Christmas Traditions

[toawh]

What are some Christmas traditions that families have. Things you do every year or it "wouldn't be Christmas" type stuff. When a friend asked about ours, I realized that neither I nor my husband have any . :001_unsure: I want to start some so my kids can have great memories to look back on and continue with. For most of my childhood we didn't really "do" Christmas.

I want to feel Christmasy.

[Baseball mom]

Simple things my children enjoy & we do every year:

• after I get the tree up & lights on it, we turn off the tv & put on Christmas music & dc decorate
  
• baking Christmas cookies with dc
  
• going to Christmas parade
  
• riding around looking at Christmas lights, complete with a mug of hot choc & Christmas music playing
  
• watching Christmas movies together as a family
  

[Chris in VA]

We did those things, too!

 

We also put stockings in beds. All Advent, we hang them up by the fireplace. On Christmas Eve, everyone takes their stocking to bed. Very late, I go up and get them, fill them, and return to their beds. My parents did stockings this way so they could sleep a few extra minutes on Christmas am! Since dh has the late service and doesn't come home til almost 2am, we do the same thing.

 

Now, my boys are bigger, and they just give me their stocking to fill, but they still appreciate me putting it on the floor by their beds for AM opening!

 

We also light the Advent Wreath every night at dinner. Wouldn't be Christmas for us without the days of preparation.

[Liz CA]

It starts with Advent, the Advent Wreath and the four candles, celebrating the four Sundays that precede Christmas.

We decorate the tree, of course. We also decorate the house a little, have a wreath on the door. We bake cookies and invite people. We make hot cider that simmers on the stove for hours.

We watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music.

Read the Christmas story, take walks and are grateful for the reason of Christmas.

[toawh]

It starts with Advent, the Advent Wreath and the four candles, celebrating the four Sundays that precede Christmas.

 

 

What's Advent. And what do you do on those four special Sundays??

[Annie G]

For years we kicked off our holiday season by going out and cutting our tree. Hot chocolate, picking the right tree, sleigh ride back to the parking lot, etc. They finally fessed up that they hate doing that- dh AND the kids just did it to humor me. I was bummed at first but then felt loved that they did it cheerfully for so many years. And we live where it's freezing cold when it's time to get a tree so it was no small sacrifice for my non-outdoorsy kids to do that for me.

 

Now we trek to the Christkindmarket in Chicago. Equally cold, but again, they tolerate it for me.

[Jenny in Florida]

We have a Muppet-themed advent calendar that my mother-in-law gave us when the kids were really little. It has 24 little books that re-tell The Gift of the Magi with Muppets as all of the characters. Beginning with December 1, we read one of the little books each night. My husband and I take turns and try to do all of the voices.

 

We buy a "real" tree. The four of us go out together and shop the whole lot before we agree on one.

 

We make an evening out of decorating the tree, playing Christmas music and snacking and chatting.

 

We've been giving the kids two ornaments each every year since they were little. One of them, the child gets to pick out and buy. The other, I make for them. My daughter always gets a clothespin angel. I started out buying little kits to make them, but for the last several years I've tried to make something that reflects her interests or a special experience that year. My son gets a special, home-made ornament, too, but it's different every year.

 

I give each child that year's ormanent when we've almost finished decorating the tree.

 

We also make a point of buying an ornament for the tree when we go on vacation together.

 

So, as we decorate the tree, we put on all of these special ornaments, which prompts discussion and sharing of memories. I love that part a lot.

 

We don't put up the tree until after my daughter's birthday (12/15). From the night it gets decorated through the 23rd, one or two presents appear under the tree each night after the kids go to bed.

 

On Christmas Eve, we go to church. Usually, my kids are participating somehow in one or both services. They used to be in the pageant, but now that they're older they are usually singing.

 

Our church hosts a Stone Soup dinner between the two services, and we always go to that.

 

After church, we drive around looking at everyone's holiday lights.

 

When we get home from that, we keep the house lights low and put on some music. The kids open the packages with new pajamas, which I always personalize those in some way, either making them from scratch or somehow embellishing something we bought. They put on their PJs, and we re-read all of the little advent calendar books we've read so far and then do the last one. We hang our stockings, and the kids head off to bed.

 

Now that they're older, they often stay up a while. But they have to retire so my husband and I have time to make the magic. They have never believed in Santa, but we've always held back many of the gifts so that there is a dramatic difference and a "wow factor" on Christmas morning. So, once they are in their rooms, we swing into action, arranging presents under the tree and filling stockings.

 

Stockings usually have a theme of some kind and must include silly socks that match the theme and lottery tickets (traditions my husband brought into the marriage).

 

We always have bagels for breakfast Christmas morning. We start with stockings, then break for food, then start on the tree. We take turns opening gifts, saving the big stuff for last.

 

We spend the afternoon playing with/reading/setting up new stuff, listening to music and goofing off together. I make a big feast of all of our favorite Indian food. My husband sets the table with our nicest dishes, and he puts a Christmas cracker at each place. We aren't allowed to start eating until we've opened the crackers, read the jokes, traded around the prizes and put on our paper hats.

 

After dinner, we usually just watch a movie and relax.

