Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with christmas

A hike on X-mas morning in or near Los Angeles?

drjimmy11 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:24:46 -0800

A hike on X-mas morning in or near Los Angeles? Since I have no big plans, I'm thinking about getting out and going hiking tomorrow morning. Doesn't have to be a huge all-day thing, I wouldn't mind being back by the Lakers game at 2pm actually.

I'm just wondering if the local parks like Runyon Canyon that are (I think) closeable will be closed. Also just generally looking for suggestions of fun, nearby trails that would make a good solo Christmas day hike. (I know about most of the hiking websites and books, just wondering if anyone has any specific ideas to throw at me.)

Thanks!

Is there such thing as Islamic Caroling?

small_ruminant — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:43:43 -0800

What non-Christian religions and cultures have traditions comparable to Christmas carols and caroling? I'm looking for holiday traditions in which everyone sings along. Bonus points for anything Muslim.

This is a general question, but what brought it up is that an adult education class a friend teaches sings Christmas carols as an optional, after-class activity. Some of the students are Muslim or Black Muslim and they either come along for the fun or just don't stay for the carols.

Three cheeseballs in the shape of a snowman?

showbiz_liz — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:51:49 -0800

I need a good, NON-SWEET Christmas morning snacky food! For years my family's Christmas tradition involved eating pumpkin pie and tons of candy on Christmas morning while we opened presents. This made everyone feel really gross. Two years ago I stumbled on the idea of having a cheese plate out in addition to the pie, and it was a revelation. Protein! Something without craploads of sugar! Amazing!

Cheese plate's a little dull, though, and also a little pricey for us. So now I'm looking for something else to make for Christmas morning.

We usually sit around on couches and the floor, and take a couple of hours to slowly open presents. A non-drippy, non-sticky finder food is ideal for this- it won't get on the couch and it won't get on the presents. Something that isn't super fatty would also be good, we eat enough fat on Christmas (that's another reason to ditch the cheese). Oh, and it needs to be makeable the day before, because Christmas is for sitting on one's ass. However, I'm not opposed to making something complicated.

Help me find winter haiku with translations

Cogito — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:29:47 -0800

俳句フィルター：Help me find great winter haiku in their original Japanese, but with English translations. I'd like to make a Christmas card for my girlfriend with a more personal sentiment than something pre-made. I used to study Japanese, and I took a calligraphy course, so I thought a taking a blank card and doing a winter haiku on one would be nice.

The problem is, I'm having trouble deciding which one to use since it seems most of the English translations lack the original Japanese and vice versa. My Japanese is good enough to translate on my own, but it's far from effortless, so if there's a good resource of haiku with translations that would be best.

Also, if there are particular poems that people think would be good for this, I'd like to hear them. I particularly like Basho and Buson, but I'm open to that would work well for the purpose.

Ridiculous things to do at Christmas light displays

913 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:23:12 -0800

I'm organizing a Christmas light convoy tomorrow night. Basically a bunch of cars driving around town visiting the best lit up houses. I want to assign a ridiculous task to be performed at each house? Any ideas? We are all going to meet in a large parking lot, leave the excess cars behind, and everyone is going to follow my car to each house. I want to "assign" the task in the parking lot before we leave.

The tasks don't necessarily have to be Christmas related.

Rocky VI - The Christmas Dinner

bitteroldman — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:29:47 -0800

How can I maximize appetite recovery between X-mas lunch and X-mas dinner? So every year, the same thing happens - Christmas Eve dinner at my parents, Christmas Day Lunch at my brother's, Christmas Day Dinner at my in-laws.

Now, the rational answer would be to politely explain to everyone that I will only eat a little bit of each meal in order to thoroughly and thoughtfully enjoy everone's culinary offerings at each sitting.

But now, that wouldn't be any fun, would it? Moderation is so overrated! Besides, I have a reputation to uphold!

So the question is dear Mefites, what are your tips and tricks to recover your appetite between two big meals only a few hours apart?

More info: I'm specifically concerned about X-mas Day Lunch and Dinner - Lunch is usually @1:30, while Dinner is @6:30.

I'll probably go jogging in between meals - but that's the only thing I can think of - is there a length of time I should look at?

Any other ideas? Brandy before eating? Oh, and the wacky tobaccky is not an option despite its appetite inducing effects!!

Chain smoking while the stereo plays...

halogen — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:44:50 -0800

Flying back home on Thursday, and I want to bring a mixed CD with me that's full of, well, we'll love each other no matter what. I like Robert Earl Keen's Merry Christmas From the Family. What else should I include?

Find me a Santa!

pianohands — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:21:15 -0800

Who's the best Santa in NYC? I'm planning on taking my sister, 3 year old niece, and 9 month old niece into the city for a day trip for the holidays. The three year old is very much a believer in Santa, so I'd like to find out where the best Santa is in NYC. Bonus points for being close to the subway line or other fun things that a three year old would enjoy. Unless the department store ones are somehow phenomenal, I'd also like to avoid stores. The time line for this would be sometime this week, so if anyone can point me to an awesome Santa, I'd very much appreciate it!

