Traditions

[Johnny Thunder]

What are your - and your family's - traditions at this time of year?

[HotchocolateDuo]

Every year my mum would read us Jolly Old Santa Claus just befor Christmas. She would read a few pages each night. It would take us all the way up to Christmas. Now that I have kids of my own, I read it to them. It's a nice thing to pass on.

[Clarice]

A night out checking out Christmas displays and opening one present on Christmas Eve.

[Mistress Muffy]

I started looking for some new traditions last year! I mean I have things I do every year that make my holiday special but I will be seeking something new out this year!

Mistress Muffy

[Ugly Joe]

Heh...one we have, that I never expected:

I read 3 stories to my daughters on Christmas Eve - How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Polar Express, and The Night Before Christmas...

...all done with "voices", of course...

They still request it...and I have one preteen, two full blown teenagers, and one in her 20's (she likes to spend Christmas Eve with us, even though she lives elsewhere now)...

[Mistress Muffy]

oh wait..wait...wait!!!

I HAVE ONE I forgot to mention!

When I was in western Nebraska I lived in the canyon area (southwest) middle of nowhere. Each year I asked one farm or ranch family if I could come on their land & cut cedar branches. I made yards & yards of real cedar garland and wreaths for my diner. We also cut 4-6 small trees (about 5 footers) & one very large tree & decorated them outside the restaurant. A sign was hung that thanked the family who donated the trees and branches.

It became one of my favorite things, I would drive the canyon roads & go up on the flats to cut branches. I would pick pinecones and various branches off small weeds & make beautiful wreaths that I would ship UPS to family & friends.

That stopped when I moved to NC. I missed it. BUT guess what....my house has 50 trees out in front some kind of cedar.....and now I make my garland out of that. I still enjoy it. This year I will make some wreaths and have a forest of plants behind my house along with pinecones and berries.

Yup I had forgotten this......its one of my favorite things to do for the holidays!

Muf

[buddytheelf]

Just to decorate the tree, eat a nice meal, go down and do some volunteer work, help at the Christmas Tree Farm, play in the glisting snow, watch The Grinch, shop all month.

[Mummy deer-est]

hmmmm....
We shop, go to get the tree, trim the tree while telling family stories, bake, have cookie swaps, wrap presents, watch anything that is christmassy, leave out cookies and carrots (with a note to Santa), eat a yummy brunch (after presents, of course), lounge, eat a yummy dinner, play group board games, go sledding, and do what ever else we can cram in!

Wow, that a little obnoxious. Sorry.

[Ms. Parker]

We make mulled wine on Christmas Eve. I love Christmas Eve as it's when my father's side of the family used to get together when we were kids. My dad was one of 12 and I'm one of 40 first cousins from that side!!!

Even though the extended family no longer gathers for Christmas, I still get excited on the 24th. Sometimes my cousin comes over. It's her birthday, so getting together with her is another tradition. We used to meet up for a birthday drink before arriving at the family party.

Anyway, mulled wine all of the way, with a nice fire in the fireplace and appetizers or some sort of comfort food. :)

[spookineer]

Watching "A Christmas Story" has become a Christmas Eve tradition for us.

[Sickie Ickie]

My mom used to get a cake and we used to sing happy birthday to Jesus. LOL The Biblical Nativity story was then read from the Bible. That's kinda gone by the wayside.

We used to have stations for each person in the living room for their presents to go to. Then each person in turn would open up a present in front of everybody. One person, then tehnext person and so on. In this way the present opening wasn't just lost in one minute. I wan't to continue that with my family.

[Mummy deer-est]

My mom used to get a cake and we used to sing happy birthday to Jesus. LOL The Biblical Nativity story was then read from the Bible. That's kinda gone by the wayside.

Maybe you should put this in your front yard, Ickie...:D

http://www.christmasdonebright.com/lighted-displays/the-sign-shop/happy-birthday-jesus-cake

[Sickie Ickie]

For $200, I'll burn the letters into my lawn with a torch! LOL

[Clarice]

Did you check out the Halloween lights?

[Sickie Ickie]

which one are ya talking to?

[bethene]

We start the season with the annual tree hunt, I have to make my fudge, other wise the kids complain,Decorate the outside, open one gift on Christmas eve, Watching the grinch and a Christmas Story,. We used to go to my mother in laws on Christmas eve, then when she passed, her oldest daughters. But this year her hubby has cancer, so I don't know what we will do.

