What are some things about the holiday season that you love?

[Akathist]

I thought we could use a positive thread on what we love about the holiday season. (I will have a seperate thread for what we hate about the holiday season... look for that.)

[Maximus]

I love many things about the holiday season: the chance to remember and celebrate the Savior's birth; the cold weather and snow; the time off from work; the good food and drink; the lights and decorations.

One of the best things about Christmas is watching the reaction of children to it.

[Akathist]

I love the decorations, espeicially driving on a snowy night and seeing the lights people put up on their houses and trees in their yard, etc.

There are some neighborhoods that also put out those paper bags with candles in them. It is so preety.

I love the service at church that we have for the Nativity, vespers and the DL on Christmas.

[Maximus]

There must be more than two of us who have something nice to say about the holidays! :sorry:

I like driving through the small towns in our neck of the woods and seeing how they're decked out for Christmas.

Next Saturday there is a Christmas parade in our little town. We plan to be there, God willing.

We're teaching our daughter about the birth of our Lord and about St. Nicholas.

This is a good season in which to do that.

[calidog]

I love thanksgiving and christmas:)they seem to bring us together

[Greg the byzantine]

I love playing with Nativity sets. I know, I know, they are not toys but I play around with them anyway. I used to take my little lego figures and prostrate them in front of the manger, and sometimes I would put the little angel figures on strings and fly them over the whole scene. Sometimes I would build a cave out of lego's and put eveything in there. Then their was the time I sprinkled powder sugar over it to make it look like snow (My mom wasn't happy about that one :o ).

I also love how the Holiday season can soften the hearts of even some of the stiffest people. I've also seen some older people giddy as if they were little kids again. I love Christmas. :)

[Greg the byzantine]

Oh yeah. to add to my list. I LOVE Christmas carols. All of them. Yup yup yup. I have a playlist of about 30 that I listen to over and over. Not to mention a cassette tape of Greek Carols which includes some Christmas Hymns.

[OnTheWay]

I like all sorts of things. The food part which I used to love it out as I am beginning to follow the fast, but I really used to love that part.

I like to have occassion to spend more relaxed time with friends and loved ones. The chance to fellowship with the people in the parish whom I haven't gotten to know very well.

I do love Christmas lights. The bigger, brighter, and more colorful the better. I do sometimes think if done wrong they can kind of be eye sores, but I really do love Chirstmas lights. Last year I almost broke my rear end helping to put up a few strings for an elderly Russian couple. Luckly no one saw me almost fall off the roof. The chicken Kiev, however, was well worth nearly falling two stories.

[Theophorus]

Electric train sets.

[Tsarina]

Electric train sets.

And Candy Canes. The Blue ones! :clap:

[OnTheWay]

And Candy Canes. The Blue ones! :clap:

Do you really think they taste different from the normal ones or any other color?

[OrthoCanuck]

I love almost everything about this season. I love the decorations, music, general goodwill, and the snow (except it doesn't actually snow here during Christmas). I also REALLY like Christmas trees! I could go on since I did say I love almost everything.


Peace.

[autumngirl]

I love having time off from work, I love wrapping gifts and the cozyness of spending the day with my family and the awesome FOOD!!!!! I love decorating my tree and the beautiful smell of it when we bring it into the house. I love filling the stocking for my son. I love burning candles. My son and I always have an open house on Christmas eve for family and friends and we spend the day fixing all the goodies. AND I LOVE the old movie White Christmas!!!!

[ephraimanesti]

i love the Fasting! It seems to me that the Fast leading up to the Feast is a most wonderous gift of God through the Church. It is not that the other facets of the Holyday Season aren't beautiful and pleasing--especially putting up the Nativity Creche and trimming the tree. But it seems to me that joyful Fasting heightens everything else and brings a Spiritual sense to everything that is done--even walking through the Mall (yes, i'm serious about the Mall
:sorry: ) When Fasting, even a lite Fast such as before Nativity, it seems to me that God's surrounding presence is much more real and palpitable to me than at other times.
My second favorite thing is tearing off the links of the chain the children of the Parish have put together to mark off the days as the Nativity approaches--each link with a Scripture verse to be read together as a family.
Lastly, on the day of the Feast--to jump into ALL THAT FOOD! YUM!

GLORY TO GOD FOR THE BIRTH OF HIS SON--may we all be blessed by His birth in our hearts this HolyDay season!:groupray:

ephraimanesti

P.S. Personally, i don't think the blue ones have much taste. :sleep:

[OnTheWay]

P.S. Personally, i don't think the blue ones have much taste. :sleep:

The only ones that I think taste different for the normal ones are those rainbow colored ones, and I don't like them. I do, however, love peppermint. I always buy one of those big like three pound candy cain stripped peppermint sticks, ummmmm pepperminty goodness :thumbsup:

[ufonium2]

I like aving a whole month off from work. I'm going to set world sloth records this year.

[Tsarina]

Do you really think they taste different from the normal ones or any other color?

Yes, definatley!. Why you cant taste the difference? Mabe you're trying the wrong candy canes. I forgot which brand i always get, but i'll check soon for ya. :D

Last year they came out with a new flavour here, "Orange Crush" Candy Canes. They weren't as great. Believe me, i've tried all of them. My favorite has to be the Blue ones -Blueberry.