 

I'm sure there's more, but those are the highlights. We've made a very intentional effort to create these traditions for our kids, and we all look forward to those things every year.

[LBS]

Our traditions changed over the years.....how many years does it take to make it 'traditional'?

 

We'd go to a hospital benefit of trees decorated for a gala ball, huge benefit, then afterwards they'd have a children's fun night around the displays. There are trees, swags and other categories, that are auctioned for the gala, but I'd get my kids to stand in front of their favorite each year and take pictures...our local science museum always had a nice international holiday celebration....we outgrew these. I miss 'em.

 

Neat to watch downtown get lit, things like that. We go see a train display downtown and a block full of lighted wicker reindeer. Husband fussy going to things like this. He has one brother: their big Christmas tradition growing up, was to go to a movie on Christmas Day. Big whoop.

 

I tried to create nice traditions, and some stuck, but some lasted just for a few years. Parents-in-law made it difficult, too, demanding special events, parties, and changing any schedule around, according to their party-friends.

 

I love Christmas! I make plans to make decorations during the whole year, and decorate like crazy....I love to plan, but half of it, is still a good year.

[Alessandra]

For us, it is the entire season -- Advent-Christmas-Epiphany.

 

For OP, here is an Advent thread:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321788

 

-- We put up the tree a few days before Christmas, but we do not decorate until Christmas Eve. We leave it up through Jan 6. The rest of the house is decorated too.

 

-- Creche. We put the baby in after Midnight Mass. We move the wise men closer to the creche each day, until they reach it at Epiphany.

 

-- We have special meals: Christmas Eve dinner (fish), big Xmas brunch, and Christmas dinner in the early evening. My parents always had it at midday, and Christmas seemed to end then. I like to prolong the day as much as possible. Roast beef & buche de Noel are are must-haves.

 

-- We use Christmas china.

 

-- We have lots of Christmas candy and breads in the dining room --panettone, stollen, Jamaican black fruitcake, marzipan, chocolate truffles, gingerbread, Christmas cookies, etc.

 

-- This is corny, but we set up an electric Christmas Santa train on a big play table, covered with cotton batting (=snow).

 

-- Play Christmas carols.

 

-- Stockings & leaving food for Santa and the reindeer.

 

When we really know it's Christmas is after Midnight Mass. We come home and turn off all the lights except the ones on the tree.

 

ETA -- reading Jenny's post -- we do Christmas crackers, too, but just before dessert. Thanks for the reminder -- I have to put them on my shopping list.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Alessandra

[Love HSing]

Alot of the things we're already mentioned, but another one is on Christmas Eve everyone gets a pair of Christmas Pajama's and I try to get them to match :D

[Chris in VA]

Alot of the things we're already mentioned, but another one is on Christmas Eve everyone gets a pair of Christmas Pajama's and I try to get them to match :D

 

Oh, this must be so cute with all your kiddos! :D

 

May I ask where you buy them? I'm looking for a Christmas nightgown for dd. (Not necessarily Christmas-y pattern)

[Onceuponatime]

Things we always do:

 

Hang the stockings up along the staircase the day after Thanksgiving.

Wait till the second week of December to get the real tree and decorate it that day.

Listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas movies.

Make mint hot chocolate.

Have a Christmas Eve dinner with relatives, at our house.

Watch Muppets Christmas Carol before we go to bed. "After all there's only one more sleep till Christmas."

Kids can get their stockings when they wake up, but they have to wait for the grownups before they open their presents.

 

Stockings always have chocolate coins with gold foil, other candy depending on personal tastes, and one small gift.

 

December 31st or Jan. 1st, Christmas is packed up and put away.

[ChristusG]

I love Christmas traditions! Sometimes I feel like we may have too many LOL. :D

 

Here's some of ours:

 

Each year I let the kids pick a new ornament for the tree (something that sort of currently represents them) and when they grow up and move out, they will take their ornaments with them. My parents did this for me and it was great!

 

Ever December 1st, Hermie the Elf shows up in our home. He moves to a new place each night, getting into mischief, and sometimes leaving little gifts for the kids. My girls LOVE Hermie.

 

We go to the annual Christmas parade each year.

 

When we put up our tree, we listen to Christmas music and then watch a Christmas movie that evening.

 

We have a Christmas Crafts day where we do crafts, decorate cookies, etc.

 

We have a Christmas story that we begin 7 days away from Christmas and we read a piece of the Christmas story each night and the girls open the corresponding box and put the figure in the manger. I bought a Jessie Tree book and may do that this year instead....we'll see.

 

Of course, we go see Santa at the mall.

 

We take an evening and do dinner out and then ride around looking at Christmas lights.

 

I get my kids an equal number of stocking gifts and they open one each night until Christmas Eve. There's usually about 15 gifts, so they begin opening a little before mid-December. They always open new PJ's on Christmas Eve night.

 

On Christmas Eve, we always attend Christmas Eve services and then head my grandparents house for a Christmas Eve celebration. We've been doing this since I was a small child. Once at home, the kids and I sprinkle "reindeer food" on the lawn.

