(December 13, 2017 at 1:47 pm)Minimalist Wrote: "No one is to stone anyone until I blow this whistle!"

My family needs a tradition where nobody gets stoned until the food's finished cooking or I blow the whistle. My mom gets wicked distracted. She thinks when the potatoes are cooking is a good time to go outside and take a few puffs. Her potatoes are always overcooked. /rant

Monty Python should be a part of everyday life.

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(December 13, 2017 at 1:48 pm)LadyForCamus Wrote: Getting hammered.

We leave that to my dad. My mom's recovered and I don't drink. Two of my sisters get sloshed at holidays sometimes, though.

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(December 13, 2017 at 1:49 pm)vulcanlogician Wrote:

(December 13, 2017 at 1:23 pm)Shell B Wrote: Our traditions are pretty typical too. However, my sister started a new one last year that's fun. It's a ball of plastic wrap filled with random shit. There's a game for quickly unwrapping it that causes said shit to fly all over the place.

I'm having trouble picturing what you mean. Is the "random shit" like dollar store gifts or something? It sounds like a fun game, but "random shit" is a little ambiguous.

It's completely ambiguous and completely random. Literally anything that will fit in the ball goes in the ball. Last year, my sister did stuff like crayons, a soup mix, scratch tickets and candy. This year, I put in hand sanitizer, toys, a hilarious Jesus figurine, candy, scratch tickets and I booby-trapped it with a toy that will fly out once the pressure is released. Mwahaha. You'll get a mix of good and meh stuff. The fun is in the game. So, the first person starts unraveling while the next person rolls a pair of die until it hits doubles, then it goes around in the same fashion until it's gone.

Casino, sometimes include the buffet, sometimes not. I think Iggy calls it "pokies".

Anderson family tradition: Mother reminds daughter that her biological clock is ticking. Also tries to convince her to come to mass.

Daughter reminds mother that biological clock was set to snooze and then smashed. Also that she has absolutely no interest in going to mass.

Father tells mother to leave daughter alone.

Father and daughter share a six pack of Grolsch and then do the cooking on the barbeque.

Brother shows up late and gets the same reaction from mother (see step one).

Rest of family arrives and the barbeque is served.

There is then much eating, drinking, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

Guests get to do the cleaning up.

(December 13, 2017 at 2:18 pm)mh.brewer Wrote: Casino, sometimes include the buffet, sometimes not. I think Iggy calls it "pokies".

Does your religious wife have any xmas activities which don't include you?  I always wonder how that works.  Same question for Khem if he should happen to read this.

Our xmas routines mirror those Lia grew up with.  If Lia's musician cousin is present we'll sing carols mostly to hear him play accompaniment on piano, trumpet, accordion and whatever else he brings along.  After dinner we play xmas poker.  Our big xmas eve dinner will always include steamed persimmon pudding (now with whipped cream rather than hard sauce) for dessert.  Usually ducks get top billing on the menu but this year I'm going Persian with: 

Fesenjan chicken (the video shows the preparation for making it with ducks but chicken will be simpler and is already to die for),






Persian rice,






Mirza Ghasemi,






and some sort of flat bread, maybe this one:

https://youtu.be/DfObqgc0TnQ


Xmas morning we start with stockings filled by secret Santas (everyone is a secret Santa) and Mexican hot chocolate and either pannetore or stollen.  Then we have breakfast which must include Dutch baby eggs and bacon and OJ.  Next up is present opening time with my brother's family and sometimes Lia's cousins.  Eventually we'll go out for a walk to include the dogs.  When we get back we'll play games, hitting the leftovers whenever we need more food.

That's it.

My wife only does the traditional christmas stuff when she's in Santa Cruz with her family. She's pissed at her mom and not going this year. 

We haven't discussed if I'm cooking this year. Have to talk to my son and inquire about the lost boys.

Unrushed intimacy

A trip to the pub

Food

Booze

Games

Sleep.

Queen on TV

more booze and sleep.

High tea

Presents

Stumble home.

Sleep.

Repeat on Boxing Day.....

I want Dutch baby eggs.

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(December 13, 2017 at 3:04 pm)JackRussell Wrote: Unrushed intimacy

A trip to the pub

Food

Booze

Games

Sleep.

Queen on TV

more booze and sleep.

High tea

Presents

Stumble home.

Sleep.

Repeat on Boxing Day.....

Shit. I just realized Tibs' mum won't be able to watch the Queen on TV here. I'm sure Tibs will be tickled pink about it, but I think she might actually be bothered.

I just realized we eat when most people drink. That might explain a few things.

The entire family comes here on Christmas Eve, and we open up all our gifts that night while snacking on various unhealthy things. It was originally done that way because we used to visit my asshole father's family on Christmas day proper, but even though he's out of our lives now (and will hopefully be dead soon), we kept the Christmas Eve part of the tradition.

(December 13, 2017 at 1:48 pm)LadyForCamus Wrote: Getting hammered.

Um.... in what sense?

We also get pajamas on Christmas Eve along with new tooth brushes. Which are needed for the next day when we stay in the new jammies all day and eat junk food and watch whatever new movies we got as presents.