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I love this time of year, more so for the joy on the faces of my children. My family visited Santa this morning, my daughter and grandson were very excited.
Usually we struggle at Christmas time, as I am not able to go out to work due to my health. We normally have to get into debt to make ends meet trying to provide our children with a good Christmas. This year, however, Santa gave us an early gift in the form of the incredible recent rise in value of SBD. As such we didn't need to take out a loan, meaning this year will be a happy, stress-free Christmas, thanks to Steem.
Having been busy in real life today, I have not had much of a chance to do my normal curation, meaning my voting power is quite high. To spread the good cheer, this is the first of five little contests I plan to run up until Christmas Eve.
So, what's this all about?
Firstly, I would like comments below. Not just any comment mind you, oh no. I want to hear how you are celebrating Christmas this year, or if there is anything you are particularly thankful for this festive season. What plans do you have? Are you visiting loved ones? If Christmas isn't your thing, not to worry. Substitute Christmas for whatever holiday you celebrate around this time of year. Maybe something uplifting about your loved ones? A charitable cause you have supported? Something in that spirit.
I will save my voting power to upvote the best comments, anything from $0.25 to $1 for as long as I can. I would encourage others to spread a little of their own festive cheer by doing the same to the best comments.
Oh, is that it?
No, and I am glad you asked. What I plan to do is to award the SBD payout from these mini contest posts to the very best comments I receive. In total there will be five contests, with 1 winner from each receiving a nice little present from Muxxy seven days after posting.
You can help here too by sharing these posts and upvoting them, to increase the prizes. It's certainly not compulsory, but is another way of helping to spread the festive cheer.
well I live and work away from home and here I dont have any member of my family and almost no friends and at the end of this week I am traveling home for Christmas and will finally see my friends and family, spend some time with them and I am wery excited about that
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I hope you have a great time catching up with family and friends.
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This Christmas I'm thankful that I'm still here.
I can't say more but I think that covers it.
And I'll be celebrating that with a return to steemit, as soon as I get my mojo back!
Merry Xmas you sexy beast Muxxy!
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I am so glad you are, dude. I look forward to re-stalking your blog.
Merry Christmas to you, your good lady and the family.
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Christmas is always weird here. Things are tense, to say the least, with my husband's family, and mine is six time zones away. Although I know I wouldn't be that happy about the insanity of a holiday back in the US, I also get oddly emotional when the time comes. And I expect it will be worse than usual this year, althoughI just got back from a visit on November first. Add to that that my health is acting up, my husband was sick for a bit... so we aren't even doing the usual double Christmas that we've done for years with Danish meal on the 24th and American on the 25th. Haven't bought each other presents in 10 years. We have some from my family, that will we open on the 25th. Haven't messed with a tree in 5 years ebcause of both expense and energy involved. Usually get greens in but I don't think it will happen this year. I didn't even get any baking done, because of both of us being sick and usually I make a lot of cookies. I was supposed to visit my MiL last night for preholiday dinner (she spends the 24th with others) but sent hubby on his own and stayed home sick.
BUT.... But this year I have an extended virtual family on The Writers' Block. They've helped me reconnect with a part of myself I'd given up on years ago... the writer part of me. And they've helped me feel productive again, which is huge when one has been unable to work for years.
And a friend worked on my muscles when I was in the US those two trips and put a big dent in my constant daily pain levels and improved my mobility.
So while there may not be a lot going on with the holiday itself and I may get weird and emotional about missing somewhere I don't really want to be....
I've already got everything I could have wished for this Christmas. Less pain, an improved sense of self, and I already had a husband who loves me despite all my challenges and both my dogs and my horses.
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We are very lucky to have you at The Writers' Block and cherish all you do for us there.
I wish you a pain free Christmas and a healthier New Year.
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Thank you! Many of you have become a sort of family for me.
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Like you, @gmuxx, I love Christmas because of my kids. They are all teenagers now, but it's still a really special time. I'm so glad to hear that you have done well with Steem and get to enjoy Christmas stress-free!
The past year was completely insane in so many ways, and included losing a good friend very unexpectedly, and a friend losing a child, very tragically. So many unfathomably sad things happened that I felt powerless and overwhelmed at times. But while these things are really difficult, it makes me so thankful for everything I have, and for the people in my life. I try to live every day with a smile on my face and an attitude of "isn't this GREAT?" because we just have this one life. I don't want to spend it focused on all the bad stuff.
