Oh Halloween....Trick or Treat, cider and donuts, baking potatoes in the leaves, home parties and games. Our Fire Dept. always had a big party for the kids. I just bought my supply of popcorn balls at Walmarts. And have my Cherry Bounce ready to ferment till the end of December and ready to cheer in the New Year. I got a late start on making it. It was in the past ready for Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.
Is that how you celebrate Halloween now or days gone by? I used to love it too but now that the older grandsons don't trick or treat anymore, I don't even go there on Halloween. Instead I stay home and get to jump up every minute when the doorbell rings for hours because I live in the perfect subdivision for trick or treating. Houses close, short walk to front door...flat terrain and perfect weather and subdivisions that never end. Kids here hit the jackpot!
Some things are gone by like the town parties, and baking potatoes in burning leaves. Today it's carving pumpkins, eating popcorn balls, greeting trick or treaters. When Pip was young around here (Florida) the kids would get money. The big highlight is trick or treating at the Coastland Mall. The neighbors would gather at my place for a Barbecue they bring side dishes and the ones with kids eat before going to the mall.
I saw my first honest to goodness Christmas ad today, and they weren't just advertising a holiday spectacular of something. It was for rentacenter. 3 months before Chistmas?? Remind me not to ever rent from them. These are the kinds of things that most people don't like. It is just one of the holiday things that can wait. I don't think you need to arrange 3 months in advance to rent a table or something. I mean really... I am sure six weeks before the big day would be more than sufficient.
I wouldn't even mind if Christmas Carols started playing in the stores already. My mood is lifting as it always does when summer is over.....I should change my avatar from angel to Ice Queen. Think I'll start looking .....
Oh you Christmas loving kind you...lol. Christmas is fine in its place, but at the end of September?? I mean, what is special about a holiday if it is being celebrated all year. I know some people actually have a tree up all year, and that is fine, but to some of us, it is really not that fantastic to think about. It is just another excuse to spend money. Oh well, I guess I need to get with the program!
It's when I'm the happiest so I want it to last all year. No specific reason either. My Christmases have been ever evolving and different depending on where I was in life. My childhood, my children's Christmas, now my grandson's Christmas....all different, yet all still have some traditional aspects to it. This year will be extra special because I'll be going to Illinois and it's been many years since I spent xmas with the 3 youngest ....think there were only 2 little ones last time I was there for the holiday. Actually if I ever was given a terminal diagnoses and it wasn't around xmas I would want my family to Get together and celebrate one last Christmas with me whatever month it was.
Started my Christmas shopping got my first gifts today for my 3 year olds granddaughter at BJ's when I was there this morning. Picked up something I haven't seen in many years the Retro Colorforms which had a original design box from yesteryear.
I buy little kids a gift to unwrap. When they hit a certain age, I started giving either cash or VISA/MasterCard gift cards. It takes the pressure off of everyone.
I just ordered a money tree from Amazon for my grandson. I will load it up with $ bills and candy for his Christmas gift. My children will get gift cards from Cabela’s as they are avid sportsmen and can buy all kinds of sporty goodies at that store. I will usually give them Christmas stockings as well filled with different outdoorsy items and treats. Hubby and I will usually treat ourselves to a great steak dinner with champagne for our Christmas gift for each other.
I've not been in Lowes recently, but here's a pic I took there on October 6 of last year: For goodness sake, no pumpkin had been carved and the turkey was still thinking that life is good.
Other than my SO, I don't really buy any gifts. My grandsons will get a little cash in their Christmas card and that's it. My son and his wife get a card sans the cash.
When kids are young, I think they appreciate a gift that they can unwrap at Christmas. Of course, it helps if it turns out to be something that they actually want. I think that when they are younger, they aren't particularly aware of where the money to buy things comes from, so giving them cash or a gift card can simply get lost in the shuffle, in that it doesn't feel like it comes from you. By the time they get into their teens, they can appreciate the gift card or cash, I believe. Since the only kids we buy for now are our grandkids, and one of them just graduated from high school, we send cash or gift cards, although we often send a gift, as well.
With the White House announcement today that they may be shortages for Christmas shopping, I'm going to continue my Christmas shopping even if only online.