Gifts: Check. Food: Check. Now what?
December 22, 2009 7:38 PM Subscribe
This year, Christmas = me, Mr. TEA, and my mom (who is visiting for a few days) in our apartment. What should we do on Christmas day?
My mom is coming to our place tomorrow and staying through Christmas. Mr. TEA and I have been looking forward to it, and we really like the small, stay-at-home Christmas routine we started with my mom last year. Last Christmas, the novelty of not traveling and visiting lots of relatives made the holiday charming. However, I want to be sure that I have a few ideas for what to do this year just in case the balance shifts from charming to dull.
So far, the plan is that we'll open presents and do a lot of cooking. I've planned an ambitious menu to keep us working on a common project, but that might crash and burn if my mom isn't into it (hard to tell ahead of time if she will be or not) or if she has a few too many glasses of wine. My mom may go to church, but my husband and I won't be going. I don't think that any of us are getting gifts that will occupy us for the day, and I didn't think ahead to get some Christmas-y Netflix. And we don't have a TV. And we don't live near anyone we can visit. Any ideas? Nifty traditions you don't mind sharing? Games? Hulu recommendations? Something? Anything?
My mom is coming to our place tomorrow and staying through Christmas. Mr. TEA and I have been looking forward to it, and we really like the small, stay-at-home Christmas routine we started with my mom last year. Last Christmas, the novelty of not traveling and visiting lots of relatives made the holiday charming. However, I want to be sure that I have a few ideas for what to do this year just in case the balance shifts from charming to dull.
So far, the plan is that we'll open presents and do a lot of cooking. I've planned an ambitious menu to keep us working on a common project, but that might crash and burn if my mom isn't into it (hard to tell ahead of time if she will be or not) or if she has a few too many glasses of wine. My mom may go to church, but my husband and I won't be going. I don't think that any of us are getting gifts that will occupy us for the day, and I didn't think ahead to get some Christmas-y Netflix. And we don't have a TV. And we don't live near anyone we can visit. Any ideas? Nifty traditions you don't mind sharing? Games? Hulu recommendations? Something? Anything?
My family and I play an epic game of RISK on Thanksgiving, and it's pretty great.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:52 PM on December 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:52 PM on December 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: One of my favorite things about Mr. Shotglass' family is that every day that they're together, they'll do the NY Times crossword puzzle as a family. It just warms me up.
If I were in your situation I'd probably include some of the following things:
-Pixar's Up. - The in-laws loved this movie when we watched it on Thanksgiving.
-crossword puzzles
-ask your mom to bring your old family photos and scan them, or even just go through them together. You could build photo albums.
-watch the two Charlie Brown xmas specials up on hulu.
-grab some books/movies from the local library
posted by mrsshotglass at 7:56 PM on December 22, 2009
If I were in your situation I'd probably include some of the following things:
-Pixar's Up. - The in-laws loved this movie when we watched it on Thanksgiving.
-crossword puzzles
-ask your mom to bring your old family photos and scan them, or even just go through them together. You could build photo albums.
-watch the two Charlie Brown xmas specials up on hulu.
-grab some books/movies from the local library
posted by mrsshotglass at 7:56 PM on December 22, 2009
Best answer: I cannot say enough about a long walk. Looking at old memorabilia like report cards, class pictures, family vacation souvenirs, etc is great. I am partial to also taking a shift at a local soup kitchen.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:07 PM on December 22, 2009
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:07 PM on December 22, 2009
Best answer: Anything playing at the local movie theater that intrigues the three of you?
posted by mmascolino at 8:28 PM on December 22, 2009
posted by mmascolino at 8:28 PM on December 22, 2009
Best answer: Boggle is hours of family fun. One Christmas someone in the family bought it for my then-8-year-old nephew, but the adults played it all week long. Poor kid, by the time he got it back we'd used up all the little stubby golf pencils that came with it. Jenga's another good one, or Dominos. A deck of cards is a good thing to have around too -- look up card games you've never played before and try them out.
