UO

TheTamedShrew

I'm just gonna get this rollin'

ColieAnn31

I would rather have a fake Christmas tree then I real one.  I hate having to constantly vacuum up the little bristle things that fall off and I can never remember to make sure the tree has water.  This is why I don't keep plants around too. haha 

momofcatan

You need to water your x-mas tree?!?

#shelteredjewishgirl

momofcatan

leftover pizza is gross

ConnieRob

majwv8 said:

melOHdy said:

Lasagna > cereal for breakfast

I agree, but also think pizza = the best breakfast food. 

I had a slice of pizza this morning...and a grilled cheese.

musicalsilver

Breakfast food for breakfast!  And for as many meals as possible, frankly.  Breakfast food is quite possibly the best.

ilovemarfa

42Butterflies said:

I'm sitting in my (new) GYN exam room, listening to the fetal heartbeats from the room next door.

UO: I don't miss it one bit.

I agree! A urologist called my phone to leave a message for my husband about an upcoming appointment that I wasn't aware he had. When I questioned him he said he was going for a consultation about getting snipped. I probably should have been a little upset that he didn't consult me about this but honestly I wasn't.

Lizzybizzy80

I want to get one of those led lights projectors and skip hanging lights next year. My neighbor has one with tiny green and red lights all over the front of their house like a snowy mist. I asked DH how they parked the car in the garage with the web of lights blocking the way. I didn't believe it until I put my hand in front of it.

GraceInCA

Fake trees.

Real wreath and real pine bouquets for the scent.

End of story.

musicalsilver

Michelin82 said:

anw39 said:

Pre-lite fake tree!!! Lights can be white or colored! Woot woot!

Except half of our lights on our pre-lit tree no longer work!  It's so annoying!

And warm white FTW!

DH and I spent an hour together clipping the lights off our pre-lit tree this year because we had the same problem.  I have to say, I am very impressed as to the thorough coverage the pre-lit trees get!  

My parents always got a live tree, but DH had an artificial one when we moved in together.  Since we haven't actually spent a Christmas at home (we always travel to either his or my parents' place), I've just let it go.

I quite like Grace's idea!  I do so miss the smell - and some real pine bouquets would do the trick!  Maybe I'll go look in the yard to see if there's anything nice looking out there to cut for the house.

GraceInCA

(zipping up flame retardant suit)

Everybody needs to put their foot down and do Christmas where and when they want, especially now that there are kids in the mix.  We are grown ass women.  We don't need to keep the entire world happy.  We make our memories with our children and our families, not on their terms but on our own.  "Sorry mom/mother-in-law/stepmom/crazy aunt, we will not be joining you this year. My child(ren) will be opening presents in our home in the morning, and then we will be relaxing at home enjoying the day. You are welcome to join us at 4 pm for a couple of hours. If you can't make it, that's ok, we'll send pictures."

The problem with so many of us women is that we are trained to be people pleasers.  Has anyone read "The Gift of Fear"?  It talks about how from an early age girls are conditioned to be polite. We sacrifice our happiness (and as that book shows, even our own safety) in order to not come across as a bitch. Men rarely behave this way. We all need to stahp.

musicalsilver

We're definitely looking into a LED light projector now.  Lazy FTW.  Though I'm sure we'll wait until after Christmas when I hope they'll be on sale.  

Thanks @lizzybizzy80!

Lizzybizzy80

@mcbush I'll try and take a pic tonight! I want one with white lights instead of red and green.

GraceInCA

steamboat123 said:

(zipping up flame retardant suit)

Everybody needs to put their foot down and do Christmas where and when they want, especially now that there are kids in the mix.  We are grown ass women.  We don't need to keep the entire world happy.  We make our memories with our children and our families, not on their terms but on our own.  "Sorry mom/mother-in-law/stepmom/crazy aunt, we will not be joining you this year. My child(ren) will be opening presents in our home in the morning, and then we will be relaxing at home enjoying the day. You are welcome to join us at 4 pm for a couple of hours. If you can't make it, that's ok, we'll send pictures."

