Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with holidays

Save me from Scroogedom.

nicolas léonard sadi carnot — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:48:45 -0800

It looks like I'll be in NYC over Christmas and New Year's, and I don't really know anyone in town. Any suggestions for how to salvage some joy from the holiday season regardless? Budget is reasonably flexible.

I really AM sick on a Monday, Boss...

ticktockdoc — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:12:54 -0800

Ugh. I actually *am* sick - sick since I woke up this [Monday] morning. But calling into work has me cringing under the duvet. Please help me out of this quandry... So I woke up this morning to a swollen gut and no less than three(!) rather explosive bouts of diahorrea [nice]. The problem? It's Monday morning - the most suspicious day of the week to be sick. I know it's only a 24 hour thing - I blame Sunday's pizza.

Anyway, I crawled back into bed around 8am and MEANT to call in sick to work [I'm one of two admin in a 6-person office]. But at around 9:15 my coworker texts me to say The Boss is in. This is special admin code: The Boss is supposed to be on a fortnight's holidays. When I ring in she says he's delayed his holiday until Wednesday. ~~WHYWHYWHY~~

So not only am I sick on Monday, which looks suspicious enough, I've also rung the office only minutes after the boss arrives. ARH! In my half-sleepy state, I didn't realize how darn suspicious that'd look.

Anyway, I was put through to Boss, who was nice and calm and quiet as I croaked my pathetic 'I'm sick' explanation. Throughout which I just wanted to scream ITS TRUE ITS TRUE ITS TRUE. I told him I'd *definitely* be in tomorrow, that I am convinced it's just a 24 hour thing [I am], that I might even wander in later today after I've slept it off.

Even that last line sounds desperate and suspicious.

Anyway, since that call I've had the runs again. Nice. So the prospects of heading into work around 12 or 1 are looking a tad more remote. I usually dress up and make an effort with make-up when I go to work - but I was thinking of slobbing in sans warpaint and wearing sweats [which I can techically do, we've no dress code] to make my point that yes, I'm sick. But not *too* sick that I can't work, you know?

I need damage control! How can I stop this looking like I bunked off work because the boss was on hols? Does going into the office make it look like I only came because The Boss is there? Do I go in and look suitably haggard? Do I show up tomorrow morning right as rain and have everybody think I just couldn't drag my carcass out of bed on a Monday? The office knows I don't drink, so I don't even have a hangover excuse after the weekend. I'm rarely sick too - in the year and a half I'm there, I've only taken four other sick days.

I just can't shake the impression I've made a mess of this situation. The dicky tummy doesn't help either. Please, any advice or perspective would be *so* apprecaited!

I am getting rickets!

you're only jung once — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:58:27 -0800

The girlfriend and I cannot take another mm of rain in Scotland. We want to go somewhere hot (europe...anywhere!...hot!) for 4-5 nights (leaving tomorrow) but cannot find anywhere helpful to book a place to go. Please... help... somebody.... impulsive.. to find a website that'll help so WE CAN BE DRY!! As we are Scots we are also cheap. So no Lear jet recommendations. Cheers.

Can anyone recommend a similar Barcelona hotel?

angryjellybean — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:07:28 -0800

Can anyone recommend a similar Barcelona hotel? My boyfriend and I are hoping to stay in Barcelona sometime between the 14th and 23rd September for 7 nights. Last night, after checking MeFi, we found the perfect one -

http://www.hotelbanysorientals.com/

... only to discover that it's not available for the dates we need.

Can anybody recommend a really nice, cosy, not grossly expensive, not ridiculously noisy and central, friendly, perhaps even nice-looking hotel in Barcelona?

I think that due to the location of the Banys Oriental, we're also preferably looking for somewhere near or around the Jaume 1 or Barceloneta(?) metro stations.

Where in Ontario for a short boat trip?

Scoops — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:14:26 -0800

I'm planning a two night boat trip in Ontario with my son. Any ideas on a waterway that will keep us occupied while we aren't fishing? We have a 16 foot boat so I need a fairly calm lake or river system.