[childofthenight]

my wife and I go to her brothers x-mas eve and my sisters christmas day.an old tradition was to go to my moms on christmas morning (early)and tease the kids. my mom and I wouldn't let the kids come downstairs till we had coffie and nut rolls (about 1 hours worth)! tee he he! used to drive them mad!:D ps sorry to hear about the cancer in your family Bethene hope every thing turns out ok for you and yours.

[Rod Rego]

Every Christmas Eve we go on a ride around town look at Christmas Displays. Our town decorates the park every year, so we always drive through there.

Then on Christmas morning we open our presents, stockings, and then always have cinammon rolls for breakfest. Then all of our relatives gather at my grandparents' house and have a meal/present exchange.

[BlackRose]

My brother and I started this one year together and it steadily grew until we had two car loads of people.
My parents make a big meal Christmas eve and then "the kids" (but we're all really grown-up , well sort of!!) get in the car and we drive around looking at Christmas lights. We pick the best house and go knock on the door and thank them for their lights. Then we give them a small gift - always a tree ornament. We've been invited into lots of homes over the years of doing this. It always turns out really well and we usually end up being invited in to have hot chocolate or cake or something with the people we choose. It really turns into a great evening that is really all about the spirit of Christmas.

[Mummy deer-est]

That is such a good idea, Rose...I might just try to do that this year. Would be a nice way to meet some neighbors!

[BlackRose]

We always have a great time. Only two years have the people we've chosen not been home but in that case we leave it in the mail box with a Christmas card that contains a brief explanation of the reason behind the gift and signed (first names only) by all of us.

[Nancj]

When we were little my father couldn't wait for us to open our gifts, so we always did it on Christmas Eve. Afterwards we would all go out for a big breakfast, come home and watch Christmas movies all day. On christmas day we would go to our Grandmas and have Christmas all over again. To this day my family and I still open gifts on Christmas Eve.

[Nancj]

BlackRose what a beautiful tradition. I think I might like to try that also this year. Such a nice way to let others know you appriciate their spirit. Thanks for sharing.

[Sickie Ickie]

That is a great tradition. The ornament is very thoughtful and allows them to remember the kindness year after year.

Have you ever gone to the same house more than once, or do you have a rule one time at a specific house?

[BlackRose]

We've never been to the same house twice. We try to go to a completely different area each year. Althought there have been some people we would like to re-visit! Seems to make it more mysterious this way though. :)

[Sickie Ickie]

I agree, and think it is a fantastic tradition! :D

[Nancj]

Seems like you just started a new trend BR with your lovely tradition!!

[BlackRose]

Seems like it!

[Mistress Muffy]

oh yes!! I like that idea too!

Muffy

[AngelEye]

Our traditions are changing a bit now that we have a house of our own. We used to all get together at the house I grew up in for 17 years and have a Christmas Eve celebration of food, family, and the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. My Brothers, Sister, and I would sneak out of our rooms at about 3 am and grab our stockings and run back into our rooms to open them. Then we would fall asleep until about 7am where we would just stare at all the presents until Mom got up and we could start tearing into them. (Dad was already up, he had to keep us at bay) Then we watched the Macy's Christmas Parade and had a huge Italian Christmas dinner later in the afternoon.

Last year we changed things up. My husband are passionate about entertaining so we offered to start hosting Christmas at our home. Everyone was thrilled! Last year everything went as planned, we ate awesome food, watched A Christmas Story, played video games on the new Wii... Did I mention that my entire family on my Dad's side loves video games? :) The Wii got people playing games in the family that hadn't played in a long time or some on the other that just hadn't played. It was the greatest time! It is sure to be a repeat this year.

[wintersmistress]

Black rose,I think we will try that this year.
When my kids were younger I would always read them christmas stories,take them out to look at the light displays,my husband was in the usmc and was always away,so I had to play the part of mommy and daddy,we would make homemade gifts to take to the senior citizens homes.
Now my kids are 23,20,17,we still go to senior citizens homes and hospitals to donate gift baskets to sick children that can't be home for christmas! what a wonderful feeling that is,I never leave dry eyed.

[HollyKing]

Well, let's see... I watch every version of A Christmas Carol I can lay my hands on; also Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas... beginning to get the picture?

I also read A Christmas Carol aloud... *grin* one year when my wife and I were separated, I invited the cats into the bedroom and read it to them!

