Happy Hanukkah and Christmas Eve! Here’s your thread for dealing with holiday stress, featuring this withdrawn cat from Allein S.: “My mom just sent me this picture of Stripes. I don’t know if he’s meant to be an ornament or a gift.”
Weekend Open Thread
Murray C. asked me to post a pair of images for her. She added a note, too: “I was hoping that you could post this tomorrow so that I could wish the denizens of Cutetropolis a Warm and Happy Holiday Season. The photo (a proof) is, of course, me at a very tender age – 4 maybe? – nb the piece of paper protecting my little knee! The other is an illustration of mine.”
Your work is exceptional,Murray C.!
here is a cat tree,
Merry X-Mas!
?The boingy star on the head is the BEST! I am amazed any cat would sit still long enough to be decorated and photographed.
And, Allein, I love Stripes peeping through the tree. I think Mike’s right, that he’ seen a ghost or three – or four – don’t forget Marley!
Well, he does seem to see things the rest of us don’t, sometimes. Like cats do.
When I was catsitting in October he freaked me out one night by sitting in the doorway, yelling into the empty (as far as I could tell, anyway) kitchen.
Cats can see ghosts.
Stripes is both an ornament AND a gift!
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! Lily and I hope that everyone has a peaceful day and that anyone traveling stays safe.
Fa la la la laaaaaaa, la la la la!
I love this – Lily is becoming quite the vocalist, I see!
Stripes is both an ornament AND a gift, I’m sure.
Happy holidays for all!
“Gift” is debatable, some days… 😛
Let me wish happy holidays to all of you!
Stripes, lil’ Murray C, the drawing, the cat tree, Lily and Jan are all totally cute 🙂
Eeeeee! Stripes is the Christmas Eve open thread! I feel honored. I’m sure he’ll be indifferent. 😉
Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!
Happy Holidays to everyone. Whateever you are celebrating , I hope you will be warm and in good company! For the first time the responsibility has been passed to the next generation, so tonight the whole family will gather at my niece’s place for the traditional “réveillon de Noël “
That’s so nice! I wish I had someone I could pass my Christmas on to.
BULLETIN!!! Cute Overload website is back on line. The link to the site is just above Cutetropolis’s in my bookmarks and I accidentally clicked on it and there it was!
Sent this link my mom; she said “Cool!” Then she sent me this:
Hilarious!!!!
Love this! Especially the two pics together. Very nice.
Me and hubby are spending a very quiet Christmas Eve and Christmas. Had our big vacation back in Nov and I was traveling at the beginning of the month so no decorations or tree is up, and we’re going out to dinner tomorrow night, maybe a movie beforehand. I’m off til Thursday so I’ll be spending the time cleaning and organizing. After dealing with my Mom’s place I want to make sure my stuff is in order.
Happy Howlidays and Happy Mew Year everyone!!
It’s a wet Christmas Eve here in New Jersey. Here’s a cute rat with a terrible pun:
That’s a belly laugh!
We always have cinnamon rolls at breakfast on Christmas, too. 🙂
Happy holidays to all the wonderful folks of Cutetropolis, not excepting our gloriously creative host.
My household doesn’t celebrate Christmas because, to the cats, it’s just another day. I just love being with them all for FOUR WHOLE DAYS (to be repeated next weekend). Last night, I finished knitting my 15th entire sweater from 2016–i.e., started and finished within this calendar year, and that’s not counting all the little items, older sweaters that I started before this year and finished in 2016, knitting for work, etc. It’s another crafting and cooking weekend for me.
Wow, congratulations, DEBG! That’s quite an achievement – you deserve a cat-snuggling break! And you didn’t even mention all your kitchen construction labors – you’ve had quite a year.
Gonna be a busy Eve for me. We just got the keys to a new apartment! Most likely won’t have everything set up this weekend, but it’s a great way to close out what’s been a pretty lousy year.
Congratulations on the new apartment!
Yes – many happy times in your new digs.
Wonderful – many happy days in your new digs!
I’m at my parent’s place for the holidays. It’s tropically warm in their house so Merlin seems happy and I’m just trying not to melt. My glasses keep sliding down my nose because I’m glistening with sweat. It’s always an adjustment being here.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah everyone! I am out of here for a couple days, see you on Boxing Day. Be well and safe!
Happy Holidays, everyone!
