Christmas in July - Day 26

[Minta]

Family Traditions bring about so many fond memories! They trigger smiles, warm thoughts and loving feelings. Sometimes you can’t but to reminisce about the past. They help keep you tied to those loved ones who are no longer with us. It’s those family Christmas traditions that many look forward to more than the day itself.


As a child growing up there were not a lot of traditions in our family, but we did have a few like the Christmas Cookies my mom would make, the glass used for Santa’s milk and the faithful turkey dinners my mom made every year.

When I got married and the kids came DH and created our traditions even though the kids are adults now, they still insist on carrying on the same traditions. The kid still insists on leaving milk and cookies for Santa using the special Christmas Plate and Santa glass that we bought when our oldest was a baby. Baking the favorite Christmas cookies including the cut our sugar cookies. That DH still reads the Twas the Night Before Christmas and I read the Christmas Story to the kids while they are dressed in their Christmas PJs and piles onto one of the beds. On Dec 1st Their Christmas Elves (think plush elves … not the scary Elf on the Shelf) arrive with one of their new Christmas Ornaments. Now DGS is added into the mix and DD insists that these traditions will be carried on with him too so he will be getting his own Christmas Elf this year.


What are some of your favorite traditions and are any carried over from your childhood?

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

When I was growing up one of my favourite traditions was making what we call chocolate balls with my Mum. I loved to sit and chat to her about all the exciting things happening around Christmas. We still do this every year!

Mum makes a fruit pudding every year and it contains threepences. The tradition when we were growing up was whoever got the first threepence had to help wash the dishes. My dad got the first one every. single. year!! I thought it was just plain bad luck until I was much older and figured it out!

One of our favourite traditions came about by accident. When the kids were small we use to open presents and then stockings. One year for a reason that I cannot remember we opened presents then had breakfast and then went back to open stockings. This is how we still do it.

When we had both DS and DD there would always be a gift under the tree and the tag said. To M and T, to share from Santa. It was usually a game or an activity that they could take part in over the long Summer school holidays ahead.

Every year from birth the kids got a new decoration to hang on the tree. It was normally something that represented what they achieved or were interested in that year. We finished this tradition when the kids turned 30. I lovingly boxed up their decorations and they now hang on their own Christmas trees.

Around October every year we would ask the kids what they wanted Santa to bring them that year. When DD turned about 10 or so she started designing these wonderful sheets that we would put on the fridge and we would all write on there what we would like. I still have all those sheets stored in one of my Christmas books.

The kids still get their own chocolate advent calendar even at 36 and 31 years old.

When DS was here the Christmas before last we were not allowed to put Christmas out until he was in bed!! That year we still put out biscuits and soft drink for Santa.

Every single year since DH and I have been married (1986) we have done a Christmas Eve Basket. When the kids were small it included a new VHS or DVD, pjs, a new toothbrush, a game or colour in book, milk flavourings, nail polish, hair bow etc anything that I thought was Christmassy or enjoyable. Now that it is just DH and I the basket is filled with small bottles of soft drink, popcorn, mini chocolate bars, savoury snacks, potato chips and other items that we enjoy. We sit down after dinner on Christmas Eve and watch a show or a movie. Something that we both have always enjoyed and look forward to every year.

These traditions are simple but have always meant something to us. I am so pleased that we made the effort over the years to make the kids Christmas's just that little bit more memorable.

 

[jampss]

With the kids, our traditions of making cookies, decorating the house and tree, light looking, and watching Christmas movies were kept for years.

DD32 is in Vermont, but she has been flying home mid January, so I keep decor up. And we make cookies and watch movies.

DS21 is still at home, so on thanksgiving we eat watching The Miracle on 34th St and then on Friday … we decorate! And make some cookies. And watch White Christmas.

There were some years that we started going to cut down our own tree with the kids when they were younger. That was fun.

 

[halimer]

One year Josh decided to read the Night Before Christmas to us. When it came to "he looked like a peddler just opening his sack" it came out "he looked like a PLUMBER just opening his sack." We all got hysterical! We repeat this reading at least once a year.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

One year Josh decided to read the Night Before Christmas to us. When it came to "he looked like a peddler just opening his sack" it came out "he looked like a PLUMBER just opening his sack." We all got hysterical! We repeat this reading at least once a year.

That is so funny! We have plumbers in the family.

Some traditions that dh and I carried over from our childhood are getting a live tree, going to church, celebrating Advent, getting Santa some cookies and milk, getting Rudolph carrots, opening up gifts, seeing if we got coal or candy in our stockings, and then visiting family. Everything else in between fluctuated according to the year and situations we have faced.

When the kids were little on Christmas Eve, they received Christmas pajamas and a homemade Christmas ornament. We also read Christmas books for the 25 days of Christmas as well as an Advent book. I stopped giving them Christmas pajamas when they were in junior high. They told me that they had plenty from the previous years and didn't need anymore. That's when I began to reevaluate what we did each year.

I send out a survey to those dc who live at the house regarding things they'd like to do between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's helped dh and I see what is working still and what needs to change because the family is changing.

 

[Minta]

Something I forgot is when the kids were little we allowed them to open their gift to each other on Christmas Ee so they would have something new to play with while DH and I were busy getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner.

Also when their Magical elves went back to the North Pole on the night of Dec 23 the kids would wake up Christmas Eve morning to new Christmas PJs under the tree.

 

[Lori K]

When I was growing up, there are a few traditions we had that carry special meaning. In the summers, we'd often go to my grandparents for the day -- about 30 mins away, so nothing out of the norm. We kids would help GP with some farm chores, maybe help pick fruit from the tree or green beans for dinner, sometimes play with cousins. He just kept us busy outdoors. Meanwhile (ahem, now that I'm older and know), GM and DM were busy sewing baby doll or Barbie clothes, or making us girls matching nightgowns.

We had the elves, who showed up after Thanksgiving dinner, but they didn't move around or leave messages. There was just the occasional reminder from DM or GM, "you better behave, Santa's elf is watching." DM also had a Christmas angel collection, started by my DF, with a gift of an angel from me to DM on my first Christmas. She continued to get a new angel every year. My late DH started my collection on the Christmas we were engaged, and he continued to gift me an angel every year. After he passed DD and DSIL continued his tradition, and DSIL also started my DD's angel collection.

DD and I continue the cookie-baking tradition, and set aside one day a week or so before Christmas and have a marathon. We typically bake 5 or 6 different kinds of cookies and share the bounty. She'll take plenty, for she and DSIL and for her work colleagues, and I'll pack some up to take to DM and to send to DBIL and his GF.

Christmas Eve used to be spent with DH's side of the family at DBIL's house. But after they moved, we began spending it with my chef-friend and his wife. With all our kids grown, the group has grown and DD and DSIL always come down to their house for Christmas Eve dinner.

Christmas morning, growing up, always included home-made cinnamon rolls, hot out of the oven. I used to make them, too, to continue the tradition, but it became too much, especially for just one. Now, I still have cinnamon rolls, but they're from the refrigerated section in the grocery store. Not quite the same, but when I can make 4 or 5, instead of 2 dozen, it makes more sense.

Thank you for this thread, and Merry Christmas in July!