Christmas in July- July 31st- What are your Specific Holiday Traditions?

[Miss JoDee]

Please forgive my tardiness in posting this. Annie is out of town and asked me to post this for her. I got caught up in an activity and just remembered. . . . .

From Annie:
Thank you for joining us in this week of CIJ where we have learned about some different Holiday traditions celebrated around the world as well as some lesser-known Holidays that are occur throughout the Holiday Season.
Please share here Any unique Traditions that you and/or your family do during the Holiday Season.

 

[frostythesnowman]

Hello peeps...Well every christmas eve at midnight coming into Christmas morning my DW and I always open one present before we go to bed and we also have a wee glass of wine to bring in christmas morning...Thats our wee tradition

 

[Miss JoDee]

We have a name exchange and usually have a twist put to it. It could be a theme (a thrifted item) or a store name is drawn and you must shop for you person at that store. (One year I got DH's name and had to purchase his gift at a candy store called Fizzy Wig)

This year and hopefully the following years we have stocking to fill. Last Christmas (2020) I gave each participant a stocking with a name inside. They are to bring it to the family Christmas filled with things for that person. The stockings all look alike so there is no guessing until it is time to open. I will have something else for dgds. Girlfriends and Boyfriends are not include in the exchange but will have a gift from DH and I.

 

[Miss JoDee]

I just remembered. When our children were older and gift giving and getting were discussed we informed them that to only expect 3 gifts at Christmas. Why? To represent the gifts the wise men brought. The fact that they were wanting more costly was another reason to scale back.

 

[Minta]

When the kids were little Santa assigned each one of them an Elf. Think soft cute plush elf not that creepy elf on the shelf. They would arrive on Dec 1st and brought each child a new Christmas ornament. The kids had fun with their elf all month long and on the night of Dec 23rd Santa would come pick up the elves and take them back to the North Pole. Wen the kids woke up Christmas Eve morning they would find a gift left for then by their left, their Christmas PJs. Now that the kids are older they still want want to keep that tradition going so we do.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

I've missed the traditions that I did with my dc when they were younger like opening up a gift box each day with a picture book to read during Advent, reading Jotham's Journey each day of Advent, and our Christmas Candy Advent calendar. We have always gone to Christmas Eve Mass. That's the one thing that hasn't changed.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

One of our traditions happened by accident. One year we had opened gifts and the kids were hungry, so we had breakfast and then realised that we had not opened stockings. We opened them after breakfast. Now we open gifts, clean up a little, have breakfast and then open stockings.

The kids get a new ornament every year. Our tradition is to lay out all of their ornaments in year order. We start with the year that the kids were born and they add the ornaments to the tree in year order until they get to the new one for this year. We are so pleased that we started this, the kids have a great many beautiful ornaments.

A tradition from when we were little. We have a hot fruit pudding that contains silver threepences. (these are very old and belonged to my grandmothers), our joke tradition is whoever gets the first threepence has to wash the dishes. My dad remarkably got the first threepence every year and always helped my Mum......Christmas magic

 

[AnnieClaus]

Because I live in the America Southwest and literally right up against the Mexican Border-
we started celebrating the Mexican tradition of serving tamales on Christmas Eve.
We have tamales, rice, beans, salsa, guacamole.
Women in Hispanic families will spend an entire day or even weekend preparing the tamales- they are quite labor intensive.
I have never made tamales but would like to attend a family session where they do!
We just buy from someone else who has made them- as a lot of people sell them at the holidays.

It makes for easier dinner prep on that busy evening and we leave the harder meal prep for Christmas Day.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Another tradition we do- which is also part of the Mexican traditions- is one neighborhood in my town lines their streets with luminaries.
After our CE Dinner, we all pile into the car and go through the neighborhood.

Here's my little secret- It is so busy when we go through the neighborhood that I, after late service at church, go back through the neighborhood. It is silent and dark and sooooooooo beautiful!
I truly feel the magic of Christmas on that late night drive.

 

[AnnieClaus]

One more- I also set out a "Nativity tray" on Christmas Eve night.

