Three Holiday Traditions You’d Recommend
Posted on November 19th, 2008 in House & Home
I’m a big fan of making your own traditions, ones that work for your family and provide joy instead of stress or obligation. As the approach of the holiday season approaches with all the subtlety of 2 x 4 smack to the head, I realized that I had no way to mark the transition. B and I are still newlyweds for the most part, and we haven’t established our own holiday traditions yet.
So I’d love to know what your favorite holiday traditions are. It doesn’t matter whether they’re simple or complex, or even what holiday you’re celebrating. Let’s take a chance to share our three favorite holiday traditions!
Since I don’t as yet have any holiday traditions, I’ll leave the floor 100 percent open to you!
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November 19th, 2008
My grandmother has always gotten the grandchildren together to make pies and cookies for the holidays (sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas).
My husband and I started making a mixed cd of all our favorite Christmas music. I love listening to it with him this time of year.
And I love opening stockings on Christmas morning
November 19th, 2008
Driving around looking at Christmas lights on the way home from church Christmas Eve
Making cookies with my mom, sister and aunts before Christmas
Katies last blog post..michigan Week!
November 19th, 2008
we made an advent wreath which we light every night before bed. we say a reading from an advent book and sing the refrain of o come o come emmanuel. my husband’s family has done this since the kids were very little. their book is held together with tape and rubber bands. but it is a beautiful book. the readings are short and tell the christmas story in passages from the bible. it is geared to kids – hence the short part. i’ve never found anything like it anywhere – and actually borrowed it from my mother in law the second year we were married and typed out the entire thing – so we’d have our own copy. now our boys know it as our family tradition – our 4 yr old has already begun talking about it.
November 19th, 2008
My wife and I have a few traditions. The first one, we buy each other an ornament and a set of PJ’s and do the same for our kids. Christmas-Eve we all get to open our ornaments and hang them on the tree and put on our PJ’s. Christmas morning, we all get up and eat pancakes first, then we get to open our gifts (teaches patience…I think, I’m usually the one over shaking the boxes and stuff.)
As for Thanksgiving, we invite everyone over, start eating at 1 and usually don’t finish until around 8:00 that evening. It is a feast like no other. Hope this helps.
Sals last blog post..Don’t Pick Up The Phone!
November 19th, 2008
Well our Christmas isn’t like that of our friends at all – we have rice pudding for lunch then the big meal at 5 o’clock in the evening. After that we relax, sing some songs, and then we open our presents. We don’t just rip them open either, each of us has to open one present telling everybody else who it’s from then showing them what we’ve been given before choosing another gift from under the tree for the next person to open (whoever it happens to be to). That way we feel we make the present opening special, appreciating each gift and given thought to the person who it’s from.
We also make sure we feed the birds on Christmas day (we feed them otherwise but ALWAYS on Christmas day).
Sharon Js last blog post..So Who Does Christmas Belong To?
November 19th, 2008
In the run-up to Christmas, my favorite tradition is the family tree decorating evening. We always get chocolate milk for me, eggnog for my wife and fruitcake for all. I guess we’ll see this year if our daughter prefers choco milk or eggnog…
Christmas eve is midnight Mass which is beautiful.
Christmas morning we start out with some kind of small treat for “pre-breakfast” then we open our stockings. After that we have a nice eggs Benedict breakfast with champagne and orange juice. The rest of the morning is spent leisurely opening the rest of the presents. We try to keep it nice and slow so that we can savor the day and also so that our daughter learns to appreciate it.
There are tons more, but those are the highlight traditions that leap off the top of my head.
Cheers,
Adam
Adam Steers last blog post..What are those Clubbell® Things?
November 19th, 2008
Hi Sara. One of my favourites when I was a little girl was making a string of popcorn to put on the tree. Mom would pop the popcorn and we’d take a needle and thread and string it together. And then there were the lemon tarts that mom would make.
