What is your favorite holiday?

[Natasha]

As soon as I start thinking about fall, I start thinking about all the holidays we have in the fall and winter...including my favorite, Thanksgiving. I love the weather, the food, the family, the sentiments, the holidays...I love it ALL.

What's YOUR favorite holiday, and, if you're inclined to elaborate, why?

I apologize in advance if I have missed your favorite holiday, and for not being able to mention more cultural and religious holidays of various faiths. Space limitations, y'know...do feel free to tell us about what those holidays may be, and how you celebrate them. :)

[sharon]

I have to say that Christmas used to be my all time favorite without a doubt because of all of the family traditions that went along with the holiday and being home with my whole family. Now that it is not a given that I will be "home" (South Dakota) for the holidays, my DH and I have found new traditions for the two of us that mean just as much as the old ones. In fact, we are staying home for Christmas this year and I am getting a little excited about it. The only thing I will miss is seeing the looks on the faces of my family when they open the gifts we will send. Isn't that the best part of giving any present though?!

Has anyone else out there grown used to spending holidays away from family and what has helped the most to get over that slightly blue feeling you get knowing they are all there having fun without you? In particular, families without kids around since one of the other great joys of the holidays for me was my niece and the fun she had with the cookie baking, present opening ect.

[Jewel]

For someone without children, I am SO into Christmas it ain't even funny! DH laughs at me because I start looking at Christmas decorations in the middle of the summer at shops and Christmas stores. I'm a junkie, I can't help it.

We don't usually 'entertain' at Christmas and no one really sees the stuff I do to the house but he and I, but I still feel so much better when I do! I'm also a Catalog Addict, and usually receive about 15 or 20 during the pre-holiday season (now!) that show me the newest 'gotta have' stuff for the holiday season. I'm totally into Snowmen, so I have stuffed and ceramic snowmen and snow families all over my house. We have a Christmas tree even if we're going to be visiting either of our families (out of state) for the holiday. In fact right now, I'm searching for the perfect Doggie Santa Outfit for our Sasha, our Siberian Husky, and the perfect Reindeer Antlers and stick-on red Rudolph nose for Riley, our little mutt. We want to have a good professional photo taken of them this year as Santa and Rudolph and make Christmas Cards out of them! :cool:

I never thought I would be this into a holiday, but I am. I have Angels all over my house all year round, but those Angels just seem to sparkle and twinkle a bit more during the Holiday season!If I had kids, I'd REALLY be in trouble! I'm not into spending a lot of money on gifts, I usually try to put a $20-$40 limit on most gifts, and this year I want to do as many homemade Foodie Gifts as I can. To me, the holidays are about being with the ones you love and celebrating the love we all share! :D

[MrsReber]

Christmas has always been my favorite, though I'm not sure why. I guess I just love the cozy warm feeling of winter. It's always a bit stressful with family obligations and gift buying, but I just LOVE to go get my tree and decorate it. It's going to be even better this year with our little girl! When I was younger, it was back and forth between the parents (they were divorced). Then, when we got older and were able to decide by ourselves which parent to spend the holidays with, my mom put so much guilt on us that we haven't spent any holidays with my dad in at least 10 years. How sad is that? This year, DH and I say the heck with everyone else. We're spending Christmas at home, if you want to come see us, you know where we live!!

[lhall]

Definately Christmas!

I really like shopping for just the right gift for someone. I like seeing someone open something they really like. Now that I have kids it's even more important. Seeing my DD's face when she came down stairs to see what "Santa" brought her was priceless. Growing up we always had a few gifts that were put out under the tree unwrapped from "Santa". DH and I did this even before we had children, although I wrapped all of his gifts last year.

I also love decorating the house, while DH would be happy if the decorations never come out.

That being said we are NOT allowed to skip holidays at my house. I don't like seeing Christmas decorations out before Thanksgiving, not to mention before Halloween. (Christmas shopping early is a whole different story).

I have a neighbor who loves Halloween because it is the beginning of the whole holiday season.

Leigh

[Angela]

I have to go with Thanksgiving! As much as I love Christmas--the gifts, the gift giving, and the whole festive mood. There is nothing like the feel of Thanksgiving morning with the Macy's Parade and the smell of the turkey and stuffing in the oven. Then eating the wonderful meal and pies! Aahhh...I can taste it now!

[SandyM]

I'm more of an Easter kind of gal. While I love Thanksgiving and Christmas, there is just so much added stress (I know, I bring it on myself). To me, after a long, hard Michigan winter, the sight of those bulb catalogs arriving in my mail in March, seeing the crocuses pop out through the snow, and start planning my yard clean up - Easter signifies a fresh new start! This, and the spiritual aspects of the season, are just a portion of the many, many reasons why I love Easter.

