Christmas Eve/Day Traditions...

[AuntJamelle]

What are the traditions you and your loved ones hold dear? How long have you done them? Are there new traditions you would like to start?

Is there a favorite memory of a year when one of these traditions just clicked and there was MAGIC?

It's getting crazy! And it's going to get crazier in the hectic rush before us! Might not hurt to take a moment to dwell on the fun awaiting us!

 

[jollykelly]

I am sure this is going to be a fun thread....thanks for starting!
Here are my family traditions for Christmas Eve:

• order Chinese Take-Out (started this last year and loved it...no cooking and no mess. It is now officially a tradition)
• attend the early Christmas Eve Church service (been doing this every year)
• make an appearance at DH's Great Aunt's house for a bit (for the last 17 years for me, longer for others. This tradition has run it's course, but no one has the heart to tell Aunt Donna so we just wait for her to get called to glory...ouch, harsh I know)
• "watch" A Christmas Story" on the 24 hour loop on TBS. This will stay on all night and wake me up numerous times with "You'll shoot your eye out" yet will stay on. (Funny, how we only watch this movie on Christmas Eve and the only night we leave the TV on in the bedroom)
• pray that DD falls asleep early then put the presents under the tree and fill her and DH's stockings

It used to be a tradition to be up late wrapping presents and cleaning the house, but not any longer thanks to you gals!

 

[missjane]

I think most of our traditions have gone by the wayside since DS and DD23 are now married. The only traditions we still carry on are:

• getting together as a family at some point which is most convenient for everyone
• The Stocking - my children look forward to it more than the big gifts, I think
• not cooking traditional Christmas food because we're all tired of eating it by then
• the live tree, not artificial

 

[Ahorsesoul]

We open gifts on Christmas Eve. I serve Prime Rib for dinner. I would like to get into the stocking idea and DS needs an Elf for his son this year. I'm sure his Elf didn't make it to him and I think it wasn't something he thought about when filling out divorce settlement papers.

I'm not one to really care if we do this on Christmas Eve. I'd be happy to do it the weekend before Christmas too. But with our small family it hasn't been a problem with dates.

I did hate the food as a kid (other than the cookies) because it was the same as Thanksgiving and I an not fond of turkey. Once a year (maybe twice if it's cooked differently) is enough for turkey and pumpkin food for me. I now serve something different each Holiday. Ham for Easter, Turkey for Thanksgiving, Prime Rib for Christmas and Lobster for New Year's Eve (because it's my DS's birthday and favorite food).

 

[tanya]

Yep we have a few.
Luke seems to be a real stickler for them- he loves them. Occasionally I have broached the option of doing something different. It is always met with a resounding no!

Christmas Eve is a NO cook day! We tend to go out early in the day to finish any last minute things and to collect the fresh seafood. We always head to the beach for the afternoon- weather co-operating! Only one year in Luke's 11 that it has not. When he was little I used to do this to tire him out now we just do it to wind down. We usually eat late here anyway but Christmas Eve tends to be even later. Its takeout of some type (that I pick up early in the day then re-heat) or I will assemble a platter of meat and salads but NO actual cooking, Its also a tradition (left over from when I was little) to watch Carols by Candlelight on TV.

Christmas morning- it is a tradition for Luke to sleep in! Got me beat how he can get up morning after morning really early to swim train then suddenly when there is no swim he can sleep REALLY late. I usually wait til about 9:30 am before I can wait no longer to wake him.Its a classic case of role reversal here every Christmas morning! The kids usually get up super early and the adults plead for more sleep!

Christmas breakfast- Chocolates are served! The only morning in the entire year that you can have chocolate for breakfast. Other menu items come and go but chocolate is a given every year.

 

[AuntJamelle]

Love what everyone has shared so far!!!

Our traditions that still are holding strong on Christmas Eve are:

- Put out plate of cookies/glass of milk for Santa
- Have DS hang up his stocking
- We each open one present
- Watch a Christmas movie together right before DS bedtime

We're on our own both Christmas Eve and Day this year and we are actually looking forward to it! DH and I have a pact that for the whole 3 day weekend we are going to be as lazy as possible! No projects! No craziness! Just enjoying being home!

I've got lasagna and cheesy garlic bread in the freezer for Christmas Eve dinner and we'll make a Pot Roast for dinner on Christmas Day. DH and I will both help make it which is fun.

I'm working on starting a new tradition this year, but am undecided as to whether it will be something done on Christmas Eve. I want to do the Christmas Eve PJ box for DS - which a new pair of PJs, The Pajama Elves book, a pan of Jiffy Pop, a canister of hot cocoa, etc. But I'd like him to wear the Christmassy PJs all month long - they won't fit next year! And to enjoy his book all month too! So torn!

OH - and my day AFTER Christmas traditions include shopping the after Christmas sales! Not sure how it will work out this year since my sister and her boyfriend are coming into town late on Christmas Day and staying overnight in hotel before coming over on Monday. I was thinking of doing a brunch but maybe my sister will come shopping with me and we'll do a lunch instead!

