Christmas Traditions

[StormBlaze 993]

I know its early, but i was reminiscing.

 

Do you guys have any personal, family or work Christmas Traditions? (or I guess Thanksgiving too, but Im from the UK and it doesnt exist over here)

 

Nothing ever happens for us until December. Mum always gets us advent calendars, even though we've moved out, so now we end up with multiple ones.

 

Before we all moved out, it was a huge event to decorate the house and tree, we'd have the xmas CD playing, with tins of sweets out and it was just awesome fun. Family of 5 with cats and dog and a large Victorian town house.... think the size of the house in Mary Poppins lol. Heck wouldve made a Christmas card in itself a photo of all of us decorating the tree.

Dad always puts the angel on the top too.

 

Christmas Eve is a mandatory viewing of the Muppets Christmas Carol and of recent years we've added the Polar Express with it (ever since we got the huge surround sound TV - seriously try it out if you can! the opening scene is incredible) "There's only one more sleep til Christmas" as the song goes ^^

 

Our Christmas Day, even though we normally sleep on student hours, eveyone is up at 7am, or woken up then. and a family of big kids we are, theres massive stockings by the fireplace for us. so those get opened first, then its (chocolate) breakfast time and the usual, get the lunch cooked and have family and friends arrive or play with new presents. Then its Turkey dinner time! with crackers and hats as standard..and the bad jokes. then after lunch, the presents under the tree are given out (we're quite spoiled for presseys sorry).

 

the evenings are different than when we were kids now. it used to be TV and films with pudding and just family catch up time, but now its more a family music session time (we're a very musical family now) then wind down with TV and films/games. 

 

its great fun and I hope that one day I get to have that with a family of my own.

[Guest]

Now this is a thread I really like! 

 

The Christmas decorating in this house starts on the 23rd of December which means we'll retrieve huge boxes of decorations from the garage and give the house a cozy Christmas look. Prettifying the balcony and everyone's room with Christmas lights is done a lot earlier though, usually just a few days into December.

 

The Christmas Eve tradition with my family starts with going to the sauna in the morning and then decorating the Christmas tree. What happens next varies quite a lot but it's usually just watching Christmas movies together and maybe eating some pastries while doing so.

Later in the afternoon we'll always head to my grandparents' house where some of my other relatives are also visiting that day. My grandma always cooks the best kind of Christmas food, and if that doesn't properly get me in the holiday spirit, I don't know what would! After eating we usually just spend time together and catch up with each other. And when I was younger, I obviously always anticipated the presents with my brother. 

When it's time to go back home, my other grandparents come for a visit in our house. The Christmas evening tradition is to eat something my mom and I have baked (usually syrup cookies, tarts like this or cranberry cheesecake) and drink hot glögg. 

There's a little break between things before we get to the presents. My family members like to give a lot of presents so that has happened every Christmas so far! I love to see their reactions when I've given something meaningful to them.

 

Hopefully I didn't forget anything! Posting in this thread made me so happy for some reason. And the reason must be that I love the Christmas season so much.

[ponykittylonelygirl 73]

We used to have a few smaller traditions, that we never really spoke about, but just did every year like clockwork.

After my Dad passed away a couple of years ago it just hasn't been the same, he was obsessed with Christmas, bought and cooked all the food, chose the music, just did all the big things. After the first Christmas without him I made a new tradition, which is to do something new and different every year. I realised we would never have it the way it was and that was sadder to me, to try and fail every year rather than just let go.

So last year I flew out to Dubai, and had an amazing and magical week (so magical I've ended up moving here!!)

This year I'm going on my first ever cruise, to Oman I believe (my friend booked it) so that should be pretty different. 

Next year will depend on whether I stay in Dubai for a second year or not, but I would love to try out America or Canada if I had the money.

[StormBlaze 993]

sounds amazing. I only ever had Grandmothers, but Mum pretty much took over hosting Christmas, so I never got "Grandma's cooking" or anything like that. Its just my immediate family of 5 (mum, dad, me, little sis, little bro) at least one of our uncles and a boyfriend. thats our usual Christmas attendance. this year should be a little different, might have 2 uncles join us, my boyfriend and my sister's husband. one of my exes' has a huge family, so i wasnt quite sure what to do ^^; their Christmas was so different,  there was no sit down meal, it was a christmas buffet all day and he had a lot of very young cousins. So id never had young kids around at christmas time other than when my brother was very little. 