Festivals around the world

bikergirl — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:55:30 -0800

Is there a good reference site for festivals around the world? I'm going to be traveling and this would be a neat place to start planning where to be when. I'd like to find a resource that has actual festivals, not just holidays (like you wouldn't specifically come to the US for MLK Day but you would for the 4th of July).

Looking for a European holiday apartment.

DirtyCreature — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:54:09 -0800

Where is a good place in a European city for a non-European to buy a small but nice two bedroom apartment for holidays? Looking for a city environment. How much would I need to spend? Are there any regulatory hurdles? Where do I find them? I was kind of leaning towards Paris but am fairly open. I am also open to Eastern Europe in safe areas and don't want to have to worry too much about the apartment when I am not there.

bah humbug

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:48:18 -0800

My family members decided to suddenly start celebrating Christmas this year. I feel weird about it. Help me deal with these changes. Some family history is important:

My parents were immigrants to the US. We weren't raised Christian (or Jewish) and never grew up celebrating Christmas. The major family holiday was Thanksgiving, we'd barbecue on July 4th, have New Years celebrations, and go all out for Halloween.

Christmas (ie, winter break from school) was usually spent sleeping, watching movies, some homework, but mostly just hanging out. We actually tried celebrating Christmas one year with a small plastic tree, but it was weird. We never continued. I never felt deprived not celebrating this major American holiday, and it didn't seem to be a major things for my siblings, either. Sure, there were the pressures of "what did you get! what did you get!" - when we returned to school with our peers, but, it never really bothered me. I got gifts on my birthday, which was satisfying. I personally felt like I was in on some esoteric knowledge, of Santa's myth (sadly breaking the news to my best friend one year). I never felt this feeling like I was really missing out on something.

Fast forward 20-something years. My sisters are both married with kids (I am not). Their husbands are of a very similar upbringing as us.

This year, my sisters decided to celebrate Christmas. (By celebrate, I mean decorations, a tree, presents, everything in the secular sense). I feel really weird about it.

They invited me (which was nice) but I live several states away and had plenty of other things going on. I'm also a poor grad student - I can't afford to fly down often and buy gifts all around. I've also never had to worry about that before.

i think if it were just one of my sisters, it wouldn't be as uncomfortable - but it's like both of them are joining forces to suddenly start a new family tradition. I'm trying to think of this in light of my niece and nephews (toddler to elementary school aged), and that involved in the secular version of Christmas are still some fun and exciting rituals and activities.

I realizing that this is very me-centered, so I'm looking for advice for anyone who has ever experienced a sudden change in family tradition, and how you dealt with it. To be honest (and yes, totally about my ego) I feel kind of peeved that, as adults we've all kind of done our thing at the end of December, and am now feeling a sense of exclusion that - ok, new family tradition - and I don't really want to join in. I dislike the materialism, the malls, the shopping, the going broke, the bills, the formalities. It's foreign, and being "deprived" sounds bizarre to me (my sisters words, not mine) We always have Thanksgiving together as "family time" and I certainly celebrate the birthdays of my niece and nephews (if I can't go, send cards/presents). I'm scared that this tradition will continue, and unless I partake in it, I'll be the weird aunt. I'm generally very fond of change, but this change, not so much. Help me, please.

NYC on Xmas Eve:

shiu mai baby — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:43:02 -0800

I'm going to be in New York with my dad on Christmas Eve. What should I expect, crowd- and activity-wise? The current plan is to bum around a bit, see the tree, see the windows, and maybe catch a show. What is New York like on Christmas Eve? I've read up on Christmas day here, here, here, and all through here (which led me to the somewhat helpful thread here), but I haven't been able to find out much about the day before, aside from places for dinner and where to go for midnight mass (we'll be leaving in the early evening, so that won't be an option, unfortunately). Is it one of the most insanely busy days to be there, or have people pretty much holed up and/or gone home by then? What's the mass transit scene like?

I know the theatres generally have only one afternoon performance (if at all) -- do these typically sell out well in advance, even if it's not one of the hotter shows available? More specifically, I was toying with trying to catch the matinee of Avenue Q, which regularly shows up on TKTS, but if the Christmas Eve show is more popular than another day's performance, should I bite the bullet and pay full price?

