Christmas holiday traditions and activities

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    So we were wondering what kinds of things are part of your holiday season activities? We're not talking about Christmas shopping (almost a given), but any other traditions your family follows? Or maybe new things you haven't done before, that are new this year?


    Some of our traditions - NO eggnog until Thanksgiving! It's in the stores right after Halloween, but the Mrs. won't even buy it until just before Thanksgiving. NO Christmas music or movies until Thanksgiving! But then we really have at it. The Mrs. breaks out the boxes with the Christmas movies, CDs and cassettes, and books. Those are part of the holiday decor. The mugs in the cupboard are replaced for a month with Christmas mugs, there are Christmas towels in the kitchen, and lots of baking and cooking going on. Our middle daughter has been an :angel1: the past couple of years, doing MUCH of the wrapping of presents so we're not drowning in the chore on Christmas Eve.


    Another tradition is that we let the kids open ONE gift on Christmas eve. Not that night, but when they get up. It seems to release a little of the tension. Of course, none of the "big" gifts are out yet, as Santa has not come yet. And yes, we do leave cookies and egg nog out for Santa (something we will probably stop doing once the youngest kids/grandkids stop "believing").


    On Christmas, the kids can get up and get into their stockings, but they can't open anything else until Mom and Dad get up . . . and they may NOT wake us before 6 AM. Their stockings usually have some "healthy" treats along with the candy, so if they breakfast out of the stocking, it's not the end of the world. Some candy, but also granola-type bars and fruit, which they seem to enjoy.


    A new thing for us (that could easily become a tradition) - There is a Christian conference center not far from our home, where we have enjoyed free concerts through the summer (they do take a free-will offering to help defray the cost). In December, for two weekends, they have Christmas concerts (that are not free). In order to be able to attend the concert, you must buy tickets to their buffet dinner. One of our favorite performers from the summer, Buddy Greene, was in the Christmas concert this year. For my birthday present, the Mrs. reserved TWO tables at the dinner, for our family and some friends. We had a most sumptous dinner (buffet style - great salad bar, yummy assortment of breads, a veritable feast of fall/winter foods - 6-8 seasonal vegetables wonderfully prepared, 3 meats (roast pork, turkey and prime rib), salmon, a marvelous array of desserts, and assorted beverages (hot and cold, non-alcoholic). Then we thoroughly enjoyed the concert that followed. I can definitely see that becoming something I would want to do again and again.



    So . . . again I ask . . . what does your family do for the holidays? And I did not mean by the topic title to exclude other faiths, so please feel free to share whatever your traditions may be.


    Chester :newyear:

    I've sorta lost the enthusiasm I showed (or pretended to show :wink_smile: ) when I had kids at home but my wife sure makes up for it. Although we've been "empty nesters" for almost 20 years, she still insists on decorating the house and yard just as if the kids were still living with us.

    Of course, when some of our grandkids are around, I try to make an effort to show a little Christmas spirit but as y'all know, I've always been a wet blanket or in this case, a "bah humbug" type of person. I don't even send Christmas cards to relatives or friends because as far as I'm concerned, that does nothing but fill Hallmark's coffers.

    As for gift-giving, the kids, wife and I came to an agreement several years ago that Christmas, Santa Claus and all that jazz was mostly for the younger set (I know, I know, I'm ignoring the primary reason we even have a Christmas celebration) and that gifts would only be given to their kids (IOW, my grandkids). To make the process as painless as possible (I avoid the malls and stores like the plague this time of year), I give all the older kids cash and order the younger ones' gifts off the 'net.

    De gustibus non est disputandum

    Ever since my parents passed away, we really don't have any traditions. However, I still display colored lights (I hate that totally white lights scene) and finish the decor with a Wreath on the front (and only door to my apt) On the inside of the door, I start taping up all the Christmas cards I recieve.

    Eggnog, I can't afford that this year for a few reasons. 1) I lost weight and wanna keep it off. 2) a half-gallon at HEB foodstores costs well over $3.00 when last year it was at $2.00.

    A tradition (with me) is I do send out Christmas Cards to about 20 or so people-a few are veterans. I flat out refuse to buy cards that are ""Holiday Cards"" and only have the ones that have Merry Christmas on them.

    I guess a sort of tradition with me is that the first Christmas song I hear has to be: Christmas Dream: by: Perry Como, and the last song I hear has to be: "Silver Bells."

    Oh and, I HAVE to have a Turkey and Dressing dinner during this time. We aren't celebrating Christmas this year because my youngest Nephew just go married and everybody is about all spent out.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    Good topic and some very interesting posts, I do have one question however what is eggnog? I have never heard of it.


    As for my Christmas traditions there are very few, I get my brothers or sister to buy my parents presents, my mum buys my brothers and sisters presents and I simply give the relevant party the funds.


    I usually work a lot over the Christmas period although I like and demand to get several days off work to spend with the family.