[crazyquilter]

Boy, it's Thanksgiving for me. All the fun, family and food of Christmas, but without all the frantic-ness (new word?!). I love spending the day in the kitchen, making dinner, baking pies, and when it's over, it's over. Till Christmas!

[emilycat]

It was a toss-up between Easter and Christmas, but the latter won out -- it just makes me feel good. I don't think, save for the beginnings of Spring, that any time puts me in a better mood by sheer virtue of its existence.
I love decorating for Christmas (but not before Thanksgiving is over!!!), I play Christmas music from Thanksgiving until after Epiphany, and the tree has such sentimental value for me. Decorating it is probably the one consistent thing my family does together during the holidays anymore (that, and dancing around like lunatics with homemade strobe lights to Mannheim Steamroller. :D )

Last year was the first year I had my own tree, and since my mother wasn't quite ready to give up all my ornaments, I used the ones they'd bought in Europe 30 years ago. I loved that tree -- I can't wait to buy one this year.

I'm huge on angel ornaments -- I collect them, and even though I'm really not a fan of "theme" trees, I can't wait to have enough to fill one with my little angels. :)

[aggie94]

Christmas for me too! I love all the other things people have already mentioned -- decorating, shopping for the perfect gifts for people, seeing people's faces when they open their presents, baking cookies and treats, buying a new ornament for the tree, etc. My family wasn't big on Christmas when I was a kid, so it's become more of a new tradition for DH & I that we like to celebrate together and with friends.

Two years ago, we had our first Christmas tree, a living tree that we kept on the front porch of our house and decorated there. After the holidays were over, we planted it in the backyard. Last Christmas, instead of getting another tree, we decorated our first tree in the backyard with lights and ornaments and everything and strung lights all along the perimeter of our yard. A few days before Christmas, we got an anonymous postcard in the mail from a couple who drove by our house everyday on their way to and from work and who just wanted to say how much they enjoyed seeing our little Christmas tree in the yard. It was the nicest thing and completely made my day. It's things like that that I love about Christmas.

[KValley]

At the moment, I would have to say Thanksgiving. For all of the reasons mentioned above- the glorious time of year (Fall is my favorite season), the coming together of friends and family without the added stress and expectation of Christmas (and gifts), the knowledge that it is the beginning of a wonderful holiday season (rather than the blues post-Christmas/New Year's)- that December and all of its joys still lay before us, rather than the gloom of January.

I love the Christmas season, too- I love to decorate the house, the tree, play carols, (like Emily, holiday music at our house starts at Thanksgiving and last through Epiphany), bake up batches of cookies, enjoy Advent services at church. Now that we are home, holiday time doesn't require a trip across the country and the subsequent homesickness and blues after returning. DH and I are creating our own traditions, so it is becoming a more special, eagerly anticipated holiday.

It's a toss-up, but in the end, I cherish the non-commercial, unadulterated spirit of Thanksgiving. Just the name itself is beautiful.

[KristaMB]

I love, love, love Christmas! Because my birthday is 5 days before it (hhmm...how do you think I got my name!? :) ), it has always been a really special time of year for me. I love to decorate the house, and am always searching for more decorations, much to the dismay of my DH. But, what I really like about Christmastime is being able to spend a good stretch of time with my family, and giving them gifts that I know they'll love. Oh, and the music! I love holiday music! (When I worked at Pier 1, I used to put in the holiday tape before the store opened year-round!)

Growing up, one of my favorite things was unwrapping my mom's large nativity set. She has about 4 sets that she displays throughout the house, but my favorite was always this ceramic one that her cousin hand painted for her. The kings are probably about a foot tall, and there is a camel, tons of sheep, cows...oh, I could go on and on. She always wrapped them up in newspaper, and my brother and I used to have a little contest to see which one of us unwrapped the baby Jesus.

[HDgirl]

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite because it was about family, friends, food and cocktails! Four years ago I lost someone very close to me three days before Thanksgiving so now it's just different.

Christmas would be second because I stress myself out.

I have to say that I love Halloween. My two neighbors and myself really go all out for a spooky night. We even dress up. Traditional garb only. Some kids don't even want to come to the house!

[m4star]

Maybe it's because I grew up in Pennsylvania and the trees would just begin dropping their leaves, the night air would be crisp and clear, but I just love Halloween. And it's not because of the candy (although I love sweets). I just loved that spooked out feeling I would get as I finished trick-or-treating and returned home. Things would be getting quiet outside and I would scare myself silly imagining the ghouls and ghosts coming out to get me.

