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O Holy Night!
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone who posts on this forum and to those who just read it. I hope you all feel the warm love of Jesus in your hearts and have a peaceful, restful happy time. If you are one of those who chooses to not participate in it at all, remember that Christmas is in your heart so it doesn't matter if you are with people or not. Enjoy it, no matter how you decide to experience it!
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I have an old Nintendo Wii system, the first one that came out so it must be 10+ years old now. The Wii uses controller motion instead of just buttons to work the game and most people like the virtual batting practice or bowling games. My family likes the Nerf shooting gallery too; it has every Nerf gun ever sold and lots of virtual tin cans. The Wii has something kids from 4 or so and all the adults can play together.

For the more energetic, the xbox 360 kinect systems has some games that use body motion where you flap your arms to fly, or step and bend to ride a wooden float down a raging river or move to avoid obstacles while riding a train car.

All the old favorites, checkers, poker, old maid, fish, and rook usually get pulled out while we visit and watch "home alone" again. Sometimes looking through old photo albums is fun too.

FYI: a lot of gamestop shops have the older reconditioned game systems for less than $100, some pawn shops have them for even less.
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Isthisrealyreal, I would love to open some windows but my asthma takes that option off the table much of the time. During winter there's not much blooming outside, but neighbors use fireplaces and maintaining relative humidity in my house is more difficult because heating systems dry the air so much. The dry air can contribute to drying out the air passages enough to make small breaks in the skin which cause (1) a painful burning sensation when using alcohol based inhalers and (2) an easy entry for airborne viruses. I'm immune compromised from decades of taking medications to suppress my asthmatic reaction to various irritants so I need to be extra careful this time of year to not pick up some respiratory infection. The kids laugh about me using Clorox wipes to clean all the door knobs, light switches, remotes, game controllers, fridge and bathroom surfaces a couple times a day, but even with all the kids coming and going and some of them getting the colds and flu going around the schools, Mom and I have mostly avoided becoming ill for several winters now. Mom had the flu last winter but I think she picked it up at adult day care.
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Smeshque
Many many years ago, a favorite holiday pastime after dinner was listening to the old Christmas songs - Eartha Kitt's Santa Baby - and playing trivial pursuit
Card games or a jigsaw can be fun for all ages too
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For a long time it was just DH and I, and we both enjoy the same things and always had fun together. Moved parents in, started doing things that they enjoy, not so much what we use to do. But we make the best of it. Now younger people are around and DH and I have gotten accustomed to doing things the older folks enjoy, like Mom and AB.
DH and I have been trying to think of things that we can all do so everyone has a good time. But we are clueless. Having a few people over Wednesday. We have no idea what we can do with all of them after eating so that everyone has a good time.
We are now soooo boring...........
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TNTechie, what about opening a couple of windows as the sun is settling to cool the house down.

I have a similar situation and I find that opening the house up does cool it off and freshen it up.

Merry Christmas.
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I guess I'm going to be running the AC each evening for the next week or so. The house is in the evening sun and warms to about 12 degrees F above the outside temperature. In winter, I usually enjoy the extra warmth, but sometimes it's just too warm for winter clothes and bedding. It got to 66 outside today so the house is 78 tonight and Mom finds her winter afghan too warm. The overnight low will be 38 so the house will cool to the 64 degree overnight thermostat setting around 3:00a or 4:00a and everyone will be cold under lighter covers... So I will run the AC to bring the house down to 68 or so at bedtime. Afternoon temps are forecast to be in the mid to high 60s for the next week.
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Becky that is hysterical! and great news for your friends Worried! Send, I am a bit concerned about North Koreas "Christmas gift" to the US.. I live near Washington DC and several military bases.
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Earthquakes have me wondering.
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Some very dear friends of ours have received the best Christmas presents you can imagine! We all so overjoyed for them! It so amazing to see something wonderful happen to such good people. It’s my husband’s best friends brother M. First, M has a daughter from his first marriage. His ex wife is bat chit crazy and fled with their daughter overseas over 10 years ago. She has refused to let her see her dad. M has tried fighting for custody but the courts overseas will not help him. He was able to get visitation with her around 5 years ago and she wanted nothing to do with him. This girl is also M’s parents only biological grandchild and they have loved and missed her dearly all these years. It’s been a heartbreaking situation.

