Holiday Traditions

[Poohlove]

Do you have any holiday traditions? I recently came across a cute idea to make a Christmas Eve box. It has pajamas, popcorn and a Christmas movie in it, I think I might upgrade my pajama game this year My kids go to their dad's on Christmas eve but every year I get them a special pair of pajamas to wear for when Santa comes. They wear them to humor me now but it's something I have done since their first Christmas. DD and I bake cookies and chase DS out of the kitchen. Christmas Day we go to my dad's for dinner.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Just one, really. Christmas Eve, we turn off all the lights except for the tree. And I read The Night Before Christmas, and then the kids go to bed.

 

[ronandannette]

Thinking, thinking...nope; I got nothin'. We spent the first 20 years of our marriage travelling to be with various family members and as visitors, just went with the flow of whatever they were doing. Last Christmas was our first in our own home, just DH, DS and me. We went out for Chinese food and a movie. This year we're planning a short getaway to DLR.

 

[Vijoge]

I made Christmas Eve boxes for three of my granddaughters two years ago. They're still wearing their now very small pajamas.

 

[kimblebee]

It's a tradition in my family that we all get together (Mom, Dad, sister, brothers, and all significant others and kids) at my parents house and decorate their tree and then decorate Christmas cookies. It's loud and messy and it's my favourite part of the holiday.

 

[Poohforyou]

We have a few. On Christmas eve we have a birthday cake for dessert and sing happy birthday to baby Jesus (that's from my childhood). Dd gets a new pair of pj's that she wears all Christmas day (even at 17). There's a Santa gift under her pillow Christmas night - usually a book. We do a traditional polish Christmas eve dinner and then lots of appetizers Christmas day with mimosas.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

We have several:

Make and decorate cookies (Christmas Eve day)

Make a gingerbread house ( a few days before Christmas)

Go to a local town square and walk around to see the lights and eat at the local pizza place. (Some time in December)

Church on Christmas Eve. My sister and I take turns hosting Christmas Eve dinner.

I wrap Christmas gifts while drinking wine and watching The Holiday.

Pajamas on Christmas Eve

 

[Poohlove]

I made Christmas Eve boxes for three of my granddaughters two years ago. They're still wearing their now very small pajamas.

I think it's such a cute idea. I wish I had come across it when my kids were younger.

 

[McKelly]

We open Mom and Dad presents on Xmas Eve, since Santa comes on Xmas morning. Mom and Dad always give a new board game, which we play on Xmas Eve.

 

[Mizzoufan]

We read the Christmas Story out of the bible. Christmas Eve and then on Christmas morning. Every year we make stockings
We take one weekend in Dec and do nothing but make Christmas goodies. Then take another weekend and do nothing but watch Christmas movies/shows

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

We open one gift each on Christmas Eve. Obviously not Santa gifts. Have friends over for food as well. Love Christmas Eve more than the next day.

Also, every other year it's Hawaii for Christmas. Will be in Maui tomorrow night!

 

[QueenIsabella]

I used to make sleep pants that were opened on Christmas Eve. I just make sleep pants now, and hand them out to my youngest two. (Joann's had a great sale on fabric last week, I made 6 pair).

We watch Muppet Christmas Carol and listen to Christmas music while we play Apples to Apples. Normally, we're a big poker-playing family, but that doesn't seem right for Christmas Eve somehow.

We also leave the Christmas lights on all night. Inside and out, as well as the Christmas village.

 

[mjkacmom]

I just bought my 19 pair of matching Christmas pajamas that my kids will wear on Christmas Eve (they will put them on at my dad's, with other family there, because it's a tradition that started when they were babies, and they pretty much went straight to bed when they got home, even though it will only be 6 pm!). I buy them each an ornament representing something from the current year. We don't leave the house on Christmas Day, just eat and play games.

 

[Kitty 34]

We have a Christmas bonfire on the 23rd every year. Lots of chili, snacks and beverages in our barn. We invite friends and of course family.

 

[scrhsa]

Christmas pjs here. We do Mass on Christmas eve and when we get home the girls open 1 gift. No other presents are under the tree. It all comes out once they go to sleep. They are big now and still like it that way! I also make pigs in blankets to chow on while we open presents

Growing up our tradition was that we couldn't go around the corner from the hallway to the livingroom until my Mom and Dad and their cigarettes lit and coffee in the cup My sister and I tease my Mom about that every year

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We have a Christmas bonfire on the 23rd every year. Lots of chili, snacks and beverages in our barn. We invite friends and of course family.

That sounds fun

 

[Poohlove]

That sounds fun

I was just typing the same thing I am also thinking that if our weather here stays the way it has maybe I will do the same, we don't have a barn but we do still have bonfires in our yard. That sounds like a blast!!!

 

[Kitty 34]

It's a lot of fun and we seem to get more and more people each year. DH even put up lights on the side of the barn (near the bonfire) in the shape of a huge Christmas tree. No gifts are exchange; just lots of laughter and stories.

 

[ronandannette]

I just bought my 19 pair of matching Christmas pajamas that my kids will wear on Christmas Eve (they will put them on at my dad's, with other family there, because it's a tradition that started when they were babies, and they pretty much went straight to bed when they got home, even though it will only be 6 pm!). I buy them each an ornament representing something from the current year. We don't leave the house on Christmas Day, just eat and play games.

You have 19 kids!?! That's a load of pajamas!

 

[tvguy]

Yes. There is a special box that is exchanged every year within the family. The gift in the box doesn't matter. And whoever gets a gift in that box, is responsible to safeguard it until the next Christmas and responsible to make sure somone gets a gift in it.

THE BACK STORY:
This box contained the first gift my then fiancee got from her future mother in law.....my mom back in 1981. My mom was a surgical nurse, and as many of us do, when something at work came in a nice box, you took it home to put a gift in for someone's birthday or Christmas. Mom never paid attention to the label on the box. So imagine my future wife, opening the first Christmas gift from her future mother in law, and she unwraps it and the label on the box says.........."Mammary Implant".
Mom passed 3 years ago at the age of 90. I found 2 more such boxes in her house (one in the garage with spare kitchen counter tiles). So what was a humorous tradition, is now also our way of remembering her every Christmas.