Holiday attire and family traditions?

[rubyredlocks]

We just wait to see what the plan is and then split the holidays between my family and his.Which,usually consists of a nice dinner and visit that is fairly casual in attire.Though,a nice neat casual look seems to dominate.

I also have a large group of girlfriends that instead of exchanging gifts we all go out for a nice dinner dressed in cocktail attire.

My husband's company normally has a cocktail party,but the owners are staying in Scotland this year(Doesn't that sound fabulous?I'd love to go to there),so no party.
We're thinking of going out for a romantic dinner,so we can dress up a bit.

For our casual get-togethers we'd like to go with a vintage collegiate inspired look.Since I'm pregnant I'm really going to have to fake it this year.I was thinking of getting an empire waist jumper and wearing it over a turtleneck with tights and t-strap maryjanes with a little beret.

Cocktail attire is going to be much more difficult for me,so I think I'll just live vicariously through you lovelies this year!

What are your plans and what are you wearing?

Warm Regards,
Ruby

 

[Paisley]

A few years ago, the company had a holiday party and said the dress was "holiday casual." I guess that meant a t-shirt with a tuxedo design.

Most of the gals in the office wear a little black dress. That's probably what I'll wear, too, along with a pink/blue/lavendar geometric print sash and crystal earrings with my hair done up.

 

[Naama]

Oh my gosh! There's over a month time to plan on what to wear! Usually, I don't know what to wear until the Morning of the 24th of December [huh] We only have a small family get together, so I won't wear anything too flashy....

Naama

 

[rubyredlocks]

Thanksgiving's just around the corner.I have a few peices that I can layer so they look fallish,but last years winter wardrobe will definitely not fit over my pregnant belly so there's no just pulling something out of the closet for me.
We're spending X-mas with my inlaws who haven't seen the big belly yet and I have a feeling there will be a lot of picture taking with this being the 1st grandchild and all.
I just want to find something that will make me feel cute!

 

[Lauren]

I have no idea what I'll wear. I guess it depends on how cold it is! lol

Our traditional family get-together consists of a lot of making fun of each other, talking about animals, making a big breakfast, and in the evening playing out family card game Hollywood Rummy (our family's twist on rummy). We've been playing it since WWII- they remember doing it during blackouts!

Oh, and at easter we were catapolting easter eggs and mutilating Peeps. I love my family.

 

[rubyredlocks]

Sounds like a fun family Lauren,my husband's family is very similar in that they tease each other relentlessly and all have a wicked dry sense of humor.
I really enjoy my inlaws!

So,does noone have any cocktail parties this year?Seems like alot of corporations are doing away with them.

 

[Paisley]

We do. This year we are having cocktails, then dinner and murder mystery theatre.

 

[rubyredlocks]

That sounds like fun Paisley!
Isn't "holiday casual" confusing?We've also gotten invites that said "dressy casual".

The whole weather thing here can make it difficult to plan as well,but my inlaws live in the country which always feels a bit cooler to us for some reason.
Under normal circumstances I plan my casual family ensembles about a week in advance.Otherwise,I wake up with a particular ensemble in mind only to remember I never dropped it at the cleaners.:eusa_doh:

 

[Tourbillion]

See the Oviatt thread regarding my work's party. It is a formalish event at an Art Deco restaurant.

My family doesn't dress up for the holidays anymore. When I was a kid we used to get little dresses for Easter and Christmas, sometimes Thanksgiving.

My mom used to throw holiday parties, I remember talking to University deans, military officers, aging lounge singers and the ocasional mayor (I recall being impressed by the lady mayor as a kid). Now with my dad gone, it is all about grandchildren.

Not that it is a bad thing being all about grandchildren.

