Simple things like when we were younger, we never decorated the house before December 12th. For a long time I just figured that my parents got totally overwhelmed with the season with all of the shopping, parties, working, and juggling the daily life of me and my sisters. The first half of December was agonizing as I waited until we could go buy our tree and decorate. Little did I know that December 12th marked a family tradition of my mothers growing up. What is so special about the 12th you ask? They always put there tree up on the 12th because otherwise the tree would die and make a huge pine needle mess before Christmas day.
One of my other favorite family traditions is my Parents open house on Christmas Eve. They have had a party on Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember. They invite any family, friends, and neighbors to come and celebrate with us. We always seem to have more goodies than real food, and my Mom's rule is that on Christmas Eve you can eat whatever you want. (To bad the calories still count.) The evening always ends with all of us standing around the piano singing Christmas carols. For me, it is what the spirit of Christmas really is. It wasn't until the last year or so that I found out how this tradition started. My Grandparents always came to visit on Christmas Eve to drop off the presents for me and my sisters. This way, we could all have our gifts from our grandparents ready to be opened first thing in the morning. That simple visit to drop of presents has been transformed into my favorite holiday tradition.
So, here is my question for you. What are your favorite family traditions, and why is that the way you celebrate? I am curious to see what makes the holidays special for you, so, please take a quick second to let me know. Thanks!
6 comments:
What a fun post!
Ever since I can remember we've had chili for our Christmas Eve dinner, and then after dinner, we watch a slide show of all the past Christmases (sp?).
I once asked my mom why we have chili and she said she didn't know why, we just do! And watching the slide show is so much fun. We used to hate it as kids, but now it is so great to look back and see how our family has changed/grown.
Also, my mom always makes lemon squares and coconut pecan squares (my favorite!) She doesn't ever make them except for Christmas Eve, so it's a real treat! (The recipe for coconut pecan squares can be found in the recipe book that we just published for the ward.)
Finally, growing up we didn't live near any extended family, so we always stayed home on Christmas Day and enjoyed the day together. Now, even though we live by a lot of family, I insist that we stay home and spend the day together enjoying eachother's company. It is so nice!
And sorry for the novel.
Tradtions?? Where are the pictures of the new house that Jeremy promised. All talk he is.
We still do Christmas breakfast brunch even though we don't get to do it with family. I've been amazed at how many people come over on Christmas morning. The first year we threw the invite out to a bunch of friends thinking that nobody would want to go somewhere Christmas morning. We ended up with a house filled with Marines for the rest of the day. We even had some come over at like 7am because they wanted to see kids opening presents. Which works great to have help getting all the stupid, plastic twisty ties out of all the toys. I think my favorite traditions are matching Christmas pj's, candlelight service on Christmas eve and brunch Christmas morning.
Now go take some pictures of the new house. Is it snowing there yet? It's 70's here today and we're going golfing and to the beach before making Thanksgiving dinner.
We always put our tree (fake) up the day after Thanksgiving. I remember wanting to get the decorations out right after we got home from Thanksgiving dinner! We also would go to the Festival of Trees as a family, see the lights on Temple Square, and make goodies (like homemade carmels and sugar cookies). Then on Christmas Eve we would all go over to my grandma's house for ham and funeral potatoes and a present exchange with all the cousins. It was fun and still is fun. Now that I'm married, we switch off what we do on Christmas Day, but Christmas Eve is still the same every year. (Except that they started singing happy birthday to me a few years back..I could do without that tradition).
Can't wait to hear what you have to say on sunday- What a great topic, as for us most of our Christmas ornaments have pictures of the kids. It is a lot of fun to hang them every year and see haow they have grown. We always go to Grandmas for dinner. It just wouldn't be Christmas withour family.
I love all of your traditions. We have traditions like reading the Christmas story from the Bible and also Twas the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve. We also get one new ornament for each kid for them to put on their tree. We also read some sort of christmas story to the kids before bedtime starting Dec. 1st until Christmas. That is some of our traditions and I am always looking to start more.
I loved reading about your traditions for Christmas!
Growing up with a French mom who had been raised as a Catholic, Christmas Eve was always a really big deal at our house. My Grandpa and Grandma would join us. We ate by candlelight and always dressed up. My Grandpa would read to us from the bible, and we would sing Christmas songs.
Chris and I have gone to Temple Square every year and now we go with our kids. We love to see the Nativity and the Christus.
Each year we must watch the following movies:
Mr. Kruger's Christmas
Christmas Vacation
The Grinch
and Elf
We usually drive into Salt Lake and go to Christmas Street, and since living in Layton we go to the Lights before Christmas and then come home for some hot cocoa.
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