 

On Christmas night, we have a birthday party for Jesus with just our family, complete with balloons, streamers, a cake, and singing happy birthday to Him. On Christmas Eve we purchase helium balloons from the dollar store, and at the birthday party we write down something that we want to do for God in the coming year. We tape it to the balloon and then go outside and "send it up to God."

 

I'm sure that there may be a few more that I'm not remembering LOL.

[ChristusG]

Forgot to add....this year I'm going to try to create a new tradition. I'm going to use some of the "random acts of kindness" ideas that I got from this blog post: http://mixmingleglow.com/blog/?p=1358 . But I'm going to attach notes with something about Christmas and something about Jesus on them. I want my kids to also give around Christmas time, so I think these acts of kindness will be great.

[RegGuheert]

When we get up on Christmas morning we all sit together in front of the tree and read Luke chapters 1 and 2 before opening any presents. I used to do the reading, but now that all the children are old enough, we usually take turns reading.

[Jen in PA]

Every year I make scrapbooks for the kids and they open them on Christmas Eve. I don't make the really lovely, fancy sort that so many do, but they are filled with photos, ticket stubs, and other little mementos from the year. The kids love looking back on the year that is ending, and I started this tradition to try to keep the focus on happy memories rather than material things.

[abbeyej]

When thinking of building traditions with kids, I like to think in terms of appealing to various senses... Later, when kids encounter those same sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and even textures, it triggers happy (we hope!) memories of family time together... These don't have to be big, expensive, or elaborate traditions.

 

Christmas book basket:

Starting when the kids are small, collect a few special Christmas books to reread year after year. Picture books, chapter books, classics... Good things that are worth re-reading. Pull out the basket at the beginning of advent (four Sundays before Christmas -- often the Sunday after Thanksgiving), add a book or two each year, read through them until after Christmas, and put them away until the following year. Each year, it's like discovering old friends when the books come back out. I try for a mix of poignant and funny, heartbreaking, silly, sweet... I started a list with some of the books from our basket, if that's helpful. :)

 

We also like having a Jesse Tree reading every day during advent. (Okay, some days we miss and have to double up. Every year I think it won't happen. And every year it does.) When the kids were small, we used this book. This year I've ordered these ornaments and will do the Bible readings that go along with them. In the most practical sense, it gives a rapid review of the Old Testament and how Christmas fits into the overall story of the Bible.

 

We celebrate St Nicholas Day each year. There's a great website with lots of resources here: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/home/ Some years it's been a bigger deal -- guests coming over for a feast, kids reading books in preparation, small gifts... (I usually do new slippers or handmade knitted hats or something else small-and-practical-and-warm like that along with chocolate coins from around the world -- usually available at any grocery store this time of year -- all slipped into the children's shoes during the feast.) The one thing that's an absolute -- that the kids would have a *fit* if I ever skipped -- is making St Nicholas Breads. When they were very little, I made the breads. As they got slightly older, they started making their own St Nicholas-es. Sometimes we make extra and give them away. ... We talk about the stories of the original St Nicholas and the acts of quiet charity we remember him for...

 

I try to play a lot of Christmas music during December. I like choral and folk versions of traditional carols most, so that's what I play. Some of our beloved albums are well-known, and others are just cheap CDs of choirs singing old standards. Most are in English, a few are in Spanish or French or Latin or Old English... Lots of music. I have an illustrated book or two of Christmas carols that I pull out and we sing along (even though neither of my kids are singers).

 

We bake. Remember what I said about senses? Baking cookies, gingerbread, heating apple cider or hot chocolate... These all add to the tastes and smells we associate with Christmas. We bake and give away. I try to keep individual baking sessions manageable -- not the huge things that take over the day and the house and make us stressed out. I want the baking itself to be a pleasant and delightful memory. Do some rolled sugar cookies that the kids can decorate themselves with gaudy awfulness. ;) They won't look like Martha Stewart (at least not 'til the kids are older, and even then only if they're little perfectionists), but that's okay. :)

 

When the kids were very small, we didn't have any Christmas ornaments. Each year we would make "cinnamon dough" ornaments with the cheap bulk cinnamon at the grocery store (you'll also need apple sauce and white glue), a star cookie cutter, and a roll of ribbon from the $1 bin at the fabric store. Knead the dough, roll it out, cut out stars, cut out holes in them with a drinking straw, bake at low heat, string up on ribbons, and display. You can give a few as gifts, and hang others on the tree -- or, if you don't have a tree, get some garland from the dollar store, drape it somewhere, and hang the stars from that. They'll smell heavenly while baking and continue to give off a light cinnamon scent after you hang them. They're really quite pretty and rustic and something the kids can feel proud of.

 

Many years we make pomander balls. Buy the cheapest oranges in the store and cloves in bulk, then poke holes in the oranges with a toothpick first, then push the cloves in. They'll smell like orange and cloves for years (ideally they'll dry out evenly -- every once in a while you'll get an orange with a hint of mold on it, and those have to be thrown out). You can store them from year to year along with your Christmas decorations and books, and then everything will "smell like Christmas" when you pull it out the next year.

