Christmas Traditions - Big Big Forums

okie · 11-07-2009, 01:32 AM

What are your Christmas traditions?

We either pick out a new ornament for the tree or we make them. Sometimes I do both because the kids love doing crafts.

Also, before opening gifts the kids and I read the Christmas story about Jesus's birth. It's something I did as a kid and I wanted to continue with them.

lisarae · 11-07-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by okie

What are your Christmas traditions?

Also, before opening gifts the kids and I read the Christmas story about Jesus's birth. It's something I did as a kid and I wanted to continue with them.

At my grandmothers when I was little, before everyone sitting around the Christmas tree, (about 50 of us) my uncle would read that story from the bible. Then us little kids would perform, Rudolph, jingle bells, and Grandma got Run over by a Reindeer. Those were the days... I miss them... I remember the smell of the coal fire, the smell of her freshly cut tree...and listening for the Santas sleigh bells while we were there. See, we lived just next door, and Santa always dropped off our gifts while we were there.

Now that Im almost crying, We dont have any traditions now. Around Christmas time, we do a huge party for my other side of my family. Last Christmas, the party was at my house. I live in a double wide mobile home, its a decent size, but I had 58 people in my house. Whew, and they wanna do it again here. LOL

Heidi · 11-07-2009, 12:47 PM

My daughter gets to open one gift at our home Christmas eve and that is a new pair of pajamas and slippers.

***ahippiechic*** · 11-07-2009, 12:54 PM

On the 21st at midnight for Yule we light a yule 'log' (since we don't have a fireplace nor a yard, we use incense, lol)

For Xmas, we get a new ornament each year and on Xmas morning we read the story of the birth of Christ.

krisharry · 11-07-2009, 01:46 PM

We let the boys open 1 small gift each on Christmas eve, we make reindeer food and sprinkle it on the lawn so they can have a clear path to the house, LOL. On Christmas Day, we laze around in the morning opening up gifts, later we like to watch a Christmas movie w/the kids, sometimes Christmas Eve night too, like Elf or Christmas Vacation. We always have ham and pierogi on Christmas Eve for dinner. Christmas Day I usually do a huge roastbeef. Last year one of our customers brought me this huuuuuge roast like the size of a turkey for Christmas, sucker was like 16 lbs, it was awesome.!!

*****
DH and I close the office from Christmas Eve til after New Years so we do a lot of fun stuff w/the kids, this year we have wrestling tix and monster truck tix for that week. We are also planning on going iceskating and stuff like that.

Jenefer3 · 11-07-2009, 02:25 PM

We watch Eloise at the Plaza Christmastime on Christmas Eve. The kids and I like it and I think it has a nice story in it about thinking of others and not just yourself at Christmas.

We always have gumdrop cake and go to the Christmas parade. On Christmas Eve, the kids get to open one gift.

cathych · 11-07-2009, 02:55 PM

i want to ask all of you guys something; Since the wise men did not come to the manger; what is the purpose of giving gifts at Xmas? And why a tree?

***ahippiechic*** · 11-07-2009, 03:21 PM

Before the Christian takeover of the Yule traditions evergreen, holly and mistletoe all symbolized fertility and everlasting life. The Yule log was replaced by the Yule tree, but instead of burning it, candles were lit on it.

okie · 11-07-2009, 03:27 PM

I think the gifts represent the gifts the wise men gave Jesus and I'm not sure about the tree.

cSoReNSoN · 11-07-2009, 03:41 PM

My family is not Christian, but we have always celebrated Christmas. We have always followed the Scandinavian tradition of gift opening on Christmas Eve. When my brother and I were younger, Santa would ring a bell to awake us from our sleep to open the gifts around midnight or so. Santa would leave after the gifts were opened, then my dad would reappear after going to 7-11 to get Bridge mix and Doritios (lol same thing every year) for my mom. Of course, Santa would eat the cookies and drink the milk my brother and I had left for him. Christmas Day would be a ham dinner. Now that my brother and I are older, Santa doesn't stop by for a visit as he must focus on the younger children. The ham dinner is the same, though I do adjust things for myself as I'm a vegetarian.

cathych · 11-07-2009, 03:43 PM

Like I said, the wise men were not at the manger.