Author Topic: How to get in the spirit of Christmas - suggestions? (Read 4659 times)

RTSDaddy2 · « **on:** December 11, 2007, 01:05:13 pm »

I'm not going to rehash here, but just wondering - do any of you have anything you like to do for Christmas that really sparks the spirit? I've got my shopping done, even bought for the family member that I'm not at all fond of, but I still seem to be minus my usual excitement. I just can't get excited over Christmas this year.

It could be that it's in the 70s here in Georgia and bright sun (and I like cold weather during winter). It could be my current situations. I don't know. Any suggestions to brighten the holidays are welcome, except getting blitzed. I'd like to remember how much fun I had the next day.

ChadTower · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2007, 01:06:45 pm »

Gotta be around kids that are excited for it. That's the only thing that works for me.

Jimbo · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2007, 01:25:56 pm »

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!"

saint · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2007, 01:32:15 pm »

Quote from: RTSDaddy2 on December 11, 2007, 01:05:13 pm

I'm not going to rehash here, but just wondering - do any of you have anything you like to do for Christmas that really sparks the spirit? I've got my shopping done, even bought for the family member that I'm not at all fond of, but I still seem to be minus my usual excitement. I just can't get excited over Christmas this year.

It could be that it's in the 70s here in Georgia and bright sun (and I like cold weather during winter). It could be my current situations. I don't know. Any suggestions to brighten the holidays are welcome, except getting blitzed. I'd like to remember how much fun I had the next day.

Go up to the mountains for the weekend with the family. Gatlinburg isn't too far a drive from you is it? Get a cabin on the mountain, build a fire in the fireplace, roast marshmallows and make smoors and hot chocolate. It's cooler in the mountains I'd hope? Cruise the Christmas stuff without any pressure to have to buy anything. Maybe hit Lake Lanier's Christmas lights thingie with North Pole at the end.

SithMaster · « **Reply #4 on:** December 11, 2007, 02:14:41 pm »

Watch all the stop motion christmas cartoons. Nothing like santa claus is coming to town to put one foot in front of the other. but yeah cartoons especially the he man christmas special link.

Ed_McCarron · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2007, 02:19:38 pm »

Rum with a splash of eggnog.

ahofle · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2007, 02:43:48 pm »

Yeah, watch the stop-motion Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer from the 60s, then relax in front of the Christmas tree with a cocktail and have Christmas music playing in the background.

SithMaster · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2007, 03:08:19 pm »

Quote from: ahofle on December 11, 2007, 02:43:48 pm

Yeah, watch the stop-motion Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer from the 60s, then relax in front of the Christmas tree with a cocktail cabinet and have Christmas music playing in the background.

shmokes · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2007, 05:18:51 pm »

I'm kind of in the same boat. I'm usually all about Christmas. By far my favorite holiday. But this year we're just so damned busy (and poor) compared to previous years. School's out Dec. 17, so maybe then I'll turn my attention to my family and Christmas and things will get all magicky again.

Like you, though, I think the weather is definitely killing it a bit for me. Last year there was like three feet of snow on the ground for Christmas. Now I'm in Miami and temps are regularly in the 80's still. Pleasant, for sure, but I'm definitely dreaming of a white Christmas.

Speaking of Miami, there's a huge pond or tiny lake on my campus (depending on what you want to call it). People always say that there are alligators in it (and there are signs saying as much), but I figured that I would likely never see one. In fact, I was laying down next to the lake studying for my finals last week and even dozed off and napped for about an hour with my feet hanging out about 1-2 feet from the water's edge. So, anyway, less than 24 hours later I was walking past the lake and there was a big-ass gator just hanging out on the shore . . . probably around six feet long. It was pretty exciting; first one I've seen besides in zoos. I got a picture with my phone. Good times! I probably shouldn't take any more naps next to the lake.

RTSDaddy2 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 12, 2007, 08:39:31 am »

Quote from: Jimbo on December 11, 2007, 01:25:56 pm

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!"

I LOVE that movie!

I like 'em all - well, except the sitting by the pond with the big ass alligator.

I think I'll try a few of those - the ones I can afford for now and the ones I can't we're doing next year if not sooner...my wife loved Saint's idea!