 

Other decorations -- particularly the sort that can be handled and admired -- become part of the tradition as well. I've had this nativity set since my oldest was a toddler. One of the wisemen has some lovely crayon additions to his original finery... ;) But the kids still love to pull it out and arrange and rearrange it... Some sets are too expensive or nice to let kids play with. I prefer the sort kids can handle.

 

Certain recipes may emerge as favorites -- things the kids say, "We ALWAYS make ___"... They'll say that even though you only made them that one time. ;) But after that, you'll make them a second time, and then it really will be "always".

 

My kids are dancers, so somebody has been in the Nutcracker almost every year for the last ... seven? years now. That's certainly become a tradition for us. When I was young, I was in a production of A Christmas Carol every year for a number of years (sometimes along with family members). Being involved in a production like that or just going to see a local annual production can come to be a tradition. Sometimes churches have their own special annual productions. Some are plays, some are big costume-spectacles, some are really high quality orchestral performances... Find something that fits your tastes.

 

Gawking at lights or decorations can become a tradition. Whether in the neighborhood (you know that one *crazy* house? And the other *beautiful* one? etc) or at a destination a little ways from home... Throw in thermoses of hot cider and some extra blankets, and it's more of an event.

 

[i've run out of space or something -- breaking into two messages]

[abbeyej]

[continuing from above]

 

We drive up to my parents' whenever we're able, just before Christmas. There are always last minute preparations to be done. Things to wrap and bake. More music.

 

Since my oldest was 3, my Dad has always made a gingerbread house (from a kit) with the kids. He doesn't have to do much any more, but he's still around. It's their special thing. :)

 

My mom has a set of three ceramic elves on skis (um, once upon a time, they were meant to be napkin holders) that come out to play and "hide" every night in December until Christmas. Each day, the kids look for them ("I found one! He's hiding in the potted plant! Here's one on the mantel behind the candle!"), but if children touch them, they won't be able to hide any more. It's so simple and silly, but something we've all had fun with over the years.

 

On Christmas Eve, our kids get to open a special present. This is generally a book (sometimes a set) and new pajamas. (If they don't need new pajamas, it might be a new robe or new slippers... Something in that genre.) Generally this means they look cute in Christmas morning pictures (instead of like ragamuffins), and the books give them something to look at when they're sent to bed for the evening. Many years I've made the pajamas. Now they seem to think I'm cheating when I don't. ;) Brats. ;)

 

On Christmas morning, the kids get up and open their stockings. There's always some running around making sure that everyone is up first. (My sister, who's much younger, was always the one we had to drag out of bed...) There's usually some scrambling for coffee for the coffee-drinkers, and I'm usually sticking something in the oven about then. The kids dig through their stockings and oooh and aaah over them... Then we all sit down to breakfast. Usually some sort of crockpot breakfast casserole (so we don't all die of sugar-overload) and cinnamon rolls.

 

Later the rest of the family comes by and we have our big Christmas dinner and eventually open any other presents under the tree. There's almost always a dvd among the gifts, which works well so that various of us can doze or watch as we like.

 

Board games always seem to play a big role too. Often that's the adults and teens though, staying up late to play and laugh... But there are always games with the kids too.

 

Maybe there's snow and sledding... Always hot chocolate.

 

We often have "Christmas crackers" (you can buy these or make your own) that "pop" and inside have a joke, a small gift, and a tissue paper hat to wear. Things are always more festive when everyone's wearing a silly paper hat. ;)

 

You don't need to start with *all* of these things! I'm just listing an array that have grown up over the years for us. I find that a "tradition" starts with doing it *once* with kids. If they like it, it's a "tradition" the second time you do it. ;) Appeal to different senses -- songs and stories to hear, candles and baking to smell, treats to taste, decorations to handle, things to make with your hands... Just do what you love. Don't do things that stress you out. Have fun with your children. :)

[Cindy in FL.]

We do an Advent wreath each year, taking turns doing the reading and lighting the candles each night. I get the boys some kind of Advent Calendar (this year it's Lego Star Wars). They love taking turns opening that in the morning. Watch a movie together on Christmas Eve with hot chocolate and snacks. Christmas morning we always have Eggs Benedict with our oldest son and his family and my dad and then my step father, step sister, and her son come for lunch.

 

Cindy

[Forget-Me-Not]

Oh, this must be so cute with all your kiddos! :D

 

May I ask where you buy them? I'm looking for a Christmas nightgown for dd. (Not necessarily Christmas-y pattern)

 

I'm not the one who posted originally, but we have this tradition too. I buy them from Land's End a lot. Also, depending on how old your daughter is, try Hanna Andersson or Gymboree :) My local Gymboree outlet has a ton of Christmas pajamas on sale for 9.99/pair right now. A lot of the department stores will start getting Christmas pajamas in this time of year too. My main complaint is that a lot of them are licensed character. Not my thing.

[justamouse]

The Feast of Seven Fishes (Italian Christmas Eve). Up until the day of Christmas is the penitential/expectation time of Advent. But you come home from mass and eat spectacular fish dishes.

 

I would be drawn and quartered for not doing it.

