What do you do for fun to start the Christmas Season?

[aleask]

What community event do you go to? What do your children look forward to every year to start the Christmas Season?

For years DD and I have gone done to the tree lighting in Bend, OR. This year we still went to a tree lighting, but this time in Sunriver, OR (which is very close). Actually I didn't realize until later the Bend tree lighting was last night also, but after I told DD we missed it she agreed that we had a blast at this new one.

We saw Mrs. Claus and Santa, had a sleigh ride, drank hot chocolate to our hearts content, looked at gingerbread houses, listened to carolers, saw the tree lighting and the snow that was coming down was beautiful!

I hope everyone on the boards has a wonderful Christmas Season!

Enjoy the pix and post some of yours perhaps?

 

[minkydog]

We have a couple of traditions. For the past two years we have gone to a big light display the Monday before Thankgiving. We put our tree up THanksgiving afternoon. DD17 and I take in The Nutcracker. We go to our high school's Masterworks holiday concert. One of the things that I"m loving about my kids growing up is that the season is just less hectic. I don't feel as driven to get out there and shop til I drop.

 

[plutotek]

We moved to the south in 08, so we're still trying to establish our new traditions. One thing that we've started doing is going to an open house the local merchants have, just to wander around and listen to carolers and other performers. We found another open house in a historical area that we visited last year, which was nice. We're hoping for the day that we have grandkids so that we can visit the local Santa's Village to see the look on their faces.

Given that I view Halloween as the kick-off to the overall holiday season, I would say we transition into Christmas by watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (even if it is turning into more of 2-3 hour commercial for new stars and TV shows).

 

[hereyago]

I must say that the sleigh ride looks very neat. DD and I put up the XMAS tree the day after Thanksgiving and decorate the inside and outside of the house.

There are a couple different XMAS light shows around. However: we are partial to the ones in neighborhoods that I know of. So we go out near XMAS to these certain neighborhoods and see what new decorations they have.

Our newest tradition started last year: we donate to a local radio. They get buses and stuff them with toys for local kids-kind of like toys for tots thing.

We bake, M and M cookies especially.

 

[diznee25]

DH and I started a tradition of making gingerbread houses on Thanksgiving weekend. (We'll be doing that tomorrow.) Yesterday we put up the Christmas tree, and put out all our Christmas decorations.

Most of our holiday festivities start Christmas week. We'll be seeing ICE! on Christmas Eve, and going out to see Christmas lights here in town.


diznee25

 

[Meriweather]

We are in a new area this year, so not sure what the norm will be, but this year...today in fact, DH, DD and I volunteered to work at the kick off for the Festival of Lights in a neighboring city.
It was a lot of fun. DD and I ran one of the inflatables, we got the big slide one. We were kept very busy.
DH's wasn't as fun, but he enjoyed working the water and pop station on Crafter's Row.
Not sure if we will do it next year or not.

No decorating is done until Dec. 1, so we will start then.
Cookies will be started week after next. I think about 12 kinds this year.

 

[Planogirl]

I love your pictures!

We don't do a whole lot but I do like to see lights and our downtown has a dancing lights display and snow machines and a model train display. Small stuff but I like it.

I love to travel to Natchitoches for their Christmas festival but it's been a while. There is also a drive through display of lights in the forest close to Tyler that's pretty cool. Maybe we should make it a point to go there again....