Christmas Traditions

[SMLCHNG]

As a kid in Illinois, we'd ALL have to go to bed so SantaDad could bring the presents.

It was Christmas Eve when we'd open our gifts from family.

Christmas Day morning we'd see what ONE special gift Santa brought us.

Then we'd head over to my Grandparents house for a huge feast and lots of family.

We still open gifts Christmas Eve at either Mom's, Sisters, or our house.
We have dinner first of turkey pot pies with the Thanksgiving leftovers that mom makes a day or two after Thanksgiving and freezes them.

And a tradition that started about 25 years ago here in Colorado and that was to read this book before we open gifts. I still cry everytime it's read, or I read it.

[Virgin-Island-Girl]

We always celebrated with my dad's side of the family on Christmas Eve. My dad was one of twelve and I'm one of 40 first cousins from that side...

My cousin and I (with whom I'm very close and 12/24 is her birthday) always went out for a birthday toast prior to arriving at the big family bash.

I moved away for a good chunk of my adult life, but since I've been back, we've picked up the tradition of celebrating her birthday again. She comes around to my house with her husband and son. I make her a birthday dinner and birthday cheesecake (she doesn't like regular cake) and we exchange Christmas presents.

The one thing I always make on Christmas Eve is mulled wine. The aroma fills the air and the flavor just warms you up. It makes for good merriment!

Mulled wine packets also make good gifts/stocking stuffers. I give them out all of the time during the holidays.

The other thing I love doing decorating the tree with the boys while watching Christmas movies! Watching the boys get so excited antipating Christmas is such a joy.

In England, I used to go horse riding on Christmas day with my girlfriends... then we'd stop at the local pub for a drink and mince pie... I kind of miss that, but love being together with my family again.

The last tradition is Christmas w/ the extended family in Feb. or March! LOL It's just impossible for us to do anywhere near Christmas these days so we just do it after the new year. Being part of a large, extended family was great as a kid. I'm very close with many of my cousins and we all love seeing our kids playing and becoming friends like we did as kids.

[Demerara]

Another tradition...

We always have a Christmas movie night with the immediate family. Recent selections were Elf and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Looks like we may be doing it early this year - maybe this coming weekend - as schedules look a bit tight just before Christmas (our usual choice).

[sonofabeach]

For years we all go to my aunt's house on Christmas Eve until recently when I thought "why should we do that? she never comes over here".

[Demerara]

For years we all go to my aunt's house on Christmas Eve until recently when I thought "why should we do that? she never comes over here".

Now you've gone and wrecked her Christmas tradition!

Still no tree at our house yet. We'll get a real one, methinks, but probably won't be cutting it ourselves. And I'm way behind on my Christmas shopping. I always start the season with the best of intentions, aiming to get it done early, but reality gets in the way.

To top it off, I think I'm the only one in the house who's in the Christmas spirit.