Christmas Traditions

[iluveeyore]

Now...as my kids live far away, my DH and I on Christmas Eve go to the mall or bookstore after dinner and wander around with a seasonal beverage, then go home and watch The Polar Express with a hot chocolate before bed, and leave the indoor and outdoor Christmas lights on all night. Stockings and cinnamon rolls with coffee and tea on Christmas morning whenever we get up, then slowly open gifts. After gifts, we put the Disney Christmas special on while we relax in our pjs. This year, my daughter and her fiance are able to fly down for Christmas, but they will be joining us in our traditions as well

 

[fortwildernessishome]

With so many gift threads going on, I thought we should share the NON-GIFT traditions of the holidays. Things you did growing up, things you do now, things you want to start, etc.

My kids are 26 and 23. We have had many traditions. We have always had multiple advent calendars. Everyone always had a chocolate one and then Playmobile and Lego ones. I also had a wooden one that had 24 doors and I would put a small treat in each door. After dinner each night, we would gather in the living room and do all of the Advent calendars. (When Christmas was over, this was the tradition that I missed the most!) Even now, with the kids grown, I still get Advent calendars, but not multiple ones, just ONE for each person. My oldest and I have the Lindt chocolate one. He doesn't live at home anymore, but we often text each other and talk about what chocolate we got! I made my husband a beer advent calendar and my youngest has a brainteaser puzzle one.

When my kids were growing up they were both on travel hockey teams. We were always driving home after dark from various places. At the beginning of our drive, we would all guess how many houses we would see with Christmas lights, the winner being the one who was the closest without going over. My husband and I still do this!!

We would always visit a couple places in NH that would go all out with Christmas lights! In addition, I was always looking for fun Christmas activities. Over the years, we did Santa train rides, Hayrides through the woods surrounded by Christmas lights and breakfast with Santa.

I know this isn't about gifts, but one of our biggest tradition was buying gifts for children who's families were struggling. We made it a family effort with my kids very involved.

Also about gifts. We always made a point of bringing the kids shopping one on one, so they could pick out and buy a gift for Mom and Dad and their sibling. Once home they would wrap the gifts and keep them "hidden" in their rooms until Christmas morning.

We have always hosted my family Christmas Eve party. We always have pizza and I plan LOTS of games. The night flies by and we always collectively say that our get together is the highlight of the Christmas season.

Every year, I purchased Christmas books and accumulated quite a collection. Throughout the month of December, I would read a Christmas book or two to the kids before bed.

Campouts under the Christmas Tree. We always did this 3-4 times before Christmas and it is one of my kids fondest memories. I always slept on the couch. The kids slept as close to the tree as possible in their sleeping bags. We always watched various Christmas cartoons/movies before going to sleep.

December was always such a fun month and I was/am always sad when it is over.

 

[disneychrista]

I made my husband a beer advent calendar

With 24 different beers? Back in my drinking days I looked for one but never found one. I love trying new/different beers and thought this would be a great way to do it. Not sure why no one has come up with one yet.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

We don't have a lot of traditions but the last few years we have:

1. Watched The Polar Express on Christmas Eve - I tried to suggest something else last year since both kids are really too old for it - nope, we watched Christmas Vacation, Elf, AND Polar Express (at the teenagers request, no less)

2. Gone to Christmas Eve service at church,

3. Eaten Chinese food on Christmas Day,

4. Gone to a movie Christmas Day,

5. eaten nothing but junk food on Christmas eve while watching the previously mentioned movies.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

After a time of being with my husband we would go looking at the Christmas and Holiday light displays in the area each year. I'd make a list in an order that would have us roughly going in a circle. In all honesty my favorite light display has been lackluster the last two years-lots of lights but pared down song playlist, hassle of getting in and out of the parking lot (which is on a hill across the street from the display) fighting with being able to see it in a sedan (bushes in the way), etc. IDK just lost the holiday feel. Another one of my fav displays they removed in and put something in its place and it's not the same thing. I still like to do it but the tradition kinda feels less have to as the years go on.

I do want to go to this park again though where you walk around and they light it all up. These two are one of my fav pics from it a 4 years ago of part of the park:




Another tradition that we have been doing for a while now is going to a movie on Christmas (last year it was Christmas Eve) with the in-laws. So long as there is a movie out we want to see. The plan this year at the moment is to see Star Wars on Christmas.

 

[ZZBane]

With 24 different beers? Back in my drinking days I looked for one but never found one. I love trying new/different beers and thought this would be a great way to do it. Not sure why no one has come up with one yet.

Costco has one! We got it for my uncle

 

[scrhsa]

The extent of my traditions growing up was not being able to come around the corner to the livingroom until Mom and Dad had their coffee and cigarette. Yeah, the 70's were great Mom would roll bleary eyed into the kitchen to start the coffee and light her cig while Dad would go sit in his chair to get ready to comment on our presents that he had no idea what they were Aaannnddd, to keep our English Bulldog from attacking the presents. Yes, we ended up buying his own so he could tear things up with us. And I can't forget over Christmas break Santa would ride around town on a firetruck. We got so excited when we hear that horn blasting.
Later after my sister was married my Mom made piggies in a blanket and my brother in law that that was a tradition so it became one. Even my dd who has moved out does that as well.

