What is your favorite holiday memory?

[Juliev]

Think back to all the holidays spent with friends and family. What are some memorable occasions you had.... things you did.... great food served?

When my grandpa was alive, we always used to sing Christmas carols after eating dinner and before opening gifts. He had a voice like Bing Crosby (not exaggerating).

I also loved getting together with friends to enjoy a couple "Tom-n-Jerrys."

 

[Bangbang]

I hate the Holidays. My family was voted Most Disfuctional Family in Michigan. I actually can not remembember any good times for any Holiday. Ok.....I rem,ember one now on Holloween. I scared a group of teenage girls so bad they started screaming and I got complaints that my house was to scary for kids to stop at for Trick and Treatin. Whaaaaaaaaaat? I thought that was the point of holloween......to scare the evil spirits away. Some kids are evil spirited. Right?

 

[Alix]

One of my favourites is the year that Mom dropped the turkey in front of the dog. The dog was so stunned at the ambrosia dropped in front of him he never had a chance to even lick that bird before Mom had it back on the table. And yes we ate it anyway...of course we did! Turkey is NEVER to be wasted. But there were many snorts of glee during that meal as people remembered the look on the dogs face.

 

[Barbara L]

How funny Alix! I hope the dog got a bite of turkey later!

One funny memory of Thanksgiving is when my cousin Sandra was 13 months old. She was tired and kept rubbing her eyes during the meal. When we were all done, her mom cleaned her up, and Sandy took a nap. That night Sandy started rubbing her eyes, and a string of dried mashed potatoes came out from behind her eye! She has been affectionately known (at Thanksgiving time) as "Potato Eye" ever since!

I can't really think of any one special Thanksgiving moment that stands out. They were all good. I guess what I remember is everyone doing their part in preparing the meal (all while running back and forth from the kitchen to the living room and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade--me anyway). My mom did most of the cooking, but I was in charge of the cranberry salad (made the night before) and the Waldorf Salad. My sister or I made the fruit salad, then my daughter Nancy took over when she was old enough. Other than that, we helped with whatever my mom needed done. We would set the table as she finished making dinner. The whole time we were setting the table, my mom was getting after us for sneaking olives!

Christmas memories--Wow, do I miss the old days when my mom was alive and I was back home. We all slept late. We checked out what was in our stockings before my mom and dad woke up. When we got tired of waiting, we would start talking just a little louder, or have a pretend argument, just to wake them up. We all ate breakfast, then we opened presents. We made a big production of it. (We know a lot of people who all just tear into their presents and no one knows who got what from whom, and we hate that!). We would pass a gift to someone, we all watched that person open it, and I would write down what they got and who it was from (so we knew who to thank later). It took forever, and my mom would end up telling us to hurry so she could finish fixing dinner (she would be back and forth to the kitchen while we opened presents, but of course we waited for her). When I moved to South Carolina, they video-taped Christmas for me. They treated the camera like it was me, so I felt like I was really there. It was great!

Barbara

 

[amber]

Halloween was great when I was a kid. We used pillow cases to collect our candy and filled them up, then came home with my two sisters and we would dump it all out and trade. Thanksgiving, mostly just like sitting down and eating with my entire family. First time I made my own turkey for my family I left the bag in the turkey that had all the turkey parts ewwww, but it was funny. Christmas, my favorite was getting a doll I really wanted and a big carriage to stroll her in

 

[aruzinsky]

Most suicides occur around Xmas time. For one thing, most normal TV programming is suspended and many TV shows depict people happily enjoying family and friends in Xmas traditions. Of course, this drives some lonely people over the edge.

All of my good Xmas memories are from when I was a child. In particular, some of the Xmas tree ornaments were marzipan figurines, which I would hunt for amongst the branches to eat. Another happy memory occurred when two Jewish child friends helped decorate the tree. They had never done this before and seemed very happy. I vicariously enjoyed watching them.

Also, around Xmas in the early 1950s, on TV, there would often be cartoons accompanied by Xmas songs that are not often heard today. One song title was Here Comes Suzy Snow Flake. Another, song title was Hardrock, Coco, and Joe. For the first time in a long time, I recently heard this on the radio. Of course, this brought a tear to my eye.

Thanks to the internet, you can hear the tune and read the lyrics here:

http://www.rogersbasement.com/Hardrock.htm

 

[mudbug]

Most suicides occur around Xmas time. For one thing, most normal TV programming is suspended and many TV shows depict people happily enjoying family and friends in Xmas traditions. Of course, this drives some lonely people over the edge.

All of my good Xmas memories are from when I was a child. In particular, some of the Xmas tree ornaments were marzipan figurines, which I would hunt for amongst the branches to eat. Another happy memory occurred when two Jewish child friends helped decorate the tree. They had never done this before and seemed very happy. I vicariously enjoyed watching them.

Also, around Xmas in the early 1950s, on TV, there would often be cartoons accompanied by Xmas songs that are not often heard today. One song title was Here Comes Suzy Snow Flake. Another, song title was Hardrock, Coco, and Joe. For the first time in a long time, I recently heard this on the radio. Of course, this brought a tear to my eye.

