Is There Anything You Miss During the Holiday Season?

[MIGrandma]

Is there anything that your town used to do for the holidays that they no longer do for one reason or another, but you miss it?

Not in our little town, but the neighboring town did something for many years that we enjoyed. It was done by a church in town, they had a "living nativity" on weekends before Christmas. It lasted about 15 minutes, and they did it every hour. They had a huge stable set up, with hay, and real animals. The wisemen, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, etc. It was really nice, and people would line up by the fence to watch. For some it may have been the only time they heard the Christmas story. They haven't done it for a few years now, and I really miss it. I'm sure it was a lot of work, and probably the same ones did it year after year and nobody would take over.

There was also a nearby restaurant, in a huge old mansion, that was elaborately decorated for Christmas and I loved going there once or twice during the season. Fires lit in the fireplaces, lots of lights and garland, even the air conditioning units upstairs were wrapped up like presents with big bows on them. It was so beautiful. But it closed down a few years ago.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

Yes. PNC Bank Arts Center used to do a huge light spectacular. They are not doing it this year. I'm very sad about it. We plan on taking our girls out tonight to some homes to see lights, but it will not be the same.

DH wanted to take them into the City to see the big tree but I said NO WAY. To cold for me!!!

 

[MinnieTink]

A man in a town about 10 miles away used to have the most amazing display. He had Santa's workshop in his garage. You could walk up to his fence and push a button to start it. He also had Santa's "stable" with live reindeer!!! It was amazing but he stopped doing it a few years ago.

 

[live4christp1]

There was an area church that held "Bethleham Walk" every year. It was one of the highlights of the holidays for our kids. It was great, they built a whole little city behind their church, you paid the tax collector (with a mite they provided) and everything. You visited the little town shops and merchants and the animals in the barnyard. A few years ago part of their set caught on fire and burned and since then they have not rebuilt it and started the walks again. The kids ask every year if the are going to have it. We miss it a lot!

 

[MinnieTink]

Hey NutterButter! You are in my area. We have a new tradition to see the tree. I really don't like crowds or the cold so we get the kids into jammies and make some hot chocolate (or stop at DD for some). Maybe a couple of cookies and Christmas music on the radio. Then we drive into the city, see the tree from the car and see some of the other great store displays... All from the car. A cozier and less anxiety inducing way to see the tree!

 

[nutterbutter2010]

There were also a few great homes around us. One used to put up HUGE Smurfs in Christmas clothing. And another house used to put two huge trailers on their front lawn. They had glass fronts, and all these little scenes in there - it was so pretty. They haven't done it since I was in highschool.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

The city we used to live in had a holiday lights display at the science center. It was a tradition to drive through it every year. There is nothing like that around here.

 

[agnes!]

My DD & I did our old church's Journey to Bethlehem every year for several years, but our friend that used to coordinate it left the church and we just don't have the heart to do it this year.

agnes!

 

[stashbin]

For my entire life, Christmas has been centered around my granny's birthday. She was born on Christmas day so every Christmas eve the whole family (kid's too) would stay awake until midnight to wish her a happy birthday with a cake. Since she passed away of ALS 3 years ago, our tradition passed away with her and now we all are just doing our own things. I miss having what I have always known as a "normal" Christmas.

Sorry to get off on the serious tip but that IS what I miss. Thanks for reading.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

Hey NutterButter! You are in my area. We have a new tradition to see the tree. I really don't like crowds or the cold so we get the kids into jammies and make some hot chocolate (or stop at DD for some). Maybe a couple of cookies and Christmas music on the radio. Then we drive into the city, see the tree from the car and see some of the other great store displays... All from the car. A cozier and less anxiety inducing way to see the tree!

Thats so funny that you don't get out of the car! Gotta stay warm!!!!

 

[C.Ann]

Not the "neighborhoods", but for many, many years, I made handcrafts and sold them at craft fairs every weekend from late Sept. until mid-December.. It was an awesome way of making our holiday spending money..

I miss that - have toyed with the idea of just doing a few - but I haven't gone to a "real" craft fair - where everything is actually handmade - in such a long time, I don't even know what people are making or selling anymore..

I usually go to the Harvest Fairs up to the lake, but most everything is new "buy out" items; stuff bought at the Christmas Tree Shoppe and being passed off as the sellers own work; or junk thats been whipped up on a computer and slapped together as a "craft".. At that point it's no longer a "craft fair" to me - it's more of a "flea market" type thing..

 

[dejr_8]

It is still there but living out of town I haven't seen it in years - The Miniature Railroad and Village.

We used to go every Christmas to see it at the Buhl Science Center.