(Truthfully, I almost created my account with the name "Scrooge" - it would have been a lot easier to type than HollyKing!)

[Sickie Ickie]

LOL Good thing you didn't. At somepoint we'll have someone join with that name, and it would be hard to figure out who was who! :P

[Mummy deer-est]

I saved my slice of the tree, Rose!!

And I bought "The Night Before Christmas" at borders, and decided to make a tradition to read it to the girls, every Christmas eve.

Oh, and I forgot to say the Christmas breakfast is our tradtion (would have french toast , but too much egg for algeries) but we ALWAYS have to have scrapple. YUM!

[Nephew Fred]

I have a tradition that started when I bought this house 6 years ago..With the nieghbors on one side and across the street we have a progressive Christmas Eve dinner.We start at one house for appitizers,move to the next for salad ,entree, then dessert.We get to visit everyone home and can see what decor they have put up.
There are always extra people that drop in.Most of our familys are miles away,so it nice to celebrate with friends.

[RRguy]

When I was a kid many many years ago, every one bought gifts for every one. All of the relatives would go to everyone's house one at a time on Christmas Eve and open the their gifts. Then we would all go home, and on Christmas morning, the kids would open the presents that "Santa" left for them.

Now the kids have all grown and have had their own kids. It seems that no one can afford to do it that way anymore. Now we just pick a relatives house and do the white elephant gift exchange with mostly worthless humorous items on Christmas Eve. Most of us spend the night, and, on Christmas morning, we open the real gifts that we got from our nuclear families.

[digbugsgirl]

We have had a cookie exchange for probably the last 12 years. This year we didn't have one because my grandmother is dying. The family isn't going to do much at all this year. Things will probably get back to normal next year, except that everybody will probably be going to my mom's house (we've always gone to Grandma's.)

DH have a tradition of putting up the Christmas tree the night of Black Friday. While I am decorating it, we watch a Christmas movie, have a slice of pumpking pie and some eggnog. We've done that now the last 5 years now since we've had our own home.

I told DH that this year we are going to start another tradition. Saturday night (the 22nd) we are going to drive around and look at Christmas lights. I told him I want to start doing this every year.

[lhallow]

Drudging up a buried post here........

I loved reading everyones traditions!

My favorite family tradition is each year my whole immediate family spends the night at my moms house on Christmas Eve. We all arrive around 7pm and the first thing my mom does is give us all our matching xmas pj's. It's always fun to see what theme she picks....last year was Charlie Brown. Then we have appetizers; alcohol (candy cane shots are my favorite that night) and play games. It's so fun.

[Warrant2000]

Our neighborhood usually drops off plates of cookies at each others house.

Our long standing family tradition is Candy House Making. We invite all the families in the neighborhood over. We spend the previous few days building the candy houses out of cereal boxes and tape (it's about 6"x4" with a pointed roof), attaching them to styrofoam plates. My wife also cooks up gingerbread for the real gingerbread houses. It's tough to get the gingerbread at the right thickness so it's not to brittle or soft.

Our dining table is covered with containers of all sorts of candy and frosting, then the kids go nuts covering their houses any way they like. Each kid gets a cereal box house, and each family gets a gingerbread house. You'd be amazed the different styles, creativity, and detail these kids and parents put into their houses. Our kitchen has a steaming pot of apple cider and cinnamon, and Christmas music drifts through the house.

I run the BBQ and beer cooler outside for the adults, and use the candy leftovers to build my own candy house after crowd has left.

[Warrant2000]

I told DH that this year we are going to start another tradition. Saturday night (the 22nd) we are going to drive around and look at Christmas lights. I told him I want to start doing this every year.

When I drive around looking at other lights, I think to myself, "Hmmm, I better go get some more lights..." :)

[Mummy deer-est]

Warrant, I was thinking about doing a cookie exchange this year and giving the kids a similar activity. Was going to make houses out of graham crackers and frosting. How do you do your ceareal box ones?

[Warrant2000]

Mummy, we save the boxes over a few weeks. I make a template of a front/side from cardboard or cereal boxes, then trace out the wall section on a box. 2 walls are connected and the roof is one piece and separate. Sort of like a cube that has been unfolded and laid flat.

