Lets talk holiday traditions..

[Dax]

So the holidays are here...and every family has it own set of traditions that it follows from year to year, and sometimes from parents to children..So I am curious, what are some of you holiday traditions in your family?

I dont have any children, but DH and I have made it an annual tradition to go to WDW on Christmas Eve. We usually do not do parks, but we go to the hotels on the monorail, and just soak in the Christmas spirit. We also sometimes go for dinner somewhere, but not always.

We also plug in our outside lights at noon Christmas Eve, and leave them on till the morning of Dec 26. This is something he used to do when he was a kid, and we just started doing it ourselves.

For myself, I have to watch A Christmas Story at least 1x during its 24hr marathon, and also watch National Lampoons Christmas at least once also..

So what are your traditions?

 

[golfgal]

We usually start but cutting down our own Christmas tree. On Christmas specifically we go to Christmas Eve Mass, when we come home the kids each get to open ONE gift. We usually make appetizer food for Christmas Eve and just munch all night on that. This year I think I am going to do a fondue variety. Christmas morning I make monkey bread (caramel rolls) and we open gifts. We have Prime Rib or a beef tenderloin for Christmas Day. The kids usually spend the day in their PJ's and we pretty much just lounge around all day.

 

[Glynis]

Periodically, throughout December, we drive around to look at Christmas light displays.

On Christmas Eve morning, we go to IHOP for brunch. Then, DH takes the kids sledding in the mountains, while I finish up wrapping, sorting Santa stuff, and making dinner. When they get home, we decorate a gingerbread house, and make cookies to leave for Santa. For dinner, we have teriyaki wings and other appetizer stuff. We watch "The Nativity Story", and then the kids open 1 present. This is always their new pajamas, and a Christmas tree ornament. They all sleep together in one bedroom, all huddled together on the floor. While I'm waiting for them to go to sleep, I throw together an overnight French toast, and an overnight egg casserole.

In the morning, I pop the casseroles into the oven, make fresh squeezed orange juice and cinnamon toast. The kid have to have a glass of juice and a piece of toast, before the Christmas mayhem begins! Once that's done, and dad has set up the camera (he is a photographer for our local tv station, so our kids are always on the news Christmas night), they get to enter the family room and tear into their stockings. Once the Santa stuff and stockings are out of the way, we stop and have some breakfast. Then we finish up the rest of the presents.

DH then leaves to go to work, and the rest of us stay in our jammies, watch movies and play with new toys all day long. I cook a turkey or roast beef dinner for when DH comes home, and we all just relax. There's usually a nap or 2 thrown in for good measure!

I can't wait!!!

 

[charming23]

Our traditions have been the same since I was a baby and they still are today at 25.

Christmas Eve is always held at our house. My dad and I used to go to 4pm mass before everyone came over, mom stayed home to get things ready. Now that he is gone I still go while mom gets dinner ready. Everyone gets to our house by 6pm and we have dinner. We then exchange small gifts between us and while we eat dessert we pop in "A Christmas Story" to watch.

Christmas morning we are up early and mom and I open presents from each other while cinnamon rolls bake in the oven. We then enjoy our cinnamon rolls with fresh fruit and hot chocolate. My best friend then stops over (she lives right across the street) and we exchange presents between us and chat for a bit.

We then go to either my Aunt's or Uncle's for a late brunch of yummy baked french toast and other goodies. We then go to my Grandma's for yet another gift exchange and dinner. After dinner we all go out and drive around looking at the Christmas lights in the neighborhood.

We then come home and watch "A Christmas Story" one last time before heading to bed.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Growing up with my mother and grandparents, our only tradition was that we would order a ton of Chinese take-away on Christmas Eve.

DFi and I are sort of starting our own traditions now. He organizes the annual outing to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert; we go with his sister, brother, and SIL. And we also make sure we go to Bright Nights at Forest Park - that was our 4th date, which we joke was one of the best. After all, we went on a Saturday night and were stuck in the car together for 4 hours. We were forced to talk and we really got to know each other pretty well! So we like to go see the lights - and relive that date!