 

[luludou]

Christmas traditions... always at my mom's on Christmas eve with family, cousins, aunts & uncles. We arrive early in the day and I help mom with prepping the evening buffet. Supper we order in pizza, followed by mass (haven't been the last 2 years as guest arrive earlier and earlier.. they are getting older and older ). Then hot/cold buffet in the evening AFTER Santa has come to deliver gifts for everyone (a small token). Last few Christmas days we had brunch at my sis's house (before that we used to go at her mil's but she passed away), where we open gifts.. just our immediate family. In the afternoon we go back to mom's to rest and in the evening of Christmas day we play cards... the rare time of the year we play cards!

NY's Eve tradition.
Both dh and my family come to our house for supper and hot/cold buffet in the evening. Supper is traditional Tourtière with a cake for mil as it is her bday. She will be 89 this year. When she will no longer attend I will stop the supper event... only keet the evening. I get pretty tired. We used to have sleigh-horse ride in the evening but the guy sold his horses It was soooo much fun!

 

[Minta]

Well On Dec 1 we have 2 plush elves that arrive and stay until Dec 23 so when the kids wake up on Christmas Eve morning they will have found the elves gone and gift waiting for them (new PJs) my DD plays along for the sake of my DS however he has started questioning about Santa. He is 10 so I knew it was coming but I was hoping to get one more year in. So I am not sure of this tradition will continue or not.

We host Christmas Eve dinner and for the past several years we have done the 7 fishes dinner however this year I am baking a ham instead.

Christmas morning the kids can not come down stairs until we give them the all clear. They will camp out at the top of the steps while we get the coffee going and I set out platters of assorted breads and cookies. After we open gifts my dad and wife come over for breakfast. Later in the day we have other family members that come over for dinner - usually a roast of some kind. Nothing fancy and more casual.

 

[HouseElf]

Boys open a Christmas gift on Christmas Eve - pj's, a tradition we had as kids and my mother-in-law carried on with our boys. She passed away, but we keep the tradition going - with loving memory. We watch the older animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas and leave cookies out for Santa. My boys are adults now but still decorate a few just for Santa; I appreciate the cookies and tea

We were invited to Christmas dinner this year at my uncles/aunts, so will travel Christmas day (only an hour and half away). So I will switch up the menus and bake a big ham on Christmas Eve - reserving the leftovers for boxing day brunch.

 

[luludou]

I do the elves too!.. mostly for me now as dd is not living here anymore and ds is 23.

 

[tanya]

We get our Christmas PJ's when the elf arrives. This year the elf arrived slightly early- he arrives the day the tree goes up. This year he brought Luke Santa silky sleep shorts, me Santa PJ's, both of us Santa slippers (just light summer ones- more like flip flops), a Disney Christmas DVD (we collect them) a box of shortbread and a box of Chocolates. My size does not change so my stuff still fits from year to year. I don't always get PJ's- it depends on what i see around. Luke is still growing but now he can often get 2 summers out of pj's rather than just one especially as his are more sleep shorts rather than just traditional PJ's. The ones he got last year (shorts like Santa pants) still fit. He seems to be just getting taller and broader across the shoulders but not much wider in the hips/ waist.

 

[Lolwlias]

Thank you for sharing your traditions.
Some we have not followed through with so well, but others we continue.
We always decorate the tree the first weekend in December & always have Archway cookies & egg nog while we decorate.
Our elves have arrived the first weekend in December since the old boards.....not sure how long ago that even was. I'm sure they have been coming here for almost ten years now.
I usually make ornaments with the grand kids which I did not do this year or last.
I make a few cookies that I send to our kids.
Christmas day I try to get some relaxing time in because the prep is so much work. LOL

 

[Doodlebug]

The kids and grand kids are all here on Christmas Eve and go to their in-laws on Christmas Day. We used to have the big dinner as this was my Christmas, but when it is during the week, many times they have to work. So a big meal and then clean up makes it late getting to open presents. So now we just do snack foods. Not sure what I am making. Will have to decide today as I will go into town today. Hopefully won't leave rest of the week. Then we play a couple of Christmas games, and a round of Dirty Santa and then we have our gift exchange.
Christmas Day not that DH is no longer with us, I am by myself. I really don't like that but what do you do about it! Nothing. So I will enjoy Christmas Movies all day!!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Our traditions have changed over the years as the kids have gotten older.
For the past few years....DD picks what to eat on Christmas Eve, DS picks what to eat Christmas Morning.
On Christmas Eve I do a basket full of goodies for a night in front of the TV. I include things like little bottles of soft drinks, lollies, chips, savory biscuits and bars of chocolates.( This year they are wrapped to look like Santa.) In the past it has included hot choc mix, pj's, tooth brushes and paste, Christmas tee shirts. We have an early dinner and then all sit down to watch a movie.

Christmas morning, we get up early, the kids make the parents coffee. We open gifts first and then have breakfast. After breakfast we open Santa sacks and each person watches what the other receives.
We go to my mums for Christmas dinner where we do the same as at our place, gifts, eat and then stockings.

NYE we have people over here for take out Chinese and we just sit and chat until the early morning. We love ringing in the New Year with our dearest family and friends.

As time moves on our traditions are changing but I hope that the kids will always come home for Christmas and that the remember that we tried the best to always give them a magical Christmas