The Holiday Season Thread

[gurugriff100]

The Holiday Season Is Here :-). Many Holidays Are In This Season:

. Thanksgiving
. Christmas
. Hanukkah
. Kwanzaa

And Many More.

This Thread Is Dedicated To Those Holidays That Bring The Family Together For Family Fun And The Time For Giving.

And Don't Forget The Events Happening Like:

. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
. The Walt Disney World Christmas Parade
. Holiday Specials

Now, The Holiday Season Approaches.

[Tell_No_Tales]

Does anybody know of any good locations / neighborhoods to check out christmas lights around the Inland Empire / O.C. area? I usually go check out christmas lights every year but I'm getting sort of tired going to the same areas. These are the places that I know of If anybody else is interested.

The Mission Inn - Riverside (Beautiful place to go and a good spot to bring a date)
Naples boat show - Newport Beach
There's a couple of really good streets in Corona. S. Main St exit off of the 91, to the streets right before Ontario Ave on the right hand side. (I think it's Pueblo rd and mission crt.)
There's a great neighborhood in Chino. Exit south off of the 60 on Mountain Ave, left on Walnut, Left on San Antonio and then you can't miss it. A week into December around 7 they actually block off the streets for cars and you have to walk through the neighborhood because it gets so busy. They also have one of the homes w/ the lights that go w/ the music.
There's Sunnymead Ranch in Moreno Valley but it's going down hill so nix that idea.
The quality varies a little year to year due to the fact that people move in and out of the homes. I would say it's worth going if you're in these areas.

[believeinmagic4ever]

Finally! I can't wait to see WDW's Christmas Parade! That's my favorite part of the holidays. I can't wait! :)

[Disney Babe]

Tell No Tales, I usually go to the Mission Inn and think it's the best!

I don't have enough money to go to DL, but if I did I would go see the Candlelight Processional.

Here are my traditions:

1. Visit Oak Glen (an apple farming community east of San Bernardino/Redlands) before Thanksgiving to see how the leaves turned color, have a nice walk on a nature trail with falling leaves, do some country type Christmas shopping, and stop in Law's Coffee Shop for a great sandwich and apple pie. Most locals go up there during Sept. and Oct., so going in November can sometimes be less crowded.

2. See the Nutcracker Ballet. My favorite is at the California Theater in San Bernardino. I believe they may be one of the only productions in So. Cal to actually use a symphony orchestra instead of musical tracks.

3. Go to Knott's Merry Farm to see their Christmas shows and craft festival and hear their carolers, which are the best. (I'm in a group that gets free admission from Thanksgiving to the end of December). I always feed the ducks in front of Independence Hall and get a yummy chicken lunch at Mrs. Knott's before entering.

4. My church has a large Advent Wreath, and each year I volunteer for one Sunday to say the Advent prayer and light the candle.

5. Visit the Mission Inn in Riverside! Besides seeing the lights, I always go in the lobby and check out the beautiful tree and decorations. If I am lucky, I can hear some awesome caroling from a local church that is often there. I like to go into the hotel's Presidental Lounge to hear this bass and piano combo play jazzy music, including Christmas carols. Last year I requested they play the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas and they did two songs, including Christmastime is Here. One year there were some people in the lounge that got up and sang with the musicians! Outside the Mission Inn I like to take a ride on one of the horse drawn carriages. They have one that is like a large wagon and the horses that pull it are pretty spirited. I've been able to sit up front with the driver before. I love it. Now they have a skating rink down the street and it's fun to watch kids skate there. Sometime there are groups singing nearby.

6. Of course, go to Mass on Christmas Eve. I'm don't like going to Midnight Mass anymore, because it's too chilly outside then and my extended family often gets together on Christmas Eve anyway. So I go to the early evening Children's Mass, which is always cute. I always watch Midnight Mass from the Vatican on TV, usually with a fire in the fireplace and a cup of hot chocolate. I usually fall asleep in the middle of it, though, so I tape it while I'm watching it.

I'm not much for shopping malls at Christmastime. I try to stay away from them as much as possible, except this little one in Redlands. Positively don't go into a Wal-Mart at Christmastime! Some other things I like to do is visit the local Hilton to see all their Christmas Trees (usually, at least three or four) and their Gingerbread House and go to Coco's Restaurant for their special Harvest Pie. And, last but not least, spend warm evenings at home in front of the fire with hot chocolate or apple cider watching my favorite holiday movies.

[Tell_No_Tales]

^ a good buddy of mine proposed to his girlfriend (he's wife now) during the carriage ride. I like eating at Las Campanas in the courtyard at the Mission Inn. It's such a great atmosphere during christmas time. Depending where they seat you, it's a good spot to people watch.

I have to watch "A Christmas Story" & the Charlie Brown Christmas every year.

[Disney Babe]

Originally Posted by Tell_No_Tales

^ a good buddy of mine proposed to his girlfriend (he's wife now) during the carriage ride. I like eating at Las Campanas in the courtyard at the Mission Inn. It's such a great atmosphere during christmas time. Depending where they seat you, it's a good spot to people watch.

I have to watch "A Christmas Story" & the Charlie Brown Christmas every year.

Do you mean the restaurant in the front? You should try the Presidential Lounge, cuz it's warmer! (As long as the table is not by the door.) They serve the same appetizers in the lounge. I love the flautas. Of course, it's kind of boring in there when the musicians aren't there. I'm sure that Los Campanas offers more to look at. Once I had dinner in the Spanish Courtyard at Christmastime; that was special.

