Your Favorite Christmas Tradition??
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
September 8, 2007 2:12am CST
I love Christmas. Not all the wild hoopla over who gets what and who doesn't but the part of being with family, sharing a wonderful dinner and talking long distance to those we can't be with.
When I was young and lived with my Dad, we'd get up early (still in our jammies) and hit the tree like Tasmanian Devils. After that we'd have a great breakfast, bundle up and set off for my Stepmother's parents home an hour or two away. We'd have a big dinner there with tons of relatives and then bundle up again and head to my Dad's parents house for pie and more relatives. LOL We usually fell asleep in the car on the drive home and had to be carried in. It was great!!
When we lived with my Mom we'd get up early and open our presents, we'd have breakfast and then start working on the big dinner. We'd have friends and relatives dropping in all day and got to see alot that we only saw at Christmas time. It was a great time for family!
Now that I'm older, I live right near my Mom. We go over to her house for Christmas dinner and my brothers always show up. We get to trade gifts and visit and have dinner. I always call my Dad on Christmas b/c even though I can't get up to see him I like for him to know I'm thinking of him and miss him. I get to talk to my Stepmom and my sister and brother and their kids up there too.
Christmas has always been about family and being with the ones you love. Although it's just Hubby and I we still have a nice dinner and spend the holiday together.
What do you at Christmas? Do you like the Holiday? What's your fondest memories growing up at Christmas?
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
8 people like this
23 responses
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
8 Sep 07
I always enjoy the big buildup that before Christmas brings and all the food and family,but when it is all over i sometimes feel down..I usually put up a tree and everything but to tell the truth im not fond of the holidays..I do not understand why but it always brings with it some type of sadness along with it...for me....I have often wondered why...I use to like it better when my parents were alive and when i was a kid...Its only my hubby and myself and we do get togeather on Christmas with the kids,it might not be christmas day but around that time...Im not a person that is very fond of holidays.I am not a scrooge,i buy gifts and decorate and that part i like but the rest,the after effects i do not like..
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
8 Sep 07
iT'S ALSO JUST MYSELF MY WIFE AND MY FATHER NOW THAT OUR KIDS ARE GROWN UP. bUT THEY ALL COME OVER ON cHRISTMAS eVE AND WE EXCHANGE GIFTS AND OPEN THEM THAT NIGHT UNLESS THE GRANDKIDS STAY THE NIGHT.
happy postings from grandpa bob !!~
1 person likes this
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
9 Sep 07
Hey there grandpa Bob..The other day i was in downtown Houston at the orthopedic center,there was a man talking on the phone(cell) he was calling himself (grandpa bob)to whoever he was talking to on his cell.I reached over and whispered to my husband that i also had a grandpa Bob that is on Mylot...I don't know if you are the same grandpa bob,but if not there is another one in Houston texas....Could you be him?Lol
1 person likes this
@wiccania (3360)
• United States
8 Sep 07
When I was a kid, we would wake up early but we had to wait till my parents woke up to open our presents. Usually it was only about half an hour, so we'd have some cereal and wait. Then we'd open presents and then start dinner (which we usually ate around 1 or 2 in the afternoon). Sometimes we would go down to Florida and visit my grandparents. We'd open presents at my maternal grandmothers in the morning and in the afternoon we'd go to my paternal grandmothers and open presents there with our cousins.
When I was about 15, my parents bought a house that was near some other relatives. So we started a new tradition. On Christmas Eve everyone would come over to our house and we'd eat, listen to music, chat and have fun. Then exchange presents with the people we wouldn't be seeing the following morning. In the morning, the immediate family would do the present thing and in the afternoon we'd go over to my uncle's for dinner and watch Christmas movies.
My favorite part of the holiday is spending time with my family. I also love baking, carols, Christmas movies on TV and now trying to get my son to open his own presents (and watch him play with his new toys for the first time). For me it's really about being with family and since I'm a mom now, passing on the magic of the season.
2 people like this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
8 Sep 07
I miss my daughter believing in Santa Claus and having that magic surround the holiday. It just made it so exciting. Now it is still special, but I can't help but miss those days of yesteryear. I hope you have a fantastic Christmas this year and I hope you and your son gets all you wish for.