    A Christmas movie or two will always make an appearance at Christmas, I haven't seen 'Its a Wonderful Life' for some years now so I wouldn't be surprised if that video is dusted down this year.


    I'm not overly religious but I do always go to the Christmas eve midnight church service that is held where I live, its always a great service and I believe that its important to remember what Christmas is actually about. Like Ringo I won't indulge in items e.g. cards that display messages such as 'Happy Holidays' on them.


    On Christmas morning there are always a few phone calls from family members and I also like to drop into this forum to wish members a happy Christmas as a lot of other members do as well. Presents are opened at around 11am and I still get that buzz even at 24 because there is always some gem of a present under the tree waiting to be unwrapped, last year it was a bronze model of John Wayne. I'm a little bit of a Royalist and I always listen to the Queens speech broadcast at 3pm every year on Christmas day during which time dinner is usually being served. The evening is simply spent lazing in front of the TV with the annual soap wars being the main highlight, Christmas TV is the UK is usually rubbish, I remember some years ago Titanic was broadcast on Christmas day, I can' think of a more inappropriate movie to be screened on the 25th of December.


    Well thats my Christmas tradition for you.


    :agent:

    Regards
    Robbie

    I don't know what is in eggnog and don't want to know. I love it, and can't wait to drink it every year.

    My first Christmas event starts right after Thanksgiving. I break out my copy of Scroodge with Alister Sims and that gets me into the holliday spirit. :teeth_smile:

    My wife and I take our family over to her sister's on Christmas Eve, a gathering of her side of the family, and we all open a few presents there and have a great family dinner. Last January, my wife's mother was diagnosed with cancer and only given 6 to 8 months to live. We didn't expect to be sharing this Christmas with her, but with the chemo and other treatments (and our prayers).the cancer has not spread. So it looks like we will be blessed with her with us again this year. That's the best present my wife could have gotten.

    Christmas morning, my daughter who lives home open her gifts and we play old Christmas albums on the my wife's old stereo console. Then we make the rounds (visits to brothers and my sister and parents). Then we come home and we have our own Christmas dinner. That night, we collapse. lol

    Mark

    "I couldn't go to sleep at night if the director didn't call 'cut'. "

    this year we wont be doing much. we arent going out to dinner like we have been doing we are going to have a quite day.

    we put up our christmas tree on the 18th just 1 week before christmas, the boys and this year my neices will all gather at mums place and decorate her tree for her, we will have a bbq that night. once the tree is up then we start with the wrapping of gifts and they slowly make their way round to mums place and are put under her tree.

    my little bloke keeps his presents from his relatives who live down south at home and is allowed to open them on christmas morning but not before i am up which means not before 7am (am normally up late waiting for him to fall asleep before i but his "santa" present on the end of his bed). we will go to mums place between 10 &11 am this gives him time to play with what he has gotten from santa, he will pack all of his gifts into his santa sacks, yes he has more than one but only one is used by "santa", and we then will go to mums place where he will show them all to nanna and grandad. we will wait until after lunch before we open the gifts under the tree. after all of that we will just sit round and have fun sometimes listering to music or watching a movie.

    we will be celebrating christmas again in july when my brother comes back from Iraq, this is when we will have the turkey and all of the yummy christmas tucker.

    cheers smokey

    " its not all black and white, but different shades of grey"

    HEHE!! That's a good one. Hopefully not a tradition for anyone though. Now that would be bad to get a lump of "coal" like that each year!!!!

    Life is hard, its even harder when your stupid!!
    -John Wayne

    If my younguns don't get no better, that's exactly what they'll be getting from Santa :wink_smile: . Just kidding. We usually let ours open one present on Christmas Eve, then when they go to bed, "Santa" will break out his 12pak of eggnog and ring in Christmas!!!!!:wink:

    Stay thirsty my friends.

    Speaking of Eggnog. Basic recipe is: Milk, eggs, suger and vanilla extract. Homemade Nog is as good if not better (and cheaper) than store Nog. I love the stuff myself and like an alcoholic, once I get started drinking Nog, I can't quit.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    oh stumpy you are a really baaaaaaad boy,

    had a great laugh and it brighten up a bad day.

    thanks for your best wishes for my brother will let him know

    cheers smokey

    " its not all black and white, but different shades of grey"

    Here's a little activity you can do -


    Elf Yourself


    We did this with family members' faces and it was pretty funny!


    Then the Mrs. did one with Chilibill, Kevin, her and me - that was REAL funny! We tried posting that link, but it just didn't work - it just took you back to the one above.


    We'll try posting it again . . . maybe it'll work this time??

    JWMB elves


    Chester :newyear:

    I make sure to watch It's A Wonderful Life each year, along with several other mandatory films...drink egg nog, trim the tree, remind everyone that Christmas is not about presents.


    This year I discovered a new tradition...a dark black stout beer named "A Lump of Coal" from England. It's brewed for the holidays and available at World Market or any other place which carries imports. It puts me in the holiday spirit so to say.