The Holidays - RV-Dreams Community Forum

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Holidays

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

Heading to the Outerbanks NC Manteo area.
A restaurant called Bassnites has a great Thanksgiving spread. Its one of our familys must do's..

Waggin Tails · RV-Dreams Family Member

2011 is a year of transition for us. Our kids are hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.
Thanksgiving weekend (Saturday) we are moving our RV from the pad in front of our house to Colonial Del Rey RV Resort in Corpus Christi. Family will be here staying with my youngest daughter.
Christmas we are spending 4 days at Lake View RV Resort in Houston because they are about 4 miles from eldest daughter.
2012 is up for grabs.

What ever you do, please take time to reflect on the freedom we have to celebrate these holidays. If you are near a service member, invite them to share your holiday. They will certainly appreciate it.

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

It looks like this will be the first year we will not be getting together with family on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. Part of the reason has to do with the structure of our family is changing and another reason is economic.

Thanksgiving used to be a week long event held at my dad's place in the desert near Palm Springs. Relatives and friends would show up in RV's or stay at my dad's several sleeping accomodations (two cabins , a garage loft, plus a few bedrooms in the main house). At the height of this annual event we had 76 people and 10 RVs. We cooked 6 turkeys, two hams, a beef roast and a pork roast in the ground to feed everyone.
Now dad's relatives & friends have mostly passed away or are too frail to travel, my brothers tend to spend time with their kids and families. So we have Thanksgiving dinner where ever we happen to be. Last year was at an Outdoor Resort in Aguana, CA. This year we are discussing camping along the beach or staying home and getting some DIY projects completed.

Christmas was always spent with her family, but they have been hit hard by the slump in the economy and her sister has to work on Christmas Day. So we will stay home this year.

Trabuco · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're kind of in the same position as The Bear II. My Mom came from a family of 15 and my Dad came from a family of 9. All are dead and gone. My Mom and Dad had 2 kids my sister and myself. Guess they got tired of the large family thing.

My youngest is spending the hoildays with his wife's family and the oldest is 1500 miles away.

This year it will be the two of us. I think the days of having mega family gatherings 50, 60 or 70 people are a thing of the past.

azrving · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are planning to stay home for Thanksgiving. All of our family is on the east coast and we have no plans to drive or fly out to SC. When I was younger, we used to have huge family get together at Thanksgiving & Christmas but as others have stated, "seems to be a thing of the past."

Before moving west we had started a new family tradition, we would load up the camper before Thanksgiving and head for the mountains (usually OconeeState Park near Clemson, SC). We opted for a big Honeybaked ham instead of turkey and the rest of the food was prepared when we got set up. It even snowed one year making it extra special for the wife and kids...I hate snow! LOL

Can’t really plan camping trip now that the children are moving, have jobs, etc.

Can't wait until we hit the road fulltime! I know we will enjoy spending the holidays visiting friends and family instead of being tied down to the sticks and bricks.

-- Edited by azrving on Monday 21st of November 2011 02:32:51 PM

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

The last few years we have spent TX and Xmas in Las Vegas. One year my Mom flew in over the Christmas holiday and the rest of the family joined after New Year. Last year we had RV friends who drove WAY out of their way to join us. We had a great time both years. The other couple of years we we "by ourselves" but not alone. We also had a great time and did the entire dinner thing just for the 2 of us. It's usually a nice turkey for TX and a prime rib roast for Xmas (that's when they go on sale!). We are current in Tucson and our plans were to leave today for Vegas. However, it appears that we may spend TX in the shop! If so, we will still have a great time as the holidays are about giving thanks and I could not be more thankful that my partner in life is Janet.
Happy Holidays to all. Where ever you are and whatever you do. Make the holiday something special for you and it will be a great time no matter where you are or wish you were.

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are set up now at American Heritage RV Park in Williamsburg. We will be dining out the Blue Talon or Williamsburg Lodge which are both serving a traditional thanksgiving feast. After this week, we will head south somewhere. It feels a little odd, somewhat sad, not spending the time with extended family, even my in-laws.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I know the original question involved what we were doing that might be different than having Thanksgiving with the family. But, I would like to bring up one thing.

