Comments on: Question of the Week: Vacation http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/ where writers come to play Sat, 17 May 2008 00:57:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Mikel K Poet http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-76145 Mikel K Poet Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:58:59 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-76145 Sleeping through it... Sleeping through it…

]]> By: Susan Henderson http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2183 Susan Henderson Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:11:44 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2183 Traditions around our house usually involve Mahalia Jackson and the Harlem Boys Choir. I'm not much for presents, so one of the weirder traditions (and it extends to anniversaries and Valentine's Day) is that I make Mr. Henderson promise he won't get me anything, and I'm serious about it. Later in the year, I'll want a new bush or bed of flowers in the yard, and I'd rather get things as we need them than get things we don't need just because. The latest Henderson tradition is to have overlapping catastrophes, so this year, just this past week, we had two flat tires, $700 worth of vet bills (Steve's fine now, just limpy), and a quick surgery for Mr. H. Ho ho ho! I read/laughed/smiled along with all of your notes about. You guys are the best! Traditions around our house usually involve Mahalia Jackson and the Harlem Boys Choir. I’m not much for presents, so one of the weirder traditions (and it extends to anniversaries and Valentine’s Day) is that I make Mr. Henderson promise he won’t get me anything, and I’m serious about it. Later in the year, I’ll want a new bush or bed of flowers in the yard, and I’d rather get things as we need them than get things we don’t need just because.

The latest Henderson tradition is to have overlapping catastrophes, so this year, just this past week, we had two flat tires, $700 worth of vet bills (Steve’s fine now, just limpy), and a quick surgery for Mr. H. Ho ho ho!

I read/laughed/smiled along with all of your notes about. You guys are the best!

]]> By: Jamie http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2093 Jamie Wed, 20 Dec 2006 01:48:44 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2093 In my day job, I play Santa Claus to 250,000 children. No, not in a mall. So, today is really the first day I've had to get into the holiday spirit as I've been too busy trying to insure that the jolly old elf will come down the chimney. Next week, I plan to take a long breather with plenty of reading, getting back in the writing mood after what has been a very busy holiday season. Woo Hoo! In my day job, I play Santa Claus to 250,000 children. No, not in a mall. So, today is really the first day I’ve had to get into the holiday spirit as I’ve been too busy trying to insure that the jolly old elf will come down the chimney. Next week, I plan to take a long breather with plenty of reading, getting back in the writing mood after what has been a very busy holiday season. Woo Hoo!

]]> By: Ron Currie Jr http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2092 Ron Currie Jr Wed, 20 Dec 2006 01:14:29 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2092 We have a long-standing, inviolable tradition of forgetting the goddamn gravy. And you'd think if it bothered me so much, I'd just bring my own. But I never remember, either. We have a long-standing, inviolable tradition of forgetting the goddamn gravy.

And you’d think if it bothered me so much, I’d just bring my own. But I never remember, either.

]]> By: Jordan http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2082 Jordan Tue, 19 Dec 2006 18:49:39 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2082 I had too bohemian a childhood to have traditions except the xmas tree and the gift onslaught, so once I got my hands on my husband--who was raised in a home that did not celebrate Christmas until he was already 22 years old: and no, he's not Jewish--I knew it was tradition-starting time. Approximately 1 week into December We: buy a very small, short tree,the kind they cut off the tops of very large trees, do a moment of penance for supporting its death, and decorate it while drinking hot chocolate. Then we put on the Southpark Christmas Album, (Faves: "Swiss Colony Beef Log" and "Dead, dead, dead")while we decorate it. Then we tour the crazily bedecked and lit houses in the nearest neigborhood and play one of our favorite games: Battleship, sword-fighting with nerf swords or "guess which famous person I'm thinking of." So far, so good. I had too bohemian a childhood to have traditions except the xmas tree and the gift onslaught, so once I got my hands on my husband–who was raised in a home that did not celebrate Christmas until he was already 22 years old: and no, he’s not Jewish–I knew it was tradition-starting time.

Approximately 1 week into December We:

buy a very small, short tree,the kind they cut off the tops of very large trees, do a moment of penance for supporting its death, and decorate it while drinking hot chocolate.

Then we put on the Southpark Christmas Album, (Faves: “Swiss Colony Beef Log” and “Dead, dead, dead”)while we decorate it.

Then we tour the crazily bedecked and lit houses in the nearest neigborhood and play one of our favorite games:

Battleship, sword-fighting with nerf swords or “guess which famous person I’m thinking of.”

So far, so good.

