# Christmas Ideas!



## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

Ok, not sure if there are any rules about when we can even begin talking about Christmas...

But I'm sorta in the mood, (even though I tell myself its no where near time) on Saturday is my families 'set date' where we need to email everyone our christmas lists, even if someone didn't draw that exact name. (We're trying a thing like secret santa) 

So share your Christmas ideas, foods, and thoughts!

Anyway, I'm planning on making some goat milk soap to put in everyones stocking, and maybe some candles, depends on how much time I have, as well as Brunost and Chevre for Christmas Dinner, (we're expecting atleast nine people) and hopefully by then I'll have enough cream for icecream also.


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## Sonrise Farm (Sep 18, 2008)

Christmas season has basically started here! My grandma made apple cookies . . .I'm not sure if their called that tho . . .. but you smear some blended apple on some cookie dough and then wrapp it and then cut it like you would cinnemon rolls and bake them and they are sooooooo gooood . . . .. . . :drool: I am going to go have one right now . . . .
The problem with Christmas is it's right before my birthday (Jan 28) and so . . . no one can think up different gifts! I kept gettign the same perfume for 3 years! :ROFL:


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

LOL, yeah we always seem to discontinue one years list from another.. this year I was told I need to think up something 'big' that costed alot instead of cd's and books like usual. 

Those apple cookie rolls sure sound nummy! You might have to mail me one. 

I hear ya on the birthday thing too, my nephews birthday is Dec. 19th, sisters birthday is Dec. 29th, my brothers is Dec. 30th, my uncle's is Christmas Day, and our friend's birthdays are Dec 26th and 31st.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I have also started thinking about Christmas (although i wish that I wasn't - last year we were snowed in at the ranch).

I am planning on making goat soap for everyone as presents. We are a "little" older, so we are not into the gifts and what not - so a soap would be a nice thing for the adults in the family as we all have everything we want unless it is to much for someone else to purchase 

For the kids we get them a gift card or cash that way they can "pool" everything together and if they want a BIG present they can do that. With the economy now, we have to be so careful.

As for traditions, my husband's family has an adults only game that we play "Boy/Girl game" Everyone who wants to participate purchases 1 gift that is 20.00 or less and wraps it. The boys gifts in 1 pile girls' in another. The girls all draw a number. That is the order that you get to pick a wrapped gift. You open it. The next person can "steal" your gift or pick a wrapped one and it goes until everyone has a gift. It is alot of fun. Then the boys get to do theirs!

Matter of fact - watch for a post here pretty soon - of something that I will put together.


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

last Christmas i worked at a grocery store
this Christmas i am working at a retail store
both stores started playing Christmas music promptly on Nov 1 :roll: 

personally, i wouldn't be having Christmas this year if it wasn't for my 11 year old
lyf sux (long story - still depressed - sorry)
i am making soap for co-workers
my brother is making soap for gift baskets for family
thought about candles but - nah! - too much work and i'm having fun playing with soap

my sisters bday is 11 days before Christmas and my mom's was 11 days after Christmas
one year my sister finally blurted out
"ya know. i'm tired of getting Christmas wrapping on my bday pressies"
lol


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

heavenlyhaven said:


> last Christmas i worked at a grocery store
> this Christmas i am working at a retail store
> both stores started playing Christmas music promptly on Nov 1 :roll:
> 
> ...


 Heavenlyhaven, I have really been thinking about you a lot lately and the situation. I will still pray ray: for you. Just know that your son really needs you and try to keep your head up. :hug:

I just hate how early they put Christmas music on at all the stores, no matter where it is. I know most people are totally burned out by yhre time Christmas comes around.

I don't know what we will do this year. I will be having surgery next week and if I do not get the Christmas stuff up this weekend I do not think it will be up at all this year. I will not be able to to do it before Christmas because of the surgery. My son will be coming home for Christmas but he will not be here until the 22nd, and he hates to decorate and so does my daughter. They said they would rather not have Christmas at all. They just want to celebrate the Holiday by reading the bible and giving to the under privileged.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Amos said:


> Ok, not sure if there are any rules about when we can even begin talking about Christmas...


 :slapfloor:

hmmm maybe I should make an amendment for next year :wink:

I will not say the word until after Thanksgiving! I LOVE Thanksgiving and I dislike how it gets overshadowed by _____ every year!


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## Pam B (Oct 15, 2007)

I am definitely of the mind that we should celebrate one holiday at a time. Thanksgiving is next, so that's what I'm focusing on. But on the other hand I do have to get Christmas presents done if I'm going to give homemade gifts, so I have to give it some thought. I was peeved that WalMart put their Christmas stuff out before Halloween was even over with. But then yesterday it struck me that they might just have their Wilton silicone cupcake pans in Christmas shapes for sale so I could make some Christmas soaps to sell. And they did! I got the one that has a stocking, gingerbread man, and Christmas tree. There is a snowflake one, too, but since they are over $9. with tax I'll have to wait for another time to buy that one.