We are driving to see a family member that has twice in the past expressed the desire that they never wanted to have anything to do with us again...EVER! After ignoring their comments and going back to see them, just to make sure they were OK, we were invited to their house for Thanksgiving.

When asked whether our kids (and 4 grandkids) could also attend, the answer was a yes. And for a change the kids with the 4 kids decided to forgo "creating their own traditions" and have elected to go as well.

So, now our formerly estranged family with one grandchild will get to meet the new additions in our family, specifically our daughter-in-law and the great mother of the four kids, for the first time EVER!!

It's going to be a great Thanksgiving. Enough so that I doubt Christmas could exceed it. (Well, except that Christmas Day will be Jo's and my 43rd wedding anniversary.)

Cherish your family, everyone. We never know when one will be lost for whatever reasons.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, and may God shower his blessing upon you.

Terry

Delaine and Lindy · RV-Dreams Family Member

We will be some place in South Florida on Thanksgiving with our Son who is looking at places to work after he finishes CRNA college. We have been in Florida since 10 Oct and will be hear until April 2012.... We will be looking in Clearwater, Sarasota, Venice, Fort Meyers, Naples, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, West Palm beach, Port Saint Lucie, Coca Beach, and back to Tampa International Airport. Should be a fun Trip. Delaine hates to pack a bag, but the Suites will not go along.

For Christmas we will return to Tennessee to be with the kids and grandkids and back to Sebring Florida on New Years... for more fun in the Sun.... Life is Good.. Happy Trails...

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

Here's what's on the menu in our house. What about yours?

Roast Turkey (Yep, roasting it here) and gravy (yes, from scratch and my job).
Stuffing with sausage, water chestnuts and other yummy stuff.
AppleMallowYam casserole (my job). Let me know if you would like this dinner stopper recipe.
Rice
Crescent rolls and butter (lots of butter).
Cranberry Jelly
Pecan Pie and Ice Cream

Trabuco · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill,

Sounds like you need company..........what time would like us to come over......yum!!!

Bob and Cheri · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sounds like everyone has plans that will keep them busy. My DW and I are going to do things a little different this year. Usually the kids and families come for both holidays and we have fun, but this year we have to change the plans. We have closing on the S&B in December so we will host Turkey day but it is Christmas at the kids this year. We are going into a 1 bedroom apartment for till May when we retire. 165 days but whos counting.

Terry & Jo let me be the first to say Happy Anniversary to the both of you.

Happy Holidays to all

Bob & Cheri

-- Edited by Bob and Cheri on Monday 21st of November 2011 07:12:03 PM

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

We DO need company but reservations are required. Please give us a call so we can ensure that we have enough for everyone. If all goes well (i.e. we get out of service tomorrow as expected) we will be at the Circus Circus KOA just in time!

In case anyone is interested, I Googled AppleMallowYamYum and it's right there on the 'net. We have never heard of the raisin option but I think we are going to give that a try this year. Sounds like a nice addition. This recipe is "the bomb"! I never even gave a sweet potato a second look until I tasted this for the first time.

505ers · RV-Dreams Family Member

For the first time in our lives we will be spending the Holidays away from Albuquerque and our families. It will be a strange feeling but full-timing and being in a beautiful national monument is our choice. So, Sherri and I will enjoy Thanksgiving dinner in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument with eight of the volunteers. We are having a potluck in the community building and we are thankful that we can have dinner with a great group of people.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!!

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

We made our reservations at the St Augustine Beach, FL KOA for the month of December. We aren't thrilled about staying at a KOA but The Nations Oldest City should be a fun place to spend Christmas. Lots of festivities going on there.

Ivey · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are spending Christmas in the Ocala area of Florida. Being a Canadian expat this will be my first winter without a chance of snow. It still looks strange to me to see Santa sitting under a palm tree.

This will also be our first Christmas without any other family members. I am thinking it will still be a great Christmas.

Vicky

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

Vicky, we too will be in Ocala for Christmas. We decided we only want to spend a week in St Augustine. We will be in Ocala from 12/13-12/27.