Edited November 11, 2011 by justamouse

[Canadianmumof5]

(copied from my response in another similar thread)

 

One of the traditions that we have that the kids just love, is the birthday cake we make for Jesus. We make it on Dec 24th. As soon as they get up on Christmas morning, they jump in our bed, I go down and get the cake, we light candles and we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and remember His birth and all of the wonderful blessings we have as a family. We say prayers together and then eat cake in bed - at 7am or earlier :tongue_smilie:

 

I find it helps all of us to focus on the true meaning before everyone goes crazy with stockings, gifts, etc

 

We serve the rest of the cake for dessert that night and sing HB again with extended family.

[mhornby56]

We don't have a ton of Christmas traditions, but here's a few:

 

*We make gingerbread houses every year with graham crackers. Every kid gets to make his or her own. We did this growing up and often would deliver the houses to different people that needed some holiday cheer. I've done this several years as a grown up with my kids and nieces and nephews and we've had a problem with kids piling on the candy so they can eat it later. I think making them for other people helps to prevent this.

 

*I wrap up 24 Christmas books and the girls open one each night to read for a bedtime story. I have been collecting so we own more than 24 now, but in past years I've wrapped up library books to round out the collection, and just made sure we opened them quickly and returned them to the library within a week or so, so that other people could enjoy them.

 

*My mom often would simmer cinnamon sticks, cloves, and a piece of orange peel on the stove when I was growing up, and I do that now. It smells wonderful.

 

*We also do the ornament every year for the kids. My mom did this for our family and I love my little ornament collection.

 

*My husband's family has oyster stew and meatball soup and an assortment of finger foods on Christmas eve. On Christmas they have prime rib. As we live on their farm now, we have those meals together.

 

*My husband grew up opening all the presents under the tree on Christmas eve, and then Santa would fill stockings for them to open on Christmas morning. In my family, we opened one present from under the tree on Christmas eve, then on Christmas morning we would all get up together and pray, read scriptures, then go into the family room together, youngest to oldest, to a room filled with presents and Christmas music playing. It was really magical. I couldn't imagine just getting a stocking on Christmas morning. Now we open family presents with my in-laws in their home on Christmas eve. On Christmas morning the girls get stockings and 4 presents each. "Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read."

 

*I make cinnamon rolls on Christmas eve, and leave them in the fridge overnight. I take them out early in the morning, and let the sit out for a few hours before baking for breakfast. I think this year I will make cinnamon rolls and some sort of breakfast casserole so there's a savory option to balance out all the sugar.

 

We also listen to lots of Christmas music, bake cookies, make ornaments, etc. I really love this time of year.

[Ewe Mama]

We do Advent calendars, lighting of the Advent Wreath candles with Scripture readings, and we will add a Jesse Tree this year.

 

We attend The Nutcracker Ballet or a performance of The Christmas Carol every year.

 

Christmas stories at bedtime beginning in Advent.

 

We have the children pick special chores to earn money and select a gift from the Samaritain's Purse catalog (that has become a favorite activity).

 

We go to a Christmas tree farm and cut down our own tree (while freezing our bums off).

 

We go to the Christmas Eve service at church, come home and give our farm animals a special treat before bedding them down for the night.

 

Christmas morning is pretty much a free-for-all and the children settle in to play while we go back to bed until we have to get up and be ready for the invasion of the in-laws.

[Spryte]

I love reading everyone's traditions... smiling at the ones we share, and hoping to add a few new traditions to our family...

 

A few ideas I haven't seen mentioned:

 

We have a "Christmas Camp Out" the night that we decorate the tree. We all pull out our sleeping bags and sleep on the living room floor, under the lit tree. Of course, we drink hot chocolate and eat cookies before bed.

 

Cheesecake and fruit for breakfast (this started as an accident one year, in my childhood, when we burned our Christmas morning casserole, and pulled a frozen cheesecake out as a treat). Along with Little Smokies wrapped in rolls (a bit like pigs in blankets) while we attack the stockings.

 

Oh! On Christmas Eve, we leave carrots for the reindeer, and cheese for Santa Mouse alongside Santa's milk and cookies.

[DusksAngel]

Our traditions:

The Christmas tree goes up after Thanksgiving dinner. We have a little one that goes in the center of our living room bay window.

We all get new pajamas on Christmas Eve.

Brian always reads Christmas stories to the kids that evening. On Christmas Day, he reads to them the story of Jesus' birth.

[DusksAngel]

Oh! On Christmas Eve, we leave carrots for the reindeer, and cheese for Santa Mouse alongside Santa's milk and cookies.

 

Gabriel was telling me and Mom that we had to leave carrots for the reindeer this year. And that Santa needed milk and cookies. :D

[toawh]

You don't need to start with *all* of these things!

Yes, I'm overwhelmed just reading about them. :) I appreciate you sharing all this though.

[toawh]

 

We have a "Christmas Camp Out" the night that we decorate the tree. We all pull out our sleeping bags and sleep on the living room floor, under the lit tree. Of course, we drink hot chocolate and eat cookies before bed.

 

 

This one wins hands down. My kids are gonna love this. I think my husband might like it even more than them!! He loves Christmas tree lights.

