Hi girls and guys 🙋♀️ Throughout the world numerous holidays are celebrated at all times of the year. I like surfing on Christmas in CA, because here there is such a diverse population background that we don't have specific local traditions other than the general stuff.
We are an international group and I'm wondering "what holiday traditions are local in your area"?
Happy Holidays, Jessica 🌴🌴🌴
Edaville Railroad (http://www.edaville.com)
It's a narrow gauge steam railroad that winds through the cranberry bogs and woods of Carver, MA. Passengers are taken around a large loop of track with Christmas scenes and displays with over a million lights in the comfort of steam heated coaches.
The adventure starts with a fifty mile winter ride from Boston culminating in unlit, winding back roads. Arriving at the park, you'll discover a large windswept parking lot packed with cars. After finding a spot and marveling at the expansive parking facility and apparently strengthening winds, you find the line to get in.
After a half hour or so of waiting in line on the tundra, you hand over your money with fingers numb from the cold. Luckily, not as numb as your children's fingers after the petting zoo goat has eaten their mittens. Now that you're in the park, it's time to get in line for the train. It's always fun chatting about the cold and wind while you wait for the train.
Now it's your turn to get in the steam heated coach. Good thing, too, since you can't feel your feet anymore. Oh, that's warm! So you and about a hundred of your new friends find seats in the really rather hot steam heated coach. Wearing coats, hats, and gloves. In a rolling sauna. With much tooting, whistling, and clanking you're soon on your way...and developing a heat rash.
The conductor announces that Rudolph and Santa are on the right side of the train. There's so much condensation on the windows all you see is a red glow. A few people make feeble attempts to wipe the glass, but the heat is sapping their strength. Now its Frosty the Snowman on the left. To you it's a white glow.
When the train arrives back at the station, you spill out into the cold air drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.
That's how we do it here. :laugh:
Hugs, Devlyn
Quote from: Devlyn Marie on December 22, 2017, 04:37:54 PM
Edaville Railroad (http://www.edaville.com)
It's a narrow gauge steam railroad that winds through the cranberry bogs and woods of Carver, MA. Passengers are taken around a large loop of track with Christmas scenes and displays with over a million lights in the comfort of steam heated coaches.
The adventure starts with a fifty mile winter ride from Boston culminating in unlit, winding back roads. Arriving at the park, you'll discover a large windswept parking lot packed with cars. After finding a spot and marveling at the expansive parking facility and apparently strengthening winds, you find the line to get in.
After a half hour or so of waiting in line on the tundra, you hand over your money with fingers numb from the cold. Luckily, not as numb as your children's fingers after the petting zoo goat has eaten their mittens. Now that you're in the park, it's time to get in line for the train. It's always fun chatting about the cold and wind while you wait for the train.
Now it's your turn to get in the steam heated coach. Good thing, too, since you can't feel your feet anymore. Oh, that's warm! So you and about a hundred of your new friends find seats in the really rather hot steam heated coach. Wearing coats, hats, and gloves. In a rolling sauna. With much tooting, whistling, and clanking you're soon on your way...and developing a heat rash.
The conductor announces that Rudolph and Santa are on the right side of the train. There's so much condensation on the windows all you see is a red glow. A few people make feeble attempts to wipe the glass, but the heat is sapping their strength. Now its Frosty the Snowman on the left. To you it's a white glow.
When the train arrives back at the station, you spill out into the cold air drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.
That's how we do it here. :laugh:
Hugs, Devlyn
Aren't traditions wonderful! You look forward to it, just because it's a ........tradition.
Lol, Jessica
Here there is a bit of a mexican flavor. Hand made tamales and luminaries are often seen. As for special night time attractions, the zoo strings up a bunch of lights. The desert botanical garden lights the place up and it has musical groups scattered throughout the garden. Night time temperatures are a little above freezing however most of us lack proper winter wear so we wander around the attractions until we have had enough of the cold.
I understand there are several things to do and see here from a similar train ride at the zoo (sans windows so keep your coat on ) with similar waits and lights everywhere, or the Portland International raceway (where they used to host a few formula 1 races) you drive your own car through on the track with lights overhead and lit up displays on both side. Perhaps the nightly Christmas boat parade is your cup of tea as they float on by downstream then turn around and motor back up. Then there are several advertised neighborhoods with all the homes decorated. If you don't mind a 60+ mile drive along the Columbia river gorge You can board the Christmas train in Hood River for a nice ride along a decorated route on their decorated trains with all the elven crew and you will even meet Santa. I believe there is even Christmas night cruises up the Columbia aboard the riverboat. I'm sure there is more.
I'm sorry I keep saying "I understand", "I heard" and such. But you have to understand That I hate the holidays so I've not done any of these things myself. I can, however wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Just please don't return it. Yeah I'm a Grinch.
Hugs,
Laurie
Quote from: Dena on December 22, 2017, 07:21:58 PM
Here there is a bit of a mexican flavor. Hand made tamales and luminaries are often seen. As for special night time attractions, the zoo strings up a bunch of lights. The desert botanical garden lights the place up and it has musical groups scattered throughout the garden. Night time temperatures are a little above freezing however most of us lack proper winter wear so we wander around the attractions until we have had enough of the cold.
I nearly moved to Bisbee, near you. The gal that started the Bisbee 1000 is a friend of mine who wanted me to restore her homes. Bisbee is a magical place! Wish I did the work there.