The problem with so many of us women is that we are trained to be people pleasers.  Has anyone read "The Gift of Fear"?  It talks about how from an early age girls are conditioned to be polite. We sacrifice our happiness (and as that book shows, even our own safety) in order to not come across as a bitch. Men rarely behave this way. We all need to stahp.

I think this is a lot easier if you live near family and see them frequently. Plus if everyone pulled this NO one would see family on the holidays and isn't that like the point?

I don't think that's necessarily true.  Our parents are in two different states.  They understand that they are always welcome to come out here, and we try and visit each set at least once a year if that's possible. But Christmas is the time to chill at home and make new memories with our own kids. Inevitably we will get a set of grandparents or aunts/uncles or someone visiting, and that's ok, but the days when we trot around the country to please everyone are long over.

I think if everyone is in the same town, it's easier to accommodate. You either trade off years, or do Christmas Eve at one place and Christmas day at another, etc.  If you want to hold it at your own home, you should damn well be able to without someone getting pissy because they always do it at their home. 

Whatever the circumstances, if what you feel you're forced to do is sucking the joy out of the holidays, then it's just not worth it. I see so many  (literally dozens) of posts every year both here and on Facebook complaining about the stress of going somewhere for Christmas, and I wonder why people keep doing it.

hellooldfriend

I think this may be more of a confession than a UO, but I agree that the family traditions should be created by us for our own children...my "confession" or possible UO is that I have no problem going to my in laws for the main meal and stopping by my family's party for dessert, or making arrangements where we see the in laws more. My nephew and son's relationship is the one I want to foster (even if the in laws can drive me crazy). All of my favorite memories are with my immediate family or my cousins, so that's what I want for C. 

I guess this may have played out differently if both families competed for the same time slots all the time, but we just have been able to make it work so far.

riansmommie

mcbush said:

Crop dusting is NOT a victimless crime!  

Haha, crop dusting reminds me of bootcamp. Nothing like being stuck marching behind the kid that always ate the eggs at breakfast!!! I was so glad when he got fired from his position in our division and had to go to the back. Military bearing was always put to the test when it happened. Yuck!!!

needanustart

Another cousins-based Christmas planner here. DH is an only child and I live in his hometown. We see his parents all the time. Our kids have 5 cousins in buffalo that they adore seeing and DH always has off for a week between Xmas and New Years. There is no way I would miss Christmas in buffalo and G has been growing up with the idea that Santa knows to bring things there. I love it, DH doesn't make a peep if he doesn't but I am sure we would be getting a major guilt if we weren't there. I would probably feel the same way if I were in my parents' shoes though too. We have plenty of time here for our own Christmas stuff but I want my kids to think of their big extended family and getting together with them as part of our holiday tradition.

TheTamedShrew

I can't understand all you real tree haters. There is no substitute for that delicious smell all over your house. It instantly awakens the childlike spirit in me.

riansmommie

@TheTamedShrew‌ I would kill to have a real tree in my house but over the years my allergic reaction to them has become worse and worse . So we do a fake tree with scented candles and pinecones to make up for it.

needanustart

@TheTamedShrew‌ I'm torn. I love the smell, the cutting it down, the earthy crunchy LL Bean feeling I get tying it to the car, and the way it looks. There is no substitute. However my love of those things is getting eclipsed by my little tornadoes knocking it over (fortunately just into the wall), stacking things to reach and "straighten the star" for the 400th time and needles everywhere since they can't keep their hands off it. The tree is a full time job for me, even with my blocking attempts. We just have lights on it, no ornaments because I can't handle it.

TheTamedShrew

@needanustart, yeah, E hasn't gone after it yet, but we'll see what happens when I put the ornaments on today. Her face when she saw it for the first time all lit up was just priceless. I've had a such a hard time getting into Christmas this year, and that face just did it for me.

GraceInCA

@sympkin, that's really dumb of her, especially because the celebration isn't even on Christmas.  I can sympathize with saying that you don't want to travel with young kids on the holiday, but on some other day not going over there? That's just plain stupid. Those would be great memories.

GraceInCA

Michelin82 said:

Oh!  I have a good one!

I hate the Christmas Shoes song.  Not because it makes me want to cry (which seems to be everyone else's reasoning).  But because I flat out think it's stupid.