I'm gonna vary it just a little bit...I love a Charlie Brown Christmas. Think maybe tonight I'll put my feet up, sit by the tree, sip a little eggnog - or Jack Daniels Lynchburg Lemonade) - or both (no, not together - YUCK!), watch the tape and try and relax and get back in the spirit. Hell, I might even pull my pipe out, take it outside and have a nice bowl of tobacco to go with it. Screw the PC police.

I don't know how Florida will be, but Georgia's getting some much colder weather in the next few days. I CANNOT wait! 70s are fine for summer, but this sucks in December. This is the hottest I can ever remember December being in Georgia too.

HaRuMaN · « **Reply #10 on:** December 12, 2007, 08:51:33 am »

Quote from: RTSDaddy2 on December 12, 2007, 08:39:31 am

Hell, I might even pull my pipe out, take it outside and have a nice bowl of ~~tobacco~~ wacky tabaccy to go with it. Screw the PC police.

fixt

ChadTower · « **Reply #11 on:** December 12, 2007, 09:16:16 am »

Quote from: shmokes on December 11, 2007, 05:18:51 pm

In fact, I was laying down next to the lake studying for my finals last week and even dozed off and napped for about an hour with my feet hanging out about 1-2 feet from the water's edge. So, anyway, less than 24 hours later I was walking past the lake and there was a big-ass gator just hanging out on the shore . . . probably around six feet long.

Pretty much always assume there are gators in all large bodies of water there. There more than likely are. People buy them as pets and then when they get too big they dump them in any water they can find.

I wonder how many people walked past you thinking "wtf is wrong with that dumbass" or "I bet I could steal his bag without waking him up".

shardian · « **Reply #12 on:** December 12, 2007, 09:23:14 am »

When my wife was little, she visited her grandparents in Florida every summer. They had a river out back of their house and they always told her that there were Alligators in it and they would come up in the yard. She thought they were picking on her. Sure enough, one day she went out back to play and there was an alligator hanging out next to the porch. She ran in, locked the door and never went outside the rest of the trip.

ChadTower · « **Reply #13 on:** December 12, 2007, 09:28:35 am »

My mother likes to tell a story of how we were in Tampa when I was about 18 months... she was letting me wade around in a little pond until the neighbors started screaming at her to get the kid out of the water. A couple of hours later there was a 4' gator wandering around the grass in the same area.

I guess people from up north don't believe the locals when they say "there are gators in that water". I know people from the south never believed us in NS when we said "watch out, it's bear season around here" until they ran into one.

tommy · « **Reply #14 on:** December 12, 2007, 10:01:45 am »

To me Christmas has a lot to do with the weather and coming from NY many many years ago it's just is not the same without snow.

ChadTower · « **Reply #15 on:** December 12, 2007, 10:52:51 am »

I remember Florida Christmasses - totally agree. Christmas needs to at least be cold and should have snow. We don't always get snow here in that particular week.

Xiaou2 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 12, 2007, 11:17:17 pm »

Christmas without the snow is a bit hard. I grew up in NY, but for 3yrs... I lived in Florida.
Upon thinking of it more... it does sound like an interesting challenge...

One could construct some sort of 'fake' snow system to fool the senses inside.

Maybe a frame that sits in front of the main window or sliding doors. The frame may
be several inches deep. The rear panel would have a winter picture pasted to it.
The frame would be filled with something like tiny paper scraps or micro foam spheres...
then a bunch of fans or a blower..etc.. would push the fake snow around. You could
even make it a so that it pulls the snow from the bottom to the top.

The front of the box would be plexi or glass... and could even be sprayed in some
spots with a light coating of specialized frost paint. Making the window appear to
be cold and fogged... which will also blur the background pic for added effect.

The box could be places in the main room where there is no window as well... and
then you just curtain off the other visible windows with dark curtains - or place cardboard
behind the curtains to block out the light.

Hehe.. I guess you could even build an LCD or crt version.. where the picture in the
'window' is actually real snowfall / snowstorm footage.

RTSDaddy2 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 13, 2007, 03:05:28 am »

OR, to save money and time, I could pop Pokemon into the Wii and have Snover make it snow on the inside of my TV for a while.

Sorry Xiaou2, had the thought, couldn't resist. Interesting idea though (yours, not mine)!

