What are your family holiday traditions?

[ddavis860]

So what are the traditions in your family? Things you do every year?

We have a wooden advent calendar that I've had since DS22 was a baby. It has little drawers that you open, and inside is an ornament that you hang on the knob. The 24th has santa My kids still love doing this everyday.

We don't have pie, we have cake for Baby Jesus. And we sing Happy Birthday too...

We have ham for dinner.

We put lights on the tree in the front of the house. It was our first Christmas tree at this new house. We also had one at our old house that was our first Christmas tree together.

What do you do?

 

[New England Eeyore]

There are very few "every year" traditions because Christmas is different every year depending on when DH works and when we have the kids. The only true tradition is that Christmas Day is Chinese food and the movies. That's been a tradition since I was 18 years old. (Although this year we may have to skip/postpone the movie since DH works till 5:00 and works early the next day.)

 

[MazdaUK]

We put the tree up the first Sunday in December, and put out our wellies for St Nicholas on 5th December - in the morning they are full of candy (for being good) and/or sticks for being naughty we exchange our immediate family gifts - DH, me and two DS's - on Christmas Eve in the continental way, and have a family dinner of something like venison stew, sausage and mash or a savoury pie. On Christmas Day we open the sacks from Santa (printed cotton I bought when DS(11) was born) and have a cooked breakfast before walking to my DSis for lunch and the big presentfest in the afternoon. She has 4 kids so with grannies etc we sit down 14 to lunch - or sometimes more.
Boxing Day (at DSIS again!) is more relaxed, with two sittings for lunch - kids first while some of us go to the pub, then a quieter adult lunch.

We used to take it in turns to do Christmas lunch, but once DSis had 3 kids under 6 she couldn't face carrying all the Christmas loot back up the road with a double buggy so prefers to do Christmas (and we do more BBQ in the summer). Sounds a deal to me

 

[DisneyIsTerrific]

I always get an advent calendar for DS. It's one of the ones with the chocolates behind the doors. We've found that some of them have horrible tasting chocolate so I'm pickier now when I get one. This year the one we have is Cadbury chocolates!!!!

Last year we started a tradition of doing "family craft night" one evening before Christmas. Last year we made decorations, this year we are going to each make an ornament for the tree.

I have a clear glass snowman jar and it always gets filled with green & red plain and peanut M&M's. My guys were quite upset when I hadn't yet put the jar out this year. They said it just isn't Christmas without the snowman M&M jar! I didn't even think they'd noticed it every year!!

On Christmas Eve we have our big dinner. Usually we have ham, but this year we all voted for turkey. Dessert is always chocolate cream pie. I'm not sure how that came about, but DS says it doesn't feel like Christmas without the chocolate cream pie! At dinner, we do Christmas crackers - a British tradition that I remember doing as a girl at my grandmother's house. We each wear our hat from the cracker and read the joke. After dinner, we watch Christmas movies and play games. We each pick a Christmas book and read it out loud. DH and I always pick the same books. I read "Pussycat's Christmas," and DH reads "T'was the Night Before Christmas." DS chooses a different one each year. After reading the books, we put out milk and cookies for Santa.

Presents are opened on Christmas morning. DS opens his stocking and the gifts from Santa first. Then, we dive under the tree and sort the presents and each take turns opening. Most times, my Mom, StepDad and brother come to my house for Christmas day lunch and then presents, but last year we went to my Mom's house and we'll be doing that again this year. And, whether we are at my Mom's house or mine, we do Christmas crackers again!

We have Christmas with my SIL and MIL on either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. My MIL's birthday is New Year's Eve so if we get together at my house, I separate the events. We'll do Christmas in the living room with the tree and then we'll go into the dining room, which I will decorate for a birthday party, and do her birthday there.
.

 

[rlovew]

We had so many traditions growing up but with no children many of them have fallen by the wayside unless the family is here. We need to work on developing our own traditions but it is hard in the midst of all the responsibilities of DH's job. We just don't have nearly as much family time at Christmas.

Rebecca

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

We have modified our traditions some and started some new ones since DS was born! We do Christmas Eve with DH's parents (just a dinner at our house--they have dogs and DS is allergic) and open presents. After they leave, DH & I open gifts to each other, and for the first time this year, a couple from us to DS. Then, on Christmas Day, it's SANTA and then off to my mom's. Breakfast at my mom's is ALWAYS Breakfast Pizza & Cinnamon Rolls!

