Family traditions. We all have them, to one degree or another.
When our three were little, December 21 marked not only my birthday, but the day that they could begin opening ONE present under the tree daily until Christmas Eve. They would spend serious time weighing thoughts on just which present to open. They would appreciate this one gift, without all the frenzy that happens when multiple gifts are opened.
Moving on to Christmas Eve, we would all attend the family church service, then go home and open up all the rest of the presents under the tree, giving Santa a clear area for the next morning. Each child picked out the spot where Santa should leave his/her loot (everything arrived unwrapped…Santa doesn’t believe in wasting wrapping paper!). Location is everything…no dispute over ownership when your property is staked out. No sirree.
Fast forward to our now empty nest. We still attend the family church service on Christmas Eve (it is the children’s pageant, and the older ‘grands’ are in it—priceless). A crockpot of soup (more on that on another post) awaits the church goers when the whole family gathers here to eat and open up all the gifts. That leaves the kids free to visit their other families the next day. Just peachy.
So…please share some of your family Christmas traditions. I love reading about them. Seriously.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, y’all! I’ll be beading…again.
12 comments:
Love it! What a great idea for leaving santa some room! I might have to try this when Megan is older!
What great ideas! Our Christmas is done. Hubby and don't exchange gifts. I guess I could be corny and say that every day is a gift... We decided to help out his single mom friend provide Christmas for her oldest child.
We took the family out to lunch and just spent some time together. christmas came to mom via unwrapped gifts for itty, so she can put her touches on them.
Next year will be a new tradition as there will be a grandchild involved. I'm looking forward to what that brings.
Since my children's dad's family has a traditional Christmas Eve get-together, I usually invite some friends over after the Christmas Eve service at my church. I put chili in the crockpot and make cornbread or have crackers ready - it's a very low-key party. We enjoy each other's company and a little pause from the frantic preparations of the previous few days! Then my children come over for stockings and Christmas brunch on Christmas morning.
Thanks for chronicling these traditions for us! I love how the old traditions have melded into new ones.
great idea, should be part of the christmas traditions.......
Ciao Sandy!!!
Traditions are a gift...for us, as we have a continuity with the dears of our family!!!
We had our gifts after our parents (Our Santa is Babbo Natale) had read the letter of the children, hidden under the dish!
Only little things (it was war time!).
The dinner was on Christmas Eve, fish, then Midnight Mess!
On Christmas a great lunch with tortellini, lasagne, cappone (capon), zampone and the bread!
It was a great feast for the children!!
Thank you!!!
Buon Natale a tutti!!!
Growing up there wasn't a big deal over Christmas. There was dinner and opening of presents. My parents just didn't seem into Christmas, so we aren't either. We basically do the same thing each year. I prepare dinner for everyone (hubby helps a lot) and we exchange gifts. When the first wave of dishes are done we watch a movie.
This is all changed this year because of what happened at Thanksgiving. I did absolutely no decorations this year and two folks are not ever coming here again. So I'm just not very jolly this year.
Have a terrific day sweetie. Big hugs from chilly California. :)
I already blogged about our childhood traditions, but...
Since I don't have kids, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are always very quiet at my house. Usually a filet on the grill for me and my parents nowadays. About every 5 years (or more!) I fly up nawth, when I dare to brave the blizzards!
We grownups have agreed for many years now not to exchange gifts. Times are tough and I don't need a thing. I'd rather whatever they did spend be spent on their kids/grands.
Have fun beading. I'm working on my business web site and blog since the next 2 weeks is 1 of my 2 really slow times of the year. Big hugs :]
When I was a kid we always got to open one gift on Christmas Eve - usually something from a relative as obviously Santa hadn't visited yet!
Other than that, I don't think we have any traditions outside of the extended family getting together at either my Aunt Eleanor's or my Aunt Nancy's on Christmas night. They're predicting a major snowstorm on Christmas night so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't start until AFTER the family get-together as I really look forward to it every year.
wonderful traditions and beading? i have been beading my fingers off! ha ha ha
smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxo
We always opened one gift on Christmas Eve and I don't know how my step mom managed to make the one gift with the new pj's be the one we wanted to open the most...I should ask her sometime. I wasn't that clever with my kids...I had to just put new pj's on them after bathtime. lol and unwrapped presents from Santa. Awesome I got so tired of trying to hide Santa's wrapping paper fharom the kids.
4 boys and 4 girls in family. We all wore cowboy boots. Week before Christmas Dad takes all the boys down to western wear store. Lines us up and says - pair of boots for each of them and one for me.
The Clerk always smiled when we walked in the door. It made his Christmas and it made ours.
Have a Merry 10-4 Christmas. Willy
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