For my girls: The only presents under the tree were for other people or ones they gave us. Nothing would go under til Christmas Eve after Mass and they were tucked in bed. At 21, 24, and 27 they still prefer it that way. They would always sleep over in each others rooms, rotating every year. I wouldn't put baby Jesus in the Manger until I put out the presents. The Wise Men would travel around the room unitl Epiphany. Always had special Christmas glasses, cups and plates. And their favorite making snowballs. Snowballs are what everyone else calls puppy chow( for some reason that's what my girls came up with). Crispix, peanutbutter, chocolate, powdered sugar.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

With 24 different beers? Back in my drinking days I looked for one but never found one. I love trying new/different beers and thought this would be a great way to do it. Not sure why no one has come up with one yet.

Yes, 24 different beers. Its my third year of making one and this year is my best one yet. My extended family all pitched in to make an amazing one!! My brother was in Maine for Thanksgiving and offered to look for some craft beer for me. He was able to get 8 different ones. My Mom had traveled to Vermont and she came back with 7 different beers and my cousin who lives in Connecticut brought up 5 different ones for me. I grabbed the other 4. The last two years, I did it on my own. We have a few places where you can buy individual craft beers.

I wrap up each one and put a number on it. Then I use a couple carboard wine boxes to put the wrapped beers in and I wrap up the box.

I have read that Costco sells a beer advent calendar every year, but we don't live near a Costco.

 

[VandVsmama]

We go to church on Christmas Eve, usually a service mid-afternoon or around 3:00 pm. My kids don't believe in Santa anymore, but YDD still wants to continue the tradition of putting out cookies and milk and some carrots and a bowl of water (by the front door) for the reindeer. And sprinkle glitter in the driveway...because that's how Santa knows to land at our house (this started when ODD was 2...her preschool teacher came up with the idea).

On Xmas Day, we open gifts in our pajamas. I make bacon and pancakes for whoever wants them. We always do stockings last. By ~ 11:30 am, the turkey goes in the oven. Later on, we all eat like kings and then go out to the movies in the evening.

 

[low-key]

I found a pic of Christa from her Christmas party this past weekend

 

[disneychrista]

I found a pic of Christa from her Christmas party this past weekend

Dang it! I hate when people post photo's without your permission.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

On Christmas Eve, my church has a live Nativity out front before an early evening family worship service, The children's choirs often sing which is such joy to witness Later there is also an 11pm candlelight service. I've participated in that through choir in years past and doing so was a lifelong dream come true (attend a midnight mass on Christmas Eve type service) I am not a night owl at all and that really was not easy for me to do! But lovely. This year I think the earlier only service will do!

Love that you try to attend Candlelight every year, Luckyrabbit. I really would love to see it again myself sometime.

I have come to be patient and save Christmas cards from friends to open on Christmas Day. Extra way of giving thanks to God for them and enjoying for a moment their being part of the day for me too.

Peace, joy, and Merry (early) Christmas to all.

 

[elphaba91]

We each get a new ornament every year and my mum paints our names on them. If we travel overseas then finding that year’s ornament is a top priority.

A big Christmas tradition in Australia is Carols by Candlelight, which is essentially an outdoor Christmas concert. Each local council will host at least one and each major city has one that is also televised. One of the biggest (and in my opinion, the best) is the main one in Melbourne on Christmas Eve. We used to always watch it on TV. Then in 2013 we went for the first time, lining up literally all day to get a decent spot. In 2015 I splurged for tickets in the seated area up the front ‘just this once’; this will now be our fifth year in the seats!

 

[KMarston]

As a child Christmas Eve was Magical. We’d always have gumbo for dinner and after dark the entire street was full of people exchanging homemade goodies. Usually we’d take a drive through the neighborhood to look at like at lights then come home for cookies, fudge, and hot chocolate. There would be tons of goodies from the neighbors. My mom always delivered cheese rings and chocolate cakes to the neighbors. Everyone had their specialties. We’d read The Night Before Christmas then off to bed. We woke up very early Christmas morning and always had a large Christmas. My mother hosted Christmas breakfast for my grandparents and aunts and cousins on my father’s side. We straightened up after and she served lunch for another 20. In the evening, the neighbors would stop by for dessert (and leftovers).

