What makes You Happy during this time of year??

[Skippy123]

What things or sights make you happy during this holiday season?

For me it is.


Looking at Christmas Lights.
A fresh snow at night; it is so peaceful and quiet
People dressed up in fun holiday outfits or jewelry
Stores decorated
Receiving and sending Holiday Cards and hearing from friends and family
The smell of freshly baked cookies and pies
Buying fun little gifts for my nephews and seeing their adorable faces when they open them.
Being w/friends and family

 

[diamondringlover]

Getting together with my family

 

[Bia]

My fireplace going
Cozy weekends with my FI and pup
Not having school work to worry about!
Snow

(when I don't have to drive)
Christmas lights & looking at my pretty Christmas tree
Quiet walks upstate
Cookies and yummy food
Flannel PJs and comfy socks
Casual holiday get-togethers with my neighbors - and wine...a lot of it

And most of all, spending time with family and friends
eta: I forgot...wrapping gifts! I love wrapping Christmas gifts!

(I'm feeling extra sappy today

)

 

[Madam Bijoux]

I love to walk around my neighborhood to see all the Christmas lights on the houses.
I also love to see how the stores are decorated.
The light show in Macy''s downtown Philadelphia store is wonderful:
http://www.gophila.com/C/The_Holidays_in_Philadelphia/497/Top_10_Things_To_Do_in_December/501/U/Holiday_Light_Show_at_Macys_Center_City/1430.html
The Pennsylvania Ballet''s production of The Nutcracker (I see it every Christmas Eve).
Looking at the cards and wrapping paper.

The jewelry stores always bring out their most impressive things at this time of the year.

In New York, it''s seeing how the hotels and stores are decorated
The tree in Rockefeller Center
The giant snowflake at 57th & 5th Ave.

 

[Linda W]

Watching my two grandsons get so excited about Christmas
Warm toasty sweaters and socks
Baking holiday cookies with my daughter
Looking at holiday lights
Getting together with my family

 

[CurlySue]

Lots of time off from work!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ladypirate]

Christmas carols and family time!

 

[tlh]

carols
christmas decor and clothing in any regard
lights
how people behave when they are at their best - NOT at the worst. (ie not black friday or the 4 am after christmas sale...)

the smell of baked goods.
holiday cards - yes, even from my state farm agent.
hot cocoa w/ miniature marshmallows
children getting excited about santa
shopping for kids - even the ones I just donate toys and clothes to -

I even enjoy during the commercial breaks on tv - when the station just takes a minute to display the menora (sp) and I can follow along w/ the Hanakuh celebration.

 

[monarch64]

Sunlight. Being above ground. Everything else is icing.

 

[Haven]

Those tiny Christmas lights wrapped around trees. I LOVE that!
Christmas trees in my neighbors'' windows.
The all-Christmas music radio stations.
All the holiday movies on television.
Wearing the scarf my mom knitted for me several years ago.
Wearing my "lucky" winter hat. It''s a huge faux fur floppy hat from Laura Ashley. I bought it years ago, and I always feel very lucky when I wear it.

 

[BeachRunner]

Date: 12/18/2009 12:43:58 PM
Author: Haven
Those tiny Christmas lights wrapped around trees. I LOVE that!
Christmas trees in my neighbors'' windows.
The all-Christmas music radio stations.
All the holiday movies on television.
Wearing the scarf my mom knitted for me several years ago.
Wearing my ''lucky'' winter hat. It''s a huge faux fur floppy hat from Laura Ashley. I bought it years ago, and I always feel very lucky when I wear it.

Ditto!

Also,
Watching christmas movies; currently gearing up for my marathon of Christmas Story

wrapping gifts
white chrismtas (although I haven''t experienced this for a long time)

 

[Catmom]

Non-stop Christmas Carols
The wonderful, vibrant colors
Lights, lights, lights
The fresh smell of pine in my house

 

[Vancity]

Every Christmas, as I sit at our holiday table, I take a moment to really look at those sitting around me. I always say a silent prayer, and a "thank you" for their presence…

For many families, there will be someone who is ''physically'' missing for the first time in their family history...for them, it''s never quite the same. That fact is never lost on me.

I''m most grateful, that god willing, all the great loves of my life, will be sitting around our table once again...

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night

 

[zoebartlett]

When I''m at work, I feel really happy listening to my students talk about times they''ve seen Santa. I love listening in on their conversations. Their belief is so strong and REAL, and it''s such a fun time for them.

In general, I love seeing Christmas lights, wreaths, and other decorations in stores and on the streets. I love curling up with a cup of tea or hot chocolate and a blanket, and either read or watch a movie with my husband. If we had a fireplace, it would be nice to light a fire and listen to the crackling sounds it makes.

 

[elrohwen]

Being with family
Christmas lights (we do almost no decorating because we''re lazy, but I love to see other people''s decorations!)
Yummy meals and cooking with my mom
Getting together with the same friends for the same New Year''s party - best party of the year!