Feliz Navidad

ryanbryan — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:44:36 -0800

Need a Christmas salutation in Spanish for a business letter... Something to the effect of the following:

"Company X wishes all at Company Y a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year".

Doesn't have to be a direct translation to Spanish, just want something common and appropriate for a high-level and relatively impersonal business letter. Please no comments about the suitability of a Christmas greeting in the letter, I don't care for them.

Sweet and Sour Gift?

furiousxgeorge — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:38:00 -0800

Looking for gift ideas for a pollyanna. The theme of the gift is "sweet and sour." Any ideas, mundane or weird are welcome.

Help a secular Muslim celebrate Christmas in Boston

raztaj — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:12:02 -0800

Christmas in Boston - where to go to Mass, where to volunteer? I'm not Christian (and don't really celebrate Christmas in the secular sense), but I've always wanted to attend Christmas Mass - with curiosity of what it's like, but of course with respect. Where in (T-accessible) Boston can one sit in on Mass Christmas Eve? Do any local churches hold particularly beautiful or interesting services?

Also, do you know of any places that are seeking volunteers or an extra pair of hands on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day? While everything else is closed and shut down, what can I do with my time besides just hanging out at home?

Dominosteine in Vancouver?

findango — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:52:05 -0800

WeihnachtsFilter: anyone have a confirmed source for Dominosteine in Vancouver? I will try European Specialty Food Imports, but they are closed (or not answering the phone) today.

Thanks!

Skull mug in person?

albrecht — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:55:06 -0800

Where can I buy a skull-shaped mug in the New York or Dallas areas? I was recently struck with inspiration for a Christmas gift idea, but it requires a mug in the shape of a human skull, something like this or this. I don't have time to wait for an online order to be shipped, so I need to buy it in person. I'll be in NYC and the Dallas area in the coming days. Does anyone know of any stores that might have this sort of thing?

GET ME HOME!!!

chicago2penn — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:41:03 -0800

I WANT TO GET HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!! Hive-mind, we need your help!

My partner and I are stuck in Philadelphia, and would like to get home to our respective momma's before Christmas. Please help us find ways to do this!

She needs to get to Cincinnati, and I to Atlanta.

We can travel from anywhere within train distance. Baltimore, DC, New York, Harrisburg...
Driving is not an option.

Any ideas are welcome!

Save my ornaments from getting smashy

pised — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:54:58 -0800

How can I protect vintage glass Christmas ornaments? I have a couple of old, very beautiful and very delicate ornaments that I love and want to preserve. (They're the last two still intact of probably a dozen or so from my mom's childhood.) I'm pretty sure they're glass because I remember some of those dozen shattering after falling off the Christmas tree. Is there anything I can do that will make them stronger and less prone to breakage and won't destroy the paint still on them?

It is better to give than receive

Scientifik — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:41:14 -0800

What are some "good will" alternatives to Christmas in Denver? What's something I can do in or around Denver that will be beneficial for someone less fortunate this Christmas? I'm open to pretty much open to helping with any job or task. I'd prefer something through an organization but ideas for random acts of kindness help as well.

Earplugs for thirty, please!

Knowyournuts — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:35:12 -0800

ChristmasAngstFilter: What should I give to the workers at our day care? I am at my peak of Christmas shopping stress, and I just realized that I should probably do something nice for the workers at my daughter's day care. They are terrific, and underpaid, and deserve some recognition. If you are or have ever been employed at a day care center, what gift would you want?

There are about 30 employees, and at least half of them have had extended contact with my daughter since she's been attending. So I don't think it would be fair to just give private gift certificates to anyone. Plus, she's going to be there a while longer, and will be interacting with the other half of them pretty soon. Every last one of them knows her by name.

I am thinking of putting together a gift basket and having it taken to their break room. (There was a previous thread about gifts for daycare workers, but it was oriented toward personal, take-home gifts.) Is it holiday overkill to do candy and chocolate? Hot drink mixes? Headache medicine (ha ha)? What would have helped you get through your day as a daycare worker?

Help me find a poem!

nataliecay — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:34:49 -0800

Help me find a good inspirational poem to frame as a Christmas gift for someone going through a hard time. With the economy in the tank, my dad is going through a hard time with his company and I wanted to find a classic uplifting poem to frame for a Christmas gift. Something inspirational that makes you think. Googling fails me as it only seems to bring up the cheesy poems that don't have any deep thought behind them.

Not being one who studies poetry, I am kind of at a loss. Does anyone have any favorites that they feel might fit the bill?

Thanks in advance!

The grinch that stole Christmas (decorations)

madajb — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:24:00 -0800

How do you stop Christmas decoration theft? So, my neighbor has one of those awesome, totally kitschy Christmas displays with the lights, and blow-up snow-globes, and LED trees and spotlights , etc.
It's one of the things I look forward to after Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, since the world is full of, let's say, less than honest people, every year he loses a piece or two of decoration.
This year, one was stolen _the night it was put up_.