Games I have found lead to fights and should be avoided: Pictionary ("that doesn't look like a tree!!!"), Monopoly. At least that has been my experience.
Netflix has A Christmas Story available for streaming if y'all want to gather around the computer to watch it ("He looks like a pink nightmare!").
Nthing looking over old family photos and scrapbooks if you have them around. Those inevitably lead to great family stories which can be told and retold.
Best thing to do is just to have a good stockpile of possibilities around, but don't try to force any of them to happen. Oh, and be sure you have a good selection of Christmas music on hand. Enjoy!
posted by stennieville at 8:52 PM on December 22, 2009
Games I have found lead to fights and should be avoided: Pictionary ("that doesn't look like a tree!!!"), Monopoly. At least that has been my experience.
Netflix has A Christmas Story available for streaming if y'all want to gather around the computer to watch it ("He looks like a pink nightmare!").
Nthing looking over old family photos and scrapbooks if you have them around. Those inevitably lead to great family stories which can be told and retold.
Best thing to do is just to have a good stockpile of possibilities around, but don't try to force any of them to happen. Oh, and be sure you have a good selection of Christmas music on hand. Enjoy!
posted by stennieville at 8:52 PM on December 22, 2009
Response by poster: Y'all rock! I've already checked iTunes to be sure that Up is available (it is!), and I'm trying to remember where I stashed the family photos and the games. Thank you!
posted by TEA at 8:57 PM on December 22, 2009
posted by TEA at 8:57 PM on December 22, 2009
You should really, really consider going to church on Christmas. I'm assuming you are
Catholic, but google tells me some Protestants do church on Christmas. Forgive my ignorance.
But not just any church. Go to Midnight Mass. It's the best one, and there is something
very different about it. First of all, it's dark, and not dark like attending 6:00 am Mass
in a rural community in December. And it is at the end of a long day, instead of near the
beginning. You might have had a glass of wine or two by the time you get there, which
would be okay.
I'm an apostate perfidi£, having consciously and voluntarily chosen to leave the
Church, but Midnight Mass is surprisingly engaging. Besides, it's the Mom. She's a guest.
She'll have a lot easier time of going to Mass if you go with her. It's just hospitality.
posted by the Real Dan at 10:48 PM on December 22, 2009
Catholic, but google tells me some Protestants do church on Christmas. Forgive my ignorance.
But not just any church. Go to Midnight Mass. It's the best one, and there is something
very different about it. First of all, it's dark, and not dark like attending 6:00 am Mass
in a rural community in December. And it is at the end of a long day, instead of near the
beginning. You might have had a glass of wine or two by the time you get there, which
would be okay.
I'm an apostate perfidi£, having consciously and voluntarily chosen to leave the
Church, but Midnight Mass is surprisingly engaging. Besides, it's the Mom. She's a guest.
She'll have a lot easier time of going to Mass if you go with her. It's just hospitality.
posted by the Real Dan at 10:48 PM on December 22, 2009
What about some card games? Here is a big list of three person card games. I personally suggest Buck Euchre, it's part of my family tradition.
And of course, going to the movies. I really liked Sherlock Holmes when I reviewed it, and it comes out on Christmas, perfect! Good for the whole (adult) family.
That, and napping.
posted by banannafish at 10:49 PM on December 22, 2009
And of course, going to the movies. I really liked Sherlock Holmes when I reviewed it, and it comes out on Christmas, perfect! Good for the whole (adult) family.
That, and napping.
posted by banannafish at 10:49 PM on December 22, 2009
Nthing card games. Light some candles, make popcorn, uncork the wine, and stream goofy or jazzy holiday music while you play. Ho ho ho!
posted by Paris Elk at 11:44 PM on December 22, 2009
posted by Paris Elk at 11:44 PM on December 22, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Allee Katze at 7:48 PM on December 22, 2009