What about Christmas?

[al from Canada]

I'm sure that most of you, like myself, are feeling kinda burnt-out, sick of this cancer crap, talking about molecular targets, thinking about relaspses....

I must say that I've never been disappointed in by any aspect of this site. As well, everytime we get a new member, our global friendships expand a whole lot more because everyone of you is so important to each and everyone of us.

Sooo, let's take the focus off the big "C" and share christmas plans....I'll start:

Being of European (Austrian, aka Arnold) decent, we have always celebrated Christmas on the 24th. This make life almost simple because we see my family on the 24th and Linda's on the 25th. This year we are hosting BOTH (I almost lost my breath) families!! That's OK because I love cooking, have always done most of it, and it is easier for me to be pre-occupied with basting a turkey or making chicken schnitzel, than deep conversations with our guests; some I see only once or twice / year. We used to go to Vermont skiing but that sort of died 3 years ago. That said, skiing will be rejuvenated in January or February in Whistler B.C.

Christmas has always been far more important to Linda and the kids than myself but that's probably the best reason to have a good time FYI: Linda was Christmas shopping last July, sick but true.

stay out of stress,
Al

[StephN]

Well, being in the retail wine trade in a large city, you can well imagine how busy we are at this moment.
Normally we host some family members over the holidays, but it is working out that this year we have NO one but ourselves. We had people here even when taking my various cancer treatments. (I think they thought it may be the last Christmas we would all have together so they came!)

We will go to our daughter's nearby on Christmas day, but it will be the smallest group of us in years - down from a high of 22 one time. As my hubby is French, we always order a Bouche de Noel (or Christmas log cake), and we have plenty of good champagne and wine. They are doing a prime rib dinner this year, and I am bringing a hearts of palm salad.

So, as the family recedes and the kids and grandkids grow up things do change. I will actually welcome the break, as all my bad news seems to come in January year after year just after taking whoever was here to the airport!!
Maybe it will be good news with the tests this time.

Merry Christmas to one and all!

[jhandley]

Hi all
Our family are gathering in Hamilton, Victoria where I and my sister live. This year I had a bit of a "blood rush to the head" and put in an inground pool with a current and solar and gas heating so it will get a fair bit of use. Then just a bit of house and garden maintenance before heading to Koroit for a celtic music school for 5 days and then to Tasmania for some wilderness time. And a few days at the beach (50 minutes away) to finish up before school goes back at the end of jan plus my 46 th birthday and my daughter's 9th in Jan.
Have a happy christmas!
Jackie

[Roz]

Hi, I am going to the Blue Mountains for Christmas. Just looked up the weather for THE DAY and it will be a beautiful 26 degrees, which means even a little cooler still in the mountains. Hallelujah!! It will be great to share it with my sister (only surviving relative of family of origin) and her kids/grandkids and my daughter, her beautiful husband and even more beautiful kids. We can thank our lucky stars for what we have. Like others, I will have the sword of Damacles hanging over my head, as I have the big 1 yearly CT scan in very early January. But until then............
Love and Merry Christmas to all.
Roz

[RhondaH]

we are having a quiet holiday at home (my 4yo son Tony and Oma). I am on vacation from 12/23-1/3 and all I'm planning on doing are snuggles w/ Tony, reading, watching movies, playing outside, playing games AND...NAPS. Have a WONDERFUL, BLESSED holiday.

Rhonda Hoffman

[lu ann]

For the first time in many years I am actually ready for Christmas. The presents are all bought and wrapped. I even made several gifts, which I will be finishing this week. We will be going to my sister in-laws house for Christmas Eve and we will host my sister and her family Christmas day. I have my last treatment for 2005 today and will resume after the first of the year. I wish blessings to all of you and a very healthy and happy New year. Love, Lu Ann.

[Tracy]

We will go to my brothers house for Christmas Eve and to my sisters on Christmas Day. We are such a large family that we exchange the kids gifts on the 24th....less to carry around on Christmas Day! We will have good food and good company.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

What a good idea Al -

We celebrate Christmas eve (noche buena) at our house. Although I am of Italian/Spanish decent, growing up in Tampa, we have adopted the Cuban tradition of Roast Pork, black beans and white rice with all of the fixings..

I have taken the tradition from my mother (who has passed) and we celebrate at our house. My three daughters and their families come over (I generally do most of the cooking which I love) and we open up all of our gifts to each other on this eve. The grandchildren always look forward to this night. I always try to invent something new for them experience.

Being on chemo again, I really thought I was not going to be able to pull it off this year - but am still hanging on to having at my home.

This is a "gift" to me to be able to celebrate "Noche Buena" for yet another year.

My wishes to everyone for a wonderful and safe holiday.