As for traditions, we do the same things each year and they are always really special. Christmas eve is at my brother and sister-in-law's house in Minneapolis with fun and food and lots of wine and gifts and merriment. Then on Christmas morning the kids get up together and open their stockings while I try to sleep just a bit longer. Once my husband and I are up, I do some cooking and we all sit down for a big Christmas breakfast, with eggs and scones and fruit smoothies. And finally after that we open gifts together. Then later that day we go to my sister's house and we have more food and wine and fun and gifts, and perhaps watch a Christmas movie. Then, the day after Christmas we always drive to northern Minnesota to another brother and sister-in-law's house for even more fun and festivities, and they always have more snow there so we play broom ball until we collapse from exhaustion!
I really am blessed. I don't think I even appreciate these rich traditions enough. I am vowing this season, and in the year to come, to savor every moment, and to share that feeling of wonder and thankfulness with everyone in my sphere.
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Sorry to hear of your losses. They make us appreciate what and who we still have.
Traditions are precious.
I wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year
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I m a Muslim.....so ....I m not celebrating it...but I do wish u a very happy Christmas.....I want to write a letter to santa on behalf of a Syrian refugees. I hope it will be answered....
Santa.....though I m a Muslim......I hope that's not a problem....bcz I suppose Christmas is nothing but a festival of peace .....and peace is above religion......
Well.....
I m from Syria....yeah I know that u know that place because of these recent bombing competitions that were organized there and where world powers showcased their military power on innocent children .....women _weak and old....Hell of competitions there were going
America ....USSR....France.....Turkey....Iran .....everyone killing us because they have right to decide the fate of my country .....irony!!...
Santa......If red colour is a symbol of Christmas....then let me tell you....we celebrate it everyday over there.
Our walls are painted in pure BLOOD RED and we don't mind it anymore for we know that World has forgotten us already......
Santa.....I want you to bring with yourself a bag of humanity ,,,peace and love with you ....beacuse that's what I feel we need right now. ....
Santa....are you listening ....bring a bucket of white paint also for I want to repaint the walls to give world an impression that we are not TERRORISTS ...THEY ARE......
Santa.....I want you to bring back my old country ...the old Syria...free from all worries ...and no fear of anyone.....
Santa.....I want to celebrate Christmas in the heart of Syria without any fear.....
Santa.....I want u to get me Identity card on which my name was engraved in rose red colours.....
SANTA.....I FOEGOT MY NAME. ...BECAUSE I HAVE LOST THE IDENTITY ALREADY ...ALL THATS LEFT TO IDENTIFY ME IS.........REFUGEE
Lots of love....
Name😔😔:Refugee....
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My heart goes out to you and your country. I pray that peace does indeed come quickly and that the world powers stop meddling in the Middle East.
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I actually posted something for refugees and want someone to help me reach to a greater audience.....if u could resteem that post .......I will pay u every dollar that post makes ...I just need support and awareness
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First of all merry Christmas to you and your family, and yes its so special for me also because its not only christmas for me, its also my birthday. 25 years ago on 25th of December i was born. So cheers to that <3
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That's awesome. Have a very Merry Christmas and a happy birthday.
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Thank you very much, its awesome to have people like you around which makes Steem a worm and friendly place.
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My mom moved to the US a couple of years ago for work. I live in Europe. This year, she's coming home for Christmas. I am so thankful and happy for that, it warms my heart. We're going to see a couple of local Christmas-y concerts, but what I am looking forward to the most is going to see Star Wars together with her, my brother and his wife. My mom knows how much of a SW afficionado I am, she gets me the novels and magazines with SW articles. This will be the first time I will experience Star Wars together with mom.
Christmas + Star Wars + Family = Most wonderful time of the year, indeed.
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What a great combination, family, Star Wars and Christmas!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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I'll be having the typical humble Christmas, with heaps of food. I'm already fattening up in preparation for the gorging.
Christmas dinner at my aunts Christmas Eve with the whole extended fam and then a smaller one at my moms Christmas day. Otherwise unwinding with some video games, Christmas movies (Home Alone anyone?) and did I mention food? Hope to get some writing in and some editing rounds at the Writers' Block :)
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Will you be eating? Lol.