The wall section has a raised point to accomodate the roof. Then I use scotch tape to connect the walls making a box with no roof. I flip it over and place the house section on the roof section (making sure the roof is big enough to have some overhang) and scotch tape it on the inside. The tape job doesn't have to be pretty since it will be hidden, but it does have to be secure.

Then flip the completed house upright and place it on a styrofoam plate (paper plates are too flimsy). I've also used squares of cardboard covered in foil as the base. Tape the house to the base, and you're ready!

The cereal box material makes the house sturdy to support all the candy and frosting. I've found over the years that grahm crackers tend to soften and schlump, making for unhapping gingerbread tenants.

Edit: A picture is worth...

http://www.christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=19&pictureid=187

[Mummy deer-est]

Thanks so much, Warrant! I'll do some expierimenting. Fun! :)

[Natascha]

Traditions - We have a couple, We go to my Husbands Grandparents Christmas Eve and until 2 years ago it was the same Santa that came every year since my M-I-L was a child.

We do Christmas day at my relatives house always in PJs

But I think my Daughter would say our Tradition is when we do the Christmas Tree we Have The First Full Lenght (First Christmas Episode) of the Simpsons playing as we drink Egg Nog and Champagne. (Do I smell Gun powder)

[putrid]

To make something new for Christmas. I guess this year it'll be the kitchen garland. Was made in Jan. but it still counts. LOL

[Merry Noel]

A night out checking out Christmas displays and opening one present on Christmas Eve.

That's very much like my family when I was kid. We usually looked at lights on Christmas eve, went to mass then opened 1 present when we got home, right before bed. (My parents always had taken me to a store earlier in the day or the day before to pick out a new pair of pajamas for Christmas Eve.)

Now, we usually put up the tree on Black Friday. We also make sure we see "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," "A Muppet Christmas Carol," "Christmas On Sesame Street," "Home Alone" and "A Christmas Story" during the Christmas season. We also go out into different neighborhoods each Saturday night before Christmas to look at lights and just a small neighborhood Christmas Eve and no opening presents Christmas Eve. (I still buy myself a new pair of PJs.)

:littlepresent:

[Just Whisper]

Because half our family works nights, or in the medical field we can't always be off on the same day for Christmas dinner. Usually my sister has to work Christmas day. So we started this so we would all have at least some time together. We spend one evening together at my sister's watching a movie and having a light dinner, usually Christ eve. Christmas day dinner is usually at my house, and then one other day at my mother's doing a light lunch or dinner to unwrap gifts from family in NC. It doesn't matter to us which day is where, but they are usually the day before and after Christmas.

[gingerbreadman]

Watching Christmas Vacation! :D

[LeeLee]

Me too gingerbread. It is my first official Christmas movie viewing of the season. Tomorrow, Deck the Halls.

ETA I have been promoted to Sr. Elf. Think I'll issue a press release.

[Just Whisper]

Lee Lee I wonder if we get some kind of reward with that promotion...like getting to ride the reindeer or something.??? Or pushing the button to open Santas garage door on Christmas eve. That sounds important.

[RRguy]

Watching Christmas Vacation! :D

Oh, yeah. Forgot about that one. We have the DVD and always watch it a week or so before Christmas.

[Sickie Ickie]

Hey! RRguys back! yay!

[RRguy]

I tend to be a little down and out of the mood after the holidays. But it's getting close, and I'm getting back into the mood again.:) Thanks for the welcome back, Ickie.

[putrid]

Hey good to see ya again dude! Watching Christmas shows are a tradition here too. Even the cheesy decorating how-to shows on channels like HGTV. Mostly to watch and say, "what?, why?, you've got to be kidding..." LOL

[Nyxy]

Our traditions start with Mom's birthday on the 2nd. Seeing every single christmas movie we own or can catch on tv, and always some sort of baking. This year I had the privelige(sp?) of the Candle Planting out doors. Mom remembers these from her childhood in Denver, CO. she's now 54. So the blowmold? Candles are definitly a minimum of 41 years old.

http://www.christmasfanclub.com/album.php?albumid=25

[Sickie Ickie]

Pretty nice that they get their own tent. :p

[Nyxy]

That's mainly the paranoia about the typical washington rains shorting out the circuit and taking out part of the house power. lol. The candles do have their own power cord just for them though.

[RRguy]

Hey good to see ya again dude!

Thanks for the thought. I should have replied sooner. Sorry.