To this day I still dress up and give out candy. Maybe someday in the future I'll have children of my own and I'll get the chance to take them out on Halloween night.

[Heidi]

Halloween! I love the time of year, I love the spooky decorations, the bright orange pumpkins....the mini-Snickers bars... :)

I remember as a kid planning way ahead of time what I was going to dress up as for school and trick-or-treating. I loved (and still do love) playing dress-up!

Someday I am going to throw a huge Halloween costume party with all kinds of spooky treats and decorations. Last year Martha Stewart put out a special Halloween magazine with lots of fun ideas.

All the females in my family (my aunts, grandmothers, mother) also LOVE Halloween, and all decorate their house to the hilt, and we all exchange handmade Halloween cards every year.

[Nancy171]

I love Halloween too. It's a completely stress-free day, involves no family obligations, is centered around fun and make-believe, and takes place during the most beautiful time of the year.

[beacooker]

This is really a tough one. Its making me realize that the perfect holiday for me hasn't been invented yet! My first inclination was to say Christmas, because I have family out of town, and Christmas is the only time I get to see everyone. BUT, I really really dislike the commercialization of Christmas. I have been trying for years to get my family(ies) to start just doing gifts for the kids, but I can't seem to get my parents to buy off on that. Everyone in my family is doing ok for $, so it is very hard to find things that people want. My most dreaded question is 'What do you want for Christmas this year?'. At this point, my house is so full of junk that nothing would be the best gift of all. I just want to enjoy being with my family, not worrying about what to buy people. Wow, this really seems to be bothering me, I sure am ranting on about it!!! Actually, maybe I'll start telling people that I want them to make a donation in my name to Make a Wish, or the Humane Society, or something.

So, I think Thanksgiving would be my favorite holiday, if I got to see everyone in my family. There is no emphasis on stuff (except Wal-Mart and Target sure are starting to market all the holidays more these days), the whole emphasis is on family and (duh) being thankful for the things you have.

I hadn't voted yet, because I couldn't decide, but I think I will vote for Thanksgiving.

[kwormann]

Well, my borthday is at the beginning of October, so to me that signifys the beginning of the holiday season...Haloween, Thanksgiving, CHristmas, New Years, Anniversary then Valentines:) I guess, to me, life (or at least 1 half of it) is one big holiday

[JHolcomb]

A big toss up between Halloween and Christmas. Let's say Christmas is my favorite Christian holiday and Halloween is my fave pagan holiday. Though I love Thanksgiving too because that's the day that the Christmas tree harvest begins for my family and everyone's there and it rocks! Don't make me choose!

[BosunsWife]

Christmas is my favorite I guess, but Halloween is a close second. I love to decorate the outside of our house (and inside) for Halloween. I have lights, yard stakes with pictures, door hangers, etc. I just ordered a new tall wooden standing ghost with a lighted pumpkin for outside our front door this year. We also decorate the outside of our house with lights, etc. for christmas.

We did break down last year and bought our first fake tree. Since the climate is so warm here at the holidays, we wanted our tree to last longer than a couple of days. We went to Sears and bought one that already has the lights wired into it. Its full and bushy so it doesn't look as fake as some do. DH was rather skeptical at first, but when he realized that he didn't have to spend three hours doing the lights on the tree, he was sold.

As for spending holidays with family, well, we sometimes do and sometimes don't. In the eight years that I have been married, I've only had one Christmas with my parents. I'm so excited because this year they are coming to spend Christmas with us in Hawaii - they have never spent a Christmas with DD! We have had quite a few holidays with DH's parents, but its not quite the same as spending it with mine, they don't make as big of a deal of it. My family does a big meal on Christmas day and everyone dresses up nice, etc. DH's doesn't. Last year we had just moved to Hawaii and it was kind of strange to spend both our Turkey Day and Christmas Day alone. Turkey day we had just received our household goods and were busy unpacking after not seeing out things for almost three months! Christmas day we spent at the beach with DD and we had a great but rather unorthodox Christmas.

[SueK]

I love Thanksgiving, although Halloween runs a close second. I love seeing how excited my daughter gets when she puts on her costume.

Fall is my favorite season, and both holidays remind me of leaves turning colors, the scent of autumn in the air, and comfort foods like soups and stews! (Plus football!) :)

[Alisa]

I love Christmas because for us, it's so cozy and relaxing. We don't live near family and it's a treacherous trip to do in the winter, so we have our visits in the summer and spend Christmas at home. We have lots of dinner parties with friends , spend evenings looking at the tree and drinking hot chocolate.....good grief I can't wait. When DH and I take our holidays in the summer it's run run run all of the time - if we're not travelling somewhere we're painting the house or something - Christmas is for sitting!!!We go to a Christmas tree farm and pick out a huge 10 foot tree every year and cover it with white lights and ornaments. It's perfect.