My favorite holiday movies (mostly must sees for me) are:

A Charlie Brown Christmas

White Christmas

Home Alone

It's a Wonderful Life

Miracle on 34th Street

The Bishop's Wife (Cary Grant version)

The Polar Express

A Christmas Carol (Patrick Stewart's TV version)

Scrooge (the musical, with Albert Finney)

Meet Me in St. Louis

Little Women - newest version, has a great Christmas scene in the beginning and is so nice to watch when I am overloaded on Christmas stuff because it has a great story besides (same with Meet Me in St. Louis).

Other movies that have Christmas scenes plus more to offer are:

While You Were Sleeping

When Harry Meet Sally (I have to watch this every New Year's Eve that I spend at home.)

The Desk Set (a Tracy-Hephurn movie)

As you can tell, I do a lot of movie watching at home during the holidays! I remember one year I was stressing because I wanted to fit it all in and I couldn't! I also have recordings of TV specials with great holiday music that I try to watch too.

Editing to add......I can't believe I forgot to put on my list A Muppet Christmas Carol. Love that movie! A definite must see for me and I would recommend it to anyone with kids or a kid at heart.

[Disney Babe]

I just remembered another of my holiday traditions. Reading A Christmas Carol. Does anyone else do that? I finally received a copy as a gift a couple of years ago. I still like to go to the local library and check out a copy in paperback to carry around and read when I have some spare moments. If you don't read A Christmas Carol, do you read any other Christmas books? How about what you read to your children at Christmas?

[Tell_No_Tales]

Yes, the restaurant out in front. I'll have to try the Presidential Lounge. What!!! NO CHRISTMAS STORY?

[Tell_No_Tales]

I don't read any christmas books. Actually, I hate reading and have not read anything since I read "Of Mice and Men" during my freshman year of high school.

[Disney Babe]

Originally Posted by Tell_No_Tales

Yes, the restaurant out in front. I'll have to try the Presidential Lounge. What!!! NO CHRISTMAS STORY?

Christmas Story, for some reason, is not my thing. But, I see little bits and pieces of it anyway since it's on TV alot and I enjoy it when I do.

One movie that I really appreciate is the Bishop's Wife, although I don't find it all that engaging (just sweet). The end of the movie really hits home the true meaning of Christmas. One of the reasons I love A Charlie Brown Christmas too. At Knott's, they even recreate the speech that Linus gives. I love Knott's at Christmas cuz it's almost like having a real life Charlie Brown Christmas!

[Disney Babe]

Originally Posted by Tell_No_Tales

I don't read any christmas books. Actually, I hate reading and have not read anything since I read "Of Mice and Men" during my freshman year of high school.

He, he....back and forth answers! You would like A Christmas Carol, I swear! If you can get through the use of language in Of Mice and Men, it's much more enjoyable to read A Christmas Carol. Pick up a copy and just read the first page, it will grab you. The only thing is that Dickens goes on a bit too much in some places. Like when he says that Marley was dead as a doornail, that's cool, but then he goes on to say, "If a doornail can, in fact, be said to be dead." And then he continues with that for a couple of sentences. I just skip over that part (and a couple of other parts in the book). Most movie versions of A Christmas Carol are not as true to the book as they could be. It's much better to read the book, in my opinion, unless you see Patrick Stewart's version because he keeps very true to the book.

[Captain_Jenny1987]

woo woo Chanukah!

[disneylover]

I just watched It's a Wonderful Life for the first time last Christmas! I know, shocker. I wish I had watched it sooner. I fell in love with it, and hope to make it a tradition every year!

We always watch the 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story. Love, love, love that movie.

I have to listen to the Elvis Christmas album when I decorate the tree. If I can't find it, I won't decorate the tree until I can. I absolutely have to have it. It's a tradition in my family. It's not a very long record, so I listen to it over and over (I'm pretty sure it drives my husband insane)

This year will be my sons first Christmas and I am SO excited! He will be 10 months old. I cannot wait to start/carry on traditions with him. We are also going to go to Disneyland for a week (Dec 14-20) which will be amazing! I love Christmas =)

[pheediddy23]

okay let me be honest. i LOVE Christmas and i love listening to Christmas music, but it's a little too early for my local radio station to be playing Christmas music non stop.

[Disney Babe]

Originally Posted by pheediddy23

okay let me be honest. i LOVE Christmas and i love listening to Christmas music, but it's a little too early for my local radio station to be playing Christmas music non stop.

Are they doing that?

I used to kick off the holiday season each year on the second weekend of November by going to a local downtown merchants "open house", which has live holiday music, free carriage rides, and merchants who welcome you in the stores with tables of free food samples. My favorite store, which went out of business this summmer after 20 years, always had great decorations and yummy samplings, with nice Christmas music playing, and extra help going around offering you cider and other treats from trays. Plus they would have 15% off all holiday merchandise. I used to go crazy in there and had to force myself not to pick up more things to buy, especially holiday scented candles and specialty candies and cocoa. Not only did they go out of business, but a couple of other long time stores did. This is a pretty historic part of town, too. I was so looking forward to going to the open house this year, but during the summer I knew it would be depressing. So I skipped it without a second thought. If things were different, I would probably be humming Christmas tunes right now.

One thing I like to do, which has changed, is to go to the little mall in Redlands each year to see the local music teachers give their student recitals. It's so nice to see the wee little ones playing Silent Night on the piano and the older children tackle something like Sleigh Ride.