 

[VargasGirl]

Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners were mainly done at my house becuase it had the most space for everybody. Now that us kids are getting older my mom has planned dinner at a nice resteraunt on a few occaisions. The one that I missed and wish I could have been there was at the 100th Bomb Group resteraunt in Cleveland, OH. It is a WWII themed resteraunt, with a sandbag wall, period music, and the ouside looks like it had actually been bombed, with missing walls exposing parts of the interior. They had to move the location with the expansion of the airport, so I don't know if the new place is good as the original. My grandparents actually had their 50th wedding annaversary dinner there, as they met in England during the war.
For X-mas the only true tradition we have is my mom puts and orange and some nuts in our stockings. I never knew why until a few years ago, and I was told that when my Great-Grandmother was kid (she was born in 1912) their family didn't have much so an orange and nuts in the stocking was a great treat and usually all they got.

 

[Kim_B]

It seems like all we ever go to are family parties...our company has a party, but we don't really enjoy it. Too much drinking (I'm no prude and I enjoy a good vodka & cranberry juice every now and then but this is just too excessive) and I've been groped one too many times by co-workers.

My mom has a Christmas party the 2nd Saturday in December for all the adults in the family...we usually dress a little nicer than casual but it isn't required. If I can find the right skirt (or I can master making one by then!) I will probably wear a vintage (or vintage looking) sweater and said skirt with some cute vintage-looking shoes.

My Grandmother always has Christmas Eve at her house...every one gets together for dinner and then we open presents that night (from aunts and uncles, cousins, etc). Sometimes a small group of us will go to Midnight Mass, but I haven't for the last couple years.

Christmas Day we make the rounds - usually starting with my parents since they live the farthest away, and then Chris's parents since they are so close. Nothing too elaborate is planned for either celebration.

New Years is very uneventful in our house. We *try* to stay up until midnight, ring in the new year, I await my traditional birthday phone call and then head to bed. Woohoo, watch out - Party Animals!!!

 

[Elaina]

My son and I go about a week before Christmas to an old folks' home (randomly selected) and take scented xmas ornaments for them. We dress nicely, spend a few hours and go out for dinner anywhere he wants (usually Denny's or Waffle House).

I go with a ton of cards to the VA hospital (in pants and a dowdier shirt) and do what I normally do.

Husband and I usually have a relaxed Xmas eve with the kid: we play board/card games, order in whatever they want (or grab burgers) and have a relaxed night.

Christmas is formal, I cook the whole shebang, everyone dresses for dinner, and I wear a fancy Xmas apron. Usually we have someone I invite for dinner that wouldn't celebrate otherwise.

Thanksgiving is usually formal, but I'm not having my son this year (Dad's year this time and he's out of town) so we're going to WH for dinner (since hubby has to work). Usually Son and Ex come for the holidays.

 

[BettyValentine]

Well, I have a beautiful vintage 60s pattern from a soooooper nice FLer, and I saw some brushed-gold paillette fabric in a shop the other day, and now I'm tempted to make my little 60s minishift out of that for New Year's. But that fabric looks expensive and I should really get on my wedding dress, so if that doesn't work I'll just wear something stolen from my mom. I always get dressed up, start towards leaving the house, then just stay home, drink champagne (small C), and wind up falling asleep watching the Nick @ Nite marathon.

We're going skiing with my family over Xmas again, so probably nothing too fancy. I'd have to be insane to wear a skirt in Colorado in December. If I can't find something seasonally appropriate I will probably wear jeans during the day and leather pants at night, with a vintage sweater or jacket and some kind of boot that can deal with ice and snow. Or I will put on my ski suit and not take it off. It is stupidily, stupidly cold up there. (I was hoping we were going back to Florida so I could get one of ReVamp's adorable bikinis.)

BV

 

[mysterygal]

The Christmas season kicks off around here with my husbands work party. Men (most of them anyways) show up in ties or tux and the wives or dates wear formal dresses.
Christmas Eve is spent at my mother's house and is very relaxed, she usually makes her famous lasagna and we all eat too much Christmas morning we all head over to my in-law's for a Christmas breakfast and open presents. Then we all sing 'happy birthday Jesus' and blow out candles from a cake. Around 1pm we head over to my grandparents house and open more presents and have dinner...then we go home and drop dead on the couch from exhaustion!

