Christmas & New Years Plans, Do tell!
 

Since I will be packing and moving over Christmas and New Years this year, I will be celebrating in a room full of boxes with the Yankee and Pup.
So I was wondering what the rest of the World (Fodors is a world, isn't it?) would be doing.
What are your Holiday plans? Where will you be?
Thank you, Scarlett~ ((F))

Somehow Scarlett I think you will make even the move and boxes, etc. festive and special!

We are leaving for London tomorrow, but only for a week this time. Will be attending a performance of A Christmas Carol (dinner afterward) on the 19th, and then going up to Murphys (a delightful little town in the California Gold Country with lots of wineries, etc.) Saturday morning for an overnight stay.

Christmas Eve is always divided between our family (we open our gifts then) and our "second family," where we again exchange gifts. Christmas day with family, but don't as yet know at whose house. Food at both places. Our nieces are fabulous cooks so we usually come home stuffed.

New Year's I think we are attending a house party, with everyone bringing hors doeuvres and/or dessert.

My best wishes for a wonderful life in your new home!

Thank you Giovanna!
I am planning next Christmas in our new home with everybody there to make up for this one being less festive~
Murphys sounds like great fun and having someone else cook is fine with me too :)
I have always wanted to spend Christmas in London. A friend took her children one year and the hotel staff, decorated a small tree and put it in the childrens room. I guess I grew up reading too much Dickens etc. but London in winter is very appealing to me.

Oh Dear Scarlett,
I'm so sorry that you have to move during the holidays. Remember I've got this terribly long layover in Newark the day after Christmas if you need any help packing. I'm heading over to Italy for New Years. Then back again, all to soon, to keep bringing in those babies. But I won't think about that right now, I'll think about that tomorrow.
Hope you have a wonderful holiday anyway, I'm sure next year will be amazing for you along the beautiful southern coast!
"Melanie"

It will be a traditional small-town Christmas for us, as usual.

We're in the midst of putting up decorations, since our little town is having its annual "Christmas on the River" (featuring a lighted riverboat parade) celebration this weekend, and we want all the out-of-towners to see how pretty the town can be.

We'll have children and grandchildren here for Christmas, and on Christmas Eve we'll have our usual gathering of friends--probably about 35 people,including three generations of several families.

Christmas Eve menu always includes husband John's famous ham, hot off the smoker and served in little yeast rolls.
The punch bowl will be full of eggnog, of course.

Christmas dinner will be turkey, with charlotte for dessert.

Scarlett, I hope the move goes well, and best wishes for the holiday season, and the future in your new home.

Well Scarlett, if you realllly mean "everyone" next Christmas then you'll have make sure to post directions to your new home. ;-)

Christmas will be a simple affair with the family (H and daughter) and 2 other couples. New Years we might have a little block party on our tiny cul de sac and pull up chairs, have some drinks, and shoot fireworks.

I was feeling a bit mopey because, due to work and other circumstances, we wouldn't be able to travel to see family this year, but, after reading Scarlett's and others postings, Christmas is what you make it. I'm in the South, so the weather could be warm (we've only had one freeze so far this year) We have what's become an annual Christmas Eve potluck at our house, then go to Midnight service at our church. I may make a Mexican main dish (posole or enchiladas)because Mexican food for Christmas is very festive to me. We'll also watch "White Christmas" at some point (also an annual ritual) Our Sunday School class will go caroling at a local hospital in two weeks--we always look forward to that!
Scarlett, I've spent 2 Christmases in London (and the Midlands) and they are lovely. One of my favorite things are all of the special trivia questions and puzzles that are in the paper for Christmas--a lovely tradition, I think. I remember coming back from Midnight service to my boyfriend's home and having sherry and Christmas Cake before we went to bed. I can tell you what we always had for Christmas dinner the times I was there, but perhaps that's getting off track and needs a different post.....