A week ago, M’s daughter CALLED HIM. She is now 18 years old and has had a huge falling out with her mother because again, her mother is a looney tune. She has moved in with another relative. She told M that the reason she refused to see him and talk to him all those years is because she was afraid of her mother :(
I can only imagine what that girl has been through. And now she can finally have a relationship with the father who has loved her and never gave up!

M is now remarried to the sweetest nicest woman, A. She has a son from her first marriage, G, he is 11. G’s father is a deadbeat and has been out of the picture for years. M has loved G as his son, treated him just like a son, since he married A. And today, M’s adoption of G was finalized!

And it just seems so special and so magical, to have all of this happen right before Christmas. It is going to be a very merry Christmas for their family!
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I’m usually fairly serious. However, my son, his wife and three kids have no boundaries. Occasionally my 15 yr old grandson will say they’re embarrassing. My granddaughter 11 is into unicorns. I was shopping online and found her a pair of footie, hooded unicorn pajamas. They’re white with pink, lavender And other pastel touches (on the horn, mane, tail). I picked out her size and realized I could get them for the whole family. So my 40 year old son and DIL, plus kids 15, 11, and 6 are all getting unicorn pajamas for Christmas Eve. I offered a Christmas cash bonus for all who will ride their bikes or sleds around the neighborhood and post on Facebook and Instagram before 9:00PM on Christmas Eve. Year before last, the kids got scooters. They had red polka dot footie pajamas and posted family photos of themselves out on the sidewalk in front of their house in CA. Now sure how this will play out in their new very formal Illinois neighborhood. I also sent a pair for my son’s MIL. I think she’s spending Christmas with them. I wouldn’t want her to feel left out.
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I am off work for the next 3 days! And we had a light snow, and I had already decided that I was not leaving the house for any reason but a medical emergency ( My own families, not a work one..and indeed they did call to see if I could come in.. NOPE) I actually got a lot done, and am feeling more "Christmassy" Gifts wrapped, a few cards done ( only 4,,and am I the only one who is not in the mood to do tons of cards this year?) I am feeling a bit more optimistic,, horray!
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"What if Christmas, 'he thought, 'Doesn't come from a store....what if Christmas, perhaps, means a bit more? - The Grinch (Dr. Suess)
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Worried- you had me worried, :) when I first read you confronted them. Glad it wasn't you, especially being with child. :)
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OMG! My should say that my husband called the cops, and then when out and confronted the burglars. Heavens no that wasn’t me! I was 8 months pregnant LOL! I was in the house watching everything from the kitchen window!

and wanted to add....what was ice about this “holidays in the hood” party is that we realized how many of us are connected in various ways and didn’t know it until now! Like the lady who’s cat came to our house one day....found out that her ex FIL, who’s retirement party she just attended, worked for the sheriffs dept and worked closely with my husband when they were both in their respective departments narcotics unit! Another neighbors son is my husband coworker, but my husband & I already knew that because this neighbor is also my husband’s other coworkers BIL. This same neighbor is the head of the probation department and was part of the evaluation panel when my husband got his promotion. I have seen a police car at their house a lot over the last year and thought it was their nephew visiting, he is also on the force. Turns out it is their son and he still lives at home. There were just a lot of interesting connections between everyone!