Christmas movies are a must.
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Perhaps, I might have been a been a bit hungry writing that comment heh.
Merry Christmas @gmuxx, I hope the fact I am grateful for family came across in the comment (and food).
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Lol, I caught the brief mention of family ;-)
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Trish and I spent the past couple of weeks fighting some kind of winter crud that's going around. She finally started feeling better, so she drove off to Florida this morning to see one of her only two living relatives. Trish and her sister will spend Christmas there with their Aunt Betty. Betty is 86 and this is her last Christmas in the home she's lived in these past couple of decades. In February she'll be moving to an assisted living community--her choice, not ours.
We spent more time this year hanging lights, maybe because we were sick, maybe because we were going to be apart. We always have a nicely done tree, but this year we've put up the hanging lights outside on the eaves and more lights on the boxwood and azalelias and the deck in the rear. We're not visible from space, but it's pretty bright out there with the lights all on. Tonight, it's making me a little lonely...
Christmas Day I'll wake up late, if I am lucky. I'll take my time moseying out to the country to see my mom. We'll probably drink some coffee and eat a little ham and potato salad, or something. She's in her 80s now and though she gets around better than I do most days, she is still getting older.
My phone will be my favorite friend that day, with any luck. With one son in Indonesia and the other in New Mexico, I'll be waiting and hoping to talk to them both. This is my real Christmas present. For Christmas, there is nothing I ever want more.
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Glad to hear you are both feeling better. No worse time of year to be ill.
I hope you and your family have a very happy Christmas.
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This is great and there's nothing better for ramping up for the festivities ahead! I am super thankful for my loved ones that I still have with me. We unfortunately had a loved one pass away right before Thanksgiving and its been really hard on everyone given the circumstances surrounding the event. So I am thankful for my family and my friends. I am super stoked because we plan to go to my mother's for Christmas Eve and My Husband's parents for Christmas day. We have excellent feasts and tons of fun spending time together. I get to have the entire week off and don't go back to work until the 2nd so I am looking forward to getting to spend more time on steemit and share some fun things with our awesome community here. Much love and wishing you a VERY merry christmas and a HAPPY 2018!
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I am so sorry to hear about your loss, but glad you get to spend time with your families over the Christmas period.
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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We usually travel up to Ohio for Christmas, but because it's such a problem with snow up there, we've decided that we'll go a different time of year. So this year, we're going to stay the night at my Father in Law's house and eat dinner. We did get my family from Ohio's gifts in, so we're doing one present a day to keep it interesting until Christmas!
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It's nice to be able to stretch out Christmas.
Have a very happy Christmas and a joyous New Year.
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Thanks, and you as well!
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I love Christmas.
Due to events in my live money is definetly tight and my brother had to take a teaching job 16 hour drive away. We were trying to figure out how to skype Christmas when his union chapter president up there gave him the air miles to come home for Christmas.
Which is beyond nice of him.
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That is awesome.
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.
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Man this is the first Christmas in 4 years I will get to be at my parents house. The thing I am the most excited for is the food. My mom make THE BEST apple pie ever and my dad cooks the best pastas ive ever had. We all open a new book for Christmas eve. This is a tradition that I have loved since I could read.
Also excited for some days off to spend with my 2 boys. Been missing them through this busy season.
Thanks for doing this. Nice of you
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Ooh, I like that tradition of opening a new book on Christmas Eve.
Have a very Merry Christmas.
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For me, I will be celebrating Christmas with my family, currently, i'm with my family and some of the plans this Christmas is to travel on a boat ride having fun. I guess this Xmas gonna be the best for me, thanks to the high price of SBD as i'm gonna celebrate using mined SBD.
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Merry Christmas! Like I do every year I’ll be heading to my parents house for Christmas Eve and then my Aunts for Christmas.
Overall I can’t begin to describe everything I’m thankful for this year. I got married, took two months off to travel around the world and almost every step of the way me and my wife have had friends around. I guess I’m just thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given and the fact that I haven’t wasted them.
Glad to hear Steem has been good to you! Hopefully my votes helped a bit :)
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Congratulations on your marriage!
