Baking cookies. Singing Christmas carols. Viewing the Festival of Lights. Drinking hot chocolate. They’re all part of the holiday tradition – but our readers’ all-time favorite holiday treat is to be with family – our children, siblings, cousins, parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts. Said one reader, simply, "It’s all about family."
We asked our readers: "What’s your favorite thing to do during the holidays?" Here are the thoughts they shared. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!
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"Christmas Eve candlelight service."
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"Be with family!"
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"My favorite thing to do during the holidays is to see the lights, colors, and happiness of the season. I love watching children slip onto Santa’s lap, tugging on his beard, all mesmerized by the thrills of the season. Christmas trees downtown, in the stores, the Festival of Lights, and the music at church, in the stores and the humming of others while shopping. It is so magical, giving me a warmth that all is good in the world. The magic of Christmas, along with the spirit is so inspiring, giving us all that there is hope and great love within our worlds. Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night."
Barbie Perkins-Cooper
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"Visit family."
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"Share the joy of giving, sharing and loving with all who are in need of it!" Valerie B. Romanelli
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"Watch holiday movies with hot chocolate, drive around and look at lights."
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"Watch my beautiful little girl dance in the Nutcracker!"
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"Listening to the kids sing Christmas carols, bake cookies, and see the lights!"
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"Light the Menorah and eat potato latkes. The Christmas lights are also beautiful."
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"To decorate the house."
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"Travel home. It helps me to clear my head and it’s usually the one time in a year I get to see my family."
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"Travel to and visit with family. Drink egg nog. Why? Why not?"
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"See my sisters!"
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"The extended family gathers at my parents’ house in Summerville. One night during the festivities we will pack hot chocolate, homemade cookies, and guitars and go to the downtown area to have a picnic at night, enjoy the lights, and sing Christmas carols - mostly to ourselves. We’ll window shop while the little ones play tag. My kids look forward to it every year."
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"Go to James Island County Park and see the lights, and bring hot chocolate and roast marshmallows on the big fire pit."
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"Christmas services at church - especially the candle-lit Christmas Eve service - and days with no agenda spent with family and friends!"
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"Play in the snow and ice skate. Not likely here!"
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"Cook large meals, entertain family & friends from out of town and locally."
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"Enjoy visits with our far-flung family! Christmas is such a special time, and memories are made every minute. Would hate to have to miss that."
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"Bundle up and walk through the Festival of Lights."
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"Eating, finding the perfect gift, and attending the candle-light service on Christmas Eve."
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"Sitting around the house with family while drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music."
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"Decorate, go to church and look at all the lights around town."
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"Hunker down with family. With school, sports and outside activities on hold, it’s a perfect time to slow down and enjoy each other."
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"Be with friends and family"
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"My favorite thing to do during the holidays is to be with family and friends, baking Christmas cookies and treats and give and attend parties."
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"Read seasonally-themed books, watch seasonal movies, and bake for friends!"
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"Contact someone who doesn’t have any family, and speak with them"
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"Spend the time with family"
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"Nothing. I have a roof that doesn’t leak. A house which is no longer structurally unsound and a happy wife. What could be better? I’m alive."
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"My favorite thing to do is absolutely nothing! I work a lot of hours so when I have time off I like to sit all day and play Webkinz. I am fortunate to have a husband that does the laundry, dishes, sweeps and everything else. I look forward to have time to play Webkinz because it is a great way to escape from the real world of stress, bills and everything else the holidays can bring." Allison Barnette
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"My family is spread out over a few states and it is very rare that we are all together in the same place. The holidays help us to do away with all of our excuses that we come up with during the year (work, kids, etc.) as to why we are unable to get together. My favorite is very simple - being with my family and doing all the stupid things we love: Uno tournament on Christmas Eve, my eldest sister waking up all the kids before the crack of dawn to see what Santa brought, the huge smiles on their faces as they come down the stairs, drinking coffee with everyone as the adults look like they’ve been through the ringer from being up most of the night - it’s all about family!"
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"Time with family."
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"Go to Christmas Eve service at our church. It has the most meaning to me out of all the things we do."