I read about it in the Book, Simple Abundance.

The tray is set out with items that a wondering stranger or animal might need. It is a way to honor the innkeepers who took in Joseph and Mary and also the animals in the manger.

On the tray- a coat or blanket for someone who is cold, some hay for a horse, a meat bone for a stray dog, bird seed for birds.
I often don't have all this stuff but I always put a blanket, towel, some cat food, fruits, etc.

 

[farmerswife]

I am very curious about the tray tradition... where do you put the tray? Outside for those who pass by? Or is more symbolic and you use it in the home? I read Simple Abundance oh so many years ago, great read! Thanks.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Because I live in the America Southwest and literally right up against the Mexican Border-
we started celebrating the Mexican tradition of serving tamales on Christmas Eve.
We have tamales, rice, beans, salsa, guacamole.
Women in Hispanic families will spend an entire day or even weekend preparing the tamales- they are quite labor intensive.
I have never made tamales but would like to attend a family session where they do!

Annie, I learned to make Tamales by watching YouTube. I had never seen anyone make them before. I did buy the tool to help spread. For filling I make Cafe Rio Pork Salad recipe. You could invite friends over for a party. I made a lot less than a full bag of masa. I use some of the broth from the pork in the masa and lard. It is a lot of fun.

 

[AnnieClaus]

I am very curious about the tray tradition... where do you put the tray? Outside for those who pass by? Or is more symbolic and you use it in the home? I read Simple Abundance oh so many years ago, great read! Thanks.

I put it out by the road. It's in my yard but right at the edge, by the road.
I'm sure early morning exercisers are perplexed. LOL

 

[AnnieClaus]

Diedra- That's awesome! There was a day long class a couple years back. My brother, nephew, and I wanted to go.
I think we had something else going on that day.

Annie

 

[Lori K]

When my DD was much younger (she turned 39 yesterday!!!!!), we'd celebrate Christmas Eve at my DBIL & DSIL's house, with her family and an assortment of family friends. The 3 "littles" would all find a package under the tree from Santa -- pajamas, slippers, and either a book, puzzle, or game they could play. DBIL and SIL have since gone their separate ways, DBIL is in FL during the winter; DSIL is now in AZ. So, DD, DSIL, and I now celebrate Christmas Eve with family friends.

Our major tradition, now, involves cooking family recipes. DD will pick a day and we will make an assortment of cookies, many from our family recipe collection passed down from my grandmother's day, and we'll add a few new ones. Some years, DSIL will join us for dinner, after a day of baking, and we'll enjoy a dinner made from a favorite family recipe, with a sampler of cookies for dessert.

Lastly, when I set the dining room table for Christmas dinner, there's always an extra place-setting. We do this (1) in memory of my husband, who is no longer with us, and (2) as a sign that there's always room for one more at our table, that no one should be eating alone on the holiday. As it is, our table regularly includes an assortment of friends who would otherwise be alone on the holiday. What's one more?

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

On the tray- a coat or blanket for someone who is cold, some hay for a horse, a meat bone for a stray dog, bird seed for birds.
I often don't have all this stuff but I always put a blanket, towel, some cat food, fruits, etc.

I think that this is beautiful. We should all pay it forward when we can.

Many years ago DH lost his job just before Christmas. We only had DS then and the neighbours got together and left a little parcel at the door, mainly little gifts for DS and a few treats for DH and I. Every year since we have made it a tradition to give to a charity or church. We will purchase items and place under the giving tree at the mall and we collect items through the year to give to a local charity.
We give bags that contain tooth brush and paste, a comb, a pair of socks, some tissues or hand sanitiser, some deodorant.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Lastly, when I set the dining room table for Christmas dinner, there's always an extra place-setting. We do this (1) in memory of my husband, who is no longer with us, and (2) as a sign that there's always room for one more at our table, that no one should be eating alone on the holiday. As it is, our table regularly includes an assortment of friends who would otherwise be alone on the holiday. What's one more?

Lori, this is beautiful, bought tears to my eyes. I am going to suggest this to my Mum in honour of my Dad.