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Happy Thanksgiving, Americans.
I hope it's a good day for y'all!
I'm one of those people for whom the term 'family' also means 'relatives'. I'd trust my relatives to look after me, to be there for me, to help me out of a hole - even one of my own making, and not to cheat me out of anything that's mine.
I'm not sure if that makes me 'lucky' or not. I'm not really sure it matters, except that I do have "family" - ie. people I can count on - which I firmly believe everyone should have and I know so many people don't.
Our traditions at this time of year are simply: a Christmas with the extended family (relatives and orphaned friends), plenty of food and drink and conversation and laughter, a chance to catch up with the relatives we've lost touch with in the last year.
Oh, and opening presents together on Christmas morning, before we go anywhere for lunch (which is the big meal for us). That's going to be tricky this year since stepbro 1 and his g/f are going to be in China on big travel journey over Christmas. We'll do something when they get back, but I think the stepdad will feel it on Christmas morning.
Otherwise, there's the traditions of Potato Salad (sour cream, boiled eggs, mayo), and Pavlova (there's never enough for seconds and never any leftover), Smoked Salmon, Prawns, Mum's Ohmygod Noodles, and Way Too Much Ham For Everyone To Finish. But that's just food.
There's no Putting Up Of The Tree for us (the tree's already up...my sister didn't take it down last Christmas), or carolling or, really, anything particularly specific.
My aunt on my father's side wants us to go around to her place for Christmas Eve Lunch with that side of the family, and I'm going to see if I can swing the time. We're not close the way we are with my mother's side of the family, but they're good people, even if my uncle is not exactly a thrilling conversationalist. And they're family.
I'm a little curious and I'm not sure I've ever asked this question before: what kind of traditions do you have for this time of year? Are they your own, carry-overs from your parents/family, or adopted from somewhere else? And do you enjoy this time of year, or do you look upon it with dread and loathing?
I hope it's a good day for y'all!
I'm one of those people for whom the term 'family' also means 'relatives'. I'd trust my relatives to look after me, to be there for me, to help me out of a hole - even one of my own making, and not to cheat me out of anything that's mine.
I'm not sure if that makes me 'lucky' or not. I'm not really sure it matters, except that I do have "family" - ie. people I can count on - which I firmly believe everyone should have and I know so many people don't.
Our traditions at this time of year are simply: a Christmas with the extended family (relatives and orphaned friends), plenty of food and drink and conversation and laughter, a chance to catch up with the relatives we've lost touch with in the last year.
Oh, and opening presents together on Christmas morning, before we go anywhere for lunch (which is the big meal for us). That's going to be tricky this year since stepbro 1 and his g/f are going to be in China on big travel journey over Christmas. We'll do something when they get back, but I think the stepdad will feel it on Christmas morning.
Otherwise, there's the traditions of Potato Salad (sour cream, boiled eggs, mayo), and Pavlova (there's never enough for seconds and never any leftover), Smoked Salmon, Prawns, Mum's Ohmygod Noodles, and Way Too Much Ham For Everyone To Finish. But that's just food.
There's no Putting Up Of The Tree for us (the tree's already up...my sister didn't take it down last Christmas), or carolling or, really, anything particularly specific.
My aunt on my father's side wants us to go around to her place for Christmas Eve Lunch with that side of the family, and I'm going to see if I can swing the time. We're not close the way we are with my mother's side of the family, but they're good people, even if my uncle is not exactly a thrilling conversationalist. And they're family.
I'm a little curious and I'm not sure I've ever asked this question before: what kind of traditions do you have for this time of year? Are they your own, carry-overs from your parents/family, or adopted from somewhere else? And do you enjoy this time of year, or do you look upon it with dread and loathing?