Quote from: Laurie on December 23, 2017, 03:46:01 PM
I understand there are several things to do and see here from a similar train ride at the zoo (sans windows so keep your coat on ) with similar waits and lights everywhere, or the Portland International raceway (where they used to host a few formula 1 races) you drive your own car through on the track with lights overhead and lit up displays on both side. Perhaps the nightly Christmas boat parade is your cup of tea as they float on by downstream then turn around and motor back up. Then there are several advertised neighborhoods with all the homes decorated. If you don't mind a 60+ mile drive along the Columbia river gorge You can board the Christmas train in Hood River for a nice ride along a decorated route on their decorated trains with all the elven crew and you will even meet Santa. I believe there is even Christmas night cruises up the Columbia aboard the riverboat. I'm sure there is more.
I'm sorry I keep saying "I understand", "I heard" and such. But you have to understand That I hate the holidays so I've not done any of these things myself. I can, however wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Just please don't return it. Yeah I'm a Grinch.
Hugs,
Laurie
There's no place like a Holiday Train to lose your Christmas spirit! :laugh:
Quote from: Laurie on December 23, 2017, 03:46:01 PM
I understand there are several things to do and see here from a similar train ride at the zoo (sans windows so keep your coat on ) with similar waits and lights everywhere, or the Portland International raceway (where they used to host a few formula 1 races) you drive your own car through on the track with lights overhead and lit up displays on both side. Perhaps the nightly Christmas boat parade is your cup of tea as they float on by downstream then turn around and motor back up. Then there are several advertised neighborhoods with all the homes decorated. If you don't mind a 60+ mile drive along the Columbia river gorge You can board the Christmas train in Hood River for a nice ride along a decorated route on their decorated trains with all the elven crew and you will even meet Santa. I believe there is even Christmas night cruises up the Columbia aboard the riverboat. I'm sure there is more.
I'm sorry I keep saying "I understand", "I heard" and such. But you have to understand That I hate the holidays so I've not done any of these things myself. I can, however wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Just please don't return it. Yeah I'm a Grinch.
Hugs,
Laurie
Portland? Love the area! I was raised in Seattle.
Quote from: Jessica on December 23, 2017, 03:54:13 PM
I nearly moved to Bisbee, near you. The gal that started the Bisbee 1000 is a friend of mine who wanted me to restore her homes. Bisbee is a magical place! Wish I did the work there.
I love Bisbee, it's such a charming town. It's somewhat of an eclectic artist's colony. I don't get there very often. Even though it's in the same state, it's a 5 hour drive from Flagstaff, where I live.
Around here, everybody's grandma is busy making tamales between Thanksgiving and New Years.
Even though nighttime temps get well below freezing there are still activities if you don't mind freezing your hiney off. Neighborhood luminario walks, a big light parade downtown and on New Year Eve, the Pine Cone Drop. Wooo!
My personal traditions are 1.) Figuring out creative ways of ducking familial expectations and 2.) Staying home bundled up next to a roaring fire in the fireplace.
Quote from: Thea on December 23, 2017, 07:07:35 PM
I love Bisbee, it's such a charming town. It's somewhat of an eclectic artist's colony. I don't get there very often. Even though it's in the same state, it's a 5 hour drive from Flagstaff, where I live.
Around here, everybody's grandma is busy making tamales between Thanksgiving and New Years.
Even though nighttime temps get well below freezing there are still activities if you don't mind freezing your hiney off. Neighborhood luminario walks, a big light parade downtown and on New Year Eve, the Pine Cone Drop. Wooo!
My personal traditions are 1.) Figuring out creative ways of ducking familial expectations and 2.) Staying home bundled up next to a roaring fire in the fireplace.
Your personal traditions are sometimes the best for everyone sometimes!
Getting drunk and cosy, I think. The weather doesn't allow for much else.
Since this popped back up to the top, on New Years we eat collard greens, black eyed peas, and rice. It's an old regional tradition that is supposed to bring good luck.
I don't know about the good luck part but it also tastes really good.
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Quote from: Deborah on December 31, 2017, 12:38:55 PM
Since this popped back up to the top, on New Years we eat collard greens, black eyed peas, and rice. It's an old regional tradition that is supposed to bring good luck.
I don't know about the good luck part but it also tastes really good.
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.
That's is a delicious tradition!
We have ham on New Years. Not so much a local thing, more of a family tradition.
Quote from: Deborah on December 31, 2017, 12:38:55 PM
Since this popped back up to the top, on New Years we eat collard greens, black eyed peas, and rice. It's an old regional tradition that is supposed to bring good luck.
I don't know about the good luck part but it also tastes really good.
My family always followed this tradition too. I hate greens, black eyed peas and could do without rice any time. I always went along with it though because any time I could avoid getting yelled at
was good luck.
In Blackpool fighting & being sick!
There will be a quarter million people watching them shoot fireworks off the Space Needle for 10 minutes and then spend hours getting back home because of traffic. Oh yeah. The reservations will be selling fireworks and many will be lighting them off in the parking lot. I still don't get that lighted ball thing in NY.
Quote from: DawnOday on December 31, 2017, 04:37:11 PM
There will be a quarter million people watching them shoot fireworks off the Space Needle for 10 minutes and then spend hours getting back home because of traffic. Oh yeah. The reservations will be selling fireworks and many will be lighting them off in the parking lot. I still don't get that lighted ball thing in NY.
When I was about 5-6 I remember looking out my sisters window in Lake City and watching the Space Needle being built. And then there were fireworks 💥
They are in the process of refitting it with a better viewing area and restaurant. It's pretty neat in the summer but the other 265 days it's hit or miss. More miss than hit from all the rain clouds. The old World Fair grounds still hold many events as well as Key Arena which will also be rebuilt.