I don’t actually know. As of right now, I don’t have any arrangements for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day. I hope that I’ll get a late invite, this is what happened last year. And it was great!
Many years ago I took my 7-year old nephew to a sing-along performance of Handel's The Messiah. As the performance reached the soaring "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” I heard my nephew sing his voice to the choir singing “Hello to ya, hello to ya, hello to ya!”
Lox & bagels on 12/25 am; latkes that night. Or Chinese food. Tough when there’s an overlap. We may use our Menurkey™; wish there’d been a Chrismakkiah.
I’ll be listening on a hotline for family caregivers. Isolation on holidays is a real hardship for caregivers. I’ve been there, and it feels good to give back.
Thank you for your thoughts on the holidays. I can’t seem to get away from feeling that we are only rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. This Christmas I fully realized how patriotic I am. And how dark these times are, that a criminal could actually get elected as our president. It’s been the roughest holiday season in my 71 years.
Christmas music is always central for me. Our family tradition was to start the records playing on the day after Thanksgiving. Those of my age my remember record players where you could stack several albums on the spindle and they'd drop when the previous one finished, that was how the season really began for me. Since the VCR and DVD players became fixtures, Christmas movies now play in that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas - you can't really extend the period earlier or later because with every day in either direction the season loses some magic.
Charlie Brown Christmas!! Here in Maine, The Heather Pierson Trio plays the entire score in venues all over Western Maine and eastern New Hampshire. Not to be missed, she fully captures the creative genius of VG and I relive memories of growing up in the sixties.
Our immediate family all have plans to be elsewhere. So rather than spend Christmas home alone, we decided to escape the post election madness with a Christmas tour of Vienna, Salzburg and Prague and capped by a Christmas celebration with distant relatives there for Christmas itself.
We wish everyone a peaceful holiday with loved ones. Be reminded of what's important and begin 2025 refreshed to carry on the Resistance.
After living in the States for 30 years raising our children, and going about life, we made the decision last summer to move to Japan to support my wife’s parents as they get older.
This decision was not influenced by politics, but I have to be honest, there is a sense of relief knowing I will be able to avoid the onslaught of 24/7 Trumpnews.
In Japan, Christmas is a commercial holiday centered around dating and Kentucky Fried Chicken (it really is better here). New Years is the big winter holiday.
All of these will be a new adventure, figuring out what traditions we decide to hold on to, and what new ones we create.
We have already decided to have Lasagna on Christmas Day (How I have marked my Birthday for more than 20 years), We are searching for good Croissants (Christmas Morning Cocoa and Croissants are another tradition) and from there we will improvise.
Through my working with Joy and Gratitude, Thanksgiving Day is really the primary holiday on my calendar, after that I see Christmas as time with family, and then the New Years celebration is about looking forward.
I know there are many with great anxiety about the coming Trump term.
When I am confronted with anxiety, I always ask myself “What has actually happened?”
Anxiety is worrying about a future that has yet to occur.
Just like the counsel not to obey an authoritarian in advance, I would also encourage people to be mindful of making themselves anxious by worrying about what has yet to occur.
Save that energy. There will be plenty to react to, but exhausting ourselves worrying in advance costs a ton of stress.
We wish you and your family, and the family you've formed here the happiest of holidays.
In large measure, our holidays are very traditional. Once a year foods, gift giving, and showing friends and family around the world that we love and value them. At our age, we're grateful that we remain here to celebrate the holidays once more. We try to focus on the good times we had with those who are now missing.
Neither of us espouses any particular religion. We do, however, recognize, celebrate, and send holiday wishes to those who value the spiritual importance of the holidays. We enjoy the beauty and pageantry associated with many religious celebrations but we choose to observe rather than participate.
Now we're just trying to gather our wits and build up our reserves so we're prepared to cope with and resist the hellscape that we've chosen to inflict upon ourselves beginning in January.
In a word: Quietly. For me, Christmas is time for reflection and contemplation. I like and enjoy the "aloneness" of it. The days of gifting are long past. A brief phone chat with family will solidify the Spirit of Love.
Our country is in such a sordid state with Christians claiming to be Christian leaving many of us in a state of puzzle. They would send Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus back to a ramshackle barn. There is a miracle here, even if hiding. Perhaps a sense of wonder. Perhaps a sense of worry. We must not dismiss the Promise this moment offers. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Thanks everyone for your kind words. I wasn’t expecting them and they’re all from the upright world!
I don’t actually know. As of right now, I don’t have any arrangements for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day. I hope that I’ll get a late invite, this is what happened last year. And it was great!
I live in hope!