Davinas last blog post..Video — Preparation Inspires Self-Confidence
November 19th, 2008
Seriously, the first thing that comes into my head when I think of Christmas traditions is bacon sandwiches, and the second thing is smoked salmon croissants.
My family has had bacon sandwiches for Christmas breakfast for as long as I can remember (so back to about the age of three) – my parents don’t even remember how this started, and luckily chicken bacon was invented the year my sister went off red meat, but it’s not Christmas without our bacon sandwiches for breakfast.
The first year that we didn’t have an extended family event to, my parents decided that they wanted to include some of their favourite foods. Now, year after year, salmon croissants are always the entree to our massive lunch meal.
Now that we’re all adult, we also have the tradition of drinking a certain brand of bubbly – what can I say, we’re creatures of habit
Scribbless last blog post..Pointless Depression
November 19th, 2008
Thanksgiving day we’ll all met up at my brother’s house and the guys will drink beer, watch football, and talk about computers and home improvement projects. We then all get together around the table and sit down. One of us gets up, grabs a camera, and has to take a group shot. Next thing you know everybody’s grabbing their cameras and taking pictures. We give thanks, pass the food around, eat, and be sociable. We’ll all tell each other how full we are and then 30 minutes or so later have coffee and dessert. Next we put the names of all the adults in a hat and pick for the people that we’ll be giving Xmas presents to. Traditional and predicable and we all have a good time.
November 19th, 2008
My husband and I take one evening to bake for our friends and neighbors. We’ve been together 8 years, and last Christmas was our first year married. It’s a “sweet” tradition.
Joy (from Just Plain Joy)s last blog post..30 Ways to Spend 30 Minutes
November 20th, 2008
It is a tradition that my extended family get together for a Christmas dinner. A turkey is a must!! We’ll be chatting, having wine and singing carols. The night culminates in the opening of presents.
Evelyn Lims last blog post..10 Signs Of A Fake Psychic
November 20th, 2008
We open presents one at a time, like others here, so we can savor each gift and think of the person it’s from. Added bonus: it takes HOURS to open everything, which is great fun!
Setting up my tree the day after Thanksgiving – it keeps me away from the Black Friday insanity and makes me concentrate on what’s important at Christmas instead.
Taking my tree down on New Year’s Day while watching the Mummers Parade (I’m a Philadelphia girl). Love cleaning up the house and getting all organized for the new year.
Thanks for letting us share all this – I lost my Mom this year and was a little blue about the first Christmas without her, but reading of all these traditions (and realizing how many of them are like ours!) has put me back in the Christmas spirit.
As I read through all this, I realized how closely knit we ALL are and how similar our lives are, no matter how different we may appear. And the most wonderful thing for me was seeing how none of these involve great spending of money – but rather time spent together. God bless all of us!
November 20th, 2008
I love baking and decorating gingerbread cookies every year. I started this when we were first married and I was 19 — I made them for my friends. Now I still do it every year with my kids, and last year I let my son invite a friend over to help decorate them.
I don’t know if you’d call this a tradition I enjoy, but we always have an argument about the Christmas tree – where it should be, how much garland it should have, wether we need more lights or not . . . I always decorate it and then my husband redecorates it.
I always get up early with the boys and make pancakes. Because my husband is a minister he is always exhausted, and gets up after breakfast to lounge around and open presents.
jills last blog post..Quilt Giveaway
November 20th, 2008
We have a tradition on Christmas Eve that has carried over from when my husband was a little boy. The youngest person in the house has to ring the Christmas bell that is on the tree to signal that everyone is going to bed, and that Santa can come now. It’s a special thing every year.
November 20th, 2008
There are the homemade treats that you have once a year. In our family it is things like peanutbutter balls, thumbprint and crescent cookies.
Decorating the tree at Thanksgiving. My Dad has a little stuffed Santa that his grandparents had which goes on their tree every year. It is at least 150 years old.
We take turns opening presents from youngest to oldest. Like Jeans family it can take hours. We need to take a couple of breaks for snacks, etc.