1 person likes this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
8 Sep 07
My fave is and was the stockings. We'd get up early and we always opened up our Christmas Stockings. Now that my kids are grown the daughter makes sure that we fix both grandsons a Christmas Stocking. They have spent the night on Christmas Eve twice so far to continue this tradition. But most times we send it home or deliever them so they have them to open first thing Christmas morning. Then of course the huge meal is still a tradition for my family.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
2 people like this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
8 Sep 07
Christmas stockings are a wonderful tradition. As I stated in the above comment my grandma made stockings out of her old nylons for the grandkids, stuffing them full of things she could afford. I always thought that was special to me. I miss her very much.
1 person likes this
@isaiah12 (416)
• United States
9 Sep 07
When my daughters were little (they are 20 & 22 now) Christmas eve we would bake cookies, hang the stockings, then sit together and I would read "A Christmas Treasury" to them. It a book that includes "The Night before Christmas", "The Nativity of Jesus" and a collection of carols. It was our special time together. And I loved it.
1 person likes this
@Dulotie (32)
• Malaysia
9 Sep 07
What i love about Christmas isn't about the present exchanging thingy or the wonderful meal that we will be having on that day, wad i love about Christmas is that Christmas actually join our family together.Even close relatives sit together just to enjoy a Christmas meal.the feeling is like..so warm.
thats what i like about Christmas.
1 person likes this
@maybebaby (1230)
• Canada
8 Sep 07
We always celebrated and did all the usual Christmas stuff on Christmas Eve at my house. Tons of family would come over and there'd be like 50 people there. But my favorite thing was that my mom use to save whatever our best present was going to be for Christmas Deay so that it would be a gift from Santa. We'd wake up Christmas morning and there would be one more gift for each of us under the tree. She still does this now and it's still the best part of Christmas not because of another gift but because it's like keeping the inner child alive.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
9 Sep 07
Great!! My Mom and my Stepmom used to let us each open one gift on Christmas Eve. My Mom would make up a story about how Santa was short this year so that was going to be our only gift...we'd always end up with a bunch more in the morning. It just made it special to me that we got to do that every year. Even though we are all adults now and older my Mom still marks our gifts as From Santa on them.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
@maybebaby (1230)
• Canada
9 Sep 07
That's great. Leave it to mom to make the season extra special!
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
8 Sep 07
When my son was small, so it was just the 2 of us. We started our own tradition. We got up way early and then distributed gifts, anonymously to friends who helped us during the year or to people who had a bad year.
For example, coaches got gifts, as did the neighbor who helped with my car, or the friend who helped fix something in my house. Then their was my old boss whose house burnt to the ground (she got a big box of hand painted Christmas ornaments to help them start new Christmas traditions).
He loved running to each house in stealth mode, and leaving a gift, then imagining their faces when they saw the gift on their portch or hung on a doorknob.
We were always done by 8 AM, had breakfast, and thanks to an anonymous friend, while we were gone, because we left in the dark, it was still the middle of the night, a friend would come and put out Christmas gifts, then open the gifts left by Santa.
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
9 Sep 07
LOL This sounds great. I remember a year or two ago my Mom opened her door Christmas morning and there was this huge fruit basket and a bag of gifts sitting on her porch. The tag just had their name and From Santa on it. She just about cried. It was so great. I'd like to try it sometime.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
10 Sep 07
I actually hate christmas. It's too commercialized and materialistic anymore.
but as a kid, I loved to decorate the christmas tree. Now, since we have 4 dogs and a cat, it's hard to have a tree in the house. So now I bake my favorite christmas cookies and invite friends over to play atari. that's pretty fun.
1 person likes this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
8 Sep 07
My favorite Christmas tradition is putting up the tree. Usually it is just me, my daughter and if my husband is around and not on deployment or in the field, he will participate. He usually handles the lights, I get too frustrated with that. But we hang the ornaments and string the lights and decorate the house and have hot chocolate and cookies or some desert of some kind after dinner. Then after all is done, we sit back in the dark and watch the tree for a little while before bedtime and just relax.
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
18 Sep 07
Christmas is coming, I finally can say I love it. I use to hate christmas because of what it ment to me.
Christmas was terrible growing up. My twin sister and I would get shitt for gifts if we got anything at all. My mom and dad use to tell us "we are spending as much on your older sister as we are you but since there is the two of you, you have to share." They would go on and tell us it was our fault we where twins. They loved and still love our older sister the best. She is the brigest, the best, child that ever lived. My twin and I where told from the day we where born that we where not wanted and everything wrong in mom's life if our fault. Most christmas' we got nothing under the tree while my older sister got gifts galoor.
