Holiday family traditions

[pepper4]

Would like to hear some of your holiday traditions. Mine is pretty simple but special. Something I have done for 27 yrs. Christmas morning, after they open gifts as a family the kids come over and we exchange gifts. Later I make my infamous breakfast. I make every breakfast food imagineable and we just enjoy a nice breakfast together. Simple... but memorable. I hope 1 of my daughters carries on the tradition.

[joshbuchan]

sounds nice ^^

I get jumped on by my little sis at 7am in the morning, we take our stockings down stairs to open the prezzys in there, then we walk down the road to grandads were we get more prezzys ^^ then we go home mum and dad put the food on, then nan comes over with prezzys! then the rest of the family just keep poring in with more and more prezzys! we eat then open all them prezzy! then we open the ones under the tree! then we wait 3 days and go snow boarding, france and italy was the last places we went but we dnt get told intill we get given the tickets at the air port, there like 30 of us that go. boys holiday ^^ we go for 10 days and thats my xmas!!

[applestar]

One of our traditions is one I adapted from the Japanese one of putting on brand-new jammies (PJ's, pajama's, night gown, take your pick) when going to sleep on New Year's Eve -- everyone gets a brand-new, washed-and-ready-to-wear matching jammies as Christmas Eve present. This way we're all dressed for Christmas morning present-opening and breakfast-in-our-jammies photos.

[rainbowgardener]

We've always done our main celebrating Christmas Eve. We get the house already, I cook a nice dinner, then we light tons of candles and read the story of the birth of Jesus from the Bible. Only after stopping to think about the true meaning of Christmas do we open presents. Some one puts on a Santa hat and distributes them one at a time, so that everyone watches while one person opens a present, no mad rush. We take our time and enjoy one present before going on to the next.

Christmas morning we open the little presents in the stockings and have brunch.

I grew up in Southern California. Christmas Eve was our big extended family dinner and gift exchange. Dinner was always tacos, which are easy for a crowd, set out all the fixings and let people assemble their own. Out here in Ohio, people thing I'm weird when I get nostalgic about Christmas Eve tacos!

[pepper4]

Rainbowgardener I'm from Ohio and I don't think that at all I think we all have those special things we do that are important to us and our families. Enjoy your tacos

[Charlie MV]

We decorate like the Griswalds, eat like the Klumps and have an all day thing that ranges in age this year from 1 year to 90 years.

[GerriB]

Pepper... We have 4 children and 6 grandkids. We live in Cincinnati, and have been about 43 years. I'm not from Cincinnati but have family in Kentucky. Traditions for us, means that we do things that have some significance to our family. We don't have 200 year old "traditions," although I think that some of the things we do reflect some of this old heritage. It's a subtle process not unlike so many others. I have a square donut recipe with lots of powdered sugar from my husband's family, so some time during the Christmas season I'll fix this. I've got a fudge recipe from my father, so I usually whip up a batch of fudge (and I'll smoke a cigar for dad in honor...). My daughter makes a really good pulled pork for sandwiches and I'm delighted if she brings this over. Traditionally, we put up a tree, light some candles around, and place Christmas decorations that have meant something to somebody significant in our lives. We open presents when most of the group can get together, and feel blessed if a child in the group can sing a Christmas song. My suspicion is that you do this, too; in some fashion. Therefore, you have a Tradition. Blessings to you and your family, and try to not worry so much.

[rainbowgardener]

The beginning of the Christmas season at our house is buying a (real, cut) tree in early December, bringing it home and decorating the tree and the house. I always like decorating the tree because we collect a lot of ornaments that mean something, have memories attached. Every where we go on vacation trips, if we can, our souvenir is a Christmas ornament, labelled and preferably something unique to the area. Plus others that are engraved with someone's name and the year and show something about them, etc. So just getting out all the ornaments that I haven't seen for almost a year stirs up all those memories of good times and cherished people.

[pepper4]

GerriB, when I read your traditions and what you said you are right. On my Christmas tree there are no 2 ornaments that look alike. All are special ..either gifts from friends or ornaments made by my children and grand children. Each has a story or meaning behind it. My mother has passed away and was never a great cook but boy could she make a good stuffing. Always the day after Christmas I make a turkey and always make her stuffing. Never tried another recipe. May sound dumb but when we make it, smell it and eat it we think of her.

[Susan W]

How could I forget one holiday tradition chatting with a bunch of plant people....the Paper white, narcissus. My Mom always had these, and got me started, and I continue on, now sharing with at least one son. I am remiss in getting some started, and repeat startings. Well, I have one bowl just now showing color and fragrance. Hope to last through Christmas. Another coming up, but could be a January show.
Amaryllis will be later (is started), and we will enjoy the show come January!