The thing is, they leave your teeth and tounge all blue.:P

[Maximus]

I love the holiday season, too, although I don't like spending too much money.

It's a shame that the "things I don't like about the holidays" thread is over twice as long as this one.

[ufonium2]

I love forcing animals to wear stupid sweaters/reindeer antlers. Hilarious stuff. I also love eating at my parents', two different aunts', my grandparents', his parents', and his sister's, all in one week.

So, so far my three favorite things about the holidays are laziness, gluttony, and animal abuse. Good times.

[Maximus]

I love forcing animals to wear stupid sweaters/reindeer antlers. Hilarious stuff. I also love eating at my parents', two different aunts', my grandparents', his parents', and his sister's, all in one week.

So, so far my three favorite things about the holidays are laziness, gluttony, and animal abuse. Good times.

SNORT! ^_^

Note: One "SNORT!" is worth ten "LOLs".

[Greg the byzantine]

I can't believe this one got off the first page.

I love Poinsettias
http://www.floristlocators.com/images/christmas-poinsettias-flowers.jpg

[Akathist]

Today I saw this lovely white house with a white porch with pickets and this lovely green garland and red ribbon bows along it. It was so preety. I love sights like this on the holidays.

[Wiffey]

OK...

I do love getting together with (some) family members, celebrating the Nativity, birthday cake (and our annual excursion to Boston's North End to pick up the cake), candles, cookies, snow & time off from work.

[Llauralin]

I thought we could use a positive thread on what we love about the holiday season. (I will have a seperate thread for what we hate about the holiday season... look for that.)
An entire month with no school or other serious obligations.

Singing all about snow and frost and the "deep midwinter" when in reality it's about 65 outside and outstandingly sunny.

The smell of fresh fir wreaths

[Maximus]

The Christmas season brings back a lot of good memories from my childhood.

[Tsarina]

What i love and what i'm looking forward to is sitting down comfortably and reading the Prologue Of Ohrid, learning about various of Saints while drinking Greek Coffe. :)

[Matrona]

"O Holy Night" is one Christmas carol I've never managed to get sick of. :)

Everclear's rendition of "Santa Baby" always makes me laugh.

Swiss Colony and Hickory Farms... enough said. :)

[VickiY]

Things I LOVE: Being 20 pounds lighter by Christmas due to the Nativity fast, while everyone else is moaning about how much weight they put on....:P

Placing the Nativity icon over my fireplace.

Listening to chant, and some GOOD classic Christmas Carols (O Holy Night, Silent Night, etc)

GIVING gifts to my family and friends. (You know who you are)

Being blessed with my family's presence at both their New Calendar Christmas, and my Old Calendar Christmas.

Having a chance to buy Orthodox children's books or icons for all my cousins' children ;)

Feeling that degree of warmth that comes from being with family and well-loved friends.

Being able to DIRECTLY help others, (adopting a family at Christmas) instead of writing a check to a faceless charity. (yes, IOCC and OCMC ALWAYS get money).

Lots more things, but chiefest remembering that Jesus allowed himself to become one of us humans, so that we can gain salvation.

[sdcheung]

Snow, walking on fifth avenue and watching the people (er..lemmings) shopping, More snow, having vespers then walking out into the dark cold night, the vesperal Liturgy for nativity. and more snow, did i say snow?

[Brother Simon]

The food!

With love,
Simon

[VickiY]

Snow, walking on fifth avenue and watching the people (er..lemmings) shopping, More snow, having vespers then walking out into the dark cold night, the vesperal Liturgy for nativity. and more snow, did i say snow?

And what does the cat think of all that snow? Or does she stay in the Cathedral bookstore? :D

[sdcheung]

she has her new bed to keep her warm. she's relocated to the narthex pews. she'll be alright

[OnTheWay]

Swiss Colony and Hickory Farms

Swiss Colony + me +excellent meat&cheese assortments + buy now pay later plan = me owing Swiss Colony a lot of money.

[autumngirl]

Oh gosh, how did I forget Hickory Farms??? I haven't tried Swiss Colony - I'll look at their website. Any special favorites there?

[OnTheWay]

Oh gosh, how did I forget Hickory Farms??? I haven't tried Swiss Colony - I'll look at their website. Any special favorites there?

They have this lovely ham and swiss sampler that is to die for, but I recommend getting one of the huge meat and cheese assortments, there's something for everyone. Great chedder and swiss, really good summer susage, on and their Bree is something to write home about.

[Tsarina]

Today I saw this lovely white house with a white porch with pickets and this lovely green garland and red ribbon bows along it. It was so preety. I love sights like this on the holidays.

Gosh! I know exactly how you felt when you saw that lovely white house. There are soo many houses like that around my area, they look fantastic! Not only do they look great, they give me this warm tingly feeling inside, :) just makes me happy. Ohhh, the simple things in life. :clap:

[Greg the byzantine]

:bump:

[HandmaidenOfGod]

What are some things about the holiday season that you love?


Being with my family.
Baking cookies.
Listening to Christmas music.
The "scents" of Christmas.
Decorating the tree.
Writing Christmas cards.
Celebrating the birth of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. :)

Merry Christmas all!

Christ is born! Glorify Him!