Feeling a bit better. Stopped the hustle and bustle last night, sat down, did the eggnog and Charlie Brown Christmas plan as per earlier post. I also followed Elf's advice earlier in the day and put on some Christmas music, sang for a little while.

Today, however, may finally push me full into the Christmas spirit. Wife and I are going out to continue a long standing tradition I have, now that we know we can afford to do so this year....we're going to find one of the Salvation Army's angel trees and buy a gift for at least one (maybe two) needy children.

I've been doing that for years, partly for me and partly to honor the memory of the gentleman who taught me how to be a true man. I thought I might not be able to do so this year, but since my wife took a part time job a a local day care center, we have a little extra to do things like this. I don't know, but I have a feeling that may be just what the doctor ordered.

Thanks for all the suggestions

Howard_Casto · « **Reply #18 on:** December 13, 2007, 03:23:18 am »

Quote from: Jimbo on December 11, 2007, 01:25:56 pm

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!"

Joking aside, that one works for me!

Get yourself some christmas songs.... REAL christmas songs.

I'm talking Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Elvis, Willie Nelson ect... put em on your mp3 player. Listen to them all.... repeat until the songs are stuck in your head.

I challenge anyone to be in a bad mood while humming the tune of Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.

saint · « **Reply #19 on:** December 13, 2007, 10:27:59 am »

What about grandma?

ChadTower · « **Reply #20 on:** December 13, 2007, 10:30:21 am »

Grandma doesn't do it but the New Kids do.

Glaine · « **Reply #21 on:** December 13, 2007, 11:47:20 am »

Quote from: Howard_Casto on December 13, 2007, 03:23:18 am

Get yourself some christmas songs.... REAL christmas songs.

Thats what I was about to suggest. I got a nice turntable this year and so I got out all the old Christmas LPs I got from my Grandma that we've had stored away and I've been playing them. Good fun. I like to mix in some old 78's too, the kind of music that was made in the 20's and 30's. You can buy stacks of em at Half Price Books for something around $2 for 3.

SithMaster · « **Reply #22 on:** December 13, 2007, 11:51:54 am »

Yes LPs. I have an Alvin and the Chipmunks christmas one and i think im going to listen to that.

ahofle · « **Reply #23 on:** December 13, 2007, 12:11:23 pm »

Maybe this will help:
http://starwarsxmas.ytmnd.com/

patrickl · « **Reply #24 on:** December 13, 2007, 12:15:20 pm »

I just came across Worth1000: Worst. Album. Ever. * Holiday Edition! *

Ed_McCarron · « **Reply #25 on:** December 13, 2007, 04:31:22 pm »

Quote from: SithMaster on December 13, 2007, 11:51:54 am

Yes LPs. I have an Alvin and the Chipmunks christmas one and i think im going to listen to that.

What? No Snoopy vs. The Red Baron by the Royal Guardsmen?

Cakemeister · « **Reply #26 on:** December 13, 2007, 05:48:50 pm »

I set my desktop to this picture.

shmokes · « **Reply #27 on:** December 14, 2007, 10:04:15 am »

Most Christmas songs make me feel depressed (to the extent that I can feel depressed). I don't know why that is. I absolutely love Christmas.

But yeah . . . I've been told that there are gators in every fresh body of water here. I also read that animal control removes approximately 1600 alligators per year from peoples' yards and ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- in Miami. That's a lot of alligators.

rovingmind · « **Reply #28 on:** December 14, 2007, 02:57:31 pm »

Quote from: Howard_Casto on December 13, 2007, 03:23:18 am

[

I challenge anyone to be in a bad mood while humming the tune of Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.

I'm in a bad mood and i'm humming it.

Of course my work christmas present was to be told my job just got transferred to india and the end of December is my last day.

ChadTower · « **Reply #29 on:** December 14, 2007, 03:00:44 pm »

Quote from: shmokes on December 14, 2007, 10:04:15 am

But yeah . . . I've been told that there are gators in every fresh body of water here. I also read that animal control removes approximately 1600 alligators per year from peoples' yards and ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- in Miami. That's a lot of alligators.

