any longer. With the family coming home for the holiday, I do decorate, but usually at the last minute before the first one arrives.

I used to love Christmas - when I was a kid, when I was newly married, when my kids were little. Over the years I became disillusioned about all the hoopla of shopping, etc. It just became over-commercialized and little by little I got rid of alot of our decorations, baked less, sent out less cards. The icing on the cake for me for Christmas, however, was two years ago when my husband died 6 days before Christmas. I need to figure out what the holiday means for me now. There will be a few little family dinner get-togethers, but very little decorating, and no gift-giving - well, maybe the youngest grandson. I plan to go to Church, and just have a quiet day reading or quilting, and think back to all the memories I have of it being different.

I celebrate a very special birthday that day.

But I do try to make sure that I don't get too caught up in the materialism, that I do remember and keep central the real reason for the celebration, and "feel the love". Keeping it non-stressful isn't always easy, but I try!

DH and I are not religious, although we were both brought up attending Christian churches. (The 'morals' part took, but not the rest.)

When DS was little, HE loved the holidays, and we had a big tree and presents for him. I hosted the grandmothers and often neighbors for dinner. After my DM and MIL died, we usually used the Christmas break from school to take DS on a cruise or to somewhere warm.

Now I bring out the two lighted tabletop trees that belonged to our mothers, along with a few other small decorations. We'll have a fresh green wreath on the front door and a lighted one on the French doors in the breakfast room. It's more 'seasonal' than anything.

DIL is a member of an extended Polish-American family. We attend her DM's annual Christmas Eve dinner because we like the family and appreciate being invited. (We tred carefully over the ardent beliefs that we do not share, but we manage, just as we 'manage' that DGS (age 5) attends Catholic schools. There are MUCH BIGGER problems in the world!)

I haven't celebrated much, for years: not too impressed with the hoopla.

Maybe take a note from Glenda's post ...

... there may be some singles, or elders living alone, who would appreciate an invitiation: many are rather lonely at Christmas.

When Sue and I were on furlough from Korea, I'd travelled in Saskatchewan telling of our relief and development work in Korea through the fall ... I was leaving Saskatchean, during the first snowfall of the year ... stopped into a small store in a village ... to hear that Kennedy had been shot! When people heard the news ... "Get out!" was the usual response!

We watched the funeral at Sue's Mom's in Ankeny, a suburb of Des Moines, where she and 2-year old son had spent a couple of months, then travelled to Toronto and had just settled into a mission-owned apt. for the winter.

A family had asked the Mission Board to suggest a foreign student for them to invite for Christmas dinner, and the Board, having had all of the ones available allocated, suggested us.

I think that the host family was a bit disappointed: don't recall the details of the evening. Maybe we weren't exotic enough?

ole joyful ... who fears that his story doesn't support his suggestion very much

I love Christmas and usually go all out decorating...this year we've been in a major remodeling mode and the house is pretty much torn up...so only one tree up...I'm in shock but will make the most of it...

No big deal here. We put up some outside lights and some decorations inside. Send a couple of gift cards and a few cards. No family around here. Like to drive around and look at light displays.

It's just not the same for me without my mom and Glen.

I did buy a little fiber optic tree @ WM and a lighted wreathe for the door.

Before though I always had tree, decorations up. Lotsa lites outside. Loved buying gifts etc.

I'm another one that will buy and give people stuff all thru the year.

Here is the extent of my decoration except for wreaths on my coach lights on the garage. Sorry the photos are not very clear. They are click able to see a larger version.

We don't decorate nearly as much as we used to, but our home is smaller and it will just be the two of us. Has been since Harry's son died in 2007. I wasn't going to put up the big tree this year, but I did and I'm so glad. I will cook a holiday dinner. It would probably be cheaper to eat out, but it just wouldn't be the same.

So please consider decorating a little, SamKaren. Get that box of ornaments out and put them in a pretty glass bowl and put a wreath on the door. It will cheer you up, I promise.

As far as gifts, I'm all for them. I have a heck of a time thinking of something for Harry, but this year I'm really excited and can't wait for him to open them. I got him a Kindle, since he loves reading and an FSU billford. I bought him one years ago for Christmas and he used it until it literally fell apart. So I found a similar one this year and he really needs one. He will just love it. It's so fun to buy a gift when you know it will be used and appreciated. We don't buy gifts for birthdays, Valentine's day or other holidays, so it's fun for us to do at Christmas.

I don't do much on the actual day, but usually attend one or two Christmas Eve services.