We used to have a few smaller traditions, that we never really spoke about, but just did every year like clockwork.

After my Dad passed away a couple of years ago it just hasn't been the same, he was obsessed with Christmas, bought and cooked all the food, chose the music, just did all the big things. After the first Christmas without him I made a new tradition, which is to do something new and different every year. I realised we would never have it the way it was and that was sadder to me, to try and fail every year rather than just let go.

So last year I flew out to Dubai, and had an amazing and magical week (so magical I've ended up moving here!!)

This year I'm going on my first ever cruise, to Oman I believe (my friend booked it) so that should be pretty different. 

Next year will depend on whether I stay in Dubai for a second year or not, but I would love to try out America or Canada if I had the money.

 

i see, this year might be a little different for us because its the first year with my current BF and his Dad actually died on Christmas Eve years ago, so his family dont do Wild mental Christmases, but im hoping he'll feel welcomed at at home and try to enjoy himself at my parents' as My family really go all out. 

[ponykittylonelygirl 73]

i see, this year might be a little different for us because its the first year with my current BF and his Dad actually died on Christmas Eve years ago, so his family dont do Wild mental Christmases, but im hoping he'll feel welcomed at at home and try to enjoy himself at my parents' as My family really go all out. 

 

I'm sure he will love it, especially if he gets to spend it with you.

I do look forward to the year I get to spend it with a partner and make new traditions as a pair. One day!

[Luigi 7,871]

Christmas is a big deal in my family, but from now on its never going to be quite the same since my dad died this february.

[Kronos the Revenant 1,973]

The way Christmas works with my family is very complicated since my family is spread out throughout the state. First, typically on the 23rd or 24th, my family visits my godmother's house to celebrate Christmas with my mom's side of the family. Since we're Filipinos, there's bound to be more than enough food for everyone to have thirds and then some. After Christmas with my mom's family is over, the next day we move on to my dad's side of the family, and they are WILD. I mean, come over to a typical family party on my dad's side of the family and you would typically see kids in one area, teens in another, young adults in another area, adults gossiping in another, and the old guys are drinking and smoking usually outside or in the garage. As of lately, however, one of my cousins started vaping and my aunt recently had a baby shower for her upcoming twins. But I digress, we still celebrate the holidays in the end, and with so many cousins and aunts and uncles on my dad's side of the family, there's usually a mountain of gifts near the tree that end up reaching the nearby dining table of whoever house we go to to celebrate.

[I used to be a stranger 7,994]

Christmas Eve is a mandatory viewing of the Muppets Christmas Carol and of recent years we've added the Polar Express with it (ever since we got the huge surround sound TV - seriously try it out if you can! the opening scene is incredible) "There's only one more sleep til Christmas" as the song goes ^^

 

Our family had that movie on VHS. Does your version still have the song "When Love is Gone" when Ebenezer's betrothed ditches him, or is it a cut-out scene and you have no idea what I'm talking about?

 

The song is so-so, but it's existence is supposed to be a reprise with the song they sing at the end, "When Love is Found".

 

 

Christmas is a big deal in my family, but from now on its never going to be quite the same since my dad died this february.

 

Sorry to hear that. But Christmas is a time when we can still enjoy the relationships we have, and have fond memories of those we lost.

 

This year will be the first Christmas for our family with only one grandparent; two have died in as many years. But we still love each other.

 

Our family traditions largely involve food: producing copious amounts of cookies and desserts.

I can't remember a single Christmas where we didn't have a real living pine tree for our Christmas tree.

 

For gifts, a month or two in advance we select names from a hat and the name we draw is our Secret Santa target. Though I realized this year if I really wanted to, I could've just made 7 copies of my name and no one would know.

 

Looking forward to stringing up mistletoe for a certain someone too... 

