How do you celebrate Christmas? / AKP Winter Wonderland

On Christmas Eve, my extended family gets together and we do a secret Santa gift exchange. We draw names on Thanksgiving. (Everyone writes down their name plus 3-5 ideas for things they'd like, which I appreciate. I really enjoy gift hunting and giving, but it's nicer when people don't make you guess completely at what they're into these days and then get disappointed when you guess wrong.)

On Christmas day, I hang out with the parents. We eat cinnamon rolls and watch Christmas movies and open stockings in the morning, and then usually play board games and doze in the afternoon. My mom is allergic to my dog, so I can't stick around all day like I used to when I was younger, but it's a nice chill day all the same.

Quote from crystalblues

I drink hot cocca and make myself pancakes I also send my friends and their kids presents

Ooooh, best breakfast. I love both pancakes and hot cocoa.

The Christmas tree goes up on Thanksgiving. Christmas presents get opened on Christmas. Most other things are flexible or change from year to year.

Quote from crystalblues

Yes hot cocoa with big marshmallows and made with milk 💖❤️‍🔥

Omg, yes! I'll take the hot cocoa made with water, but nothing quite like legit cocoa with milk and large marshmallows that melt slowly.

eat asian food

Quote from crystalblues

Isn't that an everyday occurance though 🧐

yes

and also asian places are the only places open usually on christmas

Quote from crystalblues

I knoooowww. 😭 the one I love here called Rainbow also gives extra rice and stuff as gifts to customers.

Rainbow such a generic chinese americN restaurant name lol because there is also a rainbow in my area

Quote from crystalblues

I swear they legit have meetings, "what is the most basic but pretty sounding english word" Rainbow "brilliant"

Yesssss

Simplistic is more authentic

I don't. Not only don't I hold with christmas it's commercial hype, but since my father passed away a week before it a couple of years ago, I will always associate it with losing him and there's no celebration. I have lost both parents now and the only other family I have is a sister who wants nothing more to do with me but least I have my daughter and partner but it's not the same as blood family. It's the loneliest day of the year for me and I hate it. In fact, today - Sunday is my father's second anniversary and although he was 93 when he died and we weren't always close, I miss him. He was a great father.

Quote from MY-Kwangya

I don't. Not only don't I hold with christmas it's commercial hype, but since my father passed away a week before it a couple of years ago, I will always associate it with losing him and there's no celebration. I have lost both parents now and the only other family I have is a sister who wants nothing more to do with me but least I have my daughter and partner but it's not the same as blood family. It's the loneliest day of the year for me and I hate it. In fact, today - Sunday is my father's second anniversary and although he was 93 when he died and we weren't always close, I miss him. He was a great father.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Sending virtual hugs. It has to suck to have so many reminders around such a big holiday. (At least here in the States. Not sure if Australia treats it like the year's biggest holiday too.)