Just wondering what everybody’s up to for the holiday season?
Bruce and I decided to do something very different this year and take the girls up to New York City for a NY Christmas. We all love New York and haven’t been in several years. When we went at Thanksgiving about 5 years ago, we absolutely loved getting to see the windows in the stores, and really got into the whole holiday spirit, so this should be even better. We are staying at a great hotel that was once an apartment building, so we have a nice big 2-bedroom suite with a full kitchen. We already have tickets to Next to Normal (which we have all been dying to see!) and intend to see what other shows we can get discount tickets to. We’re going to walk and window-watch and just soak up the Christmas in the City experience.
It’ll be very different, but hopefully also really good. Maybe we won’t love it and it’ll end up being a one-shot deal, but you know, that’s okay. That’s what’s so fun about having adventurous, easy-going kids who are always ready to try something new…it could be great, but it might not be, but we don’t care, we’re all willing to give it a shot and try our best to have a fabulous time.
So what are you all doing? Have you ever just chucked your typical holiday plans and gone for something completely different?
And what are you up to this year? Traveling? Having family in? Anybody lining up for your own version of Christmas Vacation complete with Crazy Aunt Bethany and obnoxious cousin Eddie? (Love this movie–we just finished watching it!)
Leslie Kelly used to say she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but then she discovered Nancy Drew books. Being a flashlight-under-the-covers-nose-in-book reader throughout her childhood, she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather do as an adult than continue to lose herself in fictional stories. Her real life marriage of 20 years to the man of her dreams is a constant reinforcement that happily-ever-afters really can happen…and that they’re worth writing about. Living in Maryland, Leslie spends her non-writing time laughing a lot with the above-mentioned romance hero and their three daughters. Though an author of more than thirty sexy, contemporary comedies, she has recently branched out to write dark romantic suspense under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish.
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I’m jealous! Nothing so exciting here, though I’d love that. Just going over to friends’ house since my family lives 560 miles away.
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If you can, catch Rock of Ages. It’s awesome and the music well, it’s Journey and a whole bunch of other great music. With Connie Maroulis from Idol as the star. I want to go again.
I am going with my step-son and friends on Thursday night to see Wicked- his Xmas present to me.
We will be here at home, I am still cleaning before the hoards descend and still have to put up the tree and finish shopping then wrapping! :bigtree:
We haven’t done NYC for Xmas only T-day, which is fine. Last year in Disney was ok, but it wasn’t Xmas.
What’s the name of the hotel? We usually end up at the Mariott on Wall Street by the Hole in the Ground, since the kids live right there
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Ev, hope you enjoy Wicked! We saw it years ago, when it first opened, and just loved it.
Never had much interest in Rock of Ages–but will keep it in mind! I would really love to see White Christmas but only if the tickets are really on sale. Or In The Heights. But Next To Normal was the main thing!
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:wreath: Sounds like you and your’s are going to have fun or at the very least a new adventure.
:bigtree: Us? We are very set in our ways. LOL We spend Christmas Eve with my hubby’s family and then Christmas Day with my family. No traveling needed.
I don’t know how fun this year is going to be though because my nose started running yesterday and has now settleed in my chest today. Because I am a transplant patient and have no immune system, I will have this for a month at a minimum. UGH… Not my idea of a good way to spend the holidays…. :ccane:
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Hope you get better soon Patsy!
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Thanks… I am taking Benadryl in hopes that it will help it clear out faster but really I think it just makes you sleep so you are unaware how long youve really been sick… LOL
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Have you tried Musinex? I have been taking it since my cold settled into my head and it seems to be working great. The DM one helps if you are coughing.
Hope you feel better and soon!
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yeah I am taking that as well. It seems to be helping. Thanks!
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Patsy,
Sorry to hear that you are under the weather. Take care of yourself.
:santaguy:
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:reindeer: We aren’t doing anything exciting this year. Your NYC trip sounds wonderful. I always wanted to go to Disney World for Christmas, I thought that sounded like fun. :santabag:
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NOT with 17 people. We are thinking some point we might do it by ourselves, just the 2 of us at some point.
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Same old, same old for me this year. Will travel to my hometown to have Christmas at 3 different locations on Christmas day. My Titans play on Christmas night, so my grandmother and I plan on having our dinner in front of the tv together.
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:bigxmas: This year is our trip to my in laws (I have major issues, so don’t get me started). I was able to cut down the time a LOT, though. Who knows what is going to happen because my husband still has his concussion (he goes in for a CT Scan today). I am not driving a van full of everyone 7 hours/day for two days (I will only do a trip to my folks which is 4 hours/one day). If he’s still like he is now, I am not letting our kids get in the van (well, me neither). At least they’ll have presents…I sent them last week :)
Have fun in NYC. Sounds awesome! I want to do Disneyland/DisneyWorld for Christmas some year.
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Leslie, how crazy! My husband and I are going to NY for Christmas too! We used to live there, miss it a lot, and decided to go be with my best friend and her family for the holiday. We’re seeing my parents afterward, but the actual Christmas Day will be in Manhattan. Have you checked the forecast? Looks like we might have snow!
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Too funny! Hope you have a great time!
