Friday Fun Facts 12/27

[bcgal00]

The days are a blur now, it's been a fun but busy week. I had forgotten it was Friday until just now Today's questions are all about Then And Now.

1. What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now?
2. Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now?
3. What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year?
4. Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year?

 

[bcgal00]

What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now?
Years ago, when the kids were young we were up at the crack of dawn, I was lucky to sleep in until 6:30 or so. This year we slept in until 8:00 and then sat around for an hour, chatting and drinking coffee....such a peaceful start to our day.

Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now?
Xmas stockings were always hung off the fireplace but we stopped giving each other a stocking about 5 yrs ago. It was just getting too hard to think of small things to buy for each other (hubs and I) to put into them and I didn't want to just buy things "just because" KWIM?

What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year?
A Christmas Story is an oldie that my mom loved and it became a fave of ours too. I think of her when I watch it. A second fave is another oldie...It's A Wonderful Life (another fave of my mom's). The holiday season was so busy this yr that we didn't get to watch either of them.

Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year?
Xmas has always been a small family gathering. I'm an only child so other than a few aunts/uncles and cousins, our dinner was pretty low key and casual, I don't think we ever had more than 10 people over. This year it was 4 of us, we dressed comfy and casual, had a turkey dinner but kept the side dishes to a minimum, not a lot of fuss and bother....it was wonderful. We were done dinner, cleaned up and relaxing with coffee and dessert by 6:00 pm.

 

[KingsQueen82]

1. What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now? I actually woke up before my kids this time so I sat and waited until one got up. She woke her sister up and for the first time our Christmas lasted longer than 5 minutes. They're older with a little more patience to watch each other open up gifts and wait their turn. As babies it was a free for all-all at once and over in a blink!

2. Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now? I still have my childhood Christmas stocking. It's a reindeer and so cute. If I had another I'd use them for my kids but since I don't, it's just a keepsake for me. We used to get our stockings on Christmas Day as children but I choose to do St. Nick's day for mine so it spreads the excitement and goodies throughout the month. Plus they don't really get candy in their stockings (one Terry's Chocolate Orange bc yum!) since we're trying to avoid cavities and brushing isn't all that easy with braces on! So yeah, it's more like they get a tiny Christmas on St. Nick's Day with little plushies, chapsticks, maybe a DVD, etc and then a regular Christmas on the actual day.

3. What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year? We weren't big tv people growing up (only had channel 12 and 13 and those went out at midnight) so maybe maybe Saturday mornings for 2 hours. That's it. I do remember watching Home Alone so this year we watched Home Alone 1 & 2 with the girls. They absolutely loved them both!

4. Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year? As a child we always did Christmas morning with our little family and Christmas afternoon with the extended family at my Grandma's house. Since my grandparents are gone and all the children have flown the nest Christmas is much smaller back home. We haven't been home for a Christmas in 10 years so for us, its pretty much just a regular day with presents and a slightly better than normal meal.

 

[laurabobaura]

1.What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now?

Years ago, it was just me and my two oldest, RJ and Aidan. I was a single mom working overnights at Walmart (where I spent my check on Christmas gifts lol). Now, I have three boys plus three stepkids. Married. Homeowner. My, how things change. xo

2.Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now?

Of course! Where else is Santa supposed to leave candy?

3.What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year?

For years and years now, we always watch Polar Express at least once during the holidays.

4.Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year?

Yes, I have a lot of memories of holidays with family. Some are not so great, but I've tried to make up for that by making new ones and new traditions. In years past, I've made Christmas ornaments with the kids. With six kids now, it can sometimes be overwhelming. I didn't do ornaments this year because there has been a lot going on, but I'll be happy to get back to it next year.

 

[icindi]

What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now?
My kids used to wake up much earlier. This year year they decided on 9 am! We also used to play with sooooo many toys and put things together. We did play some games this year, but so different from when they boys were younger!

Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now?
Of course! And some of the traditions - they always got a fun shaped bottle of Coke and Josh Early nonpareils we still do. When the kids talk about the traditions we have to keep them up, no matter how old they get!

What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year?
As a kid I loved the Rudolph holiday special, back when we had to 'tune in" on a specific day and time! I don't watch anything anymore

Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year?
We tried to always stay home for Christmas once we had kids. This year some friends came in from Canada to visit my MIL and they all came here for dinner - 14 of us. I have to say I was thankful when they left as I can't handle that much craziness anymore!

 

[cherrygutz]

What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now? years ago, I have my parents and I don't cook alone, hehe.

Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now? Yes, I remember having stockings when my siblings and cousins and I were young. And I brought that when I had my kid.

What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year? I remember watching Disney movies with my cousins and siblings before we sleep, and also reading fairytales.

Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year? yes, we have a family reunion after Christmas and before New Year. That's been going on in the family even before I was born and I love it. We don't get to see each other that often, sometimes when an aunt or uncle of one of my parents reach a milestone year (50 yo or 60 and so on), we will have a big birthday celebration aside from the annual reunion. Until now we still do it, and even though my sister and I are away, they still do it and we just make a facetime to greet them.

 

[joelsgirl]

What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now?
Man, Christmas morning was such a big deal growing up; I've tried to recreate it for my kids, but it lacks the anticipation and magic of my childhood.
Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now? Yes. I have a stocking at my mom's house but not at my own (which is thousands of miles away).
What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year? This year I read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever to my kids, and we loved it so much. I remember watching The animated Rudolph every Christmas as a kid; we normally watch it, but no one was interested this year (myself included).
Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year? Yes! We went to my dad's parents' house for Christmas Eve lunch with his family, to a family friend's house for Christmas Eve, opened presents as a family Christmas morning and went to my mom's parents' house for Christmas lunch. This year we opened presents at our house Christmas morning and had lunch at a friend's that afternoon. For me, it's not very special because we're in shorts, but my kids have grown up in the land of eternal summer, so maybe they just feel like this is normal.

 

[bands321]

What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now?
Years ago my kids were younger and we were up very early to see what Santa had left under the tree. My kids were much easier to buy for. This year, we slept until 8:00 and each kid opened their gifts, I make beignets and then everyone just kind of goes about their day. I miss the days of little ones in the house at Christmas.

Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now?
We have always had stockings. Typically I buy the candy cane M&M’s and Lifesaver books and my husband buys the small gifts. This years hit was a pack of $5 rubber slingshot chickens.

What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year?
The classics, Rudolph, Frosty & The Grinch were my favorites as a child. We love Elf, A Christmas Story & Christmas Vacation now. We alway watch Die Hard too but my kids refuse to admit it’s. Christmas movie.

Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year?
It has always been just immediate family. When i was young it was a ham and sides type dinner. I was a single parent for a while and my daughter went to her dads on Christmas Day so when I met my now-husband, we didn’t really do much on Christmas Day. We did start a tradition (by accident) that my kids love. There isn’t much open as far as food goes on Christmas Day so when it was just my then boyfriend and I, we would go to Jack in the Box. Well my kids have to have that as their Christmas Day meal now (even though we do cook now. Lol)

 

[Sherri Tierney]

What was your Xmas morning like yrs ago compared to now? Years ago, like when I was a kid, or when my kids were little? It hasn't changed a whole lot over the years. We wake up later now (thank goodness!). My kids lingered over gifts a lot more when they were little. They would open a present, put it together, play with it, etc. and then open another a little later. Now it is all pretty quick.


Did you have a Xmas stocking yrs ago and do you have one now? Yes and yes. We've always done stockings. Its kinda my favorite. I tend to buy little things to put in my stocking because my husband isn't great at it. Since the stocking part is my favorite I'd rather fill my own then only have 1 thing in it (that has happened).

What was a Xmas movie or book you remember from your earlier years and was there a fave from this year? I grew up in the days before streaming and before DVDs were even readily available so we watched what came on TV. The favorites were How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph and Frosty. It was a real treat to sit and watch a Christmas show on TV. Now we have access to Christmas stuff 24/7 if we want. This year I think my favorite was Christmas in Africa or something like that. It was on Netflix. Super cute and heartwarming.



Was your holiday celebration a big event with lots of family/friends when you were young and what was it like this year? As a kid we always had my aunts and uncles over for Christmas Eve. We would open all of the gifts under the tree and eat a meal together. On Christmas morning we would wake up to Santa gifts under the tree and then the aunts and uncles would often come over again to have a big Christmas dinner. I was raised by my grandma, so the aunts and uncles were going to 'Grandma's House' with their kids. When my oldest came along I told my grandma that I wanted Christmas morning to be spent at home and that we could still do the Christmas Eve like had always been done, but that our little family of 3 would stay home for Christmas morning. This was our tradition until my grandma passed away. After that, we took over hosting on Christmas Eve. A few years back my mom's living situation was awful and she had no way to cook a proper meal on Christmas so I started having them over to eat Christmas Day. This year we didn't get together with family at all. The extended family were all under the weather so they stayed home. It worked for me.