Any other can't-miss things I should put on the itinerary?

Where can I buy a ridiculous Christmas sweater?

yeti — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:49:55 -0800

Where can I buy a ridiculous Christmas sweater? I'd like to have one of those ugly holiday sweaters people wear at parties while they drink eggnog. They seem to be in abundance in the memories of my youth, but I have no idea where I could find one now. Is this something department stores simply carry? I feel Macy's is too hip (and probably too expensive). I'm in NYC.

BUY BUY BUY

Pants! — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:41:30 -0800

Charity for Christmas? I have pretty much everything I need (although not necessarily everything I would like). This year, I decided to ask for charity contributions instead. I'd like a list of charities that help people directly (such as MADRE and the Wheelchair Foundation)

Any that you know about that seem good to you?

Sales for budget laptops?

brett — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:01:08 -0800

Are there likely going to be holiday sales on budget laptops? My siblings and I are planning to give our mom a laptop for Christmas. She doesn't need anything extravagant; plenty of the budget models will work well for her. Right now I'm looking at the Dell Inspiron 1521 and the Toshiba Satellite A215-S4697 since they're listed as Consumer Reports Best Buys, but I still need to do a bit more research too.

I may be able to make the purchase over the next day or two, and all things being equal I figure I might as well just to get it out of my hair. But if I could save some money by holding off a bit, I'd like to do that. So, are these sorts of models likely to be discounted for the holidays?

Insider knowledge would be awesome; sharing experiences from the past year or two would be great, too. And I'm all ears for any other tips about how to save or keep the hassle to a minimum. Thanks so much!

Looking for an awesome chocolate dessert!

peep — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:30:33 -0800

Please recommend a delicious, decadent, primarily chocolate dessert that I can make for Thanksgiving. Some constraints inside. I need a fabulous dessert, and I'd prefer it be mostly chocolate. Cake, torte, pie, easy, difficult, almost anything is OK, with the following exceptions:

1. No cheesecake, custard, or flan. Cream cheese as an ingredient is OK; this restriction is texture-related. Nothing custard-textured.

2. Plain chocolate layer cake is not what I'm looking for, even if it's really good. I already have a GREAT chocolate cake recipe, but it doesn't have the special quality I'm looking for.

3. I'd prefer to avoid a trifile as my mother-in-law has a special trifle she makes often, so that's kind of "her" dessert.

4. No walnuts or pecans.

I'm really looking for something you make and love, or have personally eaten. Links or posting the recipe is fine. I've been searching online but haven't yet been struck by that perfect recipe. Thanks!

quote for a holiday card.

Soulbee — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:34:13 -0800

I'm looking for a quotation that would be appropriate to include on a holiday card in the vein of growth, renewal etc I will be designing my own holiday card non-denominational/nonreligious and including one of these: matchstick garden in each. My holiday cards always have a seasonal quote about winter or some such (last year I used a quote from Denis Johnson's "Jesus' Son" -- "This beautiful chill, this sudden crispness, the tang of evergreens stabbing me"). Any ideas for a quotation similarly non-religious or denominational but still reverential and hopefully geared towards growth and renewal?

How to avoid the holidays without causing a big riff in the family?

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 14:46:07 -0800

Is there a way to excuse oneself from family obligations during the holidays? A way that would minimize gossip and guilt-trips? Any successes out there? Because everyone probably has messed up families, I'll keep it short: Over the last year I had several times where I was in need of some non-financial help. Looking back, out of the tunnel, I can see how as one friend put it, "your family is just kind of a bunch of assholes."

They're not terribly toxic, like many other families I've read on here, just sort of very status conscious. I've been distancing myself by not attending lesser gatherings, but have a feeling that the major holidays are more of a must. I'd like to avoid them at all costs while minimizing the drama.

Has anyone successfully avoided the holidays? Directly saying I don't want to go would cause unnecessary fights and gossip. I'd like to recuse myself to minimize this. I'm sure I'm not the first person on here to deal with this, so personal stories about what to expect or what not to do would be welcome.

