Women 50+ Know: How to reinvent the holidays

Hot Conversation

1. Serve somebody
From placidplaid in Alone for Thanksgiving
“One year my church rented a large space in a conference center and invited the homeless and anyone else who wanted a Thanksgiving dinner. This stands out in my mind as one of the best Thanksgivings ever.”


2. Cook your last bird
From grammy 2 4 in Merry Resilience
“I want to visit AT my daughters home so she is not the one packing my grandchildren up and taking what may be an unsafe drive on busy days. Let me take that role. Let my grandchildren nap until the very last second so they can enjoy the entire tradition we so want to hand down. I can get along with my ex long enough to make my grandkids happy, and I can even enjoy the company of his girlfriend of the season. Same with my SIL’s parents. Love them all and can’t wait to see them. For me, my preparation for the holidays are getting the address straight and to have a hostess gift for my daughter. It’s her turn. I’ve cooked my last bird. How else do traditions get handed down?”


3. Call a caterer
From Materexlibris in Merry $*&@%# Christmas
“Have everyone pitch in a few bucks and have all the events catered!”


4. Celebrate Winter Solstice
From rivercrone in Merry $*&@%# Christmas
“For about 5 years, I invited 12-20 of my women friends to join me in celebrating Winter Solstice. I put together an evening where we read about the customs, meditated, performed some rituals and shared some simple food brought by all, no gifts. Many of my friends told me that they considered that their holiday celebration each year and it became a tradition.”


5. Let the grown kids take over
From watruw8ing4 in Anyone else thinking of dropping out of the holiday season?
“I spent Thanksgiving with ex-neighbors, as I always do….This was the first time we managed to have all the twenty-something kids and their spouses and significant others together – 5 of them. I hardly had to lift a finger. Cooking and cleaning up was a well-oiled machine, and the older adults barely lifted a finger, let alone ask them to do anything! I think it’s because in the earlier years, we assigned them age-appropriate tasks, so they knew what it takes to prepare, serve and clean up after a huge dinner. Also it made them feel like they were part of the ‘show.’ They eventually took over more of the chores.”


6. Work it
From Barbara Winter in 5 holiday business ideas
“A seasonal business can teach you a great deal about flexibility, going with the flow and seizing the opportunities that are unique to a limited time of year. You can’t postpone or procrastinate when your venture is tied to the calendar.”


7. Head to Disneyland!
From rainbow56 in Merry $*&@%# Christmas
“This year, instead of all the money spent on things we have decided as a family to head the hour drive to Disneyland and just have at it! We don’t care about the lines or people there, just think of the photo opportunities and memories made when all 10 of us can be together!”


8. Bowling, anyone?
From tinkonthebrink in Merry $*&@%# Christmas
“On Christmas we plan on going out to eat and enjoying a day off. Most years we’ve gone bowling Christmas night with friends – it’s the only day of the year I go bowling and it’s one of the few places that stays open. We eat pizza and drink beer and bowl really, really badly while wearing shoes that have been worn by countless other people. It’s great.”


9. How about a sleigh ride?
From Brendajj in Merry $*&@%# Christmas
“I live so far into Northern BC, and most everyone here can’t go home for the holiday….I enjoy cooking a huge meal and just inviting anyone who has nowhere else to go to come to our house for supper. We live in the way out country, so my husband builds a huge fire in our firepit, everyone shows up in thir insulated coveralls, he also starts a fire in the wood stove in his shop, and the house is very warm and smells incredible….We have sleigh rides, and some bring their snowmobiles out….It’s quite the extended family affair. For me, it brings the true meaning of Christmas alive.”


10. Yucca or yams
From Lynette in Alone for Thanksgiving
“I found the perfect solution: A Cuban restaurant that caters to Americanized Latinos and also the newcomers. We can have turkey w/gravy w/all the American fixings or mix and match with arroz c/gandules or rice and beans. Yuca or yams, pumpkin pie or tres leches.”


11. Sail away
From drshe in Anyone else thinking of dropping out of the holiday season?
“A couple of years ago, I’d had a really bad year…surgery, loss of a parent, exhaustion and no tolerance to deal. I booked a holiday cruise to the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal. It was lovely. Diva treatment, traditional Christmas events if I wanted to participate, island events as well, every port day was sailing, snorkeling, beach time, etc. Sailing on Christmas Day in Bonaire….lovely. I highly recommend it.”


12. Hole up, sleep in
From Bammabits in Anyone else thinking of dropping out of the holiday season?
“Last year my husband and I very selfishly bought nice presents for each other and told the rest of the family we were not visiting or going anywhere. We just ‘holed up’ in our little condo and slept in, opened presents when we felt like it, ate when we wanted and just didn’t go….anywhere. It was fabulous! We are thinking of doing it again this year.”


13. Visit another city
From marit in Anyone else thinking of dropping out of the holiday season?
“Off to Savannah we go. We’ll tour the decorated homes, eat at the restaurants, and go to a special church service on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning, we will have a festive Christmas Brunch somewhere, and begin our journey home later that day. My daughter and I decided that every year we will plan a Christmas gathering that works for us. Without all of the usual trappings, we can afford to give more to charities and have time to volunteer to help others. I am in a peaceful mood as we approach the holidays and probably won’t have to enter a store or bake a cookie! Examine what will work for you and yours, and do that!”


14. See what charities your grown kids come up with
From susanadele in Anyone else thinking of dropping out of the holiday season?
“A few years ago, my sister and I decided we had enough ‘stuff,’ and we decided to donate to the favorite charity of each other and our adult kids for Christmas and birthdays. We asked the kids to do the same for us. We all feel much better doing this new tradition, and it’s fun to see what charities the kids (early 20′s) come up with!”


15. Christmas in July
From tjohnson141 in Anyone else thinking of dropping out of the holiday season?
“I live in a city that has 3 lakes within the city limits so I have my Christmas in July. I hate to think that my kids get all stressed trying to go everywhere they need to be at the holidays, so I have my “holidays” in the summer, when we can have a picnic, let the kids play outside and go swimming. It has been so stress free for me that I love the tradition that I started.”


16. An alternative to the cookie exhange
From lindakje in Merry $*&@%# Christmas
“How soon can we start the booze exchange? I am thinking yesterday.”