Christmas Eve - One month away

I know I am getting off the track of this site, but is there anyone doing anything special for Christmas. For some of us, me included, this year has been a tough one.
From the death of several close friends, to my boyfriend's heart attack, I just want this year to end, and I look forward to another year.

As for me, DH and my dog Samantha will be going to my parents house for the holidays. It is up North, lots of trees, quiet and peaceful. Last time I talked to my mother she was decorating the tree in the house, and well the outside of the house, it has more lights and decorations than I have seen on any house ever.

And thanks to Johnny, I have so much to look forward to.
And thanks to all posters on this site, who have offered great information and support. I tell you, many days if it were not for this site and Johnny.... I honestly don't think I would be where I am today. And I really mean that.

We all have been so supportive to each other, and your help and thoughts have been very much appreciated.

Ok...(I am feeling warm and fuzzy) so I just want to say to everyone .....

Thanks for being there for me, in this tough year and I want to wish everyone the best during this holiday season.   

christmas will be very low key here.  it HAS been a rough year, granted, but DH and I are trying really hard to show the kids at a young age that christmas is about family and togetherness, rather than commercialism and overconsumption.  my mother in law has offered to come to my house and take over the kitchen so i can relax and play with the kids.  as i type its snowing like crazy outside my window, and my mom pointed out that christmas is but a month away.

hunter, you have been through so much and yet still you are here.  your story gives me strength, and i wish you guys some serious good fortune.   

poly, i wish your son could be with you.  good luck finding the dvds that are compatible overseas.  i have the grinch on cd, i think its boris karloff narrating - its a hoot.  if you get really stuck i can always burn it and send you a copy .

i hope we all have a great christmas and look forward to starting a new year.  here's hoping next year is better than this one !

hugs and best wishes to all

Christmas? Wow!

In this predominantly Islamic country, we've just finished Ramadhan and then the Idul Fitri celebrations to mark the end of the fasting month. Gifts are given, forgiveness is asked of acquaintances and family for transgressions made over the last year and families get together for feasting and catching up. Everyone returns to their ancestral village and Jakarta and other big cities (Jakarta usually has about 12 million population) are like ghost towns. It's very eerie in a big city.

That was last week. This week things are back to normal and in the few Christian owned stores in the city we haven't yet seen any sign of Christmas. Here, it's a minor celebration marked by the exchange of token gifts among adults (a pen or a notebook or something like that) and a small toy or chocolate for the kids. The Christian families usually get together for a big meal and then go to church in their village. Traditionally we will eat goat (or in the Sulawesis where I'll go, probably dog) and lots of seafood, probably shrimp sate and barbequed squid. And rice. Lots and lots of rice. Saffron rice, soya rice, spicy rice....

Dec. 25 is a national holiday out of respect for the tiny minority who celebrate it. It's weird to hear "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" on flutes, drums and temple gongs. But this is Java after all.

Merry Christmas (a month early) to all and as Tiny Tim (not Miss Vicky's husband) said, God bless us every one!

Dr. Seuss will someday be recognized for his contributions to the development of the human species (I only hope the powers that be stop making bad live action versions of his work).

Islander, gotta ask....what does dog taste like? I've tried many things but that one leaves me a bit curious.

I will be in China for xmas... with great friends. Still broke, and owe my student loan, but know that I still have my sanity, and never had the money to invest in Nortel!

Mark...

Wow christmas messages already... thought I could avoid the xmas thing by going to china.. they're playing xmas tunes in all the malls here... just no mention of the christian aspect....

Hey guys, thanks for creating such a great community!!!! There have been times when its been a rough road, but I will always remember the fatefull night, when I woke up from a dream and the words Canadastudentdebt.ca were floating in red above my bed... and a cheque to cover the site setup arrived unexpectedly in the mail the next day... I often get messages saying "thanks for setting up the site" but I feel that I was just the person who was given the opportunity to do this... it was beyond my own individual power or imagination...

Oops... I was a little too precise there. I learned tonight that if I want to be profound, be vague.... try it, it works!   Try what? What's "it" no... just be vague... it works!

Hope this has warmed your heart and made you laugh!

Mark

 

 Hi Hunter.

 Take the 50/50? Phone a friend? Ask the audience?

  Yes to all three. Maybe only two. Fed Cred maybe out of the equation. I won't know until i inquire.

 

 

Is leg of lamp usually served with mint sauce?

Johnny

It's ok.
Inquiring minds, don't want to know!

Dont forget to give it a 'light' basting of gravy!