Did we all forget what the true meaning of Christmas is?? (Scranton: neighborhood, live)

[I LOVE PA!]

OK...lets all do a little prayer to the fertility Gods for John from Scranton and his wife!!! Yes...kids makes Christmas so much fun..and when I found out I was expecting both my kids it was the week of Christmas...that was real fun too.

LiAlleyCat....Coming from LI ...I know exactly what you mean by people being materialistic and trying to outdo each other. I was glad to leave that all behind and since I moved to Pa 15 years ago, I have not seen it in the degree you see on LI. I HATED it! I was afraid to have my younger daughter wear her sisters dresses for fear people would say something to me! Where I live in Lake Ariel/Hamlin area, no one cares what you have. It impresses no one. I worked in a bank for many years and we had a ealthy family move here from NJ...they would often come in to make large cash withdrawals and make jokes about 'breaking the bank.' They laughed every time they came in, but were actually making fools of themselves. We laughed when they left. Money, jewels, clothes, cars...none of that impresses most here. I still remember my SIL comming for a visit to Pa and walked in with her full length fox coat. My kids literally fell on the floor laughing. We had to explain to her why. I hear she has upgraded to mink now....
LIalley cat....you will be surprised when you move here. I didn't get to go back for a visist for 6 months....well...when I did...I was STUNNED at what I didn't notice. Now when we visit we just can't believe how comical everyone seems to be to us by their different values. We just sit there and laugh. My kids used to want us to wake them up when we got stuck in traffic because they found it funny to watch the behavior of the people stuck in the traffic.

Oh..the suggestion to make donations in everyon'es name...I would still be a SCROOGE for sure. It would not go over big. And these are people who have everything...no kids at all. Grown adults...all of them.

[John From Scranton]

Originally Posted by I LOVE PA!

OK...lets all do a little prayer to the fertility Gods for John from Scranton and his wife!!! Yes...kids makes Christmas so much fun..and when I found out I was expecting both my kids it was the week of Christmas...that was real fun too.

LiAlleyCat....Coming from LI ...I know exactly what you mean by people being materialistic and trying to outdo each other. I was glad to leave that all behind and since I moved to Pa 15 years ago, I have not seen it in the degree you see on LI. I HATED it! I was afraid to have my younger daughter wear her sisters dresses for fear people would say something to me! Where I live in Lake Ariel/Hamlin area, no one cares what you have. It impresses no one. I worked in a bank for many years and we had a ealthy family move here from NJ...they would often come in to make large cash withdrawals and make jokes about 'breaking the bank.' They laughed every time they came in, but were actually making fools of themselves. We laughed when they left. Money, jewels, clothes, cars...none of that impresses most here. I still remember my SIL comming for a visit to Pa and walked in with her full length fox coat. My kids literally fell on the floor laughing. We had to explain to her why. I hear she has upgraded to mink now....
LIalley cat....you will be surprised when you move here. I didn't get to go back for a visist for 6 months....well...when I did...I was STUNNED at what I didn't notice. Now when we visit we just can't believe how comical everyone seems to be to us by their different values. We just sit there and laugh. My kids used to want us to wake them up when we got stuck in traffic because they found it funny to watch the behavior of the people stuck in the traffic.

Oh..the suggestion to make donations in everyon'es name...I would still be a SCROOGE for sure. It would not go over big. And these are people who have everything...no kids at all. Grown adults...all of them.

Thanks, I love PA,! I been looking forward to a little one for quite some time now. I hope one day I will be lucky to have one of my own. It seems all to often that people that dont want kids have them. Then the ones the really want a bundle of joy in their life have a hard time??

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by John From Scranton

Thanks, I love PA,! I been looking forward to a little one for quite some time now. I hope one day I will be lucky to have one of my own. It seems all to often that people that dont want kids have them. Then the ones the really want a bundle of joy in their life have a hard time??

I can agree with you on that. I'm 37 and I have always wanted a child of my own. I have been engaged once and it didn't work out. I'm still waiting patiently. It does seem to me that a lot of people I've encountered take their kids for granted and I found a lot of dead beat dads who couldn't care less about their children. Very sad.

[John From Scranton]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

I can agree with you on that. I'm 37 and I have always wanted a child of my own. I have been engaged once and it didn't work out. I'm still waiting patiently. It does seem to me that a lot of people I've encountered take their kids for granted and I found a lot of dead beat dads who couldn't care less about their children. Very sad.

Yes you are soo right!! I see my tax money paying for kids that.. Well sorry to say it! Should have not even came into this world. Just because of the way they are being taking care of. It's very sad, and I only feel bad for the kids!

[I LOVE PA!]

Isn't it a shame? My heart breaks for all those wanting to be parents...I'm so sory I didn't have more kids! To those young enough...I say...Have a BUNCH!
NYRangers....you still have time! My brother is 50 and his oldest child is 11, youngest is 2! And if you don't find a partner...you can always choose to adopt on your own..not the ideal plan...but LIFE is waht happens while you're busy making other plans.

[John From Scranton]

As far as my poll go's I vote YES! Because I think here in Pa, we all have the chance to have the true meaning of Christmas, like some other states that dont get any snow we do! It's been a few years now. But I remember as a kid getting up Christmas, morning and seeing snow on the ground outside. Many other states dont have that, such as we do here in PA! So being cold outside, snow on the ground, getting the chance to play with that new toy outside!! Boy,, You cant beat that with a stick! OMG!! I wish i was still young!

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by I LOVE PA!

Isn't it a shame? My heart breaks for all those wanting to be parents...I'm so sory I didn't have more kids! To those young enough...I say...Have a BUNCH!
NYRangers....you still have time! My brother is 50 and his oldest child is 11, youngest is 2! And if you don't find a partner...you can always choose to adopt on your own..not the ideal plan...but LIFE is waht happens while you're busy making other plans.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I know my time will come to experience the joys of a beautiful baby. Until then, I will wait patiently and just live my life.

[John From Scranton]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I know my time will come to experience the joys of a beautiful baby. Until then, I will wait patiently and just live my life.

Im married and been working on a little one for over a year now!! It's fun working on having one if you know what I mean!! But I'm starting to think something is wrong with one of us! Going to give it till the end of the year! If nothing time to see a Doc.!

[BackToTheCityMouse]

In reply to the poll, I think Christmas in PA is different from what I remember in NJ. I never saw so many homes decorated with only red, white and blue lights -- in fact, I never saw any! -- until we moved to Juniata County in 1990. But then their Y2K celebration was about the Civil War.

In Harrisburg, I haven't seen any Christmas displays disguised as July 4th. Yet...

[John From Scranton]

Originally Posted by BackToTheCityMouse

In reply to the poll, I think Christmas in PA is different from what I remember in NJ. I never saw so many homes decorated with only red, white and blue lights -- in fact, I never saw any! -- until we moved to Juniata County in 1990. But then their Y2K celebration was about the Civil War.

In Harrisburg, I haven't seen any Christmas displays disguised as July 4th. Yet...

For some reason here in Scranton, we seem to get out of hand with our hoilday lights! I already seen some houes all lite up?? And I think?? how do they pay their PP&L bill