[fourboysmom]

I like the Christmas season best of all. I am busy with my little guys, thoroughly enjoying the innocence of childhood. Each day, they eagerly count the days left until Christmas eve, and dream of what will await them under the tree. I am busy doing crafts for their classmates, as well. Wishing you all the best! Love, Janet in New England

Thanks Al for the great idea! We have finally finished decorating, but I have a few more gifts to buy. I have to say, the gifts I chose this year are more thoughtful and less materialistic- inspirational books, beautiful videos and keepsakes like tree ornaments.My dad, who passed away in 1989 had hundreds of war letters from World War 2 and an autobiography. They were so interesting. I copied them and sent them to my family. They give a lot of insight into his childhood and the ancestors we never knew.
We are going to my brother-in-laws for Christmas Eve in Delaware. They always have a big dinner and party. Christmas Day my whole family is coming to our house in Bucks County, Pa. My son will be playing guitar at Mass. We have a beautiful shrine near us.- Our Lady of Czestochowa which is decorated so beautifully.I pray that the Holy Child will pour out his blessings to every one on this board. Merry Christmas to All and God Bless- Cathy

[jo50]

What a good idea - and I do feel as if I know so many of you through this website, so it's good to know what your plans are.
My Mum and Dad (who live in Maine) are coming down to our Long Island house for the holiday. My mother-in-law will come to visit for the day from the nursing home she lives in. We'll have a quiet day, but with the usual English holiday habits (I'm English, but the entire family moved here in the late 70s) - pulling crackers between the turkey and dessert so we can all sit around with silly paper crowns on reading the incredibly bad jokes that come in the crackers, Dad setting light to the brandy soaked Xmas pudding (and hoping it will stay lit from the kitchen to the dining room), and then eating (heavy and rich) Xmas cake in the afternoon when you really have room for not one thing more!! Then we'll head back to Brooklyn on Boxing Day and my brothers and their families will come in for gifts and lunch. We've scaled back so much on gifts in the last few years (for the adults anyway - the kids seem still to get tons of stuff!) and it makes it all much more fun somehow. We haven't put a tree up in a couple of years, but always drape greenery around and enjoy the wonderful pine-y smell. This will be my second Christmas since diagnosis, and I'm glad I'm here for this one, and intend to be around for many more! Good wishes for a healthy and happy new year to all. Jo

[Marlys]

Merry Christmas Everyone,
We are having our son, daughter, their spouses. 3 grandsons, and 1 granddaughter for dinner at our home on Christmas Eve. This makes it easier for them to spend time with the other families on Christmas day and my husband &
I just loaf around all day. I grew up having Santa come early to our house and opening our gifts on Christmas Eve. One year I nearly screwed up by sneaking down the stairs to watch for him and lo and behold there he was at the front door. I hurried back upstairs terrified that he had seen me and would not leave presents but there were presents under the tree so I guess I got away with it. Anyway,
this is my first Christmas since dx and I am so grateful for Mountain States Tumor Institute, my family, and this site and the prople here who have nade a real difference in my life.
Lots of best wishes for a great holiday.
Marlys

[Cathya]

I too live in Canada....in a small town along the St. Lawrence River.....so it's cold and white here. Some of the boats going up and down the river decorate with lights and even sound so I'm on the lookout for them this year! The pond beside my house freezes and the little kids in the next couple of houses skate on it. I love to watch all the activity. And....my own two kids will be home soon from university. My family lives close by and my brothers son's birthday is the 24th of December so we have a big family turkey dinner Christmas eve to celebrate. Then it's brunch at my house followed by our $25 gift exchange. It's so much fun! We each (about 17 of us) bring wrapped gifts. We each pick a number from a bowl and starting with number one chose a gift. If you don't want what you have you can exchange with someone else. Adults, grandparents, kids (although the youingest is 17 now) all take part. Then on boxing day we get together again at my other brothers for another meal. Boy that's alot of food.....and fun! The kids will visit with their friends and my son will take off snowboarding. I'll just visit and eat I think. I too have a big Catscan in January so I intend to relax and bask in the joy of family. What a comfort....like a big blanket on a snowy night. Whenever I feel the cold finger of fear I can turn to all of you here. Thank God for all of you!! Have a wonderful Christmas. God bless.

Cathya

[Lolly]

Thanks for starting this thread Al

I've ALMOST finished my shopping; we still have to get a box in the mail to Frank's mom and sister as we won't be travelling to see them this year. Our daughter and son-in-law will be going to his parents house for Christmas Eve then coming back to spend Christmas Day with us at my sister's house. Our son just bought his first home last year, so yesterday he, his Dad and I shopped together for outdoor decorations for his house! That was fun, and something I never imagined I'd be doing back in '99 when first diagnosed.

We've had a tree up since the first week in December, stockings have been hung on the mantel with care, and today I'm putting together a food box for a family in need.