Needless to say, he's become somewhat tired of this, and the Christmas letter this year mentioned 2009 might be the final display.
Since I obviously can't sleep without the soft glow of 10,000 Christmas lights, I'm turning to you folks.

I'm in need of a method to either:
A) stop extension cords from being disconnected or
B) alert someone when they are.

I'm envisioning either a variant on those "quick lock" cord connectors or maybe a protective cover over plug connections for A.
For B, maybe something that all the cords can plug into to that sounds an alarm if something is removed?

It seems like this is something that has to have come up in the construction trade, or somewhere. But my google-fu has thus far failed me on keywords I think would be appropriate.

I'm also interested in how other poeple have dealt with this issue, methods etc.
But I'd like to get something tangible that I could give him to say, "C'mon, give it one more year"

Honey Treats

mccarty.tim — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:07:58 -0800

Help me come up with candies and/or baked goods based on honey and/or comblike structures! This Christmas, I'm getting my sister a crocheted skunk doll, partly because she loves stuffed animals, and partly as an inside joke. Earlier this year, we had yellow jackets, and the ones under the ground were eaten by a skunk after we poured peppermint hemp soap down the holes, who left bits of comb on the yard. My mom and I were thrilled an animal took care of it for us, but my younger sister said that skunks were gross animals and that she didn't like having one near the house, voicing a lot of her concerns through her stuffed rabbit.

To complete the joke, I'd like to bundle the skunk with some kind of honey candy or other treat that's either based on honey and/or comb-like. I thought about comb honey, but that's not quite what my sister would like to eat (she's high-functioning autistic, so some more exotic textures like beeswax are daunting) and it's surprisingly expensive. If anyone has any suggestions for a treat that would be stable overnight under the tree (ie it won't melt/go stale), I'd like to hear it.

Bonus points if it can be quickly and covertly made, especially well in advance.

A Campy Christmas

bigmusic — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:23:20 -0800

I'd like to decorate my apartment in the most campy way possible. What must I have?

Large ball christmas lights?

middleclasstool — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:30:21 -0800

Where can I get new, large, spherical Christmas lights? When I was a kid, I grew up with the large, ball-shaped GE lighted ice Christmas lights on the tree. They look like this, and they're about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.

My parents got me a couple of strands off of ebay for my own tree a couple of years ago, after I'd talked about how much I loved those lights as a kid. But every year I discover about five more dead ones, and replacement bulbs go for a premium on ebay, with no guarantee that they won't die off just as rapidly. I'm down to two strands.

So I'm looking for something similar -- they don't have to have the glued on plastic bits that make it look like a snowball, though faceting or something like that would be preferable. LED would be preferable too, but not mandatory. But they need to be big, somewhere in the neighborhood of a 2" diameter.

I can't find them. Anywhere. Closest I can get in a larger bulb is this traditional teardrop shape, which I don't like as much. Does anyone know of a place where I can get them, reasonably priced?

Restaurants in Brooklyn Open on Xmas?

Falconetti — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:36:45 -0800

My family is staying with me in Brooklyn this year for Christmas. If we don't murder each other before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, does anyone have any recommendations for good restaurants that are open on Christmas Day in Brooklyn? For Christmas Eve, we were thinking about cooking at home but also ordering in, so any recommendations for that (I live in North Park Slope, so it would have to be somewhere close by)?

Suggestions for holiday cheer in Chicago please!

bluloo — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:16:48 -0800

What to see and do next week (especially Christmas day) in Chicago? My parents and I will be in Chicago for several days next week, including Christmas day. I'm looking for suggestions of things to see and do (I've seen this thread but the question and responses focused mostly on hotel recommendations). I've been to Chicago several times, although never during the holiday season. So, I figured I'll take them to see the typical touristy things, but what is a can't miss during the holidays? Any suggestions for places to eat Christmas day? We haven't decided whether to go out or try to cook in, so both brunch/dinner ideas are welcome, especially if there's something fabulous out there. My mom and I are thinking about going to see the Nutcracker, but other than that our plans are wide open. Help us plan our trip, Mefites!

No Disrespect, Mr. Crosby, But I Need New Music

moviehawk — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:10:59 -0800

Looking for recommendations for good alternative Christmas music from the last 10-15 years, either original or by way of cover. Some of my favorite music on my "holiday" playlist is the non-traditional stuff. Currently on my list and in heavy rotation are:

Weezer's "Christmas Song" and "Christmas Celebration"
Ingrid Michaelson and Sarah Barellis' "Winter Song"
Death Cab for Cutie's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
Barenaked Ladies "Barenaked for the Holidays" album

What do you know of that's been released in the last 10-15 years that could be added to my playlist to lengthen the gap between Andy Williams and Nat King Cole songs?