Then most of the time when my children growning up I hated growing up, I hated christmas because we did not have the money to buy what I wanted to for our children.
Now I feel it is OK if I cannot afford a lot of gifts, I love the togetherness. I love the food, the friends, and the family.
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
9 Sep 07
Yay - you're back and with a really great discussion. No particular tradition here. When we were with my dad my first five years, since he's Protestant and my mom is Jewish they decided not to bring us up religious and let us kids choose for ourselves(if you want spiritual kids - not recommended - kids procrastinate - me included).
However, we still celebrated Christmas as a time for family get togethers. Although my mom wound up doing well later, becoming a vice-president of an international development firm, we weren't doing so well back then. She performed office work and went to school in the evening so Christmas gifts were a mostly donated affair, but it wasn't about the gifts, but family. It was only us - as the rest of my family were orthodox in their beliefs and we never stayed in contact with my dad's family. Oh wait - one Christmas tradition - something we did every year - was roast duck - yummy. Later it was just hubby and I we kinda exchange gifts at some point in the day and then go out to eat somewhere - and now - we will celebrate our first Christmas with our son. I want to start some traditions - like one ornament with the year and maybe his name written on it.
And yes, I do like the holiday.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I think we all have had those lean years when things are tight and most of the gifts-if not all-are handmade, donated or whatever. I think it's more about the thought behind it than the cost anyways.
One year eons ago, my Mom went through some problems and had to stay at a shelter during Christmas with my two youngest brothers. When I came to visit I was determined to at least try to cheer them up. I bought lights, tinsel, a few gifts and one of those dinky little trees to decorate the room they had. My Mom was so happy with it! Best of all, she was able to get things straightened out and got back on her feet within a couple days. That Christmas still sticks strong in my mind.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
@sheenmadness (1286)
• Philippines
19 Sep 07
I can still remember clearly those childhood days and celebrating christmas. Actually ,It's my favorite season of the year. I love the giving of gifts and the santa thing and exchanging presents. We used to celebrate christmas with our neighbors and the elders plan it before the actual christmas days comes. They prepare a short program and together we celebrate it with them. We exchange gifts, singing christmas carol contest,parlor games. It was really a pretty amazing and joyous feelings we have actually experienced back there. If only i could go back to that time i would. I wish i could! But i know its just a wishful thinking that could not come true. :) what can i do is only cherish and commerate those days.
1 person likes this
@TSx028 (77)
• United States
9 Sep 07
every since i was little and to this day my favorite tradition is going to my aunts house on xmas day where all the family is and we talk, and enjoy the holidays together. gifts are opeened and laughter is exchanged. man i love the holidays and the worst part it when they are over and back into the groove of work and school
1 person likes this
@littlefranciscan (18327)
• United States
9 Sep 07
Every Christmas since I arrived in this little town I have a good friend I exchange gifts with each Christmas eve..It is simply wonderful..We go to Midnight mass and after the Midnight mass exchange gifts;)
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
10 Sep 07
I just posted an article about our yearly family gathering! We have a great time with all the family. Open gifts, eat dinner, and dessert too!
1 person likes this
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I always enjoy the lead up to Christmas. Decorating and what not. It's just nice. I also enjoy baking things around then because the house always smells wonderful. Getting up early to open presents is nice too. Christmas is just a fun holiday really, and everything that's done reminds us so much of Christmas in the past, so it's nice revisiting those ideas year after year.
1 person likes this
@raychill (6525)
• United States
9 Sep 07
I love the spirit of christmas. That everyone is usually nice when they aren't normally nice. Everyone wishes everyone else happy holidays and all that stuff.
My absolute favorite thing is the decorations. Driving around and seeing all the beautiful lights and things. The christmas trees. It's just a wonderful atmosphere to be around. I love it.
I also love the movies. I would be happy without the spending time with family and gift-giving and just live in peace with the movies and the decorations!
1 person likes this
@myfanwy65 (1030)
• United States
9 Sep 07
My favorite thing about the holidays is seeing my family. This doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen 3 or 4 times a year. But, we just moved very close to my mother, so it may happen more than in previous years. I also love getting together with my extended family. I don't get to see them much. But, I do enjoy it.
1 person likes this