[toawh]

 

*I wrap up 24 Christmas books and the girls open one each night to read for a bedtime story. I have been collecting so we own more than 24 now, but in past years I've wrapped up library books to round out the collection, and just made sure we opened them quickly and returned them to the library within a week or so, so that other people could enjoy them.

 

 

 

Love this one too. It's also cheap! Hooray! Now I can't wait for Thanksgiving to come and go so I can begin. I guess it's time I learned how to multi-quote.

[aggieamy]

I always love these threads with so many awesome ideas. I'm going to start a few more traditions this year from some of these ideas.

 

We share a lot of traditions with Abby's family actually. We do a Christmas book basket that comes out at the start of Advent and we do stockings on St. Nicholas Day.

 

We also:

 

• have Christmas china that we put out at the start of Advent
  
• I use a code when putting names on presents under the tree so nobody knows which present is theirs. Usually I have a "theme" with the code names. This year the theme is Harry Potter so we'll have a Hagrid, Hermione, Fred, George, ect. The kids LOVE it.
  
• Listen to the Christmas Carol on audiobook
  
• Watch or go to a Nutcracker performance as a family
  
• Our big Christmas with family and present opening is on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day it's really quiet with just immediate family. We play with what we got for Christmas, usually go for a long drive in the morning, and then eat lots of leftovers.
  

 

[Running the race]

Decorating the tree with Christmas music and candy canes to eat afterwards.

 

Driving and/or walking around and looking at Christmas lights.

 

Baking cookies and/or decorating gingerbread houses.

 

Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes.

 

Opening one present on Christmas Eve.

 

I buy an ornament for each child every year. Now they each have a collection.

 

Advent readings of some kind.

[Farrar]

I'll bet the OP does have traditions. I mean, a tradition can be as simple as opening your presents Christmas morning.

 

In addition to some of the things already mentioned, we have a tradition of Christmas Eve performances. Everyone is expected to prepare something.

[Jaz]

We love our Christmas traditions. This is a fun thread!

 

* We put up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.

 

* We celebrate St. Nicholas day by making gingerbread cookies (St. Nicholas liked gingerbread) for neighbors and giving our dc each a small gift. We read St. Nicholas: the Real Story of the Christmas Legend, The Gingerbread Cowboy, Gingerbread Baby and the Gingerbread Doll.

 

* We read a Christmas book each day.

 

* We celebrate Advent with candles, a devotional (like Jotham's Journey), and make a Jesse tree.

 

* The wise men move closer to the nativity each day. My dc now like to take turns "moving" the wise men.

 

* We choose a family and deliver a piece of a nativity set each evening leading up to baby Jesus arriving on Christmas Eve. My dc love trying to leave the gifts without being caught.

 

* We have a photo album of just our Christmas card photos.

 

* We pray for each family that sends us a card.

 

* My dc receive (and love!) matching pjs Christmas Eve.

 

* We've done a Christmas Candle Nativity:

 

Candle Nativity

Light - Mary & Joseph candles

Read: Luke 2:1,4,5

Sing (or listen to): O Little Town of Bethlehem

 

Light: Jesus candle

Read: Luke 2:6-7

Sing: Away in a Manager

 

Light: Shepherd candles

Read: Luke 2:8

Sing: Joy to the World

 

Light: Tallest angel candle

Read: Luke 2:9-14

Light: Other angel candles

Sing: Hark the Herald Angels

Read: Luke 2:15-17

 

Light: Wise Men Candles

Read: Matt. 2:1,2,9-11

Sing: We Three Kings

 

Read: Matt. 2:12

Snuff out wise men candles

 

Read: Luke 2:20

Snuff out shepherd candles

 

Read: Luke 2:15 "...the angels left them and went into heaven…â€

Snuff out angel candles

 

Read: "And many years later, Mary and Joseph came to the end of their earthly lives."

Snuff out Mary & Joseph candles

Read: "But the light that began in Bethlehem was Eternal. The Light still shines in the darkness. Darkness has never overcome the Light. And it all began on a silent, holy night...long ago..."

Sing: Silent Night.

[Susan in TN]

Since we travel to family every Christmas (switching years between my family and dh's family) we really don't have any Christmas Eve/Day traditions. The few times we have been home (due to new/impending baby) we go to Christmas Eve Service, which would be my favorite tradition.

 

When I was growing up, we'd have Christmas Eve dinner, then while the grown-ups were cleaning up, the kids (siblings and cousins) would act out the Christmas story and anyone who played/brought an instrument would play some music. Then we'd read the Christmas story from the Bible and open gifts. I think maybe we went to a Christmas Day church service after a big breakfast.

 

Our Christmas traditions now revolve around Advent - Sunday night goodies and the Advent wreath. Also we go to a traditional Lessons and Carols service whenever we can. Oh, and Jaz's post reminded me that we put up our tree/decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving and listen to our favorite Christmas music, including an old, old, old Christmas recording of Evie Strandquist which my family listened to every year on 8-track when I was growing up. :)

[ChristusG]

* We pray for each family that sends us a card.

 

 

 

We do this too, but after Christmas. We take all the cards down and place them in a basket on the table. Each day at lunch, the kids take turns choosing a card and we pray for that family.

[Laurie4b]

What's Advent. And what do you do on those four special Sundays??

