Christmas traditions

[Vs2914]

Just coming onto see what everyone does for Christmas everyone is so different. The main thing we do is Christmas eve party my sister has done this for around 15 years and even though the kids are all getting up we all still look forward to it every year. I am thinking instead of a Christmas eve box I might do a December box where they will get more use out of it.

That's a lovely tradition Brie.
What I don't agree with is some kind of forced tradition where it's all about buying and who's got the biggest and best box.
Christmas Eve PJs/book tradition, again, is lovely if that's your family tradition and something that's evolved but there's something very sad about people looking to create a tradition imo.

but there's something very sad about people looking to create a tradition imo.

Why?

All traditions start somewhere.

As many people do, as children my parents always drove us round city hall to see the big christmas tree with christmas music blasting and hot chocs. DH and I still do it as well as driving round the neighborhood looking at lights. Bonus points for driving round the adjacent posher neighborhood!

We also do what we call "Alt-Christmas" where we make a christmas dinner themed meal that isn't a roast. (Think turkey, brie and cranberry open sandwiches, turkey burgers, stuffed croissants with honey maple glazed ham and gruyere" It comes from when we spent Christmas apart but didn't want to replicate the standard roast. Now it is a complete essential!

We stick the Norad tracks Santa site on on Christmas Eve and make a point of shouting "He's in New Zealand/Japan/Australia" etc every time we pass the laptop and note that Santa has got closer. The anticipation for us two (currently childless) adults as he gets close to the UK towards midnight is great fun.

Yogity

Great traditions, and ones that have been adopted by many in recent decades.
I know the Norad santa tracker has been going for 20 years, but quickly became a tradition in our house too.
I don't agree with the "holier than thou" idea of "sacred" christmas traditions.
Christmas is a constantly evolving festival, already a mish mash of pagan, christian, germanic, Scandic, American influences.

I don't see a problem in any activity that brings joy and happiness.

BrieAndChilli I have a similar tradition with my parents and its one of my favourite bits about Christmas. I'm 35 and we still do it!

There's something so exciting and special about getting up in the dark. Knowing you're going to choose all your exciting snacks and treats, as well as the boring bits like brocoli and carrots. Taking the Christmas shopping list that has been carefully curated! Hoping there's enough of the right potatoes! And then getting home while it's getting light and having a congratulatory brew together and putting it all away.

Then you get to say "no you can't have that! That's for Christmas!"

We have a few small traditions for December. DH and I buy each other a new big mug every year. I always bake cookies and make a big pot of slow cooker hot chocolate while listening to the few Christmas songs I actually like.
I burn lots of candles and if it's dry enough we'll have a bonfire and sparklers. We'll make a list of predictions for the coming year, but won't look at last year's list until the 31st. If I'm in England I throw a big party a few days before for the people we can't see on the day.
Christmas night we have friends over really late and we play retro games.

@brieandchilli ah you've just reminded me of so many Christmas past and gave me the warm and fuzzies! DM used to do this too for similar reasons plus the fact it was so quiet. One year my sister and I wore rollerblades and whizzed round collecting vegetables and sweets for the shopping. Tesco must have thought we were feral

One of our christmas traditions is to get up at 5am to on the 23/24th and go to sainsburys (which wenever normally shop at) and do the big food shop then get macdonalds breakfast on the way home. DD age 13 comes with me and she has since she was 4!

Yes! Similar and funny how kids 'don't think it is Christmas without...'

In my house, as a single parent, it was a Christmas Eve drive to the farm shop to choose the Christmas veg. Necessity- but something the kids would say 'it isn't Christmas without' now.

We make a box up of old toys to give to charity, firstly as it make space for father Christmas and secondly its good to give to charity. We also do a box of food for the food bank for the kids that might not get Christmas Dinner.
We deliver homemade cakes and mincemeat to the neighbours too

Always try and go somewhere to choose a new bauble with DD’s
Burn the Christmas wish lists on the log burner
Decorate tree together
Add all the chocs to the homemade advent calendar
Track Santa
Bake
Fetch greenery to make a table decoration
The food shop
Watch a daft Christmas film

We're in Catalunya, so have the shitting log: Caga Tio. He arrives on 6th, we have to go find him in the woods while walking the dog he's hidden in DH's backpack he is fed fruit, nuts yoghurt, biscuits whatever! And kept warm with a blanket. On Christmas Eve he's whacked with a stick whilst we sing a song about pooing, and he shits gifts under his blanket usually sweets, turron (a kind of nougat), something like glow in the dark nerf bullets for a pre-bedtime nerf fight, puzzle or small game (travel hungry hippos), dvd and/or book. He's meant to be gone the next day, but we have him out all Christmas because he's cheerful and ds (age 10) often takes him to bed!

The first night the tree goes up, DH and I turn off all the lights but the tree lights, and have a little shag underneath it 15+ years now! Obvs not a family tradition...

We have a Knitivity made my my GM and the 3 kings get closer to it every day, it's DS's job to move it.