Comments on: Early Christmas – day 1

By: Ann Aguirre

Ann Aguirre — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:58:35 +0000

I’m not going to lock this post, but once I announce Carolyn’s winner (I’m about to do that), there will be no more winners on this thread.

By: Ina

Ina — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:29:31 +0000

Every year my sister and I are playing christmas songs (on the guitar) before we get the presents…I really love Christmas – the whole family is together and that is special, because under the year thats a little bit difficult
have a great day,
Ina

By: CrystalGB

CrystalGB — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:34:54 +0000

We get together with friends before Christmas to share a meal and play cards/board games.

By: Carol Thompson

Carol Thompson — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:46:05 +0000

The only out-of-the-ordinary custom we have at Christmas is that all our animals get to share in it !

Sometimes they even get gifts such as a new dog collar, a toy for the cats or a perch for the birds.

Haven’t yet figured what one gives goldfish for a present?

Any ideas ?

By: Pearl

Pearl — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:05:41 +0000

My family’s Christmas tradition is food, food, food. Kinda like your Thanksgiving…The women start preparations way in advance, whilst the men help (or play cardgames > the lazy ass ones). Then on Christmas Eve a lascivious dinner followed by opening Christmas presents follow. As we don’t get together with the entire family much, I always look forward to Christmas, where we catch up, eat, drink and laugh into the wee hours of the night…

Christmas Day is for conking out on the couch still in pyjamas, basking in the glow of the presents. Christmas movies, the cheesier the better, are a standard tradition for hubby and me on Christmas Day…We’re already picking out the movies!

By: e_bookpushers

e_bookpushers — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:32:45 +0000

My family does a wrapping paper fight after all the presents are opened. Those of us who are regulars stockpile our wrapping paper in crumpled balls. (We usually have at least one person who hasn’t experience a Christmas with my family yet.) Then at an unseen signal we let them fly. I always feel slightly sorry for the newbie because they are the initial target. *giggle* We have only had 1 person decide to run and hide all the others dive right in :).

By: Sharon M

Sharon M — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:14:22 +0000

9 years ago, my husband and I started playing handbells in our church choir. One of the biggest commitments is midnight mass on the 24th/25th. Because of that, my family (very small) started traveling to my house for the Christmas celebrations.

I love Christmas and am very happy to host. However, I didn’t want the pressure of having to fix all of the tradional food that my husband’s family (pierogies, kielbasa, mushroom soup, apple pie, cherry pie, etc.) and my family (ham, turkey, mashed potatos, green bean casserole, sweet potatos, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, etc.) would expect.

I also wanted something that would stick to our ribs so we could make it through midnight mass without starving. I chucked all of the foods (except for pumpkin pie) and decided to go with lasagna for Christmas Eve dinner. I’ve even fixed chicken salsa Monterey on Christmas day. Haven’t gotten a single complaint and everyone seems to like the non-tradional foods I now fix each year.

A very new tradition is hanging candy canes on the Christmas tree. I’d read my son The Sweet Smell of Christmas last year and he liked putting some candy canes on the tree. We bought this year’s batch today and he was so excited to put them on the tree.

By: Carolyn Jewel

Carolyn Jewel — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:12:08 +0000

I am having such a great time reading all these lovely traditions! I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their stories.

I love the one about the ceramic fish perpetual regifting and I do hope you find new ones.

Ornaments! Yes! I LOVE buying ornaments for the tree.

By: Sharon M.

Sharon M. — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:05:52 +0000

My mom’s birthday was on Christmas Eve, so we would go to dinner with my parents then she would open her birthday presents. We would then go to church at midnight and sing lots of Christmas carols and return home to open 1 gift. The rest were for opening in the (hopefully late) morning after everyone woke up.

By: LaurieF

LaurieF — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:40:19 +0000

Don’t know if this is technically a tradition but I spend Christmas morning with my ex-husband. Our kids are grown up now but 10 years ago they were in their late teens and six months after the separation came Christmas and we decided that Christmas morning was a time we’d spend together with the kids.
Though my ex and I do get along most of the time, at first I wasn’t sure how I’d feel but it’s been okey. Means a lot to the kids. What surprises me the most is other people’s reactions. Usually disbelief that we do this.