December will be a feast of experiences for my daughters and I. We are leaving for London in a few hours. Our to-do list is far fuller than the 5 days we will be there. Hopefully, I will be able to bring home some special holiday gift treats for my friends and family. Also, we've all three just finished The Davinci Code and are eager to visit some of the locales in the book.

Then I have a week to cram in as much work as possible before flying to Colorado where we'll have a white Christmas in our home in the forest; skiing, tubing, eating, snowshoeing, ice skating and all the other things that the Rockies provide.

So much to be thankful for!

Grasshopper-what did you think of the DaVinci Code? I really want to read that.

Byrd, do you live in Petaluma?

Personally, I loved it. Couldn't put it down. I found myself constantly referring to my "Art and Architecture of the Louvre" and the internet for details of places and art. Also, it made me want to learn more about a lot of things. I love books like that. The fact that my daughters both zoomed through it as well (all on my 3 week library loan period) says something.

Some criticize Dan Brown's writing as amaturish and his charactures cardboard, but I am quick to willingly suspend disbelief and enjoyed the book immensely.

We are going to "the zoo," aka Mom and Dad-in-law's house in New Mexico. Four generations of family, including six kids under the age of 4, all staying in the same house. Wish me luck! :)

Betsy-- No, we live in a town in west cventral Alabama named Demopolis. Does Petaluma have a riverboat parade?

Miz Possum--you must live close to us, as our weather has been warm, too, but we're expecting temps in the 20s tomorrow night. Maybe you're right about a thread of Christmas dinner menus...I'd love to hear everybody's tradition...

Christmas will be low key for us, with dinner at DH's parents on the day itself, then out of town to my folk's house until the New Year. No extended family this year, so things will be nice and quiet.

I, too, am planning to have some parties and a big Chritmas dinner at our place next year, when the house is in better shape!

Good luck with your move, Scarlett, and Happy Holidays to everyone :)

Nice thread Scarlett! Reading these responses makes this dreary SF day a little more festive.

We'll have a quiet Christmas at home - just DH and the cats. Then off to Paris for New Year's Eve.

Tell us more, everyone!

We will be flying for a Christmas visit home to Australia from Zurich for just over two weeks leaving the day after Christmas. I expect our Christmas day will be packing and finishing the last minute details but we will then have 16 days of home, family and sun before we come back to the snow and work!

Parents coming in from Spain for 2 weeks for Christmas (staying with me in my NYC apartment... should be "interesting" to say the least) and then off to Amsterdam for NYE!! Can't wait.

P.S. Scarlett, Best of luck on your move and with what I am sure is a truly lovely new home.

Awww, these are so great! I am wishing you all the Happiest of Holidays and Safe Journeys.
Grasshoppper, I'll miss you, have a great time in London, buy Poppers to Pop on Christmas at the dinner table:)
How great to celebrate NYE in Paris ! And Amsterdam!! Michelle, my son used to be in a band and they were in Amsterdam often, he loves it there! You will have so much fun~
MsPossum, I used to make Enchiladas for Christmas dinner when my children were younger, Mexican food is so colorful, you are right, it is festive!
This year I am having the butcher take the bones out of some turkey thighs and I am stuffing them. Served with sweet potato puree and apple chutney...Pup will have his new bone ((&))
Melanie, enjoy yourself, those babies will wait :) write to me at [email protected]-we will talk when you get to Newark..
Thank you for the good wishes ((L))

We're flying to Prague on the 16th for 4 days nights and then on to England with the family for Christmas and New Year. On Jan 3rd we're off to Venice for 4 nights and then directly home /back to San Francisco.

I can't wait!

Flying out of Houston on Christmas day to Venice, then getting on a cruise ship on the 28th. The cruise goes to Cairo and back. Then we'll rent a car for 5 days and drive from Venice to Lake Garda, Bolzano, Cortina and back to the airport - 17 days in all. Been looking forward to this since we won a bid on Skyauction.com for the cruise - couldn't pass it up. Will post a complete report of Italian winter conditions when we return.