Hope you enjoy the holidays Sara. I’m sure your traditions will be good ones.
November 20th, 2008
This is our first Christmas as a married couple, but we’ve had Christmas together at both sets of parents so we’ll probably be doing a blend of things.
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– My sister and I always tried to get Dad to get the Christmas boxes down from the attic the day after Thanksgiving, it didn’t always work but I told DH a while ago that the weekend after Thanksgiving is set aside for Christmas decorating.
– His family always does Gingerbread houses sometime before Christmas, we have so much fun with all the boys together (the youngest likes to use ice cream cones as horns on the house and one time one of the boys made a ‘balcony’ with a hot tub
– His family always takes a drive out to look at the Christmas lights, our apartment is just across the street from a neighborhood that does a lot of lights so I’m hoping to make it a tradition to walk around and look at them all.
I hope it’s a wonderful holiday season for you!
November 20th, 2008
One of my favorite traditions is at Thanksgiving. Before we pray and before anyone eats a bite, we go around the table, each taking turns saying what we are thankful for. We have yet to start a Thanksgiving meal with dry eyes..
When my daughter was born in 1991, we bought the pop up version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. My husband gathered her up on his lap and read it before putting her to bed on Christmas Eve. 17 years later, she is almost 18 and our son is 16 and they are the first to grab the book and sit with Dad on the couch and he still reads that same story out of that same book…
On Christmas morning we read the story of the Real reason for Christmas out of the Bible. It’s incredibly important to recognize the Reason we celebrate Christmas anyway.
Blessings…
November 20th, 2008
Since neither one of us a has a large and/or close nit family, we try to spend the holidays with local friends who are staying close to home as well. Last year, I hosted a few dinner parties. They brought some of the food (turkey, salmon, wine, etc) and I did all the cooking.
Carlas last blog post..Barack Obama speaks about our addiction (to oil) on ‘60 Minutes’
November 20th, 2008
I’m not really a “holiday” person. But for the past few years my family has attended the movies for Christmas day openings. I never go to the movies, so it’s kinda fun getting dressed up and going to see a film with my family. Gets us outta the house too.
November 20th, 2008
Every day in December I put up a new decoration.
Every night I read a different Christmas themed book to the kids.
And every Christmas season since I was ten, I have reread Little Women. The opening line “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug” is the ritual beginning of the season for me.
November 20th, 2008
1) we open stockings after church on Christmas Eve
2) we have a fondue for our “big” Christmas Eve meal
3) I don’t put Christmas presents under the tree until after the kids are in bed on Christmas Eve. (They put theirs under the tree before going to bed). When everyone wakes up on Christmas Day, they’re greeted by a Christmas tree that lots fuller than the night before.
4) Each year I get a new ornament that symbolizes something about our year, often from our family vacation.
Vals last blog post..Thanksgiving 26-35
November 20th, 2008
i had absolutely no traditions growing up so once i had kids i felt it was important to develop some. we have an orange tree in the back yard and since it’s often warm on christmas day (we live in southern california) one of our traditions is picking oranges and making fresh-squeezed orange juice. another is having fresh baked sweet rolls (the kind that come in the hit-on-the-counter-pop-open kind) for breakfast. it’s sticky and messy but 16 years later, the kids love it!
November 20th, 2008
This is a great list!
Like Deb we’ve had a copy of “twas the night before Christmas” that is older than me that is read every year- I’m almost thirty and living on a different continent from my parents now, but we read it together on VOIP on Christmas Eve, still.
We have some newer traditions too, my friends and I don’t exchange gifts, instead we gather for a games night & potluck in mid-December.
On Christmas day itself my partner and I exchange small gifts, call our families and then watch a Christmas movie in the afternoon, very laid back and pleasant!
November 20th, 2008
Throwing roasting chestnuts out into the snow.
Stirring marhmallows into our hot cider.
Painting sparkles onto our kitchen cabinet doors.