Christmas has always been a time for me to be thankful for my many blessings.

Merry Christmas to All of Us!

Love, Lolly

[jessica]

I can't even believe it! I should be making all my gift deliveries today, but find my self sitting by the space heater, watching Oprah's "Favorite Things" show instead!
Christmas day this year will be one for the record books and one I hope to never repeat!! I'm scheduled for my liver resection on Wednesday, 12/21 @7am and anticipating a 4-6 day hospital stay. Under the best of circumstances, I may be able to go home on Christmas Day.
Regardless, there will be much to celebrate.My mom is flying in from Hawaii & 2 of my sisters from California to be with me. I'm usually the one that makes the treck to the West Coast from Atlanta, so this year I feel spoiled that my family is braving the chaos of holiday travel. This year, we will be connected, more than ever in prayer & strong faith on Christmas Day.
Certainly I would prefer a beach in Hawaii to a hospital room in Atlanta, but this year I'm getting the greatest gift...can it be called a gift when they're taking away 65% of my liver? All I know is they're leaving NED behind & that truly is a GIFT...
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, or as we say in Hawaii,
Mele Kalikimaka!

Keeping the Faith~
Jessica

ps~thanks to Al for starting this brilliant, spirited thread...

[AlaskaAngel]

I had the transvagional ultrasound and blood draw for the last time last week in Seattle as part of the early detection for ovarian cancer trial, plus mammogram, and had a full MRI earlier this fall, and all are fine except the blood draw so all in all a good start to winter. We had "Christmas" dinner in California with both sides of the family while we were in the Lower 48, and exchanged presents then. We just got back to our log house in Alaska and parties with friends here, and are glad to be "home". My work in health care is done via computer commuting, and as a "50-something" I am very thankful to be doing something I can do from home that I enjoy doing and that I feel does help people. My husband was born Canadian so we will have a very traditional English dinner; I am pretty much a "mutt" and plan to stick to "no red meat, no dairy" but definitely plan to do my share of damage at the table. If it gets cold enough to freeze I will take my skates to the lake and have a go at it. I'm very glad you are all here.

AlaskaAngel

[geraldine]

As I work in the bar industry, you can imagine how busy we are even at this moment.

I will be going to my mums. She has Huntingtons Chorea and this may be the last year we will have her. Having said that, I remember saying the same thing last year...she's a tough old bird !!!!

My sister, who cares for mum, is doing a wonderful dinner for 8 adults and 3 kids, she's an absolute angel. We do help her Honest!!!!

Hogmanay is when we celebrate in Scotland and boy do we know how to do that. This year will be even better for me because I'm not on chemo only herceptin, so maybe a few whiskies will go down well.

Merry Xmas to All
Happy New Year & best wishes for 2006

Geraldine

[jener8er]

Hi all, I'm staying HOME in California this year, and I'm thrilled about it!! As a misplaced Brit, I'll be doing a full English roast dinner - roast beef with Yorkshire pudding! We travelled last year (in the middle of chemo!) and the year before so I can't wait for my 4 kids to totally thrash my house with all their "stuff"! They too are looking forward to a nice quiet Christmas at home.

Peace to all of you.
Jen

[lexigirl]

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I plan on keeping the tradition of spending Christmas Eve with my fmily and Christmas day with my husband Ed's family. Usually we go to my dad's house on Christmas eve, but I think he may come to our home this year. Santa will come and the kids will have Christmas morning at home and then off to Grandma and Grandpa's for MORE presents and a yummy Christmas meal.

Last Christmas I never thought I'd be having chemo. 4 days before. As much as this has been such a shock to me and my whole family, it's quite amazing that our spirit is so strong as to overcome the obstacles we face.

I wish you all a wonderful and blessed Christmas. I pray that Jesus will touch each and every one of us and that His presence will be made clear and bring comfort this season and always.

I thank Him for all of you,

Lexi

[Sheila]

I will be having my whole family here for Christmas Day...as I have the biggest house, I seem to get elected every year...but what a blessing to be able to do it each year. I just found out 2 days ago that I will be a Grandma again, the 1st for my son & his wife and I am ecstatic!!!!!! What a great Christmas gift...in my family, which is quite large, it is a tradition to not buy gifts for adults, instead we pool the money we would have spent, locate a needy family or 2 with children, and make Christmas for them...gifts, dinner, tree...whatever is needed...they don't know who we are, we just show up with the "Christmas" gifts, food etc....doing this has given me the greatest warmth...better than any gift I could ever receive....we even get the grandkids and little ones involved to help pick out & wrap the gifts...it has become a family tradition that we all look forward to....and I have found the true meaning of "It's better to give than receive.

May you all have a beautiful Christmas, with extra blessings for improved health in the new year.