Luna Storm
Forum Mod
Once again Christmas is near.
What are you doing for Christmas 2018? Is there a special Christmas tradition you have with family and loved ones? Are are you doing something different this Christmas or maybe you have additional family member to share the holidays with you this year?
For us, this Christmas is going to be very strange and possibly very hard, or even sad; as its going to be the first Christmas without my dear beloved dad.
I have always spent Christmas with my mum and dad (after my siblings left home.) and for the past 18 years we have had Rascal (Savvyrascal) with us.
My dad and Rascal would be in the living room, watching TV and chatting about a wide range of subjects and having fun, Me and mum would be doing the Christmas dinner and joining the guys for some TV and a good natter regularly. (The guys always offer to help in the kitchen though
) We never really played any games as a family because dad was never much into playing board games. We did get him to play Trivial Pursuit a few times though, and even the quiz game 'Buzz' once 
When I was little, one of the biggest things I looked forward to was that my dad would play a board game with me - which never happened otherwise, lol. Presents were exciting, but for me Christmas was playing a game with my daddy!
I think this year we will have to add a few games into our festivities.
Food wise - we always have a traditional British Christmas meal. Stuffed turkey with roast potatoes, brussel sprouts, roasted parsnips and of course gravy with a nice palate cleansing wine. We are not big eaters so we don't have the room for any puddings or dessert but we may nibble on an assortment of cheeses, crackers and nuts throughout the day.
This year has been very hard to even think of having an Christmas dinner, or festivities at all since my fathers death was not long ago. Dad would not want us to give up Christmas because he is not here in the physical sense. He is with us all the time and he will be with us as always this Christmas too, just not in the way we are used to.
My mum was very reluctant, so I said "Why don't we make it different and have a duck instead as an Christmas bird?".... This seemed to work. I thought about how to approach the subject with my mum for 2 weeks and came to the conclusion - When you lose someone that is such a huge part of your life, the hardest thing to do are things that never change or that have been habitual. It just feels wrong and painful.
So by having duck instead of a turkey is, already of itself totally different; and to be honest, probably something we would have never done. And by arranging some games we could play, again changes the tradition we are used to. So (I'm hoping) it will take a little of the heartache away during the holidays.
I say this now, but of course I don't know how it will go when the holiday arrives. But so far me, my mum and Rascal are looking forward to taking on the challenge of cooking a bird we haven't attempted before - and lets face it, it is a totally different bird as its fattier but still can become dry if not done right lol.
We also have a new family member with us this Christmas. We have Tamzine (Taz), who is a (now) 15 week old Staffordshire Bull Terrier. She is the most spunky little girl I have ever come across and I should know, as I have grown up with many German Shephards, Siberian Huskies, and Boxers - all from puppy. I also have been in pet shop and animal rescue work for over 18 years.
Her teeth are razor sharp, and her jaw is already super strong. She IS getting better and shes only a baby so we know she is going to be a wonderful & loving member of our family - Once she has got over this puppy stage
On a side note.... I am also making warm slippers from donated wool to go to the hospital's Cancer Ward patients for Christmas.
Wishing you, and your families a very Happy Holidays - whatever they may be and however you may spend them!
L.S
What are you doing for Christmas 2018? Is there a special Christmas tradition you have with family and loved ones? Are are you doing something different this Christmas or maybe you have additional family member to share the holidays with you this year?
For us, this Christmas is going to be very strange and possibly very hard, or even sad; as its going to be the first Christmas without my dear beloved dad.
I have always spent Christmas with my mum and dad (after my siblings left home.) and for the past 18 years we have had Rascal (Savvyrascal) with us.
My dad and Rascal would be in the living room, watching TV and chatting about a wide range of subjects and having fun, Me and mum would be doing the Christmas dinner and joining the guys for some TV and a good natter regularly. (The guys always offer to help in the kitchen though
) We never really played any games as a family because dad was never much into playing board games. We did get him to play Trivial Pursuit a few times though, and even the quiz game 'Buzz' once When I was little, one of the biggest things I looked forward to was that my dad would play a board game with me - which never happened otherwise, lol. Presents were exciting, but for me Christmas was playing a game with my daddy!
I think this year we will have to add a few games into our festivities.
Food wise - we always have a traditional British Christmas meal. Stuffed turkey with roast potatoes, brussel sprouts, roasted parsnips and of course gravy with a nice palate cleansing wine. We are not big eaters so we don't have the room for any puddings or dessert but we may nibble on an assortment of cheeses, crackers and nuts throughout the day.
This year has been very hard to even think of having an Christmas dinner, or festivities at all since my fathers death was not long ago. Dad would not want us to give up Christmas because he is not here in the physical sense. He is with us all the time and he will be with us as always this Christmas too, just not in the way we are used to.
My mum was very reluctant, so I said "Why don't we make it different and have a duck instead as an Christmas bird?".... This seemed to work. I thought about how to approach the subject with my mum for 2 weeks and came to the conclusion - When you lose someone that is such a huge part of your life, the hardest thing to do are things that never change or that have been habitual. It just feels wrong and painful.
So by having duck instead of a turkey is, already of itself totally different; and to be honest, probably something we would have never done. And by arranging some games we could play, again changes the tradition we are used to. So (I'm hoping) it will take a little of the heartache away during the holidays.
I say this now, but of course I don't know how it will go when the holiday arrives. But so far me, my mum and Rascal are looking forward to taking on the challenge of cooking a bird we haven't attempted before - and lets face it, it is a totally different bird as its fattier but still can become dry if not done right lol.
We also have a new family member with us this Christmas. We have Tamzine (Taz), who is a (now) 15 week old Staffordshire Bull Terrier. She is the most spunky little girl I have ever come across and I should know, as I have grown up with many German Shephards, Siberian Huskies, and Boxers - all from puppy. I also have been in pet shop and animal rescue work for over 18 years.
Her teeth are razor sharp, and her jaw is already super strong. She IS getting better and shes only a baby so we know she is going to be a wonderful & loving member of our family - Once she has got over this puppy stage
On a side note.... I am also making warm slippers from donated wool to go to the hospital's Cancer Ward patients for Christmas.
Wishing you, and your families a very Happy Holidays - whatever they may be and however you may spend them!
L.S