[Wendy w]

I love Halloween, always have. It is a time where you can be a kid again and act like a geek. Thanksgiving is a close second.

I know that I may be tarred and feathered when I confess this but Christmas is my least favorite holiday. Every year, I approach it kicking and screaming as it is incredibly stressful and $$draining. My sister always has it at her house (as she has the most space) and she gets stressed and if affects everyone else. However , there are some years that are surprisingly pleasant. There are other years that haven't been, family spats, etc.

[Peggy C.]

I said Christmas, because I really do love it. The music the movies.....I start the day after Thanksgiving. But it is stressful, don't your appreciate what your Mom went through now.

But, I've changed my mind and I don't think it was a choice. New Years Day! Partly for the new begining and partly because DBF insist we stay home by ourselves. Usually because we've had just way to much fun the night before, but it seems like a good time to be alone.

[Laura]

Definitely, love Thanksgiving. While the religious significance of Christmas and Easter are very important to me, I have come to hate the commercialization of it all. Fall is my favorite season and I just love the thought of Thanksgiving!

[Little Bit]

I love Christmas Eve! I guess it's a holdover from childhood, but I adore the feeling of anticipation in the house the night before Christmas, all the pretty lights and decorations, all the presents under the tree, the mystery of what might be under the tree in the morning.

Christmas Day itself? Mostly I remember being famished all day on Christmas, since my parents insisted on feeding us dinner at 3 in the afternoon, with not much beyond blueberry muffins to eat for breakfast, if that, considering the Christmas dinner frenzy of preparations going on in the kitchen. :(
Now that I'm old enough to be doing the cooking, we have dinner at a more reasonable hour, with coffee, cocoa, juice, muffins, bacon and sausage for breakfast to tide us over til lunchtime! :D

[SandyM]

I don't wish to change my answer, but more or less clarify. The question is, favorite holiday. I answered Easter, for various reasons. My favorite time of year, however, is fall, because of the changing colors, the crisp cool air, and lest we forget, apples.

[SusanT]

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite. It has food and family without the commercial pressures of gift giving.

[LGBurns]

I said Thanksgiving for many reasons. Fall is my favorite season. I love a holiday about gathering together and acknowledging all the wonderful things we have in our lives. I also love that Thanksgiving is secular. I was not raised in any organized religious faith, so I have always felt that Thanksgiving was really "my" holiday more than any other.

Next is a draw between Christmas and Halloween. I like Halloween because it's the beginning of fall, and because I love to dress up. I like Christmas because I love the spirit of the season, I love the idea of celebrating the winter solstice (which is the way I look at it) and reminding myself that the light will return as the days begin to get longer and I love Christmas music. I sang in choir in high school and I love Christmas choral music the best. I have a copy of the Robert Shaw Chorale's "Many Moods of Christmas" that is almost completely worn out. I also love the Charlie Brown Christmas music. I'm like Emily and Julie--I play Christmas music from Thanksgiving to New Years much to my husband's dismay (hey, he took me for better or worse). ;)

[sneezles]

My all time favorite holiday!

[mb]

i'm kinda with beacooker in that i don't really have a favorite holiday. growing up, we celebrated both chanukah and christmas (dad=catholic, mom=jewish) and i really liked christmas a lot. now i pretty much dread it because i never know what to get anyone, and they never know what to get me, and all our gifts always end up going back to the store the day after christmas.

thanksgiving is nice, i suppose, since there is no gift-giving involved. ;) but also it is a nice time to reflect and be thankful for what we have. i do that also on new years, my birthday, and the jewish new year. i'm just not a huge fan of turkey, sweet potatoes, etc., which kinda puts a damper on my thanksgiving mood! (also, it's usually still about 88 degrees here in november, so it's hard to get into the 'holiday' spirit!)

also, all my family lives nearby, and we pretty much get together at every single holiday, and it's always the same thing. plus, we have all the jewish holidays... it gets annoying sometimes, and that's bad because you start to take your family for granted. i guess i should be happier about holidays. maybe things will be different with the baby now, and we can start to experience things through her eyes in a way.

and this year, there will be no christmas... DH and i are both jewish, so it doesn't seem right to celebrate christmas in addition to chanukah. i guess 8 nights of fun, gifts, and food should definitely be at the top of my favorite holiday list!

marisa :)