I wonder where they put 1600 alligators per year... seeing as how PETA would have their ass if they killed them.

patrickl · « **Reply #30 on:** December 14, 2007, 03:04:28 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on December 14, 2007, 03:00:44 pm

I wonder where they put 1600 alligators per year... seeing as how PETA would have their ass if they killed them.

Probably in the neighbours yard. Perhaps it's one alligator that just keeps moving around.

We had a pest control TV reality show on TV and the guys were getting rid of a spider plague. They were not allowed to kill the spiders though, so what they did was spread a chemical that the spiders hate and makes them move elsewhere (ie next door)

RTSDaddy2 · « **Reply #31 on:** December 14, 2007, 08:26:23 pm »

Now, being a musician myself, you'd think I could have figured that out by myself, but I guess not.

I will, however, stand by all of you that have said singing Christmas songs puts you in a good mood. I've been practicing that the last couple days as well, and so far that's helped too.

Howard I will say this though - "Grandma" is my Mom's favorite song....and if you KNEW how many times I've had to perform that at Christmas shows around town, you'd know why I hate that song!

Roving, man I hate that for you , and can certainly sympathize. Just wish I knew something profound to say, but I don't.

RTSDaddy2 · « **Reply #32 on:** December 16, 2007, 06:50:51 pm »

One quick little closing thought: Seeing your child in a Christmas play / pageant - priceless.

Last year our little one was in the production, but she was miserable...she went on, but had cried and cried and cried over it beforehand. It wasn't a lot of fun.

This year, being a year older and more mature, she played hand bells and sang loudly for all to hear. Grandma, Aunt, and Uncle were there...it was just too cool.

CCM · « **Reply #33 on:** December 17, 2007, 01:03:16 pm »

I have no christmas spirit this year, and I'm not sure why. I haven't started any shopping yet and have no desire to do so. I am looking forward to a day off work, but that's about it.

tommy · « **Reply #34 on:** December 17, 2007, 10:12:45 pm »

Quote from: CCM on December 17, 2007, 01:03:16 pm

I have no christmas spirit this year, and I'm not sure why. I haven't started any shopping yet and have no desire to do so. I am looking forward to a day off work, but that's about it.

Aww, poor you.

At least you can find joy in knowing the Giants will be in the playoffs this year.

ChadTower · « **Reply #35 on:** December 18, 2007, 09:01:45 am »

Quote from: tommy on December 17, 2007, 10:12:45 pm

At least you can find joy in knowing the Giants will be in the playoffs this year.

Technically for 60 minutes... practically for about 25. If they get Green Bay they'll be down 20 by halftime.

BTW, I remembered a great way last night to get into the Xmas spirit... the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

CCM · « **Reply #36 on:** December 18, 2007, 09:59:02 am »

Quote from: tommy on December 17, 2007, 10:12:45 pm

Quote from: CCM on December 17, 2007, 01:03:16 pm
I have no christmas spirit this year, and I'm not sure why. I haven't started any shopping yet and have no desire to do so. I am looking forward to a day off work, but that's about it.

Aww, poor you.

At least you can find joy in knowing the Giants will be in the playoffs this year.

You're right, the Giants do cheer me up, I had a GREAT time watching them this past Sunday. Poor Shockey...

CCM · « **Reply #37 on:** December 18, 2007, 10:00:54 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on December 18, 2007, 09:01:45 am

BTW, I remembered a great way last night to get into the Xmas spirit... the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

I have to agree there, we saw them the last 2 years, but we were busy the day they were here this year. Maybe that's my problem, no TSO this year!

I'll have to pull out their CDs and throw them on my Zune...

rovingmind · « **Reply #38 on:** December 18, 2007, 01:29:07 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on December 18, 2007, 09:01:45 am

BTW, I remembered a great way last night to get into the Xmas spirit... the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Oddly enough i'm getting tired of them.

I joined Vixenlights users group and started watching christmas light displays for ideas, (planning on going all out next year- building a whopping 32 channels of light control woohoo bigtime

) Most of the people end up using the same song by them in their own display.

I prefer some classic 50's and 60's christmas music.

Ed_McCarron · « **Reply #39 on:** December 19, 2007, 09:02:07 am »

Tips for the Holiday Season

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you com e across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9.. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories,
but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:

'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, Captain Morgan in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO what a ride!'


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