Christmas celebration, Christmas tree, Christmas decorations

[Carl 9.3x62]

Oh yeah, I hunt and kill a wild free range organic Christmas tree every year. Good family fun. Kids are more interested in the sledding though. We always cut our own growing up as well. I don't replant, as the mountains near Laramie seem to have plenty of trees even with the beetle kill. Never have even thought about replanting one actually, and I wonder if its even legal on national forest? I don't make my own ornaments. I do celebrate Christ's birth, but usually on Christmas eve. And minimal if any outside decorations.

 

[Stay Sharp]

The stockings are hung by the water buffalo, bear and boar skulls with care.

 

[Europe]

Thank you to everyone who posted. Enjoyed reading each post.

Merry Christmas to all

 

[bowhuntmontana]

I didn't grow up doing this, but now with my wife and kids we have started the tradition of getting the National Forest permit and cutting our own tree. We absolutely love the experience. It usually involves a fun car ride, tree hunting, camp fires, shooting guns, etc.

 

[2rocky]

Grew up going to Christmas tree farms and cutting a tree that had been pruned and shaped accordingly. Then with the excuse of "allergies" my mother switched us to an artificial tree.

When I became a parent my other half would just buy a cut tree from in front of the grocery store or wherever. She decorated it solo and without much fanfare. After I declared Free agency, three years ago, I got back into the decorating with a small tree and my meager collection of ornaments I'd been given each year as a child. I got my daughters involved in selecting the tree from a local vendor , and decorating it

This year, I have a new SO who has brought her 5 Rubbermaid totes of Christmas ornaments and decorations when she moved in. Decorating the tree has become a family activity and this promises to be the most festive Christmas yet.

 

[Ben Lamb]

We normally get our tree from the Boy Scouts lot, along with a $20 bag of caramel corn & wreath. The wife & I decorate together, and while we're not up to 5 totes, we are growing our collection of Christmas decorations each year. I tend to be the one who picks them up. This year it was some twinkle lights for the arch between the living room & dining room, some reindeer candleholders and the wife bought some outdoor solar led lights. Last year it was the old fashioned carousel and a few ornaments.

We usually do the old family tradition of ham & beans, started by my grandfather in 1944 when he was a cook for his regiment in the 9th Army. He brought that recipe back from the war and we keep that tradition alive even though he's been gone close to 20 years now. Christmas eve you also get to open one present. We'll put on a classic movie as well. Either White Christmas or It's A Wonderful Life, and if it's early enough, we'll do the shorts from Rankin-Bass or Peanuts. Now that my sister lives in town, she's bringing ratatouille over for dinner, instead of the ham & beans.

Christmas day, we generally get up, have breakfast, take the dogs out to the park for a quick romp so they are calm during the morning/afternoon. Then we make a big breakfast, usually french toast, eggs, breakfast meats, fruit, etc. Then open presents.

Then it gets serious. We put out a large spread of snacks & such and graze all day, alternating between Christmas movies/shows, music & napping.

We celebrate God's gift in our way. We're not big on church, but we do have a strong sense of our faith, and that permeates all that we do, between the charitable giving during the year & ramped up during the season, to ensuring all of our friends have a place to spend the day and be among loved ones.

Dinner this year is smoked turkey, potatoes, stuffing, etc. I'm likely to smoke a duck as well.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

We exchange a gift or two but Christmas is more about food for us. We try to save something good for Christmas. This year it will be Dall Sheep, with a little wine of course. We decorate only inside and sparingly . We do not attend any organized religious meetings but we are Christians and do give thanks with our meals. We actually always buy a Christmas gift for each of our dogs. And then Boxing day

I hope your dog gets a special treat on Christmas Brent. Cool pic

Always have Pork Rib Bones and Marrow bones for the Dogs.
this year I bought A pink Cowboy hat for "Joy" And a brown One for "Star"
will see how long they last!!

 

[Dave N]

Wife likes to put bows on my critters.

 

[Dave N]

The harvest pins are about 1 1/4" in diameter. The different colors and the sheer number make for plenty of little ornaments. The rest of the ornaments are pretty much all hunting, outdoors, or Alaska related, gathered during our travels. There are several wooden shotgun shells from RMEF banquets from the shotshell drawing game. The star is obviously homemade. Cut down some old bent arrows and fashioned a star from them. The wife comented about it having 6 points and without missing a beat one of our girls spoke right up and said "Well, it IS the star of David!"

 

[Europe]

Dave, interesting ornaments and understanding wife (-: I did like your daughters comment " It s the star of David" very clever and cute. And the decorations do go with the song (-;

Speaking of stars they all have to be lined up correctly at this time for me to access the internet.

Sawtooth, sounds perfect and familiar, thank you

new hunter, the spirt of Christmas, Love it.

np307, Christ has always been the center of Christmas for us as well.

dirt clod, your to far south ( cactus when you fall ) as you know we had snow and plenty of it (-; Joy and Star, lucky dogs

marshain, YOUR on one of those streets !!! Loved driving by and enjoying the work you and your neighbors put into allowing myself and others, to enjoy

carl 9.3 x 62, We also celebrate the birth of christ on Christmas Eve, You mentioned sledding, thank you. Ir made me remember granddad pulling us in sleds behind the truck and my husband doing the same with our children and grandchildren, great times

Bowhunt Montana Good for you

2rocky "the most festive Christmas yet" (-: Enjoy !

Stay Sharp, very nice.