We started a Fisher Price Advent Calendar last year, and DS loves it! I am in search of a Happy Birthday ornament for the tree so we can begin that as well.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I don't think we really have any. We kinda go with the flow.

Christmas morning we always do stockings first, then Santa, then wrapped gifts.
Breakfast is usually pancakes. Sometimes we stay home, sometimes we go to mom's, sometimes we drive to Mass. to see my dad's family.

At Disney we have more traditions then at home. Christmas eve is Candlelight Processional with dinner at Beirgarten. Back to the room early for bed. Christmas day we do the stockings, gifts, then head to Epcot for the day. We usually eat breakfast at Akershus.

 

[morgansmom2000]

We usually go for a ride on Christmas Eve to look at light displays. On the way home, we pick up Chinese food and once we get home, we watch The Polar Express. I think DH and Morgan are bored with that movie and want to switch to Elf, which is fine by me, I usually fall asleep anyway I may lobby for something else for dinner, we had Chinese yesterday.

My mom comes over for the night. This year, instead of kicking Morgan out of her bed, we are setting up the air mattress (on a frame) in the dining room, so Mom will sleep there. I barely sleep that night, I'm too excited to sleep We'll be up bright and early, luckily coffee is made in 3 minutes, and stockings are done first.

DH usually makes a big breakfast Christmas morning and we go to the IL's for lunch. Dessert will be at my sister's house. Sophie's first Christmas, I'm so excited for that!

 

[Lisa]

Our biggest tradition is going to Bright Nights in MA to see the lights. It is a huge park that one drives thru to see Christmas lights.

Christmas Eve dinner is spent with my brother's and SIL's family. We do lobster and fondue. I believe we are having lobster for dinner. MomE and I will go to midnight mass. She and the furbaby will sleep over our house. Christmas morning, we will do stockings, and presents between us. Then DB, DSIL, and DN will come over for a big Christmas breakfast; steak, eggs, home fries, fresh fruit, and mimosa's.

The following week, DH, DD and I will go over to his sister's house to do Christmas merriment. Only the kids receive gifts then.

 

[mommy2mrb]

well this year almost everything is changed....

in the past xmas eve dinner out, church, gifts atmy mom's, everyone stayed the night,santa in morning, breakfast and us "kids" scattered to in laws, we went to Jim's aunts house, gifts and dinner, usually came back and spent rest of evening with my mom again.

this year...xmas eve at my house, I'm making dinner, family gifts,older bro family spending night, santa in morning, breakfast, bro will leave to see other family, mom will come back, head up to BIL house with that side (he's also invited my other bro's fam and my mom) eat, open presents, visit for awhile and then Megan and I are "escaping" to my BFF for late dinner with her family and celebrate her DS 10th bday (xmas baby).

megan has always made family gifts every year, still did that, I always make my butter cookies...

everything else has gotten "tweeked" to hopefully make our holiday a bit more bearable without Jim.

 

[PinballFamily]

Lisa - our hearts go out to you and Megan as you navigate this Christmas without your beloved. You are both remarkable and know that you are frequently in all of our thoughts.

We are pretty much "Christmas Freaks" - I can't even tell you about all of our traditions and activities without sounding like a goofball. But, the bottom line is that we intentionally celebrate the season - not just one day - each year. From Thanksgiving to New Years, we have dozens of fun things we do annually that we adore and that keep the focus off (mostly!) of one white-hot, mega-stimulating, expensive, and overwhelming day on December 25th. I get all of my buying/shopping, wrapping, etc. done early (but I even enjoy those parts!) so that I can enjoy the month of family festivities, too. Not the way either DH and I were raised, but we've found this is what our family loves!