[Sickie Ickie]

No prob. Just glad to see ya. :)

[k nielsen]

We have a couple of traditions- first we watch the drunkards put together the toys, this is very entertaining for me! No seriously- we have 2 favorite traditions. 1st is a new ornament for each child - this way when they grow up and have their own home they already have a fantastic start on their tree decorations (with memories built right in). 2nd one is a letter from Santa- I even send one to my husband each year. The one we use is www.santasaid.com (I have a stake in the company). The letters are great because it is a simple reminder about Santa and being good.

[Sickie Ickie]

nielson, I like the way you are becoming an active member of this list and you are upfront about having a part in the company you promote. Thank you. I wish other people who are entrepreneurs would take a tip off you. :)

[cameron]

We always go to one of our families house for the day and eat, talk, etc. We usually play a game where everyone brings a wrapped present. Then everyones name goes in a hat. You draw the names one-by-one. When you get drawn you pick a present. When you get drawn you can either take someone elses present or gamble and pick a new present.

[Nyxy]

We've revived a tradition. The annual bakeathon. 164 popcorn balls in 7 batches-5 flavors, 2 batches pumpkin bread, 3 batches oatmeal raisin cookies, 3 batches chocolatechip cookies, and coming soon 3 batches peanutbutter cookies with who knows what else.
Now its Christmas.
Guests gain 3 pounds just sniffing as they walk in the front door. :twisted:

[Sickie Ickie]

I gained a pound just reading it! LOL Man my eyeballs feel heavy now. :D

[cybervision1]

Drink a hot chocolate with my boyfriend...

[chris]

For me and my family its sitting around on Christmas Eve and drinking and eating and and enjoying company.

[RRguy]

We may be starting a new tradition, though I hope not.

We used to buy gifts for all of the usual people, parents, siblings, etc. But due to the economy they decided that the best way was to draw names. That's fine, but, and I'm not kidding about this, they decided to incorporate Halloween into it. When one draws a name, they not only buy a gift, but they also get to decide on the recipient's costume for the next Halloween party. Have you ever heard of such a thing? It may sound like fun, but I'm supposed to be a Bratz doll. I had never heard of it before, so I Googled it. Egad! How am I ever going to pull that off?

[Sickie Ickie]

Hmmmmmmm.....sounds like some cross dressing in a bratz outfit if you ask me.

[RRguy]

Oops, I may have given some bad information. I haven't even received my gift yet, but my brother-in-law said that he heard that that's what was chosen for my costume. My son told me Monday that my bro-in-law was just messing with my head. He says that I'm supposed to be Freddy Krueger. I think I can handle that. I've already got the ugly mug.

Sorry to lead this thread astray.

[MerryBells]

We have many traditions; going to 34th Street in Baltimore and looking at the lights, going caroling with my Church, spending Christmas Day with both families, seeing who can give the funniest card to my Dad, and trying to help Mom find the turkey pan (which only gets used twice a year). We wind up the season by going to a Train Garden at a Firehouse (whoever has it that year), then going to 34th Street one last time. We have lots of fun.

[Sickie Ickie]

Sounds nice Merrybells.

RRguy, fool them all and go as Freddy crossdressed! :p

Caroling? Reminds me of the time a church I was associated with and I went out singing Christmas carols at a hospital. We were walking the floor singing (maybe 2 families. Mine and another) and suddenly this guy walks out of room, with an IV pole in one hand and being helped by his wife in the other. He's openly crying as he says he didn't think he and his wife would have a Christmas this year, and how thankful he was that we were doing this.

Touch my heart, let me tell ye. Ever since then I've wanted to find time to do this again on Christmas. Our group never went out again, but funny how in a small span of time- we both touch each other's lives forever.

[MerryBells]

Yes; that's true, isn't it. We go mostly to nursing homes. We are generally allowed to walk through, and we sing as we go. The residents perk up, and some sing with us. We've been told by the nurses that this is the only thing that some of these folks respond to. It's nice to know that you've triggered some sort of happy memory for them; maybe the only thing they still remember.

[Warrant2000]

We joined up with our church group last night to go caroling to 8 different houses of elderly people that are home-bound. One lady didn't even know we were coming, being surprised by her grandson. She was in tears by the end of the first song.

It was a challenging logistical run though. We were carpooling in 5 cars (I was a driver), and we'd sing, jump back in the cars, and rush off to the next house. Too bad my teen daughter missed it, as she returns from her Utah ski trip today.