Ben Lamb. Ham and Beans (-: (-: (-; Love them AND loved the "tradition" of the meal in your family . Plus Turkey and Duck, Nice

Also in the spirt of Christmas---- to the gentlemen who dislike my presence here . Enjoy your Christmas with your family. I wish you nothing but the absolute best. Merry Christmas.

________________________________________________________________

And now---

Your Christmas meal, both the main meat dish and a traditional dish you like. ??



Ben Lamb Turkey and Duck

Panda Bear, Dall Sheep

and you ?

 

[Dave N]

Europe, our tree started out as kind of a joke "2nd tree" and turned into our yearly tradition.

As far as a Christmas meal goes, nothing really sticks out. We've travelled the past few years for the holidays and had different things along the way. Last year was a "locals only" party potluck at the Chatanika Roadhouse north of Fairbanks that we were invited to join. This year we're having my parents over for smoked turkey. My one favorite (when I'm home) is Butterhorn cookies.

 

[jtm307]

1. We use a fake tree. If I'm going to be in the woods, I want to be chasing game.

2. We make ornaments occasionally, but it's not an annual tradition. We collect ornaments, and by "we" I mean my wife.

3. There's no Christmas without Jesus!

4. We decorate some years. It just depends on how busy we are and weather. I let my wife make those decisions.

 

[Randi]

we will have three "main's" to choose from. Bacon wrapped Ptarmigan, Yukon King Salmon in cranberries , Moose roast , but we will be approx 15/18

Hot cherry pie with homemade ice cream . dont know many who are still willing to make ice cream, but we do

 

[cur dog]

Growing up, I always enjoyed cutting our family Christmas tree. I liked it so much, that I started my own tree farm. Every year, 350-400 families come to our place to pick their perfect tree. We have carts and saws to take into the fields. Complimentary cookies and hot chocolate when you return with your tree. Happy families with their kids and pets. Its a great time of year.
Every spring, I'm planting more than we sell.

 

[MT_Fin]

We lived on a farm in an area that had trees, plus we had room to grow trees. Grandfather had planted a small plot of land in "Christmas " trees and every year when we cut one, we would plant one. We also would make our ornaments each year and a few were saved for one reason or another and used again, but most were made fresh each year. After I took up residence on a sail boat, I had a small box of ornaments the children and grandchildren had made over the years which I used each year to decorate the tree, but I still bought a small, "real" tree. each year.

Also, each year both as a child and then as a mother, we spent approx one hour celebrating the birth of Christ. My grandmother insisted we do this before "we" exchange presents. My mother insisted we spend time each Christmas morning celebrating the birth of Christ, but it was after we opened our presents. I followed my mothers's example with our children.

I was wondering

1. Do any of you go out and cut a fresh tree each year ? And if so do you also replant one ? Or do you have a tree that you use every year ?

2. Does anybody make their ornaments anymore each year or use the same ornaments every year ?

3. Do you and your family spend time celebrating the birth of Christ on christmas morning ?

4. And something we didn't do but many folks do. Do you decorate the outside of your home ? ( I remember taking the kids to town and there was one block that every house on both sides of the street were decorated to the max. Even all the trees, fences, garages, etc. It was a dead end street only a block long, and every time we went, there were a line of cars driving slowly down the block and back. It was beautiful )

Wishing each and every one of you and your family a very Merry Christmas

1. we usually cut one but this year we used a fake tree, and in hate it. Just doesn’t look right.

2. the kids make some and we have a few we made as kids, but the bulk are used over each year

3. nope, not at all.

4. We put some lights and stuff outside but that’s about it.

 

[noharleyyet]

Europe, I enjoy our decorations so much that they don't go back in the attic til Easter.

...

 

[Panda Bear]

noharleyyet. we have some who leave them up all year.

dirtclod Dog Bones

April, besides Sheep, we also will have Caribou and Salmon. Both will be cooked in a large fire pit.

In a spiritual manner we do celebrate the birth of Christ, plus we celebrate and give thanks to the earth, water, and animals that sacrificed their life to provide sustenance to our community. This is very traditional. The celebration, plus specifically the Caribou and Salmon.

BenLamb. I enjoyed your story about the ham and beans and it being a tradition in your family and why. Our tradition with /salmon and Caribou is similar.

 

[Fj605]

My in-laws usually get a tree permit and we go up the mountain with them over Thanksgiving. We take sleds and pack lunches and make a day of it. The wife and I just buy a tree from a lot.

Wife and I get each other an ornament every year to commemorate something that happened that year. We also keep a slice of the trunk of our tree for the next year. Someday I'll have enough shed antlers to decorate my own "horny" tree.

I'm a minimalist with the outside decorations but will hang a couple strands of lights.

We never miss Christmas Eve service at our church and always display a Nativity set and Advent calendar.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

noharleyyet. we have some who leave them up all year.

dirtclod Dog Bones

April, besides Sheep, we also will have Caribou and Salmon. Both will be cooked in a large fire pit.

In a spiritual manner we do celebrate the birth of Christ, plus we celebrate and give thanks to the earth, water, and animals that sacrificed their life to provide sustenance to our community. This is very traditional. The celebration, plus specifically the Caribou and Salmon.

BenLamb. I enjoyed your story about the ham and beans and it being a tradition in your family and why. Our tradition with /salmon and Caribou is similar.

Actally Panda we had Costco Pizza for Christmas Eve dinner.Not my choice!
Christmas Day is Traditional Turkey Dinner /Potluck out at the ranch.Merry Christmas!

 

[Trial153]

This years tree