This UO brought to you by the song currently playing on the work radio.

Co-signed.

needanustart

Michelin82 said:

Oh!  I have a good one!

I hate the Christmas Shoes song.  Not because it makes me want to cry (which seems to be everyone else's reasoning).  But because I flat out think it's stupid.

This UO brought to you by the song currently playing on the work radio.

Honestly so bad it's laughable. I have no heart, I roll my eyes and laugh every time it's on.

needanustart

Michelin82 said:

Well damn.  I was hoping to actually have an UNpopular opinion this week!  One of these days I'll actually think of a good one!

Don't worry, I know there are a couple of emotional cheese balls on this board that will find it unpopular!

GraceInCA

I have another unpopular opinion.  This should get me flamed.

I get super judgmental when I see some of the wish lists we get from the Adopt a Senior and Adopt a Family programs through work.  We have seniors ask for warm blankets, food, pest control services or house cleaning services.  We have families ask for bed sheets, pots and pans, toys for the kids, pajamas, warm jackets.  All of that is perfectly reasonable. 

But then we got a list from a senior that included really NOT APPROPRIATE things like food processor and asked for certain name brand items. Really? There are people who are asking for help with heating bills in cold parts of the country, and you want a freaking food processor? That person's whole list was ridic.

Then there was the family list and each family member had items they requested. Mom had a bunch of things on hers, like "iPhone" and "iTunes gift card".  I don't begrudge someone those things, but when there are limited donation resources, maybe just put down something more reasonable so other people can, you know, EAT or something. It just sets off alarms in my mind.

I bitch, but still end up participating each year. 

nikel13

@GraceinCA I agree completely.  Those kinds of programs are meant to help those in need, not provide a lifestyle.  If you think it is okay to ask for those things, but your kids need clothes or food or heat, you shouldn't be a part of the program.  It is things like that that make people bitter towards those who actually need help.  

needanustart

smpeachey said:

Real trees for us. We get a permit from the Forest Servie for $5 and hike into the woods and cut it ourselves. they never look perfect or very full but I love it and for 5 bucks ain't nobody gonna tell me you can find a better deal.

So this is definitely a confession not an UO but when we were first living together and mega broke and DH was getting his masters at Georgetown, we lived in the worlds smallest apartment in Georgetown. I told DH we couldn't afford a tree and didn't have space but he was adamant about us having a tree for our first apartment. I went to go to work ona Sunday afternoon and was like, "there better not be a tree when I come home." And he was like, "don't worry about it." While I was gone he put on a ski mask, went through the woods with a saw and cut the top of an evergreen off in the Jesuit residence on the Georgetown campus. I feel bad about it to this day. Also, he probably looked like a crazy man in his getup sneaking onto campus to do this. If he got caught he probably would have blown his whole masters degree on a stupid tree. But, cheaper than $5, right?

needanustart

stargazer763 said:

@needanustart Georgetown, you say? 

#teamVillanova

:bz

You mean Villanofun?

Lizzybizzy80

mcbush said:

@lizzybizzy80 can you take a picture? I'm curious about this...

It's hard to capture in a picture, you may need to click on it and zoom in but you'll get the idea. They have two small projectors in their yard

riansmommie

steamboat123 said:

Velveeta is gross

I don't mind the velveeta Mac and cheese. But the dip, vomit!!! My hubby swears it's the best dip ever and he finally made me try it, it was spit into the garbage can seconds after entering my mouth.

GraceInCA

subliminalrabbit said:

@GraceInCA said:

Fake trees.

Real wreath and real pine bouquets for the scent.

End of story.

Grace, you can rent living trees in your 'hood!  I miss being able to do that -- still have to water, but no pine needles all over the place!




Even the living ones shed unfortunately. We had a smallish one a few years ago and it was still messy. Plus, it's almost $300 between the rental cost and delivery. Just too much for a tree.

Cricket81

I love our real tree! DH was all about te fake ones until I converted him. Our town picks them up after Xmas and they mulch them and use it around town for various parks and stuff, so I don't feel as guilty about "wasting" a tree.