What traditions do you have in your family?

[Mckayz]

Just been thinking about Xmas and the things we do.

My brother's birthday is the 14th December and we my parents always had the decorations up for his birthday. Now I have DS2 whose birthday is the 12th and so we put them up for his birthday.

As children we always got new bedding for Xmas so now I do the same for mine.

Our parents hid a little present in our bedrooms so again I do the same with mine.

Every year we go out and pick a new decoration for the tree.

My Mum, Step-Dad and brother always come for dinner on Xmas Eve.

I love Xmas and hearing about other families traditions.

My mum takes her grandchildren to choose a new decoration every year. She also buys them Christmas pyjamas which they open on Christmas Eve and wear that night. This was a tradition started by my great aunt when we were little and my mum carried on after she died.
My dh's family have a tree present which you open on Christmas Eve. I can't work out if the gift is supposed to come from the tree or is just under the tree as he can't remember. But we do it anyway. Generally everyone gets a new book.
We've started a new tradition of going to see the pantomime on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. We were taken when we were little but dh had never been til we had dcs. It's a lovely way of getting into the festive spirit.
It's my birthday on December 28th so I always like Christmas cards to be taken down on the 27th so that there's room for my birthday cards.

My parents always used to send my dad downstairs first 'to see if Father Christmas has been' while me & my sister used to wait in excitement upstairs. I think it was so he made a cup of tea before the present unwrapping started.

My traditions are:

On Christmas Eve we sprinkle Reindeer Food in the back garden

My mum died a couple of years ago & we have a special glass bauble with her name & dates on & it goes at the top of the tree (nearest heaven my DS said) so she is not forgotten at Christmas.

No presents upstairs, there is no solitary unwrapping, they are all downstairs & we all do it together

No getting up before 6:00 :)

Checking the kitchen first to see if the mince pie/glass of milk has been emptied. Ramps up the excitement no end!

Its the only day where chocolate is allowed for breakfast.

Shoppingbags my birthday is 29th and I also like to have Christmas cards off the shelf to make room Ha!
When I was little I'd have Christmas crackers at my birthday parties, and I still get my birthday presents left under the tree. One thing I don't enjoy but have always had to put up with is Christmas wrapping paper on my birthday presents, but I'm grateful for any gifts really!

As for family traditions, we always used to have croissants for breakfast on Christmas Day, which I now do for my husband when we spend Christmas morning in our own place. He's bemused by it, but it doesn't feel Christmassy to me otherwise!

In our family we also take turns to open a present at a time, and I like to see others opening theirs, but in my husband's family, everyone just goes for it at the same time, so I find that a bit weird.

It's so interesting to see how other families spend Christmas though!

Mackayz I've bumpeyed up the Christmas Traditions Thread for you

Thanks 70! I did have a look for one but must have missed it.

Leezl, we take it in turns to open presents. I also make the boys open their cards in between presents or they would never get opened.

We also have Handel's Messiah on in the background on Christmas morning & when putting the tree up :)

We also open one at a time. I sit and frantically try to write lists for the thank you cards.
We always open the dcs stockings in bed together. Me and my sister used to get into bed with mum on Christmas morning. I love the bed covered with wrapping paper and presents piled around. Because we were two girls and quite close together in age we often got the same stuff. Used to make us laugh I would unwrap a scarf, my sister would unwrap new gloves. Two minutes later she had found her scarf and my gloves had appeared!

we gave dsd xmas jammies on Christmas Eve the last year we had her. I'm planning to source the same for her this year. she also has a little bright purple Christmas tree that she sets up and decorates in her room (we got that when she was four and whining for a pink Christmas tree ) - a couple of little presents show up there. I am planning to make cinnamon rolls for xmas breakfast, which is something my brother and I used to do for our parents.

my parents also introduced a special box ornament when my brother and I were older kids. whoever found the box in the tree won the money inside. I would love to do this, but definitely not until the kids are older - too much potential for tears when they're tjis young!

oh yes, we also do the church carol service on xmas eve. This was something my mom did with us kids and I have kept it up with dh and dsd.

Festival of lessons and carols on the radio for me on Christmas eve afternoon. No children or Dh allowed to interrupt even when they were younger.
Rudolph's pie for supper on Christmas eve, when DC's were small, baths by candlelight and then the Night before Christmas read in front of the fire with just tree lights on.
Stockings hung in front of the fire. Midnight mass for everyone now DC's older.
Kedgeree and bucks fizz for breakfast. Carols playing in the background

What's "Rudolphs Pie" ? NCISaddict

don't say venison

Shepherds Pie made with minced pork and venison. I must have a bloodthirsty lot of children as they've always found it funny. we did only start having it when the youngest was about 9 and past FC stage.

Our traditions were always Christmas Eve is party suzy for dinner. Reindeer food, mince pie, Drambuie, carrot left out. Night Before Christmas and Lucy & Tom's Christmas read.

Christmas morning is toasted cheese for brunch, gingerbread lattes and opening presents in PJs.

I love Christmas!

I bought an Advent Candle the other day. I can see that becoming a tradition.