What do you do to connect with the Christmas Spirit? (1 Viewer)

[Laron]

Some celebrate—and for different reasons—some don't. Some have other types of celebrations that fit into the time period of Christmas. However you spend your time, feel free to share the creative ways you connect into the spirit of the month.

I know people love to wear Christmas socks, or get a onesie outfit such as one I wore a couple of years ago in December:

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Some stick up Christmas lights around their property and house:

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Sometimes some music is required to feel the cheer:

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I know this is a favorite movie at Christmas of one of my family members, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation:

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Here's Kirk and Spock getting into the Chirstmas spirit:

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So now it's your turn to share what you get up to!

 

[Snowmelt]

A young single mum (maybe she's only about 18, and the baby is about 8 months) just moved in to the house next door (and we share a very close boundary). So I found this toy at my op shop, and this is what I will give her and her baby for Christmas.




And my brother sent me a Christmas present of Bunting (fabric triangles sewn by a community collective in the Congo, Africa and sold in Australia for charity). So my little yard is a bright, sunny place of bunting and at night, the party lights add extra colour.

 

[Lila]

One thing I love to do is decorate. The more creative the better. This does mean that there are some 'fails' in the decorating department (things that fall apart or don't last, for example) but it also makes it fresh each year.
I especially love to decorate with my girls or with friends.

Also, I watch and rewatch The Grinch (my fave is the original animated version which I was shocked to discover was only a half hour in length; it always seems so much longer!) and A Christmas Carol with the indomitable Scrooge (the original version with Alistair Sim). I just love to watch the great charicatures of the grumpiest misanthropic grumps and then the transformations when things don't go the way they expected and their hearts 'grow two sizes that day'

Gift giving is also a joy for me as long as it doesn't involve malls, crowds nor any sense of obligation. A sense of obligation about this kind of thing just kills the joy. I tend to shop for Christmas gifts during most of the year and the try to remember where I put them all, lol (I've gotten smarter and now have a place to stash them). Again, the joy for me is in the joy another shares with the giving/getting.

This year was the first year in ages that I've given anybody a card. It was for a barber who was as kind and caring as could be with my father when he was in his last months. His gift to me was that beautiful smile of his that I got in exchange. Worth every bit of planning, choosing and extra driving, that smile. Plus, when I shared the story with my brother he loved it too. Knowing him, he probably got teary a few moments later, lol.

Oh, and I never miss the opportunity to bring tree boughs into the house. Love that smell!

Music and sharing time together with loved ones also top my list. These are kind of woven into the others.

 

[Laron]

Again this year I made my own Christmas cards

A young single mum (maybe she's only about 18,

Both are so bright and colorful! I like unique teddy toy animal things!

Oh, and I never miss the opportunity to bring tree boughs into the house. Love that smell!

I love the smell too. It's been a bunch of years since I had a real tree inside.

 

[Anaeika]

Here is a Grinch gingerbread house and train that my kids & I worked on together.

 

[Laron]

It's like the sort of quality to expect from a cake shop!

 

[June]

Here is a Grinch gingerbread house and train that my kids & I worked on together. View attachment 6105View attachment 6106

That is amazing Anaeika, so professional, you clever old things.

 

[June]

. If I don’t put his Santa hat on every year, he throws himself off the bed.

 

[Pucksterguy]

And my brother sent me a Christmas present of Bunting (fabric triangles sewn by a community collective in the Congo, Africa and sold in Australia for charity). So my little yard is a bright, sunny place of bunting and at night, the party lights add extra colour.

Hey I Love those. They're very colorful and bright. Instead of hanging them like banners sew them together into large squares similar to a quilt. They'll look great on a wall. Or bed cover etc.

 

[Anaeika]

A young single mum (maybe she's only about 18, and the baby is about 8 months) just moved in to the house next door (and we share a very close boundary). So I found this toy at my op shop, and this is what I will give her and her baby for Christmas.

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And my brother sent me a Christmas present of Bunting (fabric triangles sewn by a community collective in the Congo, Africa and sold in Australia for charity). So my little yard is a bright, sunny place of bunting and at night, the party lights add extra colour.

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Your yard is so lovely. I’d love to spend time there.

 

[Snowmelt]

Here is a Grinch gingerbread house and train that my kids & I worked on together. View attachment 6105View attachment 6106

Wow! How good are you? This is the kind of thing that kids look back on and remember years later, and lets them know they really were and are loved. The fact that you went to some trouble for them, spent good creative time with them, gave them something with a tangible taste sensation. It's the glue that keeps families together. Love comes in many guises.

 

[Laron]

So now it's your turn to share what you get up to!

Who's next??

 

[Lila]

This year I'll enjoy just having a bit of time for myself and to spend with my family!

 

[June]

Drink this

 

[Laron]

Who's next??

What do I do?

I check in with those I consider family, including all of you on here.

But I still keep to something more traditional with a family breakfast and a big lunch with cooked food made especially for Christmas day.

I just went hunting in the garden outside as a family member left some gifts for another family that couldn't be wrapped!

 

[Snowmelt]

What do I do?

I check in with those I consider family, including all of you on here.

But I still keep to something more traditional with a family breakfast and a big lunch with cooked food made especially for Christmas day.

I just went hunting in the garden outside as a family member left some gifts for another family that couldn't be wrapped!

Connection is the soul of Christmas.

 

[Alain]

and not spending tons of money