Although I don't live there, I read a newspaper blurb about Santa's arrival on the Petaluma River in a riverboat. The lighted boat parade is Dec. 13 this year.

10 days until we also head for Australia. Visit with my wife's family for the holidays and will surely do more exploration on our own, as usual. Summer weather, here we come.

Let me begin by thanking everyone for their educational and entertaining posts throughout the year. This will be my family's third holiday season in Europe. Every year I get more adventurous as the children (11 and 13)grow older. So we fly on 12/19 from L.A. to Florence with four days in Florence and then to Rome for ten days.

Yes , I've made all the major reservations for hotels, museums, Scala Reale, etc. but with work being busy I have no time for last minute fine tuning. Oh well... it always works out.

==Mike



The

At the moment, I'm just hoping to survive:)

We are at home for Christmas then will spend New Year with 14 friends at Lochindorb House on Speyside.
http://www.lhhscotland.com/House123.asp

I can't wait!

I will be having a late lunch with my fella and his mum on Christmas eve. Hopefully somewhere nice as everything seems to be booked out already I am worried we won't get a place!

Then in the evening we will meet our friends and head up to the bar in Clontarf Castle hotel.

Christmas is quiet in Dublin so we will spend with his family and invite friends over in the evening.

St Stephens day is also quiet but we go to the Wrens fest in Sandymount. Now I can't even explain this event but its every Stephens day. Its based on the Wren boys who dressed up in straw hats to disguise their faces and went house to house. Every county has a different version from what I have heard but my mother said they would show up at the wedding reception and its was good luck. Others say if they visit on new years it will be a good year. I think you offer them something if they come into the house. Probably a drink or food. Its linked to pagan customs. What we go to see is in the village square and there is music and poems about the wren, dancing etc. Its really hard to explain. Its something nice to do as most things are closed.

Most places are closed all day so we go for a drive to one of the beaches around Dublin. In the evening this is the big night out as the pubs re-open and we all go to meet friends home for Christmas.

Pubs are closed Christmas day which is great because it makes the whole city quiet. Its a family day over here. As well its the only 1 of 2 days a year they close (2nd is good Friday).

One year I am hoping to go away for Christmas and try something new!

I'm off to Prague with the girlfriend for 3 nights over New Years. This is the first time I've gone away at Christmas time. I usually felt obliged to stay with the family. It's also the first year I've been looking forward to Christmas since I was a kid. Bit of a "Baah Humbug" usually. It also saved on having to for that elusive "special" gift for each other, as we agreed that this would be more enjoyable than another gold chain, watch etc...
Now all we need is for it to snow in Prague.
Happy Christmas all.

It is so much fun reading about everyone's holiday plans. Thanks, Scarlett, for starting this thread!

I'll be going up to northern Michigan to spend the holiday with my daughter, son-in-law and four grandkids; then we'll all go to Florida the middle of January to spend a week with my son and his fiance, treating the little ones to Disneyworld. It will be so nice to have my whole family together for the first time in almost six years. Then it will be time to finalize my itinerary for five days in Paris at the end of March. Life doesn't get much better!

My best wishes to all Fodorites for a wonderful holiday and peaceful and prosperous new year!

My mom and her hubby are coming to spend the holidays with us in the Dutch West Indies. We will have a quiet Christmas at home, before joining many dear friends for cocktails and dinner under the warm, starlit night.

I don't envy you with packing and moving during this time, Ms. Scarlett. However, I'm sure you will have a most enjoyable new year in the sunny south!

Boudreaux and Bailey wave their paws to Tate!

We (family of four) will fly out of Atlanta to Paris Christmas Eve then after 3 days on to London thru New Years Day. Thanks to Scarlett and all of the fellow fodorites for all the great information and advice I have gleaned from this site. Some anxiety accompanies our first trip to Europe but hope everything is in place. Only one major problem left to solve- Having only taken domestic vacations I am used to packing everything but the kitchen sink. Wish everyone a very happy holiday season.