Seeing them every couple of years would be more than enough for me, and I'd like to enjoy the holiday season again.

A family trip to volunteer in New Orleans?

Ash3000 — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 05:06:44 -0800

My immediate family is considering making our holidays vacation a trip to New Orleans to do volunteer work, excavating houses, etc. Problem #1: We have no idea where to start. Short story is this: this year, it's my turn to pick where we go for the holidays. (We're upper-middle-class, generally speaking, 48 continental states is usually fine, outside the US mainland probably wouldn't be. I'm the oldest of three children, five-member nuclear family.) I had the idea that it would be a really, really interesting and worthwhile experience to donate our time as a family volunteering in New Orleans - I spent my spring break doing such, and was blown away by the experience. Only problem is, I have NO idea what the next step is. What's the best volunteer group to register as volunteers with for a short period of time (i.e. 2-5 days)? Anyone know of any families that did things along this line? Any tips we should know? Any things in New Orleans that we'd enjoy as a family during the evenings? Is this even feasible?

Impromptu marriages for all! Annulments for some!

Large Marge — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:37:19 -0800

A large group (6-10) high school friends want to meet in Vegas for 4 days over new years. O' Hive mind, where can we get the best deal on airfare and a hotel on the strip? Please help as most of us are now exceedingly poor graduate students. Also, what else should we not miss in vegas. Two friends want to get married by Elvis, I want to shoot guns in the desert at dawn with a hangover, and one of us is going to get a tattoo (whether they want to or not). What is worth seeing, which bars are worth going to, cheap food, etc. Also, what is a good idea to bring with us? We are all under 25, so a rental car is probably not gonna happen.

Where to eat and drink in NYC on Christmas day?

triv — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 05:51:06 -0800

I'm going to be in NYC with my girlfriend over Christmas, and need some advice from the hive mind about the general opening hours of restaurants and cafes on Christmas day in Manhattan. We're flying in on 22nd and leaving on 27th December, and have been to NYC once before in the winter so know what we're getting into. However, this is the first time we'll be there on Christmas day.

So, does anyone have any knowledge of *cheap* but nice restaurants that open on Christmas day? What about shops and cafes? Does the Subway run? Does everything shut down or are certain places open? Bonus points for any attractions that we should visit that would also be open. We're just as happy bumming around and taking pictures, but will have to stop and eat at some point!

Where to spend Rosh Hashanah in London?

Patrick Graham — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 13:58:39 -0800

A young professional Jewish woman of my acquaintance is moving to London for about a year and would love to find some community that might be welcoming to a stranger for the holidays. Suggestions as to places to meet (reform preferred) Jews, websites, etc. would be welcome.

Help us find a regular location for weekends away - starting in Birmingham, UK - by public transport

LyzzyBee — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:37:23 -0800

We want to find somewhere we can regularly visit, that is accessible from Birmingham by public transport (up to 3 hours) and not too expensive. Seaside would be the best option. A guesthouse or perhaps a caravan site. Where can we easily get to in that timescale? We like unpretentious places, we're not interested in jacuzzi baths or 5 star food - a nice B&B and fish'n'chips on the pier is more our style.

The problem we have is finding out where we can actually go and get there by public transport. I miss the seaside and would like to be able to get there. Quiet out of season seaside is just as good as the bright lights of Blackpool!

What to do with greeting cards?

sian — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 13:26:24 -0800

What can I suggest my partner do with a huge stack of greeting cards he kept? I am a fan of spartan living and decluttering. I have only kept a couple of sentimental cards I have received throughout my life. My partner, however, keeps all cards he receives--birthday cards, congratulations cards, greetings from a number of different holidays and stacks of cards from family from three different graduations. More often than not, nothing is written inside them except "Love, (family member)". All the cards take up a considerable amount of space. He doesn't like throwing them out.