Jannies last blog post..Doris to register nine
November 20th, 2008
Our extended families live about 2 1/2 hours away, so the day after Thanksgiving on our way home, we stop at a tree farm, take a hay ride out to the Virginia Pine field and spend a great deal of time searching for the perfect tree, while playing hide and seek among the trees. After our perfect tree find, we then ride back to the front, get hot chocolate and snacks and take our perfect tree home to decorate.
We don’t mess with this tradition. My sister-in-law had the audicity to plan a family reunion on this sacred day one year and lets just say, the extended family still talks about our “break in tradition”. LOL
November 20th, 2008
About 6 years ago my children and I started a tradition that has been thier favorite every year since so we kept it. Since they go back and forth between 2 houses for the holidays we count back 12 days from the Saturday before they have to fly out and start our Christmas then. One present for each day. The presents are usually smaller gifts that they like and that I’ve been gathering (a favorite book, a dvd or a game, etc.). On the last night we open anything extra (I never seem to be able to stop at 12 and there are always 2 or 3 left) and a card with money in it. The next day we all go shopping together, have a very special dinner out and enjoy each other’s company.
Celebrating this way has accomplished so many things. First they actually focus on one gift at a time and thoroughly enjoy it. (This was even better when they were younger and they actually could play with one thing at a time. Second it saves my brain from the incessant begging to open something. Third, it saves money for my “single mom” budget because I can pick up small things during the last few months and paychecks and save for the money at the end. And fourth, it spreads it out, gives us all fun during most of the month and makes me less lonely while they’re away.
My kids are now 25, 23, 17, 15 and 11. I’ve asked them if they would rather go back to the old way and they all say “no way”. I like it this way. The 12 days of Christmas!
November 20th, 2008
What a fun idea! Here are my three biggest ones, for Christmas:
1) FOOD: Dad’s oyster stew on Christmas Eve; he’d make an elaborate production of such a warm and simple dish, which we’d have before Christmas Eve services and a reading of the Bible’s Christmas story
2) FAMILY TIME: The kids giving a VERY off-key Christmas carols concert to mom and dad on Christmas Day; this was always a hoot and generated much warmth and laughter
3) GIFTS: Dad, again, making a huge game of delaying our gifts until after we’d made our beds, ate breakfast, and brushed our teeth; by that time, LOL, Mom was awake enough to join us for the big to-do, which always always started with our stockings that were always stocked with peanuts in the shell and tangerines and one small gift from Santa… When unwrapping our under-the-tree presents, we’d take turns, starting with the youngest. We’d do lots of guessing (what is it?), peel the paper slowly to build the excitement, and do lots of oohing and aah-ing before the next person would go. It took a couple hours, and we LOVED it.
Ours were simple Christmases, filled with more “people” things than gifts. We never felt shorted.
Julies last blog post..The Smile
November 20th, 2008
We take turns playing Santa — literally!
About 15 years ago my oldest brother bought a Santa Suit and wore it when distributing our presents. Each year since, we in the family take turns dressing up as Santa Claus and handing out gifts to the family. No, there are no kids involved in this tradition; I’m the youngest and I’m 31.
We still haven’t been able to convince my grandmother to dress up. Maybe this year.
Bellesouths last blog post..A few totally cheap, totally green holiday gift-giving tips!!!!!
November 20th, 2008
We would have a surprise “Jammie Run”. We put the little ones to bed and then come back into their room and yell “Jammie Run”. We all pile into a warm car with blankets and hot chocolate and then go drive around and see the lights.
The kids always knew it would happen, but never exactly when, so it was fun to see what night it would happen.
November 20th, 2008
1 – At Thanksgiving, we decide (as a family) on a charity which we’ll embrace as a family to make donations in lieu of gifts
2 – Christmas Eve Pot Luck brunch w/other families & we sign rounds of ‘12 days of Christmas’ forcing teenagers to participate
3 – On Christmas Day, a long walk after the big meal to see what the neighborhood kids got from Santa
November 20th, 2008
Driving around checking out christmas lights is always a hit… as is a wine / cheese / eggnog and nibbly treats kind of night… I love to get FESTIVE and get in the spirit of things, dress up crazy etc….