 

We have an Advent wreath at home, like many churches do. At dinner time, we light the candle for the week (there are 3 purple, 1 pink, 1 white) and read some portion of the Scripture for that week. (We use the liturgical scripture shared by the Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc. churches). We usually discuss something related to the Scripture.

 

We usually get the decorations up the first Sunday in Advent as well.

 

We attend the Christmas Eve service at church and come home and I usually make something easy like pot roast , left cooking while we're at church. After dinner, I and the boys make my grandmother's "cinnamon buns" or "sticky buns" (she called them both) and put them in the fridge to be baked in the morning.

 

Christmas morning, we go from youngest to oldest, giving gifts that we've gotten for the others. (So the youngest gives his gifts to each of his brothers and to dh and I, then the next youngest, etc.) We did this to put the focus on giving, rather than getting presents. It really helped over the years, I think. As parents, we give 3 gifts to each child. (We chose 3 to keep the materialism down and tie it to the Baby Jesus getting 3 gifts from the wise men.) We usually give an item of clothing, something educational, and something fun. In the last few years, the "something fun" has been bundled together into a family gift, like cable TV during basketball season, a new TV, etc. With a college student this year, this might have to change...hmmm.

 

Our tree has a hodge-podge of decorations on it, including lots that the kids made when they were little. We tried over the years to also buy them an ornament of their choice each year so that when they leave home, they'll have "their" ornaments to decorate their trees.

 

The stockings must contain a chocolate orange by popular demand.

 

We don't have any extended family nearby and since I've typically had responsibilities at church on Christmas Eve, we haven't traveled until after Christmas, so it's been nice and relaxed.

 

We also almost always watch "A Christmas Story" (the one where Ralphie wants a BB gun) and "It's a Wonderful Life" and "White Christmas." We have a nice collection of picture books that I used to read to the kids. I guess they're too old now. (We didn't get the books down last Christmas!) But it was a tradition for me to read the 4th Wise Man and Jonathan Toomey and they would sit around waiting for me to cry!

Edited November 11, 2011 by Laurie4b

[Laurie4b]

What's Advent. And what do you do on those four special Sundays??

 

We have an Advent wreath at home, like many churches do. At dinner time, we light the candle for the week (there are 3 purple, 1 pink, 1 white) and read some portion of the Scripture for that week. (We use the liturgical scripture shared by the Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc. churches). We usually discuss something related to the Scripture.

 

We usually get the decorations up the first Sunday in Advent as well.

 

We attend the Christmas Eve service at church and come home and I usually make something easy like pot roast , left cooking while we're at church. After dinner, I and the boys make my grandmother's "cinnamon buns" or "sticky buns" (she called them both) and put them in the fridge to be baked in the morning. We usually have hot chocolate at some point Christmas Eve.

 

Christmas morning, we go from youngest to oldest, giving gifts that we've gotten for the others. (So the youngest gives his gifts to each of his brothers and to dh and I, then the next youngest, etc.) We did this to put the focus on giving, rather than getting presents. It really helped over the years, I think. As parents, we give 3 gifts to each child. (We chose 3 to keep the materialism down and tie it to the Baby Jesus getting 3 gifts from the wise men.) We usually give an item of clothing, something educational, and something fun. In the last few years, the "something fun" has been bundled together into a family gift, like cable TV during basketball season, a new TV, etc. With a college student this year, this might have to change...hmmm.

 

Our tree has a hodge-podge of decorations on it, including lots that the kids made when they were little. We tried over the years to also buy them an ornament of their choice each year so that when they leave home, they'll have "their" ornaments to decorate their trees.

 

The stockings must contain a chocolate orange by popular demand.

 

We don't have any extended family nearby and since I've typically had responsibilities at church on Christmas Eve, we haven't traveled until after Christmas, so it's been nice and relaxed.

 

We watch certain Christmas movies in December: "A Christmas Story" (Ralphie & the BB gun), "It's a Wonderful Life", and "White Christmas" are favorites. We have a nice collection of Christmas books, though the kids are teens now and we didn't get them down last year. They used to love for me to read The Fourth Wise Man and Jonathan Toomey and sit there and wait for me to cry!

Edited November 11, 2011 by Laurie4b

[toawh]

I'll bet the OP does have traditions. I mean, a tradition can be as simple as opening your presents Christmas morning.

 

 

Nope I really don't. There were no presents; maybe that would count as a tradition. Last year we spent the day at my sisters and she insisted that we hang stockings, but she filled them. That was the first year we did presents too. I am literally lost when it comes to Christmas. For years as a kid we didn't even make a special meal or anything. In case anyone's wondering, we are Christian. Christmas was not really a day we looked forward to. This will be our second Christmas away from home. Last year we followed along with whatever my sister said: the tree, the presents, meal, etc., but I want to find out about those little things that people do that make the whole season special.

Edited November 11, 2011 by toawh

[JFSinIL]

One of the desserts will be a birthday cake for Jesus.