Several years ago I cut back substantially on sending cards to a fairly large number, but send to a number of family and friends, including a message to update them on my activities. I've cut back substantially on giving gifts to non-close folks also, and have increased contributions to charities instead. Support for charitable and religious causes, plus political contributions produce some income tax credits and last year they enabled me to reduce my federal tax to zero, and my provincial tax to about $700.

Many of my friends are older and considering cutting back on their possessions to prepare for moving from a house to an apt. ... when one is past 80 - who needs more "stuff"?

Sometimes have dinner with son or a friend.

This year, hauled 7' tree from garage to son's apt (part of his Mom's estate), as his lady friend wanted to be rather festive and they erected it at her house. Son reported that they found a mouse nest or two in it - don't think that they're still there.

We had substantial Christmas dinner last Sunday, as daughter was up from AZ and we helped make it, but son's lady did most of the preparation. We exchanged a few presents after the dinner, mostly utilitarian things: clothing, storage containers, candy, etc. and daughter gave me auto club membership for next year (that was what got me a free tow 120 miles from TO when my radiator spring a leak, back in July): she'd bought my original membership for me, about 4 years ago.

I'd hinted for a potato peeler with the floating blade (didn't get one) ... and for something else, too ... but I can't remember what, at the moment. I realized later that I should have hinted for a kitchen timer, as well (one purpose of which would be to set when I turn the radio off when a progrqam that I don't like much comes on ... for usually there's one just after it that I like, and I forget to turn the radio back on before it's at least half over).

Life does have its problems, doesn't it?

ole joyful

Christmas can be a very happy time, or it can be a very sad, lonely, and unhappy time. It depends on the situation.

Like some others here I live alone. I definitely celebrate Christmas, but some of the joy has gone since my DH died, 28 years ago yesterday, as a matter of fact. At this time each year I relive that day over and over.

But I still celebrate Christmas. I have a small tree and decorations in the living room and two small real trees with lights at my front porch.

My immediate family and I always had Christmas dinner together at my house. Now that they are all out on their own, married, have children and in-laws, things have to be shifted around. They need to be at different places at different times.

This year to make it easier on them, I suggested we have Christmas dinner on Sunday, rather than Christmas day. They all liked that idea, so that is the way it will be.

That means I will be alone on Christmas Eve. I could sit here and suck my thumb, feel sorry for my self, have a pity party, but that would not be fun, so I have a plan. I am planning to see if any of the elderly neighbors will be alone then, and if so I will have them in for punch and cookies. Us old folks are still fun!!

Life is not just what is handed to us, it is more what we make of it.

If you are alone, or missing your family, try to find someone else and invite them to come and sing Christmas songs, talk about Christmas past, watch a Christmas movie.

It is your choice to be happy. . .or not.

Merry Christmas.

Sue

We do less as we get older. I have always enjoyed Christmas. It was holiday central once here too. Now that parents have passed and we are seniors ourselves, I only decorate the outside. The outdoor lights are much more modest. LED lights somehow tone down the mood! We go to my sisters on Christmas eve, for dinner, then to friends and Christmas to our nephews. They have two children who love the presents we bring! No need to decorate the house here - with four cats, nothing would stay up long anyway. DH and I bought a car this year so aren't really into exchanging other gifts although I got him a couple of small things. I cut my list down this year. Mutual decision with friends and will cut further next year. Stayed within my budget each year looking for sales year round so my pension does not take a big holiday hit.

This year we are going to travel to my daughters in Las Vegas. So I put off putting up the tree, so now its kind of pointless, we got a lot of snow the first of the month, so did not put up lights, I have a few decoration, snowfalkes in the windows, and a fake lighted tree on my front porch.
I have only purchased one gift, I have daughter, with 2 grown kids here, we decided to exchange gifts once we get back from Vegas. I will do my shopping for kiddos once in Vegas.. that way with thier Moms help I can get things they truly want or can use.. I am looking forward to spending time with her and her family.. but I truly feel I am kind of missing out this year.Usually my home is decorated to the max,and my tree is up, and most always my shopping done before Dec 1st. I guess I feel alitle dishearted, hopefully I will get into it when I see my grandbabies.

I have a few small decorations that I put out. Candles and a Santa candy holder my mom made. DH's family is coming over and they are bringing lasagna. We will buy all the cold stuff.

That's about it for the holiday....

SamKaren
your resident dj

Sure, we celebrate in a big way. We have so many grandchildren, and now a great grandchild that of course we celebrate. I don't understand why anyone that is not a Christian would celebrate. What is there for them to celebrate? It's the birth of Jesus.

Christmas Eve I will have a pot of gumbo (per request), slaw, hushpuppies and some other things yet to be decided. Christmas Day we'll have the traditional Christmas dinner--turkey, ham, dressing and all the sides that go along w/ that.