Rosss last blog post..You see in your own life what you believe
November 21st, 2008
Hi Sara – Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love the tradition of Christmas lights, both on our home and looking at what others have done. I also take an old recipe I have for carrot cake and make one for the neighbors. I’ve been doing it so many years, I could never stop now, as they look forward to it. And third, I love Christmas music and love to play it starting right after Thanksgiving. It always puts me in the true spirit of the holiday.
Barbara Swafford – Blogging Without A Blogs last blog post..You Asked For It – What About My Avatar
November 21st, 2008
Ah yes…the holiday season, my favorite of the year. 3 traditions?
1. The Christmas eve walk. Every year my wife and I go for a walk about an hour or so after dinner on christmas eve. The destination is not important, but the fresh crisp air, and hopefully, and open sky for stargazing is a great time to reflect on all that you’re thankful for.
2. The Tree. While I’m not one to go out hiking into the woods and cut my own tree, I do have one tree place that I go to every year – about a 45 drive from my house. There’s an older couple that has been selling me and my family christmas trees since I was 8 years old, and it a bit like a homecoming every year
3. The cinematic runup. This might be my favorite of the traditions, and it involves watching a number of christmas movies including Emmet Otters Jugband Christmas, A Christmas Story, and my personal favorite – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. All I’ve got to say is “Hallelujah – Holy ##&*, where’s the tylenol?”
Time Trackers last blog post..TSheets & FreshBooks: Now Making the Best-of-the-Best, Even Better
November 21st, 2008
Wow, there are so many traditions to choose from! Lets see… every Christmas morning, we go to my grandmother’s for a turkey sandwich breakfast; I think the tradition started so that all the cooking was done early and the moms could just relax. Everyone makes food (cheese trays and stuff) the day before, then we just get the turkey out of the oven, the rest of the nibblies out of the fridge, and everyone nibbles all day long.
Another tradition is that my brother and sister and I HAVE to stay out of the living room after Santa has delivered the presents, until EVERYONE is ready to go in. Some people think it’s nuts we still do this even though we’re adults, but there’s something fun about anticipating how the room will look different now, and going in to see the tree lit, the gifts and stockings suddenly everywhere, and the whole family around us.
Also, we don’t do it every year, but I love getting a thermos of hot chocolate, a bag of cookies, and driving around to go Christmas-Light-watching. There’s a lot of fun in turning onto a street you’ve never seen before, just to look at the beautiful decorations that light up the sky!
November 22nd, 2008
The only tradition I remember from childhood was getting to open one present on Christmas Eve. We always had dinner at my grandparents house. I never really enjoyed the day because it felt rushed to me and my parents are not big holiday people. After they divorced, it was much tougher.
Now that I am married & have a 3 year old son, we agreed that on Christmas Day we stay home. If the grandparents want to visit or attend dinner – wonderful, but we want our son to enjoy the day. My in-laws come up Christmas morning for gift opening and we have waffles with strawberries & whipping cream for breakfast. Then my dad & his GF usually come for dinner with us.
Instead of an angel or star, we put Father Christmas on top of our tree. We also plan to start the tradition of a small tree in our son’s room for him like my Dh had as a child.
November 23rd, 2008
My family has a lot of traditions. Some of my more favorite include;
1. This is sort of a German tradition (as far as I know). On Christmas Eve, when everyone goes to sleep, someone will hide a pickle in the Christmas tree. In the morning, whoever finds it is supposed to have good luck in the new year. (And then the next year, they are the hider.)
2. An Italian tradition in my family are pizzelle. We have a family recipe that everyone uses with their own special tweaks. My grandma tends to make them in a more traditional anise flavor, while my dad experiments with vanilla, chocolate, etc.