 

[Kim_B]

Then we all sing 'happy birthday Jesus' and blow out candles from a cake.

I thought my family was the only ones who did this! Every Christmas Eve, my Grandmother gathers the smaller children to carry the Baby Jesus to the Nativity scene, complete with a small Hostess (only the best for Jesus!) cupcake and candle. My cousin who has the voice of an angel will sing and I will play the flute (sometimes), usually "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "O Holy Night," or "Away In A Manger." This usually sounds odd to most people, but it means the world to my Grandmother. The day we stop doing this will be a sad day in our family!

 

[Rosie]

For some reason, only the women in my family tend to dress up. The men, while not sloppy, usually just throw on a polo shirt and a pair of khakis or the like.

When my daddy was living we always had Holiday dinners at my parents house because truthfully, my dad hated going to other people's houses and he always wanted to be home for his between plates nap. Now, we alternate between my house and my brother's house. Whoever is hosting the dinner cooks the bulk of the meal and who ever is visiting will bring their specialty dish or dishes.

 

[Mojito]

My best friend loves to throw a party - and encourages people to dress up. She has a large, open house built for entertaining, and her Christmas parties are something to behold...last year I wore a 20s green velvet dress.

A lot depends on the Christmas weather down here, as it can be very warm and a trip to the beach is often in order before Christmas lunch. I'll dress in something vintage for my friend's party - the temperature will dictate what fabric and style it is. Ditto for Christmas Day itself - if it's very warm, I'll probably just have a simple slip dress on!

The office Christmas party is another thing altogether...last year the theme was 30s South American Cococabana. This year it will be 1920s Shanghai (there are some advantages to being on the Social Club Committee!). We're deep into the throes of planning the theme...and I'm exploring wardrobe options. And have promised to take charge of making the champagne cocktails for guests on arrival.

 

[Polka Dot]

My school's graduate student association is throwing a black tie christmas party, and I'm very excited to go. I haven't decided what to wear, but I'm leaning toward a vintage-inspired, black silk bias-cut dress.

I do have a question on bias-cut dresses, though: I hadn't heard this until recently, but apparently the hem will go uneven if the dress has been hanging too long. I've had this dress since January of 2005, and sure enough, the hem is a little uneven now. Is there anyway to correct this?

 

[Novella]

Usually my immediate family has a fun cheese and cracker Christmas Eve dinner. We go out and buy a bunch of different kinds of cheese, crackers, bread, meats, etc. and have a snack buffet (complete with lots of different kinds of desserts too). For most of when I was growing up we didn't live near extended family so we always would just do a casual thing. Unfortunately I'm not going home for Christmas this year. Happy side is that I'll be wandering around Europe over Christmas, but I'll still miss my family.

 

[RetroMom]

It's fun to read everyone's holiday traditions!

Here's mine:


Thanksgiving is at my house just the kids, hubby and my mom. After dessert we play board games and always end the night watching Miracle on 34th St.
The Friday after, we head to my inlaws for another turkey dinner and to see those relatives. Our town is very Norman Rockwell like and always has a big tree lighting/streetpost lighting ceremony with Santa coming by fire engine and caroling afterward.

Christmas Eve, is at my house with the same group as Thanksgiving. After dinner we have a birthday cake for baby Jesus , the kids bathe and put on new p.j's and we drive around to look at all the lights.

Christmas day is church and the kids checking out the goodies from Santa. After a while we head to the inlaws for the rest of the day. My daughter and I dress up, the fellas just wear sweaters and pants that coordinate with our dresses.

New Years Eve is pretty quiet, and New Years Day is football all day long for the boys, my daughter and I watch the Honeymooner's marathon on a local channel, interrupted only to watch the Rosebowl parade, and we take down the tree.

This year the big tree in Rockefeller Center came from our town, so the kids want to go into NYC to see it.