Holiday Traditions... For Two! What Traditions Do You Share With Your Spouse?

[AKL_Megs]

My husband and I don't yet have children, but I would love to establish some fun holiday traditions for the TWO of us.

So, do you and your husband or significant other have any holiday traditions?

 

[Tinkermommy]

My hubby and I, right before we go to bed, on Christmas eve open one gift from each other. Typically this is in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine.

We have done this from the beginning. Now with two kids, it's especially important to carve that small amount of time for just the two of us.

For New Years, we have do a "burning bowl" ceremony. You take two pieces of paper and on the first you write everything you don't want to take into the New Year with you (bad habits, debt, relationships, illness,etc) then you burn that piece of paper in a steel bowl (or we use the fireplace).

On the other piece of paper you write all the new things you want in your life in the New Year (health, travel, more time, fun, etc). You keep this paper. And we usually review the last year's keep list during this time. It is amazing how much actually happens! Last year my 8 year old participated, so this will most likely become a family tradition.

 

[NHdisneylover]

One that we still do with the kids, but started when it was just us is that we go out for hot cocoa and sit by the window and watch the flakes fall on the first "real" snow of the year.

 

[BunsenH]

Thanksgiving - While dinner is cooking, we have a hot cider with rum and listen to "Alice's Restaurant".

Christmas Eve - My wife makes a fish dinner (shrimp scampi or similar). I set up a card table near the fireplace. Wine. Christmas carols. Then we watch "A Muppet Christmas Carol".

 

[plutotek]

I always get my wife a unique Santa for her collection. It usually exemplifies a trip or other event we shared during the previous year. This year, it's a Santa wearing Alabama colors, to commemorate our son's acceptance to Alabama.

We moved here 3 years ago, so we're still trying to establish new traditions. For the past 20 years, celebrations always included her family (mine didn't live near by), so we're adapting to my family's schedules/traditions here. One thing we've been getting involved with is a program that hosts Thanksgiving dinner for soldiers at the aresenal; brining them into our home and allowing them to relax and do whatever they feel like (call home/nap/eat/watch football/whatever).

We also try to watch the original Miracle on 34th St and Scrooge ('51), as well as find a local holiday event to go enjoy, whether it's a concert or display or market.

 

[princesspiglet]

DH and I were together for 9 years before DD8 came along, so we have a lot of holiday traditions that we did with just the two of us.

On Christmas Eve, no matter where we are, we always take a 20 min walk together outside, just the two of us. We talk about the past year and what we hope for in the new year and we admire the decorated houses. At the end of our walk, we come back inside and he makes hot chocolate and then we open our gifts to each other. Now with DD, we do this when she is in bed and nana and papa are there to keep an eye on her. (We always spend Christmas at my parents house since having DD).

On Christmas morning, after unwrapping presents, we put a Johnny Mathis Christmas cd on and dance to at least 2 slow songs together. DD is usually playing with her toys and my parents are cooking breakfast. We never skip this. It is our 6 mins to reconnect together during the chaos of the morning.

On Christmas night, we cuddle up by the fireplace and watch "It's a Wonderful Life". We have been doing this since our 1st christmas together and have never missed it. Now DD watches it with us, but usually falls asleep during the first 20 mins!

The 3 of us go to a Light show every year also sometime before christmas day. We also go to Hersheypark Candylane together every 3rd weekend of December.

This is my first year being apart from my husband (deployed) so this one is going to be emotionally hard not celebrating our traditions.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Judy and I would cook a "refrigerator turkey". Once it was done we woul dput it in the refrigerator and then go out for Thanksgiving Dinner. We would then have leftovers for about a week and turkey sandwiches for lunch.

 

[okeydokey]

Once the kids are in bed, we pop popcorn and watch A Christmas Carol, the one with Alistair Sim.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

DW and I started doing a "formal" dinner on Christmas Eve. We love to go to this really nice restaurant. It's an old Country Inn/Farmhouse and is beautiful during the holidays.

They do 2 seatings on Christmas Eve. When it was just the two of us we used to the late seating, but now that we have kids we moved to the earlier seating. I really like that we were able to take that tradition and continue it from Newlywed-dom to parenthood.

 

[klacey1]

I posted on the other thread, but DBF and I always go into the city before Christmas to do all of the touristy things (tree, windows, Crumbs).
We also watch Elf, the Ref, and Home Alone 2 multiple times.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

DH cooks breakfast on Christmas morning. It's really the only time we really have breakfast together at home.

 

[nicolita3]

For Halloween DH always carve a pumpkin together. We also go to As You Wish and do one Christmas piece each and then go out to eat and a movie.

 

[jsmith]

This is my first year being apart from my husband (deployed) so this one is going to be emotionally hard not celebrating our traditions.

advice from experience-as much as you can-keep them-it will make things feel somewhat more normal for you-and it will be important to him to think about you at home doing those things

 

[Fantasmic23]

On Christmas Eve, after the kids have gone to bed (And after we have finished up any wrapping),we have a glass of wine and watch "It's a Wonderful Life" on DVD. We actually started this tradition before we were married.

 

[Fantasmic23]

We also watch Elf, the Ref, and Home Alone 2 multiple times.

Great, great Christmas movies (Especially "The Ref")!

 

[Fantasmic23]

A Christmas Carol, the one with Alistair Sim.

The best version, in my opinion!

 

[esbrick]

OK so I totally just went onto Amazon and ordered some Christmas movies! I always say "No worries, we will find them on TV!" But then of course when they are on we have no time and when we have time they are not on!

My DH and I usually go to the City and see the tree and walk around the Kindermart! We got engaged there, under the tree, almost 4 years ago so it is special to us. We then have dinner and do a mini pub crawl and enjoy the Christmas lights on MI Avenue.

On Thanksgiving we have the kids in our family,my step-daughter, neices and nephews decorate the tree! It gets them away from the TV, computers and IPODS to spend time with the old folks!

 

[AKL_Megs]

These are great, everyone! Thanks for sharing! I especially like the watching of the snow and the Christmas Eve walk! I'm getting some great ideas!

 

[Fantasmic23]

OK so I totally just went onto Amazon and ordered some Christmas movies! I always say "No worries, we will find them on TV!" But then of course when they are on we have no time and when we have time they are not on!

What movies did you order?!?

 

[esbrick]

What movies did you order?!?

First one I ordered was the Alister Sim version of A Christmas Carol! I also ordered the one with George C. Scott. I like that one too Miracle on 34th Street and I ordered It's a Wonderful Life but then I think we have it so I need to double check. We already have White Christmas, Bells of St. Marys, Going My Way and Holiday Inn with Bing Crosby & Danny Kaye and the Polar Express. I'm contemplating "Come to the Stable" as well.