About five years ago, our (then) ward held an Enrichment Night in which several sisters shared their families' Christmas tradition.
Since then I've been collecting them in my heart. (yes, I'm well aware that I'm impossibly cheesy)
I learned about a family that gathers at one sibling's house for chili before going caroling. Good plan: let's send everyone outdoors after gassing up.
Another family snacks on M&Ms while picking out their Christmas tree in the forest. This tradition began when the mom and dad had to follow a trail of M&Ms in the snow to find their first toddler when they lost her in the trees. M&Ms have been included every year since.
Tiercy's family has a picnic dinner by the tree the night they put it up.
Isaac got to tag along with another family tonight whose advent calendar isn't full of waxy chocolate, rather fun notes with things to do. Tonight's note entitled one to pick up a buddy and go to the gas station for a candy bar. (where else would you go in E.M. besides the gas station?) This tradition started when their mom was a little girl.
In David's family, the girls all get new pajamas for Christmas. I think it's kind of spilled over to the boys now that Nana sews.
Speaking of David's family, each year Santa visits Grandma and Grampa's house, listening to all the grandkids' Christmas wishes.
My family? Like many others, we opened one gift on Christmas Eve. More recently a tradition has been established for some to take a trip on Christmas Day out to the gun club to try out the newest. No, I don't go, and it's getting harder and harder to make excuses for my kids to not go.
This might be a year for David, the kids and I to start some new traditions of our own. I'd love to hear about yours.
3 comments:
I used to wake up at the crack of dawn and run into my brothers room, jump on the bed and yell, "Wake up! It's CHRISTMAS!!!" So the first year I was gone in the Navy and my brother was away at college my mom had me call him early in the morning and yell "Wake up! It's Christmas!" =)We always opened presents at my moms moms house on Christmas eve too, so that nobody had to travel on Christmas day.
Kai being German had St Nicholas Day, where they would put there boots outside and they'd be filled with candy and small toys the next day.
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=87
One year my mom was trying to make a special Christmas Eve dinner and it fell to pieces. Everything went wrong. She was a wreck, the presents weren't wrapped, and to prevent a further meltdown, my dad said he'd take care of it. Nowhere was open except the grocery store. So he went and bought stuff for homemade pizza and tons of chips and candy. We've done pizza every Christmas Eve since.
We do a nativity every Christmas Eve. Last year Noah was baby Jesus but I don't think he's going to go for it this year.
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