[ARagY 1,153]

Hm.. Usually drinking until you pass out or for the little ones drinking non-alcoholic* beverages until they fall asleep and everyone can talk about adult things ;D

 

No but I guess the usual stuff you'd expect. Hot chocolate or tea, family time, celebration, desserts, some fine cooking, maybe friends over. 

[Ganondorf8 11,714]

My family ususally brings out the Christmas decorations around the start of the month--sometimes a bit later depending on how busy we can get--from the closet underneath the stairs, and we spend much of the night decorating the house. Most of the decorations we've got have been in our possession for decades with the rest being recent purchases from the previous year.

[Dreambiscuit 11,336]

Christmas traditions are way over the top in my family. Christmas shopping begins in early October and gifts are stored until we wrap them in November. It usually takes me about three weeks to wrap because I hide the presents inside strange (and often elaborate) homemade containers designed to give a playful clue about the contents. I started wrapping this way when I was little and it's now expected of me, so I spend a lot of time on it. 

We get the tree just after Thanksgiving and put it up. I decorate it with my brother late into the night at our parents' house and usually finish around 5 in the morning. When they wake up the tree is there to surprise them.

My brother makes ridiculous humorous tags for the presents he gives and it usually involves a lot of photo-shopped pics of family members captured over the previous year with fitting captions.

Christmas viewing (specials and such) begins in November and goes through Christmas. We watch at least one every day of the season. Going to parades and tree lighting ceremonies are among the many things we do during the season. We also decorate our parents' house (whether they like it or not) and that often takes three days and involves lots of work atop a rickety ladder.

Making of Christmas cookies, pies and other treats begins on the last week before the big day and we decorate the cookies in absurd ways that often renders them inedible unless you have a strong stomach or a great sense of humor. 

Christmas Eve is spend hanging around by the tree (again, at our parents' house, where we spend the holiday through Christmas Day). While our parents watch TV, my brother, sister and myself entertain ourselves playing transcendental 20 questions about the tree, decorations or presents, or we'll play other home-styled games to pass the time until we go to church in the evening.  

After church we eat very light in preparation for the big turkey we'll have the following day.

After that, we go to bed in our own rooms and each has their own traditions from there. Myself, I watch midnight Mass live on TV from the Vatican, bits and pieces of It's a Wonderful Life and other specials still on TV. Then I listen to some Christmas music and try to sleep if I can (which is seldom). My brother spends the night listening to far-off radio stations playing eclectic Christmas recordings from the earliest parts of the 20th century to present), and my sister just sleeps like a log.

in the morning, like 4 a.m, I sneak to my brother's room and we go from there to look at the Christmas presents under the tree with flashlights in hand. We usually do that until the rest of the family gets up around 8 in the morning.

Then my mom puts the turkey in the oven and we open presents till it's time to eat, after which we slowly pass out from fatigue by day's end. 

Edited November 11, 2016 by Dreambiscuit

[N.W. 3,619]

On Christmas Eve my family gathers over at my Grandparent's house for dinner. Growing up we did get actual trees for Christmas, which made the house smell wonderful. One year we got one with a root ball with the intention of planting it out back after... it was a pain to get into the house but also within a year of being re-planted. Now we just have a fake one, it's less hassle, but not as good smelling. 

Christmas day is spent at home with relatives coming over for presents and brunch/dinner/lunch.

[GeekySonic 1,151]

The only tradition I even remember is watching the Peanuts Christmas special. I remember it because I always cried at the scene where Charlie Brown hangs his head and says, "Everything I touch gets ruined."

[StormBlaze 993]

Our family had that movie on VHS. Does your version still have the song "When Love is Gone" when Ebenezer's betrothed ditches him, or is it a cut-out scene and you have no idea what I'm talking about?

 

The song is so-so, but it's existence is supposed to be a reprise with the song they sing at the end, "When Love is Found".

 

 

NO! they cut it and even though we keep buying ones that say Directors Cut, the song is still missing! its on the soundtrack though, bought that 2 years ago! my family have that outrage every time we watch the DVD. not seen it when its aired on TV to see if its the version with the song

[KiraTakahashi 748]

Well this is an after Christmas tradtion..but my mom used to buy me one ornament a year after the holiday to give to me when I grow up. I'm gonna start it for my gfs niece.

