How (if at all) do your sims celebrate the holidays in their calendar?

I have been simming ever since the first Sims game came out and I have to say I am very set in my ways in the way that I play my game. I am always up for new ideas though. These past few weeks I have had more time than usual to be able to spend on the forum and I have been thoroughly enjoying reading about people's very different ways of playing the game. One of the ways that has really caught my attention has been the story-telling aspect of the game. I am NOT a creative person. I really wish I was but I seem to live with a permanent creativity block and this applies to all aspects of my life. However, with using the camera to take screenshots I have discovered that I actually can tell my Sims's stories rather than just rushing through their lives.

Just now the Love Day holiday rolled round in the calendar. Elle Washington, a fifth generation sim in my Emery Legacy has just begun dating Atlas Michaelson and I thought I would send them out on a date and document it as it progressed. Usually I would just do the bare minimum to get the satisfaction points. This was much more fun and I feel so much more involved in their lives now.

Here is how the date went....

They began by taking a couple of selfies to commemorate the start of their first ever Love Day together.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52788277647_44bd916da5_o.pngAtlas and Elle take photos to commemorate the start of their first Love Day celebration by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52789223635_27b2c8cdfe_o.pngAtlas and Elle on Love Day by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr

They exchanged gifts. Elle gave Atlas a stylish black and red Grim's Ghoulish Guitar and Atlas gave Elle a Dr F's Robotic Workstation. That may seem like a strange gift but he knew how much Elle wanted to get into robotics after seeing a Servo one of her cousin's had made at his house. I'm not sure how either present managed to fit into those tiny boxes but both sims were over the moon with what they received.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52789224080_2a42641a07_o.pngAtlas and Elle exchange Love Day gifts by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52789284188_282cb3213c_o.pngAtlas and Elle exchange Love Day gifts by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52789063519_cb54243d8b_o.pngThey both loved their gifts by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr

They started their date at Elle's favourite place; The Tudor Cat Cafe in San Sequoia.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52789225135_9f824a2e26_o.pngThey started their date at Elle's favourite place....the Tudor Cat Cafe in San Sequoia by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr

The date was going very well. The next night was Prom Night so Elle had decided to bring her homemade Promposal sign with her in her back pocket and took the opportunity to ask Atlas if he would be her Prom date. He excitedly agreed!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52789285223_f937fdb9ae_o.pngThe next day was prom and Elle decided to present her Promposal sign to Atlas by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52788279242_02b711553f_o.pngThe date was going well by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr

They finished their date with a late-night romantic movie. Elle's Mum and Gran had agreed that there wouldn't be a curfew set that night so the young lovebirds made the most of their evening together.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52788279377_74d390409d_o.pngThey finished the date with a late night romantic movie. Luckily Elle's Mum and Gran had agreed their would be no curfew tonight. by Kerry Sayers, on Flickr

So that was Love Day for Elle and Atlas...and for me. I really enjoyed slowing down and actually playing the game rather than just rushing through it solely for the purpose of collecting Satisfaction Points. From now on I plan on putting more thought into the Sim holidays in my calendar and playing through them each time. I will also extend this to events such as birthday parties etc. I have quite a few holidays in my calendar. In addition to the holidays that are already there I have included some that are more relevant to where I live in the UK, ie Boxing Day and Bonfire Night. I have also added Mother's Day and Father's Day in and I have made some up such as Children's Day and National Spa Day.

I would love to hear about how you celebrate your holiday's with your Sims and what holidays you have made up for them.

Sorry for the long post. I have only just learned how to post pictures but now I really need to learn how to hide them behind a spoilers tab!!