 

[olwyngdh]

Wow, there are so many, some of which come from my family, some from my husband's family, and some we have developed on our own. A quick few I can think of off the top of my head:

From my family: Once gift always is opened on Christmas Eve, and Mom always gets to pick which one. It is always new pajamas to wear to bed that night. My Grandmother started this so that Christmas Morning pictures always looked nice.

Cookies, cookies, and more cookies. I think my top number was 57 kinds. I gave a LOT of cookies as gifts that year.

Gifts get opened in order of age, youngest to oldest. Everyone watches as the person opening their presents does it, but a Santa toy (always displayed unwrapped) can be played with quietly.

My husband's family: Midnight Mass.

Simon Says on the way down the stairs. AFTER parents have checked to make sure Santa arrived, put on the coffee, and turned all the lights on on the tree.

My Father-in-law's awesome homemade eggnog, my husband being the only one who has been able to get the recipe from him (oldest son and all that)!

Do-Ahead eggs for breakfast.

Our own traditions: A Christmas Story, over and over until after Santa has done his thing and built all the toys and got everything set up for Christmas morning.

Fake Fire on the TV while opening gifts. It's tacky, but it's fun.

 

[chellewashere]

Christmas Eve is when I make my big holiday ham (that way I can have the leftover for breakfast). We exchange our little gifts to each other...always PJs and this year my DD is getting a cooking set with apron and chef hat.
Then we start to make our cookies for Hoho..seems he always requests peanut butter (daddy) and chocolat chip (mommy). Lorelei then goes to bed early and I get started with the chore of bringing down the gifts and putting them around the tree.
We have done Christmas morning differently over the past few years (we usually wake her up around 1AM and have her opent he gifts) One year daddy was dressed up as Hoho but the poor kid was so tired she didnt really realize that he was there. Last year was the first year we just allowed her to wake up and we think that we will do that again this year. It was alot of fun to see her face fully awake to look at the gifts.
Then after the gifts are open I make my Eggnog Texas french toast (yummy) and some ham steaks then we just hang out playing with the toys and watching all the Christmas shows on the TV. We dont go anywhere that day, but anyone and everyone is invited to stop by if they choose.
Cant believe its only 24 days away. I am so excited!!

 

[skuttle]

Starts with going pick out the christmas tree the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year we did it the day before because DS was going to stay at Grandma's after Thanksgiving.

DS picks out a special ornament every year.

Last year DS and I made a gingerbread house and we're doing that again this year.

There are two or three houses that really get into decorating and you can walk around their displays in their yards. We visit those houses every year.

We watch all of the Christmas specials on TV.

On Christmas Eve, we make Christmas cookies.

Also on Christmas Eve, DS gets to open one gift, which is always new PJs (Got this one from the DIS years ago).

We leave our outside lights on all night on Christmas Eve.

When DS wakes up, no matter what time on Christmas morning, he can have whatever is in the stocking hanging on his door (we just started this last year), but he can't wake us up until the sun comes up!

Christmas morning I make a breakfast casserole that for some reason I never make at any other time.

When DS was 2.5, we went to WDW right before Christmas and actually arrived home on Christmas Eve, so we didn't travel the 1.5 hours to visit family on Christmas day. Since then, we've been staying home at Christmas and LOVE it!

 

[plutotek]

We moved to a new city in 08, so we're starting over with some traditions. Things that have carried over include setting up the tree on Thanksgiving weekend, as well as putting up the lights.

When Rudolph comes on TV, DW starts her gift wrapping. We try to do something special each year (TSO concert, local play, Christmas trip).

Christmas eve has become the evening we go look at decorations. In the past, in-laws would come over and we'd hang out, eat finger foods. Next morning was spent opening presents. Here, we're still getting a handle on it, but it looks like DM will come and spend the night Christmas eve, then we all take our time getting up in the morning.

 

[Donaldswife]

We have several as well. Here are my favorites.

When we set up the tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving we have to have Christmas vacation on in the background. Just sets the mood for my crazy family!

The first weekend in December we go the Indianapolis' Symphony Orchestra Yuletide Celebration program. The first time we went was when DH and I were first dating, it was just the two of us each year until DD turned three, now we go as a family.