…like it’s the last one we’ll enjoy for a very long time…
Many years ago I took my 7-year old nephew to a sing-along performance of Handel's The Messiah. As the performance reached the soaring "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” I heard my nephew sing his voice to the choir singing “Hello to ya, hello to ya, hello to ya!”
Lox & bagels on 12/25 am; latkes that night. Or Chinese food. Tough when there’s an overlap. We may use our Menurkey™; wish there’d been a Chrismakkiah.
I’ll be listening on a hotline for family caregivers. Isolation on holidays is a real hardship for caregivers. I’ve been there, and it feels good to give back.
Thank you for that.
Thanks, Deborah.
Holidays? What’s that?
Thank you for your thoughts on the holidays. I can’t seem to get away from feeling that we are only rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. This Christmas I fully realized how patriotic I am. And how dark these times are, that a criminal could actually get elected as our president. It’s been the roughest holiday season in my 71 years.
Christmas music is always central for me. Our family tradition was to start the records playing on the day after Thanksgiving. Those of my age my remember record players where you could stack several albums on the spindle and they'd drop when the previous one finished, that was how the season really began for me. Since the VCR and DVD players became fixtures, Christmas movies now play in that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas - you can't really extend the period earlier or later because with every day in either direction the season loses some magic.
. . . Christmas Carol, and the music of Vince Guaraldi
The Vince Guaraldi Trio!
Charlie Brown Christmas!! Here in Maine, The Heather Pierson Trio plays the entire score in venues all over Western Maine and eastern New Hampshire. Not to be missed, she fully captures the creative genius of VG and I relive memories of growing up in the sixties.
Lights in trees, the moon on the snow, A
Our immediate family all have plans to be elsewhere. So rather than spend Christmas home alone, we decided to escape the post election madness with a Christmas tour of Vienna, Salzburg and Prague and capped by a Christmas celebration with distant relatives there for Christmas itself.
We wish everyone a peaceful holiday with loved ones. Be reminded of what's important and begin 2025 refreshed to carry on the Resistance.
This year Christmas will be different.
After living in the States for 30 years raising our children, and going about life, we made the decision last summer to move to Japan to support my wife’s parents as they get older.
This decision was not influenced by politics, but I have to be honest, there is a sense of relief knowing I will be able to avoid the onslaught of 24/7 Trumpnews.
In Japan, Christmas is a commercial holiday centered around dating and Kentucky Fried Chicken (it really is better here). New Years is the big winter holiday.
All of these will be a new adventure, figuring out what traditions we decide to hold on to, and what new ones we create.
We have already decided to have Lasagna on Christmas Day (How I have marked my Birthday for more than 20 years), We are searching for good Croissants (Christmas Morning Cocoa and Croissants are another tradition) and from there we will improvise.
Through my working with Joy and Gratitude, Thanksgiving Day is really the primary holiday on my calendar, after that I see Christmas as time with family, and then the New Years celebration is about looking forward.
I know there are many with great anxiety about the coming Trump term.
When I am confronted with anxiety, I always ask myself “What has actually happened?”
Anxiety is worrying about a future that has yet to occur.
Just like the counsel not to obey an authoritarian in advance, I would also encourage people to be mindful of making themselves anxious by worrying about what has yet to occur.
Save that energy. There will be plenty to react to, but exhausting ourselves worrying in advance costs a ton of stress.
Best to all through the holiday season.
Hyvää Joulua to you and yours!
We wish you and your family, and the family you've formed here the happiest of holidays.
In large measure, our holidays are very traditional. Once a year foods, gift giving, and showing friends and family around the world that we love and value them. At our age, we're grateful that we remain here to celebrate the holidays once more. We try to focus on the good times we had with those who are now missing.
Neither of us espouses any particular religion. We do, however, recognize, celebrate, and send holiday wishes to those who value the spiritual importance of the holidays. We enjoy the beauty and pageantry associated with many religious celebrations but we choose to observe rather than participate.
Now we're just trying to gather our wits and build up our reserves so we're prepared to cope with and resist the hellscape that we've chosen to inflict upon ourselves beginning in January.
In a word: Quietly. For me, Christmas is time for reflection and contemplation. I like and enjoy the "aloneness" of it. The days of gifting are long past. A brief phone chat with family will solidify the Spirit of Love.
Our country is in such a sordid state with Christians claiming to be Christian leaving many of us in a state of puzzle. They would send Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus back to a ramshackle barn. There is a miracle here, even if hiding. Perhaps a sense of wonder. Perhaps a sense of worry. We must not dismiss the Promise this moment offers. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!