[Corgis 574]

Every year I watch "a Christmas Story" on VHS.  Never missed a year for about a decade now.  My Papa normally comes over as well which is nice since he lives out of country now.  At my Mom's we have a tree and decorations but at my Dad's we don't so we just put green plastic on a lamp.  We also set up a diorama every year on the coffee table.  

[cmarston1 5,964]

My family and I don't really have any major Christmas traditions, or even any major holiday traditions in general, now that I think about it.

[I used to be a stranger 7,994]

My family and I don't really have any major Christmas traditions, or even any major holiday traditions in general, now that I think about it.

 

But do you still enjoy Hearth's Warming?

[PiratePony 8,491]

For us:

 

• On Christmas Eve, we typically drive to New Jersey to meet up with extended family. We have a more formal dinner, followed by doing a "white elephant" gift exchange. The gifts tend to be silly, but the swapping can be cutthroat and pretty exciting. For this year, my wife and I are hosting, so it's going to be something special. It's our first holiday hosting, so I guess that means we're grown-ups now  We're doing the Italian Feast of the 7 Fishes, followed by falling asleep without having to drive 2 hours past midnight with a little one in tow. 
• On Christmas Day, my daughter gets to open all the presents and we eat pannetone (Italian fruit cake like bread) and drink a whole pot of coffee. We go to church and then to my in-laws for a day of eating, drinking, music and hanging out.

 

Also during the season, I watch about 3 different versions of A Christmas Carol. That's one of my all-time favorite stories...now we have to add A Hearth's Warming Tail to the mix.

 

I actually put exterior Christmas lights for the first time, as well as the tree inside. I always go for a real tree, because of the unique differences each year and the smell of pine in the house.

[Anomaly 41]

Never too early to get excited for christmas :>

 

In terms of the actual day itself, I think my christmasses (correct plural? ) are quite similar to your own, OP. In the weeks leading up to the big day, I usually try and visit as many christmas markets as possible. Last year I went to the Wien Christkindlmarkt (in Vienna, Austria) and it was simply beautiful, as well as a Scandinavian christmas market that came to London, got a lot of Julebrus and christmas cookies, and even an Angry Birds advent calendar (?! ), as you might guess christmas markets are kind of a big thing for me, I love the atmosphere and all the artisan goods on offer as well. Going to Bruges in 10 days when my university semester has finished for a weekend simply because their christmas market looks absolutely amazing, and it only takes two and a half hours to get there from where I live by a ferry. Super excited! And awesome to read about everyone else's christmas plans too. Hope everyone enjoys it <3

Edited December 7, 2016 by Anomaly

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,202]

When I was younger, a tradition that I always did was watch 'A Year Without Santa Claus' on Christmas Eve, since is usually aired on that day. That was a simple personal tradition I always had.

 

Nowadays, there just isn't much to say. I guess the closest thing I have is going to my mom's for dinner, which I hope is still happening this year. Should be, that is something I do look forward to.

[StormBlaze 993]

not to blow anyones traditions out of the water, but I never saw the point of opening a present(s) on Christmas Eve. Been seeing Christmas Eve Boxes being a trend and the media say its to help kids with the wait for Christmas Day.... now in my opinion, that stops them learning patience, they shouldnt be rewarded for it. Surely that would also take away the Christmas Day morning excitement? 

 

I found this a disappointment when I did Christmas at my Ex's last year, they open all their presents at Midnight on Christmas Eve night. But then theres nothing to open in the morning. I saved the boxes my parents sent me for Christmas Day because of it. 

 

Am I just being old fashioned here? 

[azbat 311]

Since 1991, I get a box of Andes Candies every Christmas. I try to get all of the different flavors and box variants. I always save the box and the last piece of candy.

[PacificGreen 1,163]

Every year we get a Christmas tree, we cut off one end of the stump and decorate it with pens, colored pencils and crayons. It's pretty fun.

[BlueStreak98 828]

Somebody always buys me a copy of the World Almanac. My grandfather used to get them every year, but it's kind of been passed on to me. I rarely ever open them, because I can google all the information faster, but it's more of a collectible at this point.