I hope you, your wife and family have a very Happy Christmas.
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Thanks! I wish the same to you :)
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The night before Christmas day we will put the presents under the tree and will do a cheese and wine supper. At midnight we will play Christmas songs and give out and open the presents. Nothing big, more for the thought of it. Then on Christmas morning we will go to church with the whole family to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the mean time and in between we will be cooking up a storm and eat a traditional Christmas dinner. We dont do the turkey thing. We will cook leg of lamb bake patatoes, rice, green beans, pumpkin and some salads. Very nice deserts. And we are very greatful for everything thing we receive daily. I am also so blessed by steemit, also because the rise of SBD I got an astonishing payout. My mouth literally dropped open. It was such a WOW. May you and yours be blessed abundantly during this festive season.
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That is awesome. I must admit Christmas to me isn't complete without a bit of turkey, but we do have beef, lamb and gammon to go with it.
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.
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@gmuxx, we will also have gammon, chicken and some other cold meats. Maybe I should try the turkey sometime, maybe we are missing out. We will for sure have a Merry Christmas.
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I am celebrating christmas this year not alone anymore because I got girlfriend now. I spent 3 being single and now finally I have a girl that I can call my own. Together with her we will visit my relatives on my mother's side we will celebrate christmae on my mother ancenstral house and then in the morning we will go to my relatives on my father's for the reunion and also to introduce my girlfriend to them. lastly we will go back home because I know my godsons and daughters are waiting for my present for them haha.
This year is a blessed year for me despite of problems and frustration when I thought I am going to lost a job the table has been turned and I am the one of the few who still who are retained after the evaluation of employees, 80% of are going to lost their job this coming new. I am happy because I still got a job but sad because many of my friends will lost their job.
Merry Christmas! I wish for your good health :)
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I am glad you have someone to share the festivities with, and that you didn't lose your job when some of your friends lost theirs.
I hope you have a great time with your family and godchildren.
Merry Christmas.
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thank you so much.
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Hi nice comment. Wish you Merry Christmas......
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my mother's delicious food
my father's gifts
my wife's surprise gift
and a warm family atmosphere
We will celebrate :)))
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I hope you have a very happy Christmas.
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thank u very much You are very kind
happy Christmas mr.gmuxxx ;)
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It looks like this Christmas is going to be about forgiveness. And getting down to the important things in life, like friends and family. And that brings it back to forgiveness. Because, I realize that family needs to be forgiven too.
Sometimes I get hurt by those closest to me and my reaction is to throw up a wall and cut them out of my life. It always feels like the right thing to do, but it isn't. We get one shot at this thing (that's what I believe) so I'd rather forgive and move forward than keep a wall up.
Wish me luck as I try to bring our family together again - and make Christmas about friends and family, as I believe it should be.
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Good luck. I have been there and you are right: life is too short and we only get one shot at it.
I hope you have a very happy Christmas.
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Thank you gmuxx. I wish you and yours the best, too. I am happy for you that crypto prices will reduce the stress of Christmas - I set aside a day of nothing during the holidays - to just relax.
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I suspect I will get a few sideways looks if I don't take some time off too...lol
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Merry cristmas to all the stemian. I celebrate this festive season with my friend and family. I really
enjoyed this festive season and I am happy to see the lots of comment on this post.
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Wish you Merry Chrismas and all steemit community.
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@gmuxx Merry Christmas and Merry Christmas to all of my steemit friends. I enjoyed Merry Christmas festival.
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Merry Christman. I like this joyful festival. thanks for this great post.
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Merry Christmas. I celebrate this Festival with my family. Specially with my brother.
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May The Beauty Of This
Festival Of Lights,
Fill Your Home With Hapiness,
Joy, Prosperity And Never Endign Success.
Wish U ....
Merry
CHRISTMAS
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Wow. Best wish for everyone. Thanks for this comment and @bhutambare Merry Christmas.
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The plans I have for this Christmas is not too much. I just want to take my mum out to celebrate her birthday since she celebrates her birthday with Christmas. She was born on the 25th of December. So I want to buy her clothes, take her shopping, take her to a nice restaurant and give her nice treats. I want to contribute to the support of the motherless babies still in the mood of celebrating my mum. And I will like to make the world celebrate her for me.
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