Question 5
- Thread starter HouseElf
- Start date
For us, it has been an evolving process. We have stopped doing this that no longer 'worked' for us, and shaped the focus to a simpler celebration.
Our faith plays a role obviously, and the special needs of our boys.
Our faith plays a role obviously, and the special needs of our boys.
We are still creating traditions in our house. Early on we would travel every year to family and finally I put my foot down and said no. We need to be in our own house. It was too difficult hauling the presents thousands of miles across the country and then hauling all the new stuff back and trying to fit us all in the car too. Just too much stress.
When I was little we used to open one present on Christmas Eve. My family now will get pj's from Mrs. Claus on Christmas Eve and that's the only thing they get to open. For many years I used to make sausage breakfast casserole every Christmas morning but the kids don't care for it much so last year I did monkey bread. Not sure what i'll do this year.
When I was little we used to open one present on Christmas Eve. My family now will get pj's from Mrs. Claus on Christmas Eve and that's the only thing they get to open. For many years I used to make sausage breakfast casserole every Christmas morning but the kids don't care for it much so last year I did monkey bread. Not sure what i'll do this year.
Some things we have done since childhood (mass, big turkey dinner, Christmas candle etc).
Other things we have evolved ourselves - we travel to see family over the holidays but not necessarily on the Day itself (we take extra leave while DD is off school). While my family always opened presents in the afternoon, DH's opened them early in the morning - we do them in the afternoon when we are at home ourselves.
The new PJs has evolved from an idea I saw here a few years back, and it's now for all 3 of us having started with just DD. It works to relax and calm things before bedtime for DD.
We have an artificial tree for years that we travel (when we can't water the real one) - that will come out this year. But we have always had a tree since we had our own house (6 weeks before we got married and only DH in it with concrete floors and a camp bed, but we still had a tree!).
The KK between my siblings is new from about 4 years ago (or so) - a few of us talked about it for a couple of years before we persuaded my Mom (in particular) to do it - although why SHE was the sticking point I don't know, she's not involved!. This year is probably going to be the first year that spouses (now 2) will be included, but I don't think I have persuaded them to include fiancée's (2 more) or long term partners (1 - about to become engaged but the rest don't know that yet! and probably not by Christmas) this year - they will still get stockings though.
Bringing DD to the Live Crib evolved because she used to go to crèche for a couple of years near my office (both she and I moved within 2 months of each other when she was 2.5), which meant we walked past the crib a few evenings on our way to the bus. So when she was in school but coming in to the office on Christmas eve (which she did from not quite aged 1), she wanted to go see the crib then too.
Some things DH and I, and DD too for some, have discussed and agreed to try once, and kept doing it, or tried once and abandoned. Others have just happened and worked. Lots I have gotten ideas from here and just done them, and then they both want to continue them on. And some have come from our childhoods that we (1 or both) want to continue for DD.
Other things we have evolved ourselves - we travel to see family over the holidays but not necessarily on the Day itself (we take extra leave while DD is off school). While my family always opened presents in the afternoon, DH's opened them early in the morning - we do them in the afternoon when we are at home ourselves.
The new PJs has evolved from an idea I saw here a few years back, and it's now for all 3 of us having started with just DD. It works to relax and calm things before bedtime for DD.
We have an artificial tree for years that we travel (when we can't water the real one) - that will come out this year. But we have always had a tree since we had our own house (6 weeks before we got married and only DH in it with concrete floors and a camp bed, but we still had a tree!).
The KK between my siblings is new from about 4 years ago (or so) - a few of us talked about it for a couple of years before we persuaded my Mom (in particular) to do it - although why SHE was the sticking point I don't know, she's not involved!. This year is probably going to be the first year that spouses (now 2) will be included, but I don't think I have persuaded them to include fiancée's (2 more) or long term partners (1 - about to become engaged but the rest don't know that yet! and probably not by Christmas) this year - they will still get stockings though.
Bringing DD to the Live Crib evolved because she used to go to crèche for a couple of years near my office (both she and I moved within 2 months of each other when she was 2.5), which meant we walked past the crib a few evenings on our way to the bus. So when she was in school but coming in to the office on Christmas eve (which she did from not quite aged 1), she wanted to go see the crib then too.
Some things DH and I, and DD too for some, have discussed and agreed to try once, and kept doing it, or tried once and abandoned. Others have just happened and worked. Lots I have gotten ideas from here and just done them, and then they both want to continue them on. And some have come from our childhoods that we (1 or both) want to continue for DD.
Why do we observe the traditions we do in our house?
My mom used to host Christmas when I was growing up...she's one of 12 children and any siblings or neighbors who didn't have somewhere else to be were always welcome...so we always had a really full house. Now I host because, like Jessica, once I had kids I was NOT willing to travel on Christmas. I want my boys to be at home in their own beds. I know it sounds selfish, but everyone is welcome to join us.
We've kept several of the traditions alive...new PJ's on Christmas Eve, reading A Visit From St. Nicholas and leaving out cookies for Santa before bed. We always place baby Jesus in the crèche before any presents are opened. And I use a different wrapping paper for each person (no need for tags) like my mom did. We also wrap the stocking stuffers (stockings are my favorite part of the "gifts")
My mom used to host Christmas when I was growing up...she's one of 12 children and any siblings or neighbors who didn't have somewhere else to be were always welcome...so we always had a really full house. Now I host because, like Jessica, once I had kids I was NOT willing to travel on Christmas. I want my boys to be at home in their own beds. I know it sounds selfish, but everyone is welcome to join us.
We've kept several of the traditions alive...new PJ's on Christmas Eve, reading A Visit From St. Nicholas and leaving out cookies for Santa before bed. We always place baby Jesus in the crèche before any presents are opened. And I use a different wrapping paper for each person (no need for tags) like my mom did. We also wrap the stocking stuffers (stockings are my favorite part of the "gifts")
Our traditions are a way to keep us connected to our past, to our family, to our future.
It's nice to have the traditions to look forward to each year.
I've developed a tradition with my grandchildren of them making gifts for their parents. It is now something they very much look forward to.
Sometimes, traditions need to be altered a bit, but we are all flexible & we do what we can each year to keep them alive.
It's nice to have the traditions to look forward to each year.
I've developed a tradition with my grandchildren of them making gifts for their parents. It is now something they very much look forward to.
Sometimes, traditions need to be altered a bit, but we are all flexible & we do what we can each year to keep them alive.