I’m joining my kids at my daughter’s house tomorrow. We are doing soups and sandwiches, everyone bringing a different soup. My youngest was talking with her SO’s parents about Christmas and said her favorite memory was eating beef stew and biscuits for supper on Christmas Eve, and then going to tour the Christmas lights in town. They asked her to make beef stew for supper, since they are doing their gift exchange Christmas Eve. She is making enough for both dinners. Others are bringing chicken noodle, french onion soup, and ham and beans.
The foster baby is going to his mother’s house today, and spending the night with her. She is excited about it.
I got electric cars for the grandkids, and Grace and Callie loved the giant boxes they came in. Sophie (the dog) hates things with wheels (strollers, bikes, the dumpster), so she was hiding all day. I got them assembled and they are charging, so they will be ready. We are supposed to have 60 degree weather tomorrow, which is unusual for Kansas, but good for kids who got power cars for Christmas.
Yay! Have a wonderful day.
I love the idea of a soup exchange instead of (or in addition to) a cookie exchange!
Meowy Christmas! Here’s my little goofball enjoying what she thinks is her present.
You mean it’s not?
Well… it is NOW. 😛
CUTE TONGUE!
Top of her gift list.
I had a frustrating day yesterday when my festive treat, a trip to Leeds to see the ballet “Beauty and the Beast”, turned into a damp squib when the show was cancelled. Gale-force winds had caused structural damage to the roof of the theatre, and by the time the decision to cancel the matinee was taken most ticket-holders were already on their way. So I ended up paying £8.50 in bus fare to spend about 20 minutes in Leeds!
On a lighter note, there was much hilarity at Shortcake Towers this morning when the cat next door decided to pay us a flying visit – literally flying, as he launched himself from the newly-installed trellis on top of the garden wall through the half-open living-room window. Unfortunately he landed half-in and half-out with his front paws flailing madly for purchase on the Christmas tree. After a few hairy moments he was extricated and escorted home…
That was worth the price of admission!
Happy everything, all!
Here, I am taking it easy, appetizers
of all sorts for meals today.
Tomorrow, to the next generation
for (I think) roast beast, etc., and
lots of cookies and wine. Yay!
May all of you nice folks have a
safe, happy, prosperous year to come
Same to you, Phred’s Mom! And, of course, to everyone here.
I have never expected a Christmas to be any good, and this one also lives up to my expectations 🙂
I wish you could come have Christmas with us, Emsthemonster. We have a very low key tho’ highly decorated Christmas – I try to recreate the Christmas that never was – sort of my memories of all my old Christmases rolled into one. I hate all the commercialism and do little shopping. I listen to pretty interesting, non-typical Christmas and Solstice music. You might like it!
Thank you, Murray C! I already feel better from thinking about a Christmas with nice people. Iam sure I would like it!
Merry Christmas, everyone. I’ll comment more later, but right now I’m dealing with real life — my mom passed away in the wee hours last night. It was a blessing by the end, but it’s still my mom, you know?
I’m so sorry, Laura. Take care of yourself.
Laura, I’m so sorry for your loss. I am thinking about you at this difficult time.
(((Hugs)))
Ah Laura, lots of hugs for you and thoughts of strength. Xoxoxo
Sending you hugs, sympathy and all supportive thoughts.
May you have a peaceful and blessed Christmas.
Oh, Laura, I’m so sad for you! Bless your heart and all those who loved and cared for your Mom. And, yeah, I do know.
So sorry, sending long distance hugs. Even when they’ve had a long life and been declining for a few months, it’s always hard to lose a parent.
My condolences, Laura. Sending you my best wishes for strength and peace.
I’m sorry. It’s hard. My first Christmas without my mother so I know
I remember that too. Tough.
Laura, my sincere condolences.
Yes lots of hugs Laura. So sorry. Hard to see a parent age and very hard to see them go. Take care.
Thank you so much, everyone. I knew I’d find all those lovely warm internet hugs here. And it’s wonderful how much they help. I’ve known for a long time that internet communities are very real, and this is about the nicest one I’ve ever found. I really appreciate you all!
I’ve spent the day listening to a book, Redshirts, by John Scalzi — I read it when it came out, so it’s not new, but I wanted something that wouldn’t strain my brain, which feels numb. And then I’ve knitted on a pair of socks for my daughter and hugged the dogs a lot and had a very quiet day in general. I just feel numb, you know? Very sad, but the strong feelings haven’t hit yet. Some of it hit when my sister called last weekend, so that probably helps.