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We are having family in. My mom is already here. My M-I-L will be here on the 22nd. We all get along great so no worries there. The house is decorated. I had to go to the eye doctor yesterday. Have an infection in both eyes. So I’m on antibiotics and eye drops. Have to go back in two weeks. But actually I don’t look horrible. We caught it in time.
Enjoy NY! I bet you have a fabulous time.
Take care all,
Cher :bigxmas:
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Oh Cher, I hope it clears up in time for the holidays. There is nothing thing worse than being sick during the holidays.
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Thanks, Patsy. I hope to be feeling much better by then. But when I go back to the doc in two weeks he is planning to put me on another med for one month!
Cher
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Cher I am sorry to hear you have an ear infection. I hope your antibiotics clear it up right away. Take care of yourself.
:lights: :bigxmas: :ccane: :santabag:
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Whoops! I meant eye infection! Can’t type & think!!
:reindeer: :treecut:
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We generally have the same christmas every year. My brother and I spend christmas eve at one house and christmas day at the other. Usually my dad’s parents come down around that time, as well as some family at my mom’s house. I can’t recall ever having a holiday adventure and celebrating anywhere other than home. But honestly, I wouldn’t trade it – I’m only home for a few weeks and I don’t want to be anywhere else during that time.
:SmallSanta: Happy Tuesday!
<3 J
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Just the usually cast of outlaws, oops I mean in-laws and all of the drama that goes with family get togethers.
Got to love family. :reindeer:
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I think we’re going to play it low key this Christmas. The Only’s future FiL is coming down on Christmas Eve. I’ll do the usual–lasagne for Christmas Eve dinner, cinnamon rolls for breakfast, turkey breast for sandwiches at some point during the day. We usually take off and do “crazy” destinations for Thanksgiving. Some year, though, I want to go to New Orleans and have Christmas at the Hotel Monteleone. Some day…
:santabag:
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Going just a few blocks to my youngest daughter’s for Christmas dinner.
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Hey Les, it sounds like you are going to have a wonderful time. Christmas in New York is great if you go out and enjoy it. Manhattan during Xmas time is great…make sure you go and see the tree in Rockerfeller Center. It is absolutely beautiful. The Rockettes are a great gig too. I hope you do find some discount tickets for when you are there. If you want, I can ask some of my actor friends about what might be available for you. I grew up there, and there were some fun times. I will be there briefly to visit with my family, then it is back to good ole CT for reading, sleeping and writing. Oooh, try to take a carriage ride around Central Park too. That always seems to be fun. You know, it has been a really long time since I chucked my holiday plans and did something totally different. I used to go off to Nashville around Christmas time. It was very peaceful and I got to do a lot of reflecting…plus going to see what they did to The Opryland Hotel was always a plus…Have a great rest of the day everyone.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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Leslie, Christmas with your Bruce & daughters sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day and combine a trip with a family gift. Enjoy, I’m sure you will.
I think as children become teens or adults family adventures would be a wonderful way to make Christmas memories. My plans this year will be a bit the usual and a bit unusual. My daughter works at a hospital as a CNA & her “guy” is a ER technician at the same hospital they are both working Christmas eve & Christmas day so we will be celebrating on December 23rd. I don’t have a problem with that as we will still be together and enjoy presents, good food and spending time with those we care about. Her son/my grandson, is 20 and if he has no plans for Christmas day I may fix him dinner, depends on what he wants to do. He may also be working part of the day. If I end up being alone I will just indulge myself in listening to Christmas music, eating all kinds of yummy food, snacks, goodies etc.! Of course I will probably also be doing a lot of reading as I have several good books including Book 2 & 3 of your Black Cats series. I am looking forward to diving into those. Right now I am indulging in lots of Christmas novellas & anthologies.
Whatever everyone’s plans are just remember to enjoy it. :SmallSanta: :bigtree: :bigxmas: :decor: :santalights: :reindeer: :ccane: :santabag: :walksnowman: :wreath: :treecut:
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i prefer tradition… so we are doing what we always do…exhubs parents for Christmas eve…mine for Christmas…and hubbys family….they still haven’t figured what or when so they lose out if they pick the same day someone else did because first come first serve has always been my motto…and for some reason…they can never seem to decide soon enough for me….But some day I want to do Disney for Christmas….we are going there in April because the girls are singing there for their school…only wish that they were singing in December…lol. Christmas at Disney would definitely be magical.
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On Christmas Eve my family meets at my sisters and have lunch and open presents Christmas Day I don’t do much of anything sometimes my sister comes over just to chat.
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We will probably drive into the city for a day to see the tree (we’re on the island). Then x-mas eve is the sister in laws and maybe for the first time in 17 years sleep in on Christmas morning. My kids are now alittle older. Hope eveyone one has a happy healthy holiday season. :bigxmas: :happychan:
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We have the yard and house all decorated and will be entertaining the family for Christmas. Your N. Y. trip sounds great. That is a dream of my daughter’s…to be in New York at Christmas time. I have only been in N. Y. in the summer and boy was it ever hot. We’ve had snow already here in Houston and the earliest freeze ever recorded in this city. We usually have nice weather for Christmas and the cold comes in January and February, but it came early this year. Merry Christmas to everyone reading this!