Thanks to the internet, you can hear the tune and read the lyrics here:

http://www.rogersbasement.com/Hardrock.htm

Aruz, I remember that Hardrock, Coco, Joe song as well. Wasn't it animated figures, or ???

 

[Juliev]

I wasn't really looking for a negative aspect of holidays... negative things can happen anytime, not just on holidays. I always try to look at the positive in life, because it's so short. I was looking for happy things.

I love Thanksgiving at my Grandma's house... the kitchen feels like a kiln..but that's from cooking all day. I always have to get a picture of my Uncle Bob carving the turkey. The ritual was passed down after my Grandpa died.

 

[mudbug]

Been racking my brain to figure out how to share on this topic, but all I can come up with is getting together with my large noisy family as often as possible for a holiday. We are somewhat geographically scattered now, so this doesn't always happen every holiday --or even every year.

We cook, we eat, we talk about cooking and eating something else, we pick at the leftovers, we take pictures, we nap, we argue, we hug, we tell the same old stories, we create new stories -- did I mention we drink?

I guess the most recent cool thing that happens when we are all together is that the kids put on a play, usually written by the oldest grandchild (my niece). All the grandchildren have a role. There are props, scenery, costumes. The production chronicling my parents' courtship and marriage was the funniest.

I love this family. I'd rather hang with them than any other group of people I know.

 

[Juliev]

Yep, family and friends are the most important things in life. Without either, you have nothing.... and it can be any holiday.. not just christmas or thanksgiving.

 

[aruzinsky]

Aruz, I remember that Hardrock, Coco, Joe song as well. Wasn't it animated figures, or ???

Why didn't you click on my link? The webpage has still images of those figures.

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Hmmmm...... mine would be when I DIDNT have to go to the annual family Xmas party. :?

 

[choclatechef]

I hate the Holidays. My family was voted Most Disfuctional Family in Michigan. I actually can not remembember any good times for any Holiday. Ok.....I rem,ember one now on Holloween. I scared a group of teenage girls so bad they started screaming and I got complaints that my house was to scary for kids to stop at for Trick and Treatin. Whaaaaaaaaaat? I thought that was the point of holloween......to scare the evil spirits away. Some kids are evil spirited. Right?

I will bet your family is not more dysfunctional than mine Bangbang! Only when I was a child, do I recall having fun on the holidays. I was too young to know better.

 

[Otter]

Georgia's parents went to Florida every winter, so we had their lake cabin to ourselves for the winter - amazingly, I can still walk upright!

 

[Juliev]

lol otter.. amazing eh?

 

[Barbara L]

Most suicides occur around Xmas time.

Actually this isn't true. Just go to www.snopes.com and type in "Christmas + suicide" or click here: http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/suicide.asp

Barbara

 

[mudbug]

Aruz, I remember that Hardrock, Coco, Joe song as well. Wasn't it animated figures, or ???

Why didn't you click on my link? The webpage has still images of those figures.

Now I remember! Garfield Goose and Bozo! My childhood all over again. Aruz, are you also familiar with Ding Dong School with Miss Frances

 

[buckytom]

i loved christmas as a kid. i'm the last of 6 kids, so we had tons of presents under the tree. i don't know how my parents pulled it off. we were'nt poor, but i know my parents were scraping just to get by. then on christmas morning, we would open so many presents that you had to wade through chest deep wads of wrapping paper to see what my siblings got (and take the batteries out just to annoy them and make them think the toy didn't work). then in the afternoon, thousands (it seemd like) of my aunts and uncles and cousins would come over for a buffet dinner. it was great. i wish i could do it all over one more time, and tell them all that i love them...

 

[Bangbang]

I hate the Holidays. My family was voted Most Disfuctional Family in Michigan. I actually can not remembember any good times for any Holiday. Ok.....I rem,ember one now on Holloween. I scared a group of teenage girls so bad they started screaming and I got complaints that my house was to scary for kids to stop at for Trick and Treatin. Whaaaaaaaaaat? I thought that was the point of holloween......to scare the evil spirits away. Some kids are evil spirited. Right?

I will bet your family is not more dysfunctional than mine Bangbang! Only when I was a child, do I recall having fun on the holidays. I was too young to know better.

Maybe we should share or talk.

 

[aruzinsky]

Most suicides occur around Xmas time.

Actually this isn't true. Just go to www.snopes.com and type in "Christmas + suicide" or click here: http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/suicide.asp

Barbara

I am glad to be wrong here. For me, the most depressing month is February. It is as cold as January and a lot more snowy. I have cabin fever. I pay my income and real estate taxes. Most people pay their credit card bills for Xmas presents. Now, that's really depressing.

Let's move Xmas to February. Everybody in favor, raise your hands!

Now I remember! Garfield Goose and Bozo! My childhood all over again. Aruz, are you also familiar with Ding Dong School with Miss Frances

Yes, I am. Miss Frances gave me an obsession with paper mache. When I came home from school to eat lunch, I watched a fat guy called "Uncle Johny Coons." My favorite kid's show was the Andy Devine Show. I developed my interest in science fiction from two shows, Tales of Tomorrow, and Lights Out. Remember any of these?