What is your favorite Christmas/holiday tradition??

[Michelle]

I was just setting up a little Christmas village with my FI and it is something my Grandparents started when I was little and we would get them something to add to the village each year so now that im at my own place we have started the tradition and each year will build it a bit biggeer....this is a tradition that has always made me so happy at the holidays

 

does your family have any traditions that you have carried on like this?? or have you and your FI/DH started any I would love to hear about them...its about that time of year now

[Cattie]

We've always done Christmas Eve dinner with the family. It's the polish version of the Italian 7 fishes. We have an odd number of food items on the table, an extra plate is set for a guest who will never be turned down, no meat, few other things. When my grandmother passed away, the family wanted to stop doing it, I told my mom (who is the oldest child) that we were not forgetting our heritage. So we continued to do it.

 

Fast forward to meeting the FI. His family is also polish and does the same thing. (He was actually born there) So we switch off years since it means to much to each of us. Last Christmas Eve was with my family, so this year is with his.

 

We have alot of fun, we do gifts with the immediate family that night, then go to midnight mass. It's the most important holiday to me.

[Jessica]

We only really have two traditions and I love both of them. The first is that we open one small gift on Christmas Eve and then the rest on Christmas morning.

 

The second tradition is one that I introduced t Brian and had always done n my own. W each pick one name off the giving tree (those trees that have gift wishes from needy children) and buy a present. This year we get to do three - one for me, one for Brian and one for Aiden (my son).

[Chantal85]

My favorite thing about Christmas is the giant feast...mostly the fresh baked buns sopping up a pile of mash potatoes and gravy!

 

There is a tradition when we go to my parent's place for Christmas. My mom always tells us we can only open one gift on Christmas eve but I nag and push until we open them all that night. It happens every year since as far back as I remember. I think she fights me and my brothers about it every year for the sake of tradition.

 

We used to have an old Catholic French Canadian tradition when my whole family was still catholic (we have some who have converted now) called Revellion. My grandparents, uncles, aunts, everyone would get together for midnight mass, then come back home to a giant feast...Essentially turkey or ham dinner at 1:00 am! Because of the late night church and feast, by the time it was all taken care of we would all open gifts because it was Christmas morning. This is one of my fondest Christmas memories and wish we still did it because it's just so off-beat!

[townie princess]

I have a few Christmas traditions that I try to keep up.

 

1. My sister and I always exchange Terry's Chocolate Oranges in our stockings on Christmas Day (or whenever we meet up at Christmas). Not sure if we even eat them anymore, but it's not Christmas without the Terry's Chocolate Orange!

 

2. Christmas crackers, you know the kind that you pull apart with a bang and get silly prizes. I always have to have them at Christmas, my grandfather used to own a cracker factory and we'd get tons of them as kids, but now it's hard to find any good crackers.

 

3. On the same note, once everyone in my family is done Christmas dinner, we all opened our crackers and read the bad jokes and look at the prize we got. If you wanted to eat dessert, you have to wear the paper crown that comes in the cracker. No hat, no dessert.

 

I was trying to convince FI that we should have crackers as favours for our wedding, but it's pretty expensive to make them for a wedding (and to ship the snaps that go bang!)

 

4. When FI and I first met, we were both living in a large city with no family close by. So we started a tradition where we see a late-night movie at the theatre on Christmas Eve as a way to pass the time. This will be our 7th Christmas, and I'm looking forward to going to the movies! (not sure what I'm going to see yet, any suggestions?)

[-Kate-]

We open one gift on Xmas eve - the rest on Xmas morning.

 

At my house you have to believe in Santa or you don't get the gifts that are marked from him. And really, who doesn't believe in Santa at Xmas?

 

Since my DH is Jewish my mom always buys him funny "jewish" gifts. Coffee mugs with menorahs, star of david chocolates, etc. Totally useless crap - but it makes me laugh. He's not religious so it's not offensive or anything.

 

Also, we believe that Xmas eve is the only day of the year pets can talk. Random, I know - but it's always funny to wait and see what the dogs say. Odd that they have never piped up.

 

DH and I started our own tradition of buying a new xmas ornament every year. It's an easy way to build a collection of ornaments - and it's fun to look back at the ones we have.

 

Oh! We also "hide" a pickle ornament on the tree. Whoever finds it has good luck for the next year.

[KEE LAC]

Our family does not really have long lasted tradition but we started two last year. My Fi and I started a Christmas ornament tradition. We invite all of our family (well my family his live in Canada) over and we make this lavish meal. we all but ornament to exchange and they put them on the tree.

 

We also started a tradition where every household has to contribute to the Christmas entertainment. Our household(fi the kids and I) did children's theater . It was Great!

[Riyko]

I have a few that I still continue to use and will continue to use. I haven't been able to do any with FI yet because we both go home to see our families. (FI's from Chile and i'm from Utah, but we both study in Canada).

 

1. Get a brand new christmas ornament every year for christmas.

 

2. Open up my brand new pajama's on christmas eve and wear them that night.

 

3. Bake 3-4 dozen cookies on Christmas eve

 

4. Make everyone a homemade gift and put in it their stocking.

[Dana_C]

Well, I was actually thinking about this b/c this will be my first christmas with FI. My sisters and I usually spent Christmas Eve together watching movies and hanging out, and then opening presents at midnight. Now they're both married and we don't live too close to one another...I'm thinking about starting an ornament collection or something...FI doesn't really have any Christmas traditions that he'd like to hold on to, so I guess we'll have to start from scratch!

[Sloan]

Mamosa's (OJ and champagne) on Christmas morning with a big breakfast. Usually the mamosa's continue on throughout the day. I opted to work Christmas this year, so no Mamosa's for me!