point is.....I hope all you have nice neighbors too. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourselves to them too. One of the gals at the party lives on the street behind us and for years, for many years, I have seen her walking her dogs past my house and never said anything! I feel like I know her and her dogs because I’ve seeb them regularly for as long as I can remember! But I’ve never so much as waved or smiled! Took a neighborhood holiday party for us to actually meet. And this got me to thinking....we should all know our neighbors. And look out for each other.
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Just returned from a neighborhood holiday party and had a lovely time! And to think I almost didn’t go, almost stayed home with the kids but they said they wanted to walk over with hubby so I went ahead and went. Didn’t recognize most of the neighbors even though we’ve all been in this neighborhood for years. I did recognize a nice gentleman that lives behind us, I met him earlier this year after my kids found his car crying at our back gate. He had a name tag with his phone number & I thought he must have gotten lost so I called & they came and got him. A few years before this, we found their beagle in our driveway, they didn’t answer when we called so we just put him in their yard and secured the gate. So I met that gentleman’s wife tonight and she’s a nice lady. She works with the gal who hosted the papery. Also turns out it was their daughters car that was broken in to over night on Thursday which everyone had been talking about. Luckily nothing was stolen, she had her work laptop and a bunch of clothes in the car so we think the burglar must have been scared off. It was really a lovely gathering of neighbors and I have to say, we have some really nice neighbors! Everyone was so warm and friendly. Most are a bit older than me and they thought I was a teenager LOL but it’s all good, I enjoy being around older people. Don’t really care for people around my own age. Also took a trip down memory lane! It was 8 years ago almost to the day, when I spotted a few suspicious subjects attempting to break in to the hostess’s house! 2 twists of fate that day. 1) is that I had just gone in to the kitchen with my daughter to make a ginger bread house. It was around 3 in the afternoon, our kitchen is at the front of the house and faces out toward this particular neighbors house. I saw 2 boys around 17-18 years old, standing in the corner acting suspicious (like lookouts). And I knew they didn’t live in the neighborhood. I saw a third walk up to the house and go to the fence on the left side. Then one of the guys on the corner, crossed the street and went up the driveway and disappeared. The 2nd twist of fate is that my husband was on his first day of vacation, normally he would have been at work. He was in the garage doing something and when I realized what was happening, I told him and called the cops and then went out and confronted them and thwarted the burglary! When the cops arrived, 2 of the kids were now in the park and the 3rd was found in the backyard. We also found out that the neighbors teenage daughter was home alone! I had forgotten about that.
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Talkin abt grinch pjs..... omg i found some adult size footie pjs wth hoodie at walmart today. My mom just laffed and said “ i wldnt b caught dead in those”....another customer said it would be hard to get to the bathroom in a hurry in those. I looked, yep, no backside hatch....ah well, its too dang hot in Florida to wear those anyway...im still in shorts and tank top!!!
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Do not drive if you are Tipsy, Buzzed, or Blitzen.
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Well today was better.. I ran away for 4 hours with my BFF whos hubs just passed, and then this week her niece passed too. But we managed to get the "little stuff" shopping done, and had some laughs and a nice lunch ( she is the opposite of "droopy" and a joy to be around) Even remembering her hubs was joyous and not terrible, remembering the good and not the bad. And to my happy surprise I found a little gift for my hubs that he doesn't know about. It is the cutest gold pug cookie jar with cookies in it! About 14 inches tall, and he can store his cash or what not in it later. He does love that dog, says she has brought some life back into our "old age" house! At our age, in our house, most gifts are "what do you want" or were shopping together and see something.. or gift cards to places we go.. sort of not very spontaneous ..
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NHWM,

Here I thought I was to old to watch Charlie Brown not that stop me. Love the Grinch also! I guess, we really never grow up...do we? Lol
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MsM - hurling a stuffed kitty is so much better than hurling a real one. Or the caregiver😉
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Hey Pam,

Bah, humbug! Hahaha 😂
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Madge,

I love that name, Viking! I smile every time I see you post it. 😊
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Thanks, Send

I got the Viking a stuffed kitty which she calls her dog - she occasionally hurls it like a football when she gets upset during diaper changes - 🙀
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Cwillie,

my advice - go for a quick visit and who knows, maybe a once a week backgammon game might be something to look forward to
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Shell,

Those were my favorite pajamas as a kid. I loved them. I used to call them my footie pajamas. Hahaha

I watch the grinch every year! That and Charlie Brown. I love the music in Charlie Brown!
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Gershun,

I bet you would look cute in them! Plus your sister will get a kick out of it! I would if someone showed up in Grinch pjs at my house.
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I must get a pair of those pajamas. I'll wear them at my sister's place on Christmas day.

Love to you too Shell!

The Grinch
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This is the first year where I am feeling the Christmas spirit, the last 7+ yrs I was the Grinch. My funny and sweet sig other bought me one year the Grinch pajamas the ones that are a one piece with the feet! It made me laugh, but I wore them with pride! Lol! But won't be wearing them this year!

I hope Pam and Gershun that you both still have a wonderful holiday even if your Grinchy! We all still love you both!
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