 

[Arizona Rita]

We spend Christmas Eve at my ILs and its tradition to have a Mexican buffet.
A little odd since we are Irish and Croatian!
My kids found out we might change the menu and they did not like that and they and the cousins lobbied for tradition.
Christmas dinner is at my sisters home and after dinner we play LeftRightCenter. Thats usually a traditional turkey/ham/pies dinner.
Only kids exchange gifts, some times adults will exchange baked or something from the kitchen type gifts.
Santa still demands that there are Christmas letters and his gifts are always wrapped in santa paper. Big gifts this year are a sewing machine and RockBand with piano.
Something I started when the kids were lttle is that they always have in the bottom of the toe of their stockings are a bag of the Disney chocolate character coins. Its just become a tradition and I hope Disney never stops making them!

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

This has become my favorite thread! I love reading about everyone's traditions!

Lisa, know that you and Megan will be in my prayers this week and especially on Christmas! You are such a positive person and so inspirational to me!

Pam, I would LOVE to know all of your traditions! Celebrating the "season" sounds like a great plan to me!

 

[Arizona Rita]

Pam, you have such a great family! I too would love here about your traditions!Maybe you could give us like one a day like the twelve days of Christmas?

 

[MazdaUK]

I love this thread too!

I didn't realise you don't all have crackers over there! we've had all sorts over the years, from some very deluxe ones my mum bought (before kids!) to really cheap ones so the kids can have as many as they like. But whatever the rubbishy gift there alwasy seems to be an argument, especially with only one girl and 5 boys trying to swap "girly" gifts - luckily mummies and grannies are also happy to swap!

Lisa, hope you and Megan find some joy in the season amidst the sadness (My dad died when DS(17) was only a baby, so at Christmas I always remember and regret there's no grandad for my boys (DH's dad died just before DS(17) was born). But you have happy memories too, and it does get manageable (not easy - never that) with time.

 

[mommy2mrb]

thank you everyone for your sweetness to us....I have to stay positive, the only other option is somewhere I don't want to go, I do "visit" it somedays, I sometimes think Jim is channeling me his positive attitude.

I love hearing about everyones traditions, its great to hear how many different ways there is to celebrate the holidays!

 

[wdwmickey]

Here's a for Lisa & Megan and anyone else who's feeling sad today.

We only have a few traditions:

decorate the house the Friday after Thanksgiving

wooden nativity scene advent calendar (baby Jesus is the 24th)

2 Family movie nights

bake cookies (usually done with grandma)

drive around the neighborhood to look at lights

church on Christmas Eve (we're usually in the choir)

open 1 gift on Christmas Eve (new pjs)

sausage crepes & cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast

 

[DisneyIsTerrific]

Lisa and Megan, big to you both. You are amazing!

I forgot one of our traditions. I always make Andrew a special ornament each year. It generally has something to do with the year he's had or just something that he's interested in. When I first started this, I cross stitched an ornament each year (a Christmas dragon, a kitty that looks just like his, etc.). The past two years, I made them with paper and they were for the big scouting events he did that year (Philmont and Seabase). This year, I am doing a Mickey vinylmation. He had seen a vinylmation key chain at WDW when we were there for his birthday. It was covered in music symbols. It was one of those "pick a box and you get one of the ones for that set, but you don't know which one" kind so, of course, he didn't get the one he wanted. When we were there for Candlelight, I bought a small plain one and I'm going to paint it and decorate it like the one he really liked at WDW. It'll be perfect for him as this has been a big music year for him. I just have to figure out how to attach something to hang it onto the tree.

 

[mommy2mrb]

Thanks Cheryl and Stephanie, not amazing, just getting through the days the best I can...

I love your idea Stephanie, I'm sure he'll love it! Megan got on last month from the ToyStory group, opened it at the store got the green army guy, well the CM was so excited, that was the only one he needed, he had 2 Jessies, which was the one Megan wanted so they traded.. the CM looked like a little boy on xmas morning he was so happy! I have a feeling we will be getting some more in WDW, didn't know they had pins too!!

 

[wdwmickey]

Lisa--Rachel loved the "mystery box" pins. She was looking for a Jessie pin and I think bought 3 boxes until she found a Jessie.

I love seeing everyone's traditions. We always buy tree ornaments on every trip we go on. I forgot to get one in Disneyland, so I ordered one from Disney store online, they were having a huge sale a couple weeks ago. I'm trying to make sure I buy each girl a new ornament every year so they will have ornaments for their own trees when they move out that have family memories attatched to them.

Here's a for all my DIS family