Aside from tossing all but the most sentimental cards (my favorite solution), what are some space-saving ways we can organize and keep these cards? I suppose an album would work, but I highly doubt it would ever get opened, and that too would take up shelf space. We are not typically into crafty DIY projects (like creating a card quilt, etc.).

Should I reschedule a trip to Longleat?

ascullion — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:08:04 -0800

So, I've agreed to drive a group of people to Longleat Safari Park this weekend. It's been in the diary for months, but the weather forecast is not good. If you've been to Longleat before - is the bad weather going to spoil the trip? should we reschedule?

How to find holiday accommodation accessible by public transport?

janecr — Mon, 07 May 2007 09:40:26 -0800

Can you recommend any sites which list (or allow easy searches for) villas/cottages/apartments in Europe that are accessible without a car? I've found a couple for Italy here and here - any other suggestions?

how can i advise a youth-mentorship organization to be sensitive to the cultural and religious needs of its young participants and their parents?

twistofrhyme — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 16:09:16 -0800

how can i advise a youth-mentorship organization to be sensitive to the cultural and religious needs of its young participants and their parents? this Q applies to a very diverse group of kids. the issues i've noticed so far have specifically affected the muslim kids. i work with a wonderful program that involves kids of varying faiths- definitely muslim and hindi, and i don't know what else- it's hard to say by guessing, and i don't want to ask the kids. i know there are kids from various african countries, including somalia and ethiopia, the west indies, the middle east, asia, southeast asia.... etc. this is in toronto, if that gives any clue as to how mixed this bunch is. there are relatively few white kids, and lots of first-generation kids and immigrants. the kids range from 8-14 years old.

the program is non-denominational, and organized by pretty secular people. i've observed some practices i suspect are inconsiderate to the religious kids- scheduling events on, or the morning after Eid, for instance, or serving pepperoni pizza for lunch. many of the kids and their parents are clearly uncomfortable making demands, and instead try to be accomodating (for instance, i saw a kid ask if the cheese contained rennet, and, getting no good answer, she only ate broccoli and fruit instead).

i would like the organization to be more sensitive to any relevant concerns, and i have no qualms about tactfully pointing out some of these issues- but i'd like to provide constructive suggestions when i do so. i'm specifically thinking about food and scheduling, but am very curious about other concerns i may not have thought of.

here's a quick rundown of the program:

lasts the duration of the school year. involves some saturday full-day activities (which are scheduled months in advance) and some phone activities (once a week for about 25 mins., flixible scheduling).
the kids all attend co-ed toronto-area public schools.
they wear their own clothes, with large program t-shirts overtop.
they are served bottled water, juice and milk in cartons, pizza (veggie, pepperoni, chicken, hawaiian) from a sponsor (pizza pizza, i think), fruit salad, veggies and dip, packaged granola bars and fruit snacks, and grocery store cookies (caramel, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, M&M). the pizza is served by the latex-gloved hands of volunteer servers- so their gloves touch all varieties of pizza.
the authority figures are all adults, and all clearly jewish or christian-ish. although they are kind, i can see how a kid would be intimidated to make a religious request.

my question:
what can i suggest that will benefit these kids from now til may, and then to benefit all the kids forever after?
specifically, when are the religious holidays we'll need to schedule around?
how will we know when these fall in subsequent years?
any foods to try, or avoid?
things to find out about the foods we serve, so as to be able to answer questions?
is there anything i'm not thinking of?

my caveat:
please, no wrist-slapping here- i genuinely want to help, and am being reductive only so i can ask an answerable Q that doesn't drown in specifics (although, it's a pretty long Q, so i guess i failed there). also, please go easy on the program itself- they are *great*, and are doing incredible work with these kids. i'm 100% sure that the kids net way more benefit out of it than any non-denominational gaffe might cost them. besides, all mis-steps are due to ignorance, not insensitivity, and i know that if i suggest concrete changes, that they'll really try to implement them.

thanks in advance for your advice!

Christmas in Florence?

tristanshout — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 18:47:58 -0800

As a first-time visitor to Rome and Florence (and Venice?) at next Christmas and New Year's, what can I expect? What is a must-see attraction that might have special holiday hours?