2014: Share your Holiday Stories Here

[JohnyMac]

I was having dinner with our neighbors up at the cabin last night and discovered we both had holiday family stories to share. If you have any, good or bad and don't mind sharing - Do so here.

MrsMac and I always go to the Philadelphia area each Christmas to be with family and this year was no different. We made a reservation at a hotel that is friendly for pets, loaded up the truck and headed south on Wednesday - Christmas eve.

After a perilous five hour drive, that usually only takes 3 hours, we arrived at our hotel. Washed up, fed & watered the critters, got dressed in our Christmas eve duds and headed to MrsMac's cousins house in NE Philly for the feast of "The Seven fishes" and a bit of holiday cheer in liquid form. 

MrsMac's cousin (K) and her husband (B) as usual, were stoked to see us as we were too to see them. We exchanged gifts and then the nights festivities began with people floating in and out most of the night. B is of Italian heritage and has quit the extended family and group of friends who all made time to stop at their house pre/post going to Christmas mass.

At one point the subject of... How much toilet paper do you have in your house subject came up (Don't ask me how)? Then that conversation changed to... How much food do you keep in your house?

The range of food kept in peoples house was from pretty much nothing (People who lived in a fancy center city condo) to maybe a weeks worth of food. Most of the folks then made fun of their parents and grandparents and how much food they kept in their houses while growing up which in all cases was A LOT!

Well of course by this time I was into my second bottle of a nice Chardonnay and had to jump into the fray and ask... "What are you going to do if the economy collapses and your local neighborhood grocery store didn't have any food?"

I got a hearty but reserved laugh and B said in a booming voice (He is 6' 7", weighs about 300 #'s and did I mention he was of Italian blood) "John here is one of those survivalist types. All doom and gloom." Then he went on to say, "Heck if the economy collapses K & I will just load up the car and head up to their cabin." 

I put down the smelt I was nibbling on and said, "What skill will you be bringing to the cabin to pay for your room and board B"?

Just I got a "WHAT" from B, and just as I was going to respond... I noticed a very icy stinky eye coming my way from MrsMac. I knew it was time to stand-down or face a very chilly Christmas visit so I didn't respond and changed the subject.

I wonder how many of your family and friends "collapse insurance" are YOU folks? Just some food for thought.

Share your Holiday story...Good and/or bad.

PS: I need to bump up my PT for the month of January as I have gained a few pounds     

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Nothing so exciting for our holiday.  Spent Christmas eve with a friend and her family.  The day was essentially just a free day off for me as I'd celebrated Solstice the Sunday before.  But I made chicken & dumplings from the rooster who had started attacking me, watched the traditional Die Hard and A Christmas Story, and got to hang out with Mr. WPW, and generally relaxed for the first time in what felt like ages.

[JohnyMac]

Sounds like a nice relaxing time 

I have a friend who's wife is in the mortgage industry. She was off Thursday but back to work Friday. The mortgage industry must be tough going at the moment.

Enjoy the up and coming New Year 

[Nemo]

Nothing so exciting for our holiday.  Spent Christmas eve with a friend and her family.  The day was essentially just a free day off for me as I'd celebrated Solstice the Sunday before.  But I made chicken & dumplings from the rooster who had started attacking me, watched the traditional Die Hard and A Christmas Story, and got to hang out with Mr. WPW, and generally relaxed for the first time in what felt like ages.

You were careful and didn't shoot your eye out did ya kid?  Love that!!  Watched myself.

Nemo

[DMCakhunter]

Had a simple, yet fun Christmas with my 2 boys and girlfriend. My employer gave us the 25 & 26th off, so a 4 day weekend was great. Lots of movies, food and computer games. Also put in some range time with a couple of new toys. Got both boys their own go bags and a few starter items. We can add to them as they are willing to learn. My oldest asked Santa for a lock picking kit. We all spent hours working on various padlocks and was fun. The Master padlocks I had were easy pickings. The Schlage padlock was easy for the kids, not so for me.

[JohnyMac]

Lock picking kit...What a GREAT idea! 

Cool beans!

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Ooh! Lock picking is fun.  I was surprised at how much fun and how (relatively) easy it is.  Lucky I'm not into that whole taking from normal people (now the rich...  ). 

I have a friend who's wife is in the mortgage industry. She was off Thursday but back to work Friday. The mortgage industry must be tough going at the moment.

The mortgage industry is, hands down, one of the most dysfunctional, stressful, fucked up industries of which I know.  If I could make a decent living doing just about anything else, I would.  Don't get me wrong - some of it is fascinating, and the numbers and trends, and the end goal of people in houses, those are cool.  But the people are beyond neurotic (even the good ones, hell, especially the good ones - it's the only way we survive), the industry is built to incentivize unethical behavior, and there is a pervasive culture of "you're not good enough" in this business that encourages people to burn themselves out.  Don't mean to hijack the thread, just argh!!!!

[JohnyMac]

Wellie,
back in 2008 I was interviewing some folks for a store manager position. One of the guys worked in the mortgage industry.

He had a job and when I probed why he wanted to leave he hit almost every one you just wrote. Bottom-line he was "burnt-out" and needed to move on to "save his soul." His exact words.

Good luck in 2015! Stay calm and drink a lot