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

LOL Sorry Stacey! I was thinking that but I figured what the heck.

You know, pretty soon they'll be playing Christmas music all year long by the sounds of it, as well as Christmas decor and gifts in the stores. :wink: 

We basically don't decorate for anything anymore, besides a jack-o-lantern or two, and a Christmas Tree. Sometimes we'll put lights up if we have time. 
My mom has several 'Happy Everything' signs put up so that takes care of it all. lol.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

Amos--my birthday is December 18th! My husband's is the 30th...my step-dad's is the 25th...our aniversary is the 23rd...lol...such a busy month!


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

thank you sweets
i realized tonite that i've gone from severly depressed to very angry
i was talking about "stuff" with a co worker and realized it was the first time i talked about it without bawling
after thinking about it i think i am angry
what's the next step?
denial?
acceptance?
what are the steps of emotional response to finding out you have a terminal disease?
(no i don't have a t.d. but i feel like i do some days...)


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## Pam B (Oct 15, 2007)

I know the first two steps for grieving are 1) sadness, then 2) anger. Don't remember what the other two are cuz I always get stuck at #2.

OK, I was wrong. Looked it up on-line and the 5 stages of grief are:
1. denial
2. anger
3. bargaining
4. depression
5. acceptance


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

I think its different for each person, for me on a serious issue its..

1. denial
2. bargaining
3. anger
4. 
5. acceptance (last, if at all)

Depression is throughout it all.

For some people they accept stuff first, and will be angery or sad/depressed about it after.


May I ask what happened Heavenly?


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

for me i think
shock
feelings of betrayal
depression
anger/depression
anger
(that's where i am at now)
i think


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## Pam B (Oct 15, 2007)

Amos said:


> I think its different for each person...


I think you are probably right, Amos, as well as it being different for each situation. When my middle child died 21 years ago I did the denial BIG TIME, but skipped right over the anger and bargaining. When my marriage came apart 7 years later I skipped the denial and bargaining, stayed angry for a long, long time - in fact I think I probably finally let go of the anger just this past summer when my ex finally apologized to our oldest child for the way he acted - and never really was very depressed, more like relieved that I was finally out of that situation.

Man, oh, man have we gotten way off track on this thread or what?!?! :gift:


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## deenak (Oct 10, 2007)

I was at Walmart on November 1 and they were playing Christmas music. I did not like it but my 13 year daughter loved it. She is totally into Christmas music she plays it all year long. She says it uplifts her. I guess that is middle school talk for it is cool. I like to focus on one holiday at a time but with Thanksgiving being a little later this year I might have to adjust my timeline to get everything done. So much for kicking back and just enjoying this time of the year!!


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

Lol, thats fine, we've got a ways until Christmas hits, besides, they're all basically ideas, some just aren't about Christmas :wink:


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## newtogoats (Aug 28, 2008)

We're doing two home/handmade things for gifts this year. First, we've been making gnome gardens. We got little baskets at the thrift store. We already had lots of wreath-y things from previous times. My daughter and I made gnomes and fairies with wooden beads, pipecleaners, flower petal and felt clothes and wings. We did buy some spanish moss at the craft store. First we filled the baskets with a little potpourri (you could just use dried oranges or apples and cloves, cinnamon, etc), the some moss. We attached our gnomes to craft sticks, stuck them in, decorated w/little pine cones, etc. My sister got hers for her birthday, she really loved it.

I found beeswax sheets are the most reasonable at Knorrbeeswax.com You can mix colors, they include the wick and shipping, it comes out to less than $4.50 a pair of candles, even if you do two-color tapered candles. Actually, the sheets are good for 2 candles each, so maybe it works out to even less (haven't started rolling yet). Anyway, just wanted to pass it along...Lauren


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

Those are some great ideas..
I know as kids my siblings, me and my mom used to make the beeswax sheet candles all the time. They stopped selling those though, but they were always fun things to do when we were bored. We actually still have some even though its been years.


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## rebelshope (Sep 21, 2008)

newtogoats: do you have pictures of your garden gnomes. I love those little guys!

I am going to vote for Thanksgiving 1st. I am going to my aunts. She is having a rough year and so we are going to visit her. We are bringing most of dinner with us.

As for Birthdays, my bros birthday is Dec. 24. We try to wrap his presents in birthday wrapping.


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

newtogoats

PLEASE post pictures :idea:


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## newtogoats (Aug 28, 2008)

Yes, I will. We've been doubled up on rehearsals for recitals (Miriam's violin, she did Ashokan Farewell and Rhapsody In Blue), we're both in the local Christmas play, and they just asked Miriam to do a solo at her school's winter concert, even though she's in kindergarten. I had told her we would start work in earnest on the presents after her recital on Sunday, but we've have three rehearsals this week so far! Good thing we live right outside of town where the theater is. And we try to practice an hour a day and do some reading and get her to bed by nine. I know that's late, but that's as soon as we can get there.