When my DD got her AG doll a few years ago I bought matching pj's for her and her doll, and let her open them up and wear them on Christmas Eve. Now I do that every year and they go to bed and wake up Christmas morning in their matching jammies.

 

[PigletsPal2]

We do silly tags on the gifts (no Santa believers at my house!) Slippers from The Barefoot Contessa (doubly confusing because DD needs slippers and is also a fan of Ina Garten), a rock and roll reference book from Do Your Homework (DH writes a R&R trivia column for work), Life Savers candy book from Dr. Lichtman (our dentist). The sillier and more obscure the better! We love the "of course!" look when the gift is opened.

Queen Colleen

 

[redshoes]

I love to read all the different traditions.

I try very hard to make the holidays special for my kids. I hope that when they have kids of their own, they will be able to say, "my parents made the holidays amazing". Here's some of our traditions:

My middle DS' birthday is this week, so we decorate a small tree (that's in addition to our big Christmas tree) that serves as his birthday tree. I wrap all his birthday presents in birthday wrapping paper and put them under his tree. He loves it and it helps celebrate a December birthday that sometimes gets lost in the holiday hustle.

On the first Sunday of December, we make Christmas reindeer that serve as a growth chart for our kids. We trace their foot and then both of their hands on paper. The foot is the reindeer's face and the hands the antlers. They color and draw the eyes and nose. We add those to a garland of the past years reindeer and compare how they have grown. I'm so excited to do them this year because it's my daughter's first Christmas. It will be fun to see a little baby reindeer next to the larger boys'.

I make a few different Christmas casseroles on Christmas morning and my parents come over and watch the kids unwrap their gifts. I didn't know this was a real imporant tradition until my oldest DS asked me last week what casseroles I was making because it's his favorite part of Christmas.

 

[minkydog]

Our Christmas traditions start the Monday before Thanksgiving when we go down to Callaway Gardens to see their light display--riding in a covered tram and singing Christmas songs all the way. Then Thanksgiving afternoon we set up the tree and outside lights. We don't decorate nearly as much as we used to, so about 3-4 hours is all it takes. During the season we attend a few free concerts and DD17 & I go see The Nutcracker.

But Christmas Eve is just a little different. It's quieter. I make a low country boil(shrimp, potatoes, and corn). After dinner, DH & I go to a candlelight service at my church. DD doesn't care to go, so she usually volunteers to stay home with Christian(he can't behave well enough in church to go with us.) Then on the way home DH drives through the neighborhoods for one last look at the lights and it's so quiet and peaceful. When we get home everyone opens their *one* Christmas Eve gift--you know what that is, PAJAMAS.

Christmas morning has changed a lot since the kids were little. We used to be lucky to sleep to 7am, but now we're dragging the kids out of bed by 9:30! So I put my ham in to roast, light a few candles and turn on the music around 7:30am. When the kids come downstairs we go ahead and open all the gifts. Then we eat some breakfast(I mean, other than candy canes and chocolate.) We spend most of the day in our jammies. Sometimes we even eat lunch in our jammies! And then we watch movies all afternoon. I know. We're slugs.

But come Dec. 26 I'm cleaning like a white tornado. All the new clothes are put away, the toys and books sent to their rooms. I spend pretty much the whole week reorganizing closets and putting things aside for Goodwill, so that by Jan 1 we'r ready for the New Year.

New Years Eve is pretty quiet these days. The kids are old enough that they want to go out with friends and DH & I can't stay up late like we used to. So we watch "Monty Python & the Holy Grail", drink some sparkling cider, and call it a night. Boring.

 

[worm761]

I love reading all the traditions. They are so much fun. We are changing some of our traditions. DD's first birthday is next week and I don't want her birthday to ever get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season.

We will have sloppy joe's on Christmas Eve. This comes from my childhood. We always went to midnight Mass followed by food at my Aunts house. Very informal. She had sloppy joe in the crock pot and chips. I still do this.