Thanks to a timely e-mail from Travelocity, we are all flying to Bangor, Maine for the holidays! I can't tell you how thrilled we are to see my sister and her family, and that we don't have to drive 25 hours across country to do it. However! The big catch to the cheap flights I found is that the departing flight to Bangor leaves at 7:00 am, the flight home, 5:20 am (on New Years Day, no less). We haven't decided whether we should all go to bed at 6:00 pm, or pull all-nighters. In any event, this falls into the category of what you do because you love your sister!

Annual tradition for me and my sweety: at home in Miami with a pot of fondue and a bottle of Moet (or 2!).

We are flying out to sunny San Diego with our daughter (from NYC) to spend some time with our son who is stationed at Camp Pendleton. We've been fortunate to have him home for a nice long visit since his return from Iraq, but we're all looking forward to having some fun together on the left coast. We'll be in San Diego for 4 nights and LA (actually Beverly Hills) for 3 nights. Then the "kids" are meeting up with some friends to celebrate daughter's birthday on New Years Eve. Mr & Mrs uhoh are jetting back on the 30th to see the New Year in with friends our own age. :-) We like to do a traveling Christmas every other year now that our children are grown up.

Moet and fondue for two, is this like a Florida tradition? I can get to like that:)
uh oh busted , I am so happy for you and your family to be spending this holiday together. Give that soldier a Big Kiss from Scarlett ((L))

Having moved twice in one year, a few years ago, I wish you and the pups the best.

We will be traveling to Fresno for Christmas. My daughter and 3 year old grand- daughter have embarrass us all by living there. Or is it us'all.
Actually it's Clovis, but Fresno gets more sympathy votes.

dln -- Pull the all-nighter.

Hello Scarlett and everyone,

I am leaving for France next week, & will be spending the holidays there with relatives. I will also be making a stop in Vienna to visit a friend.

Good luck with your move!

In high school, a friend, Bryan, and I started going to D.C. to see the National Christmas Tree the Saturday before Christmas. No big deal in those days as we lived in Mt. Vernon and it was just a matter of driving down the Washington Parkway through Old Town Alexandria and across a bridge. We'd stroll the boarded walkway looking at the small trees representing each of the states and occupied territories and comment on the decorations chosen for each. We'd go stand by the 'Ol Yule Log and get ourselves warmed up half way through, then continue on with the second half of the trees. In those days there was a corral with reindeer on display and a stage (which is still there) where entertainment was performed for several hours. We'd finish with a long gaze at The Tree as well as the trains set up and running around it. Over the years we've added going out to dinner before-hand to the occasion and the ever-changing size of the group (significant others for each of us as well as close friends invited) has kept it a lively get together. This year will be the 23rd year for my friend Bryan and I. My husband, son and I will drive the 3+ hours to No. Virginia to Bryan & Karen's lovely home where we will meet up with 6 of our closest friends, have dinner and go in town. It's not seeing the trees that really brings us up north anymore - it's the beautiful company we do it with.

As for NYE - Charlottesville puts on a wonderful First Night and then we'll probably pop into a movie before heading home.

Thanks Scarlet for sharing your holiday 'plans'. And I hope everyone has a safe and most memorable holiday this year.

mmr41:

Look at it this way you could be coming to Fresno in August.

Cheers,

==Mike

We'll be spending Xmas at home with our relatives. On Boxing Day we'll be accompanying our son to Vegas for his chess tournament but will return home on the 30th-no New Years party in Vegas for us.

Have a pleasant move in addition to a happy Xmas & New Years, Scarlett!

Christmas will be spent at home, frantically trying to pack for Australia (there are a few fodorites heading to Sydney for the holidays this year). I leave on Christmas night for Australia.

At the stroke of midnight, January 1, 2004, I will mostly likely be giving a big kiss to an Australian man who I met during my four month stint in Europe this year.

Yes it will be a happy holiday, I think. I wish everyone a most joyous holiday season!