[Mommyof4ks]

Simple things my children enjoy & we do every year:

• after I get the tree up & lights on it, we turn off the tv & put on Christmas music & dc decorate
  
• baking Christmas cookies with dc
  
• going to Christmas parade
  
• riding around looking at Christmas lights, complete with a mug of hot choc & Christmas music playing
  
• watching Christmas movies together as a family
  

 

We do these things, plus we go to Christmas Eve service, this year we are going to start giving our kiddos special pjs on Chistmas Eve to wear that night, and the kids love eating Jesus birthday cake for breakfast.

[justamouse]

Nope I really don't. There were no presents; maybe that would count as a tradition. Last year we spent the day at my sisters and she insisted that we hang stockings, but she filled them. That was the first year we did presents too. I am literally lost when it comes to Christmas. For years as a kid we didn't even make a special meal or anything. In case anyone's wondering, we are Christian. Christmas was not really a day we looked forward to. This will be our second Christmas away from home. Last year we followed along with whatever my sister said: the tree, the presents, meal, etc., but I want to find out about those little things that people do that make the whole season special.

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

Go slow. Do organically what you know fits you.

 

This year we're not decorating the tree until Christmas Eve, and celebrating Christmas until Epiphany (when the three kings reached Jesus in Bethlehem).

Edited November 12, 2011 by justamouse
reconnecting infinitives

[bookfiend]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

Go slow. Do what organically you know fits you.

 

This year we're not decorating the tree until Christmas Eve, and celebrating Christmas until Epiphany (when the three kings reached Jesus in Bethlehem).

 

:iagree: Our family probably does about 75% of the ideas you have read here, but we've slowly added them over the past decade of celebrating Christmas with children. Before that our Christmas as a couple, centered around what other family members preferred to do. Once you start something, you children will proclaim it a "tradition" and beg for it the next year! We purposely saved things so that we could savor them, like the first visit to Santa didn't happen until age 4 or 5.

 

Don't try all of this at once, it takes years to find the just right advent calendar, jesse tree, local Journey to Bethleham performance, collect a giant book basket, build a collection of ornaments....

 

My advice is to choose two or three things that look special and will build relationship and meaning into the holiday for your family.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

ds and I decorate the tree together after dh gets it put together ---I will usually do a couple of cookie baking sessions with him--the night before santa comes whatever is under the tree with his name on it he gets to open to make room for whatever santa brings (something we did as I was growing up)-----dh and i usually exchange our gifts then too----dh has requested the past 2 xmas morning breakfasts be bread pudding LOL not sure if it's something we'll do every year I haven't even asked him yet---we stay in jammies as long as we can being lazy christmas day and kind of enjoying being a family......

[Swimtaxi234]

Bacon and biscuits for breakfast every Christmas morning.

[myfunnybunch]

The weeks leading up to Christmas are so busy, but totally worth all of the extra work.

 

During the Christmas season, we read Christmas stories every night. Last year, A Christmas Carol was one of our December read-alouds.

 

The kids make and decorate Christmas cookies.

 

We make simple handmade gifts for the kids' good friends. One year it was jingle bell necklaces, one year photo books made of card stock and our favorite photos of fun together, one year it was hot chocolate cones.

 

We make gingerbread houses. Dh always rescues me when I realize "Oh NO! We're supposed to make houses tomorrow and I haven't made the gingerbread!" He and I stay up way too late making gingerbread; the next day the whole family decorates the houses with obscene amounts of candy and icing.

 

The children memorize Christmas poems and verses for memory work.

 

We drive around looking at Christmas lights, then home for hot chocolate and cards and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

 

We go Christmas caroling with friends.

 

For Christmas, Santa always brings a basket full with books, a movie and games for the family. It usually sits on the hearth for a few days then the books gradually disappear into rooms.

 

I love the season leading up to Christmas even more than I love the actual day. :)

 

Cat

[myfunnybunch]

it takes years to find the just right advent calendar, jesse tree, local Journey to Bethleham performance, collect a giant book basket, build a collection of ornaments....

 

My advice is to choose two or three things that look special and will build relationship and meaning into the holiday for your family.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

And don't be afraid to discard the ones that don't work. :)

 

Cat

[Heidi]

I love the christmas camp-out idea!

 

We've lamented that christmas just doesn't feel the same as it did when we were kids, so this year is going to be a little old-fashioned. We're cutting out the fake stuff, the expensive stuff, the "stuff" in general, and all the busy shopping centers.

 

I just bought my husband the old-fashioned christmas lights for the tree this year for his birthday. The big bulbs, c-7's.

 

We're going slim on the presents this year and heavy on the traditions.

 

We're buying a real tree & we're making all of the ornaments: dried fruit hung with ribbons, frosted pinecones, stars made out of twigs & painted, cranberry/popcorn strands, and applesauce ornaments.

 

We're also doing all homemade gifts to extended family.

 

So, needless to say, we are going to be busy making christmas this year!

[justamouse]

I LOVELOVELOVE those big bulbs!

[Jaz]

And don't be afraid to discard the ones that don't work.

 

This is excellent advice.

 

We used to have a Happy Birthday Jesus cake for breakfast but my dh now eats gluten-free so instead we have breakfast in the stockings. We give our dc their favorite packaged donuts, pop tarts, etc. They love it and so do we as it's an easy morning. ;)