It's that time of year again "Holidays" time for us members no matter where we are in the world. ( HAPPY HOLIDAY! To All ) Do you get you Sims houses ready for the Holidays? I have the Happy Holidays Stuff it was including in my basic game.
I love getting my Sims houses already for Xmas and even Thanksgiving ( that take place here in the USA ) maybe other places in the world have their own versions of both holidays.
The EP Seasons really come in handy for winter holidays, I always start off by turning all my two neighborhoods that I play into a "All Winter Wonder Land" I set the season to all winter for the holidays time.

1. Décor the houses. Add lights, xmas tree. ( Never leave the tree lights on once all Sims go to bed, a fire will start, happen to me at the Goth house ( add an alarm somewhere near the tree. )
2. Special food
3. Clothes for the holiday
4. game time
5 Have friends come over for fun and to eat
6. Must have a "Santa visit" Santa can get on my nerve he spend half of the night at the toilet peeing but my Sims children love it and the parents.
7 New Year where the child turn into an old man the Sims blow their horns and use fire- crackers, Now it's party time.
Don't start the New Year party until dark time between Sims time 7 to 8 PM, if you start the party before it get dark or before that time Sims "police" will come and shut it down.

I have done that sometimes, other times I forget all about it. When I have done it, I have decorated or had parties to the sims time, so it needs to be summer in game for me to put up the Christmas decoration (Christmas in in summer down here in the Southern hemisphere) Seeing that I have just started Summer rotation I should do that, thanks for the reminder Simonut. I guess I have been too focused on all the new business, babies and toddlers in my new hood to think about other things.

It was only recently that my sims got to experience the Holidays, thought it was funny as anything. Did have fun decorating the house up. Still trying to properly figure out the exact criteria needed for Santa to visit. I think he came by three nights in a row lol. I'd like to try to find a recolour or custom Christmas tree that isn't so bright & cheerful. Something along the lines of a Charlie Brown tree would suit my apox hood or my really poor sims much better lol. They deserve a bit of Christmas too.
Still haven't figured out how the NewYear celebration happens. I spent a few hours playing the tutorial sims & only just happened to notice the Baby dancing on the edge of lot. The sims themselves took no notice nor did they give me a hint that it was NewYears, but then there ghosts popping out at them that probably took precedence (was testing something out).

Throw a new years party and set off some fireworks outside and Father Time should show up while the sims bang on pots and pans and then he turns into Baby new year. They both look kind of creepy if you ask me...

I still haven't actually got Santa over for a visit. Looks like I might have to hide the toilet though lol.

I don't imagine every Sim house of mine will have an elaborately decorated house, but the "important" ones definitely do. Christmas is celebrated every winter-season, and Sims normally eat turkey + some kind of dessert for christmas dinner on the second last day. Then they exchange gifts with each other. Families with kid will try to spawn Santa. Decorations are put up on second day of winter, or third, depending on if I extend duration or not (I often do, I find snow a lot of fun for families with kids).

It's been a while though, I don't take the time for such things while re-creating hood. But once I'm back on track, it's christmas all around! I got some very new custom lights that I haven't gotten to try out yet, so I'm excited about it.

I also tend to make Sims throw a new years bash with their family or friends, if I feel they are into that kind of thing.

Thanks Jo
I don't know if the show Ally McBeal ran down under ( ) but I couldn't help but picture it when I saw that silly Baby dance.

Not sure as I don't watch a whole lot of TV, but I have heard of it.

Happy Thanksgiving to all sims and simmers!

I had my first Sim Christmas at the Goth house recently. Mortimer put up a tree, made Santa cookies, and a special meal. He had presents for his family and all the little Lotharios came over to help celebrate. Only Mortimer and Alexander were there when Santa appeared though. They did the smustle together with the stereo Santa brought. Between Santa and Rod Humble, Mortimer has given up his luddite ways, and after weather proofing the attic, has added a tv area there.