My husband’S family did Christmas Eve so after we were married that worked out well with his large family gathering then midnight mass. Once we had kids it was an absolute whirlwind of events! One of our own traditions became our best friend couple coming over to our home Christmas Eve and literally staying until 3 in the morning helping to put out Santa and assemble gifts. Over 30 years later they still come by and still stay WAY to late! All parents but my dad have passed so we no longer leave the house for visits, My sister comes in town and we still serve gumbo Christmas Eve. We have a simple breakfast which includes mimosas and special coffees and I still buy lots of gifts for everyone like my mother did. We spend hours opening gifts in our PJs. Lunch is simple with steaks on the grill, stuffed potatoes and salad with special desserts. We love spending Christmas lounging around and enjoying our grown kids and grandchild and no longer having to rush around town or wake up at the crack of dawn.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

My home town was founded by German Christian missionaries in the 1700's. and is the US home of their denomination. While I am not that denomination, growing up we would always go to that church for their Christmas Eve candlelight service. The service required tickets due to how popular it was, but my uncle was always able to get some. After service we would go to my grandparent's apartment to exchange presents and eat from a deli tray.

Now that I'm grown and have a wife and children, one of our traditions is going to our community's tree lighting event on Black Friday. Even though our children are grown and are no longer in the band (which would play during the lighting), we still go. We also make sure to watch holiday movies at some point between Thanksgiving and Christmas, especially Elf, White Christmas, Charlie Brown, and Garfield. We also do a day of cookie baking, and we take boxes of cookies to our offices and church. My wife was diagnosed with a chronic illness this past year, and it's been a rough couple of months between that illness and other stress, so this year the cookie tradition is paused, just because it's too much work. We will make a few batches of cookies we want for us. Maybe, maybe, take some to work. But we won't be making 24 different types of cookies this year.

We also have a tradition of just relaxing Christmas evening. If we have family over, they are usually gone by 4 or 5pm, so then we spend the evening just relaxing with some adult beverages and blankets while we read or play video games or nap or whatever.

 

[tvguy]

Not a gift, but the box a gift comes in.
My mom was a surgical nurse. She used to bring home boxes from work. The VERY FIRST Christmas gift my wife received from her future mother in law after we got engaged was in a very durable box mom had brought home from the hospital. My (then future) wife unwrapped it, and look at the box and it said...."Mammary Implant, size 36D".
38 Christmases later, whoever gets a gift in that box, has to give someone else in the family a gift in that box the next Christmas.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Not a gift, but the box a gift comes in.

A few years ago it became a joke that somebody in our family would take an empty box of Christmas Crunch and use it to wrap one of my presents.

 

[tazdev3225]

As a child we could not decorate in any way until the first day of Advent and we never got a tree til Christmas Eve. We always had scrawny Charlie Brown type trees but my dad was happy because he got them really CHEAP! We were never allowed to decorate the tree, the elves did that. As I got older I hated that tradition. My one brother still insisted that it was done that way until a few years ago when my mom said no more trees. He lives around the corner from them and would get the tree. We had to go to church on Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. I was happy to stop that one in my teens and refused to go to both masses.

When my kids were little we had one big tradition - Santa Claus, out to dinner and then buy the tree, usually the week after Thanksgiving. This was usually followed up with a trip to the ER for my youngest who somehow always had an issue. Turned out she had chronic appendicitis. We decorated the tree immediately and the kids had a great time with that as I let them do it.

Now that my kids are grown we go to my husband's family on Christmas Eve. His brother passed away last year so I am glad we started doing that when the grandkids came along. Christmas Mass is out because my church has one Mass and I am 60 miles away. Christmas Day I head out to take our presents to the grandkids, I am fortunate they all live about 5 minutes from us and each other. Dinner is at my mom's house for me. My husband usually stays home and I just bring him a plate. He watches football and is happy. I would love to stay home but my mom insists on doing the dinner. Since my parents are in their 80's I give in but can't wait to leave. I love my parents but my mom can be judgmental at times.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

When I was a child in the 70s and 80's Christmas eve was at my folks house. We ate a big dinner and then sometime around midnight we opened presents. Christmas day was for visiting aunts and uncles or just relaxing at home.

When we had our own children we had to go between my parents house and my inlaws on either Christmas day or eve as we would rotate out. We always get together with our best friends and their kids for lunch or a fun acvtivity. Our kids are all adults now and we still do this. We have a small town tractor parade that we go to and eat at Dairy Queen every year then we all get together again and go on an outing to Frankenmuth, MI which is a literal Christmas Town about an hour away. As our familes grow it gets a little more difficult to drag all of us through there but we manage and we have a great time doing so. We always celebrate Christmas Eve at my inlaws now that my parents have passed - no more bending ourselves into a pretzel to go every where. We host Christmas breakfast at our house Christmas morning and open presents for whoever can be there of our kids and then we either have a full on holiday meal Christmas night at our house or we get Chinese food and go to a movie. We switch it up about every other year. I love all the time my dh and I get to spend with our kids during Nov and Dec!!!

 

[ramee]

My grandmother on that side also always strung candy canes through her living room. The strings would go wall to wall, and taller folks had to duck under them, but you could just pluck one off whenever you visited her.

I love that! Too bad I don’t know too many people that would want to eat the candy canes. But I might steal that idea anyway