3. Every year my mom gives my sister and I a new ornament (or two!). It’s been her personal mission to make sure that when we’re out on our own, our Christmas tree will not be bare!
November 24th, 2008
I absolutely loved these ideas! From the irreverent (hooray for bacon sandwiches!) to the meaningful (sharing with neighbors), I found so much inspiration not just in the ideas, but in the joy and passion with which you shared them.
Sadly, I actually think my husband and I will be spending Christmas apart. So for us, the lead-up will be as important as the actual day.
Again, you guys rock, and I’m so grateful that you’re so willing to share with me and fellow readers!
November 25th, 2008
Mr Chiot’s and I always reserve Christmas morning for ourselves. We get up, make waffles & coffee and watch vintage James Bond in our pj’s all day (and usually for the rest of the weekend or the next week depending on how much time we have off).
We also take one night the week before Christmas, make hot chocolate in our travel mugs and drive around looking at Christmas lights.
Susys last blog post..On the Preservation Front: In the Freezer
November 25th, 2008
I forgot to mention that I make chocolate covered cherries for friends and family (each year my list gets longer & longer as more people request them).
Susys last blog post..On the Preservation Front: In the Freezer
November 30th, 2008
Favorite traditions -
Christmas cards. As we put together our Christmas card list, it’s wonderful to think of the many people who have touched our lives this year.
November 30th, 2008
Also – decorating the house.
If you and your husband are going to be apart on Christmas, I think it’s even more important to have some kind of Christmas feeling in your own house. My husband and I are always visiting relatives on Christmas day, but the night before we leave home, we open our presents for each other by our Christmas tree at home.
December 6th, 2008
It’s so fun to read what other families do!
When we were first married before kids, we always had “tree appreciation”. I would get the tree all decked out and then we’d snuggle on the couch with all the lights off and just enjoy the festive tree lights and talk.
Growing up, my family and the next door neighbors always had chili supper together on Christmas Eve. We would trade houses but it was always fun and mellow.
Now, my absolute favorite tradition of all!! When my DH’s family gathers, we play Christmas BINGO. It’s the best because EVERY member of the family can participate in some way – typically really young kids are the gift distributers. Each family unit brings 5 – 10 inexpensive and pratical or fun gifts already wrapped (like plastic hangers, fingernail polish remover, hot wheel cars, yo-yos, Christmas hand towels, candles, etc). Each time someone gets a BINGO, they take a present but do NOT unwrap it. This goes on and on until the pile is gone. THEN when someone gets a BINGO, they can take a present from someone else, again NOT unwrapping it! By this time in the game, multiple people are getting BINGOs (because we never clear our cards) and sometimes people have more than one BINGO at a time, so the presents are moving rather rapidly from person to person. We have a rule that you can’t take anyone’s last present so everyone ends up with at least one thing. It’s hilarious to see what people “fight” over – there’s always something like the shiny green box or the long, skinny package with Christmas trees. Sometimes it’s the shape or wrapping paper that people are attracted to, sometimes the package makes a little noise. No one knows (except maybe the giver) what’s in the package! Finally when the balls are completely used, we call the game and the unwrapping begins. This is when we find out what was in the shiny green box or what was in the long, skinny package (Saltine crackers one year and a plastic napkin holder once and a noodle for the swimming pool!) Then everyone trades stuff. Typically the kids walk from person to person trying to swap their candle or wallet for a puzzle or stuffed animal. It is definitely my favorite part of Christmas! It’s more of a family or group tradition and certainly wouldn’t be as much fun with just two – but it’s such a fun idea I wanted to share.
December 12th, 2008
Every year at Christmas I witness a battle. Brothers pit themselves against brothers in a fight for the most sought-after of rewards: bragging rights. The Christmas Bakeoff separates the men from the boys, and from the girls.
The premise is simple. The ladies provide appetizers judgment-free. The men each make a desert in the hopes of obtaining victory and the coveted Buck Knife Cup.
I wrote a post about it in case you would like to hear more.
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