By the way, I found myself face to face with something I thought I wouldn't have to deal with til at least 3rd or 4th grade. Her friend in school started a "nail polish" club, only girls who wear it are allowed to join. I don't think it's "evil" or anything, but don't really love to see kids wearing that stuff all that much. I asked Miriam what if some girl who wasn't allowed to wear it felt bad about being kept out of the club, and Miriam said she'd quit, so I told her to tell her friend that she wouldn't be in a group that kept other kids out. So the next day, this little sweet-faced-five year old tells Miriam that if she tells her mother about what she says, they can't be friends. Now we have talked to Miriam about not listening if anyone tells you to keep a secret from us, because we're the ones who really love her. And about how kids will sometimes try to get you to do stupid or dangerous things. I just didn't think it would happen this soon. And I'm not sure where her friend gets it from, she only has a two year old sister, and her parents seem very kind. It worries me for her sake that she is valueing being secretive from her mom at this age. Anyway, sorry for this being out of place, but anyway, the craft photos may take just a little while (besides never having uploaded here before, but I'm sure I can get it). Whew, thanks for listening, comments welcome.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Oh my, newtogoats! I must be an old "fudy dudy", I totally agree with the talk you had with your daughter! But, I would certainly try to talk to this friends mother...not to cause a fuss or anything...but she should know her daughter is OK with keeping secrets from parents...seems a small thing now, but, later...imagine...

I try to get in the "Holiday" spirit, but it's hard when family is so "spread out" around the country. My grandkids are old enough I don't even try to buy for them...so they know they are getting money. But, that's ok, they try to collect enough so they can get something they "really" need. LOL But, they all come to visit. So, I'm thankful for that.


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## Pam B (Oct 15, 2007)

Wow! I'm impressed! Rhapsody in Blue is one of my all time favorite pieces, very complex for a kindergartener. Miri must be very talented!!!  

About the nail polish club, unless you are already friends with the other girl's mother I would not approach her about her daughter's attitude. Call me a cynic, but I have found that children who act that way at an early age usually have parents that don't want to hear "bad" things about their kids, and won't see it as a problem anyway. You are right to tell your daughter that keeping secrets from you is not a good thing, and keep reminding her that you love her no matter what, while pointing out that there are going to be people in her life who are going to want to boss her around (the exclusion of girls who don't wear nail polish is just one way of controlling people with less strong personalities) that don't love her or have her best interests as their purpose. If they are starting this in kindergarten it makes you wonder what they will be doing by the time they are in fifth or sixth grade. Will they be excluding virgins? I'd definitely be trying to find some other friends for your daughter from a group of people who share your values.


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## newtogoats (Aug 28, 2008)

I know, I thought mom was still a little girl's best friend at that age (and for a long while yet...til you come back to it again). I don't really know the mother that well, but I think it's sad that she's keeping secrets from her already, like you said, what could possibly be in store? We go back and forth about home-schooling, but I thought "it's only kindergarten, how bad could it be?" There are so many pros and cons, maybe that should be a thread. Oh well, I guess the important thing right now is that Miriam is talking to me about it, and we can guide her when these things come up. Thanks all...Lauren


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## Pam B (Oct 15, 2007)

I'm a strong believer in the benefits of homeschooling! There are so many "helps" and different types of curriculum available to homeschooling families that a parent can tailor a program specifically to each of their children. The one requirement, if you are going to homeschool, is that you are well-disciplined enough to actually do the work and make sure your children are really learning what they should be learning to grow up to be well-rounded, contributing members of the community.


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

I am really not sure of our Christmas plans right now though since right now we're getting my Mom's Mom into an Assisted Living where my Dad's Mom is at and my Great Uncle and Aunt are there too and my brother and sis-in-law and their 3 year old daughter are in GA now and she's expecting her 2nd baby due in February 2009! I think we might get together sometime during the Christmas holiday with my other brother and his family and might get together also with my sis and her husband too. My birthday is December 10th and my parent's anniversary is December 20th.


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## redneck_acres (Oct 18, 2007)

My best friends birthday is December 23rd and mine is December 24th-but I to hate it when Thanksgiving is overlooked and people start putting up their trees before Thanksgiving. I'm kind of feeling bahumbugish this year. Although I do have a lot to be thankful for. How are you all doing on your resolutions for this year? I acctually followed through with mine. I have lost almost 75lbs this year. The treadmill has been my hero this year;-). As for Christmas this year. I just want some country music cds so I can have more of a variety of music to listen to while i'm working out-I swear the radio stations play the same old songs every day. But, I would also be happy if I didn't get anything-spending time with my family is the best gift I could ask for.


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