 

[Mara]

great thread skippy... i think the busy holiday 'daily life' makes it hard to stop and smell the pine trees.

--driving home after a too-busy day at work seeing all the houses with crazy amts of christmas lights in the neighborhoods. it is soo incredibly relaxing and calming to see people's xmas spirit
--taking a walk in cool crisp air to check out all the decor and neighborhood yard trees (i miss this right now, my walking skills are seriously impaired)
--holiday parties, seeing friends that you might not see that often and enjoying some treats and small talk
--our christmas tree... it's prob my most fave thing about the holiday
--our annual hot chocolate n' churros with greg and my sis at christmas in the park, the silicon valley attempt at a 'white christmas'
--holiday cards from friends and family...i don't like the stress of sending them though haha.
--tamale making time with my mom and grandma ... in general time with friends and family
--time off from work.

somewhat bittersweet for us this year...knowing it's our last year as 'status quo' after 10 years together, given that next year we'll have an 11 month old at christmas time. but that's exciting too.

 

[Lilac]

- Spending more time with DH on his days off from work
- Christmas lights and pretty trees
- Not having any schoolwork to worry about
- Christmas songs on the radio
- Seeing family at Hanukkah parties (sometimes relatives that I haven''t seen all year)
- Hot chocolate
- Starbucks holiday cups
- Cuddling with DH and watching the snow fall outside

 

[kenny]

Feeling free to not have to do any of the holiday stuff, or to do as much of it as I want.
Some years one can go overboard and other years not do anything.

If you like it, great.
But many people do not like it but feel they have to do it anyway.

 

[Skippy123]

These were great to read and put me in a good holiday mood!!!

I have to add that my Christmas cactus are blooming and I love that. They are so beautiful this time of year!

DIAMONDRINGLOVER, I agree, it is great to be w/the ones we love!

BIA, I am sappy too! hehe Oh your quiet walks sound wonderful. Your fireplace sounds wonderful too! Oh please come help me wrap gifts; I really wished I loved doing that.

MADAM, wow, what a wonderful list! It would be nice to see all the wonderful jewelry in the displays!

LINDA, aw that is priceless I bet to see the grandsons excited over the holidays and to bake w/your dd.

CURLYSUE, enjoy your time off! hehe

LADYPIRATE, I bet you are an excellent Christmas caroler!

TLH, aw that is sweet about you donating gifts. hehe I am happy to get the State Farm agent card too!

MONNIE, lol! I love when it snows hard and then the sun comes out; it is so beautiful!

HAVEN, I love the holiday movies too! I love fa la la Lifetime. hehe Right now I am watching the Muppet's, Letters to Santa, super cute! That is so cool about your treasured scarf!

BEACHRUNNER, yay for movie marathons!

CATMOM, I bet the fresh pine smells wonderful. I love the old time carols, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, etc.

VANCITY, aw, that is beautiful you are thankful for your loved ones and take a moment to enjoy their presence.

ZOE, you are such an awesome teacher; I bet it is wonderful to hear the kiddos talk about Santa, way cute!!! Yum to a warm drink and a blankie!

ELROHWEN, parties are so much fun!!! It is great to be w/friends and family!

MARA, thanks! Ooooooh churros and chocolate, YUM! We do biscochitos (cinamon sugar anise cookies). Aw, you know what once the baby comes Christmas will be even better. Having my nephews around make it 100% better; you should see the joy in their faces. Your baby will be dressed up in the cute holiday outfits and on the holiday card, etc. YUM we do tamales too and they are sooooo YUMMY! hehehe Have fun making them w/the fam!

LILAC, oh Hanukkah parties sound fun; my neighbors make the best food for Hanukkah, yum! Enjoy the days off w/dh. I love having my dh home too over the break!

KENNY, totally, we should do what we enjoy most!

 

[KimberlyH]

Making tamales from scratch w/ my husband
Baking
Sending and receiving holiday cards (I love getting personal mail anytime!)
Looking at Christmas lights
Childhood memories of this time of year

 

[Christiana]

Looking at smiling faces. I love the fact that people are more relaxed during Christmas holidays

 

[HollyS]

What makes me happy at the holidays?


Memories of childhood Christmases.
Decorating the house, whether a little or a lot.
Cookie baking.
Church services; especially midnight Christmas Eve mass.
Carols sung by choirs.
Traditional songs by the greats: Bing, Andy, Dean, Perry, Nat.
A Charlie Brown Christmas.
White Christmas.
Finding that perfect gift for someone special.
Buying a whole lot more for our Angel Tree kids than what''s on their lists.

 

[4ever]

Preparing/cooking Christmas dinner for my family
Making gifts
Giving thoughtful gifts
Yummy christmas food
Beautifully wrapping christmas prezzies
Spending time with my family when everyone has to behave
New clothes
Late night shopping
Christmas sales
Happy, giving atmosphere