]]> By: Katrina Denza http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2081 Katrina Denza Tue, 19 Dec 2006 18:32:04 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2081 The week after Christmas we're moving to our house in the next town over. Yippee!! So it will be a new beginning for the New Year. Happy holidays to everyone! xoxo The week after Christmas we’re moving to our house in the next town over. Yippee!! So it will be a new beginning for the New Year.

Happy holidays to everyone!

xoxo

]]> By: Robin Slick http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2071 Robin Slick Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:17:30 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2071 Wait, Lance...Chinese food and a movie? That is the Jewish way of celebrating...I ought to know...as a kid that's what we did every year but then I beat the system and married a Christian so I could have a tree and pretty lights. For the past ten years or so, we instituted the wacky tradition of eating buffalo wings and hand cut french fries on Christmas but this year the kiddies are vegetarians so I'm wondering how buffalo tofu tastes. Probably isn't bad. Put hot sauce and butter on cardboard and it's still gotta be good. As "mature" and jaded as my now adult rock star offspring are, they still get like litle kids on Christmas morning and wake us up at 7:00 a.m. wearing bathrobes they got when they were kids and reindeer headbands. And thank God, just like Thanksgiving, it's just the four of us though Julie's boyfriend will probably join us at some point. Special guest on Wednesday, huh. The mind boggles. I'm guessing it's Mr. H but my psychic radar seems to be a bit off this week. Wait, Lance…Chinese food and a movie? That is the Jewish way of celebrating…I ought to know…as a kid that’s what we did every year but then I beat the system and married a Christian so I could have a tree and pretty lights.

For the past ten years or so, we instituted the wacky tradition of eating buffalo wings and hand cut french fries on Christmas but this year the kiddies are vegetarians so I’m wondering how buffalo tofu tastes. Probably isn’t bad. Put hot sauce and butter on cardboard and it’s still gotta be good.

As “mature” and jaded as my now adult rock star offspring are, they still get like litle kids on Christmas morning and wake us up at 7:00 a.m. wearing bathrobes they got when they were kids and reindeer headbands.

And thank God, just like Thanksgiving, it’s just the four of us though Julie’s boyfriend will probably join us at some point.

Special guest on Wednesday, huh. The mind boggles.

I’m guessing it’s Mr. H but my psychic radar seems to be a bit off this week.

]]> By: n.l. belardes http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2063 n.l. belardes Tue, 19 Dec 2006 00:48:14 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2063 When my kids were little I made up a story about Santa having a sidekick: The Christmas Elf. The Christmas Elf is very sneaky, and always taunted my kids that they could never catch him. He'd leave glittery magic dust on the carpet, a hat, half eaten treats, and mischievous riddles. So each year we'd set traps: a box and rope, nets with strings tied to wrists that if the elf happened by a couch a sleeping kid would catch that crazy elf... Now tradition is just seeing who will get a nasty rubber chicken in their stocking, and who will unwrap the Christmas mouse to have the honor of hanging it as the highest ornament on the tree. It's an ornament from 1974 that an aunt gave me when I was 6. I celebrate with my two boys and a couple of friends and try not to get moody when kids are away. It's good to remember that when you have a tiny family like mine, all you need is to be imaginative. I hope everyone who reads litpark has a great Christmas. When my kids were little I made up a story about Santa having a sidekick: The Christmas Elf. The Christmas Elf is very sneaky, and always taunted my kids that they could never catch him. He’d leave glittery magic dust on the carpet, a hat, half eaten treats, and mischievous riddles.

So each year we’d set traps: a box and rope, nets with strings tied to wrists that if the elf happened by a couch a sleeping kid would catch that crazy elf…

Now tradition is just seeing who will get a nasty rubber chicken in their stocking, and who will unwrap the Christmas mouse to have the honor of hanging it as the highest ornament on the tree. It’s an ornament from 1974 that an aunt gave me when I was 6.

I celebrate with my two boys and a couple of friends and try not to get moody when kids are away.

It’s good to remember that when you have a tiny family like mine, all you need is to be imaginative.

I hope everyone who reads litpark has a great Christmas.

]]> By: Aurelio http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2062 Aurelio Tue, 19 Dec 2006 00:02:27 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2062 Looks like Yukon Cornelius finally did find silver and gold - by suing for it! I love it! Looks like Yukon Cornelius finally did find silver and gold - by suing for it! I love it!

]]> By: Terry http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2057 Terry Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:37:00 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/18/question-of-the-week-vacation/#comment-2057 I wish our tradition was "taking a rest." We sort of have begun to do that, but there's still too much <i>stuff</i> in <i>stuff</i>mas. And if you don't have Santa on Wednesday I will absolutely cry. I wish our tradition was “taking a rest.”

We sort of have begun to do that, but there’s still too much stuff in stuffmas.

And if you don’t have Santa on Wednesday I will absolutely cry.

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