Unfortunately, my husband isn’t in much shape to give me a lot of support — his brother managed to take a couple of days off (which he didn’t think he could before Christmas, being a delivery driver) and visit their mom, my MIL, and now that she’s seen all six of her kids in the last month, she’s just letting go. She’s going downhill even faster than we’d anticipated. It’s her decision, but it really makes my husband on edge emotionally. So we’re both grieving simultaneously for different reasons. So I need to be there for him, too, and postpone some of my own grief, if I can, until we’re past the worst.
Sometimes life just happens too fast, and all at once.
Anyway, a very Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, a Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate, and a happy winter day to those who don’t! We’d already decided to have a quiet Christmas, and in retrospect, that decision was exactly right. It sounds like many of you have good celebrations planned, so I hope everything goes as nicely as you’re hoping.
But my husband is taking Melody to the VA hospital tomorrow for a therapy tour, and he got her a special Christmas collar with jingle bells on it. Don’t tell me he’s not crazy about that dog! 🙂 So that’s one really cheerful thing that’s happened.
And the other is that a couple nights ago we were delightfully surprised by a large group of teenage carolers, which included a couple of the kids from across the street. They sang several carols for us with great enthusiasm, and I’m not sure who enjoyed it more, them singing or us listening! I haven’t had carolers come to my door since forever, so it was a fabulous surprise and will always be a highlight of this Christmas. No matter what, life goes on!
A large hug envelope from here, Laura.
Hubster and you should just quietly hug each
other, no words needed. Melody will help
you both, too.
Iam so sorry for your loss, Laura 🙁
Murray C. just sent in another picture that’s just too cute: “This is my ‘Missile Toad’ That hangs in the archway between our hall and dining room. Don’t know if anyone’s actually kissed under it or not.”
OMG! I so need a missile toad.
I am hilariously impressed.
I would kiss it, not under it, he might turn into an excellent prince 🙂
Perfect. I want, no, NEED one of these.
Year round.
Happy All Holidays everyone!
I’m enjoying a break in the California rains (!?) with sunshine and some temperature that is warm enough to wear flip flops. 🙂
Wishing all joy, good cheer, and peace however you are spending the weekend.
Oh, yeah? Rub it in, Tara – we’re here in the Philly area with almost 60 deg. rains and we COULD be wearing squish squashes (?) – so there.?
haha! sorry Murray C. but yeah, actually, it sounds like we’re at the same temp. it wasn’t warm here. But when in LA…
By the way that pic of you up top there is pretty cute! Even though you don’t look quite thrilled about the whole thing.
Today was gorgeous, dry, mild (for December) no wind,
in the Philly/Jersey area. So nice.
I think I was just concentrating on enumerating all the gifts I wanted, ticking them off on my fingers as I went.?
We got an early present Wednesday afternoon! Our youngest kitty got out of the screen porch the last day of November. There was a heavy rain that night and some really cold nights in between. Husband put out posters and there were some sightings, but this isn’t a cat that comes when called.
Finally the neighbor next door and husband both saw him that afternoon!!! He went out and put a trail of cat treats from their yard to ours, waited about an hour, and finally got the kitty in. This cat hasn’t been outside for the six years we’ve had him, and I don’t think he knew which house was his!
So glad to have our polydactal tuxy back!!!!1!!1!!!
Phew!!
Welcome home, Kitty! That is a relief.
Thanks! Friday was cat party day! Lots of food & treats (and pats)!
Okay, I worked Thursday & I am sure I just missed the first day back.
Love the idea of a trail of food! Clever!
It’s a Christmas miracle! 😀 So glad you got your kitty back!
My co-worker lost her dog last night. When I saw her Facebook post about it this morning I remembered I had seen a post on a lost and found pets page last night that looked a lot like her dog. So I went back and found it and sure enough, it was hers! They were reunited this afternoon.
Wow!
That’s astonishing! Wonderful – you must feel great – as must she! That makes for a Merry Christmas all round.
Murray C- I do! I was worried about my co-worker; she’s pregnant and the stress was making her sick. It’s pretty cold here, and she was concerned her pup wouldn’t be able to survive outside for long (it’s a 3 lb teacup yorkie). Evidently the people who found her dog took great care of it, though- even bought it a new leash and harness! 😀
Sweet!
So great! Happiness all around!