@ >> sweetbaby160 or anyone that want to know " How To Get Santa Visits" as follow:

1. Buy a "Tree" is a must have put it somewhere on the Sims lot ( Inside or out ) I prefer inside. If you do not have the holiday stuff pack there are xmas tree on the Mod to download.
2.Direct a Sim to bake "Santa Cookie" ( Be sure to pick a Sim with good cooking skills) no burn cookies for Santa is a NO, NO, if cookies are burn Santa will give the Sims Coal, instead of a present.
3. Send all Sims to bed, ( If you want to ) place the Santa cookies on the table where Santa can get them , Be Sure no one eat the cookies but Santa. To keep the Sims from eating the cookies direct them to sat down somewhere. ( that what I do )
4. Santa will arrive at the Sims house at about 10 PM ( now your Sims can see Santa it will be in their memory panel that they met Santa. ) They can talk to him, Santa will hang out for about 3 Sims hours or less.
5. If Santa like your cookies he will leave a present like a stereo or toy.

NOTE: Warning for my Sims Santa "always" leave that VroomMaster4000 toy car that Sims can zoom around. I right away "DELETE" it due to the fact that over the years there have been so much talk that it can corrupt your game.
It is said to be a NPC in the form of a toy car. I am not sure but to be on the safe side I do not let my Sims use it so I always get rid of it.

The car causes problems with the sims memory panel. It takes away the memory and leaves a blank green or red square. I had it once and when I got rid of the car the memories came back. I don't know if it was ever fixed so I just avoid using the car.

I don't have the happy holidays pack so I've never done a Christmas or new year's party. I think I have the Maxis special download tree, though, or at least I used to have it, but you can't spawn santa without the pack.

Sometimes I let my sims celebrate Christmas, etc. Especially if it happens to be wintertime around the real Christmas. It's just coming into Winter in my hood, so we'll see The problem is it becomes very repetitive to celebrate it for every single family, so I usually just do it for a couple of them and then pretend the others did it as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWyb93tiVQQ

I think the remote controlled car is only dangerous if you save while someone on the lot is using it.

Thank you Charity lol. That's the one!

I decided to have Christmas in sims a bit ago when it was winter - third house into rotation and I was bored of it. I might decorate the megahood that I'm playing now, or if I'm playing near Christmas I might have one or two families have santa visit.

I don't usually have all of my Sims celebrate holidays, as I play my Sims based on their personalities/interests and what type of story is currently going in their household.

So, while my more traditional Sim families/households may celebrate Christmas (usually a Saturday or Sunday during the game's winter season), others may not. Some get to enjoy Halloween fun and parties, while others let the day (I like to choose a Friday or Saturday during the game's fall season) go by just like any other.

Thanksgiving and many of the traditional summer holidays (depending on where you live), are typically skipped over. My game already has a strong sense of community, with families and friends getting together on a regular basis for summer cook-outs, play dates and sleepovers for the kids, inviting extended family members over for Sunday dinners, sports and house parties and New Year's celebrations as well. So, that's good enough for me.

Also, I really don't have the patience to decorate too many homes for specific holidays. My play style is rotational - I play a household for a season (my seasons are set for a 7 day span). So, while there is time to have my Sims enjoy holidays, it's not something I make a big deal about.

I never got around to it, but once I start playing again my Sims will celebrate Christmas and New Years based on their calendar instead of mine. My Sims don't really have a set religion; there are ghosts, magic, other paranormal things, and they sometimes can sense someone looking over them (I guess me, as a godlike figure). I should probably put more thought into religion for them, but Christmas isn't religious for them. It's a time to be around family and to give to others in need or because of love for them. My Sims like to party as it is, so it's not weird to have a huge holiday just to celebrate winter with different traditions. This would probably be celebrated on the 2nd day of winter. When I think of a seasonal year for Sims it ends with winter, so the last day of winter would be to celebrate New Year's. My Sim families all will do something during these times to celebrate although they will be limited based on their finances. The wealthy founders will throw a huge bash while the poorer families will just play with each other and maybe purchase a new toy.

One time my Happy Holiday installation became corrupt and Santa came to my house with an invisible head.

Indeed!!!! How I missed that show and that silly baby dance

I have never once in my life decorated my sims' homes for a holiday. :l

Totally off topic but I will add it anyway.
I prefer this dance far more.
Great show, have watched every single episode and was sad it ended.

You don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Scandinavia we have Midsommar instead, in English midsummer where you eat food and drink like crazy for the reason that summer is here. And you dance around a big wreath.

Thanksgiving is only an American holiday, but happy Thanksgiving to you Duine.

I'd rather celebrate Midsommar. I DO celebrate Midsummer!