We will put up the Christmas tree only after DD's birthday. We will buy a new ornament like we do each tree. I love seeing how my son has grown up over the years. He is 14 this year so we have lots of different things. DD's will most likely be Mickey Mouse since I am raising her right and he is her fave!
We also make the trip over to Build A Bear and build a bear each year. It is a three hour drive one way so this is special. We get one of those really fancy chocolates to eat. We each get one and then share. Walk around and shop. We always visit Bass Pro Shop for the Christmas fun and crafts while we are there.
I used to take DS to see Santa every year too but he has been too old lately. So we will start all over with DD.

 

[cheermom1]

Ours start on the fri. after thankgiving, All the women in the family go shopping. NO men or kids allowed! Then we decorate the tree and house.

We then at some point see the lights of the ozarks and have hot choco. We watch every christmas movie we can. We also buy a new one every year. On christmas eve we make ginger bread houses and cookies with hot choco. %Then the kids are allowed to open one present which is always pjs. (one year my dh convinced me that they were too old and all the kids were disappointed so off to walmart real late on the eve to get 7 pairs! Told dh never ever again!) On christmas day we all get up and eat breakfast usually something I made the night before and something we can just carry in our hands. The kids open their stocking while they eat. We open gifts one at a time. After that the kids get to play with their stuff while everyone is getting ready to go to my moms house. The tradition is that MIL always rents a cabin somewhere right after the new year and we all go up there to retreat for our christmas with her. All her kids and their families (yes it is a huge cabin, last year we had 4 bedroom with 2 living rooms and 2 kitchens and each living room had a hide a couch.) It is a great thing that she waits till after so that we all can get together instead of missing it.

I almost forgot everyone get a new ornament every year and I'll give them to them when they move out.

 

[chellewashere]

I forgot to add one of my favs...
Each Christmas Eve the fire company here drives up and down all the streets with the sirens blaring and Santa on the back throwing out candy. We always have on our PJS and sit at the door watching to see where the lights are so we can run out and say hi and take our pics. My DD loves it!!
I love everyones traditions...seems like Christmas Eve PJs are a big item

 

[minkydog]

I forgot to add one of my favs...
Each Christmas Eve the fire company here drives up and down all the streets with the sirens blaring and Santa on the back throwing out candy. We always have on our PJS and sit at the door watching to see where the lights are so we can run out and say hi and take our pics. My DD loves it!!
I love everyones traditions...seems like Christmas Eve PJs are a big item

OMG,that's totally AWESOME!

 

[Diznotyzed]

We started something new last year. My family all lives in the same neighborhood and always come to my house for Christmas dinner. Now that the kids are grown we've scaled back on the gift giving, so after dinner we have a "Talentless" show. Everyone puts on some sort of act, in pairs or solo. My husband and I did a (paper) plate spinning act, straight out of the old Ed Sullivan show. Our nephew did a horribly bad ventriloquist act - so funny! Our daughters lip synched "Sisters" from White Christmas. Our niece did yo yo tricks. Everyone participated and we howled with laughter. Everyone is looking forward to this year's show!

 

[Trish Bessette]

Delivering cookie platters to friends and neighbors Christmas Eve.

This year delivering 2 big bags filled with gifts to a family I know in town who's mother passed away early this year from cancer

On Christmas Day I always make my cinnamon sour cream coffee cake and homemade egg nog. Prime Rib and twice baked potatoes for dinner.

Also, we SAVE our stockings and open them up Christmas night just before bedtime. Just another way of making the fun last. I LOVE this tradition

 

[AKL_Megs]

My DH and I don't have any traditions of our own, but I really want to implement some this year. Perhaps Midnight Mass or A Christmas Story on the TV in the morning with a special breakfast on Christmas.

But here are our traditions...

Christmas Eve, my parents come over and we visit, go to McDonalds for dinner, and then drive around looking at lights. Afterwards, we take a walk in our neighborhood (my mom and I) and the guys watch TV. Then they go home.

Christmas, we wake up, open our presents together, and head to my parents. There we watch the Disney parade and open presents, and have ham and potato salad. After that, it's always up in the air...

DH's family can never make up their mind. Some years they DO do Christmas ON Christmas... Some years the day after. Even a WEEK later...