Christmas traditions new and old

[Captain1822]

DS’s first Christmas this year and I cannot wait to start traditions with him each year just like I had growing up. Spoke to DH about his and it made me think about how every family has their own, different traditions.

Ours include:
Christmas movie nights (the Santa clause and Christmas with the Kranks are firm favourites)
Pizza Hut lunch Xmas eve
New bauble every year (especially if a big event happened)
I read skipping Christmas by John Grisham every year

Do you have any special christmas traditions?

• Christmas films all through December
• Christmas playlist on in the car all through December
• yearly trip to a local garden centre to see the Christmas display and get a new bauble
• Christmas jigsaw nights
• watching muppets Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve
• local Santa dash run, and family fun run
• see Santa
• Christmas Eve- put carrot, mince pie, drink out for Santa, hang stockings up. I gave my childhood knitted stocking to DD which feels really special
• Christmas Day- open stockings in bed, then downstairs to open presents under tree.

We are huge Christmas lovers in our house

Oh and DH always buys me a short Christmas book and reads it to us on Christmas Eve

So, not quite a tradition as such, and yours is too young for this anyway, but...
When I had kids living in my home, beginning of December I would make some nice winter snacks, put on some festive music, then we would all get our heads together and think of ideas for gifts for other people - grandparents, close friends, a dear neighbour, charity to donate to. It was me who did the gift buying and I could easily have thought of things myself, but I wanted them to get into the mindset of thinking of others at Christmas and not just focus on what they wanted. It was always a really nice experience to share together.

@TheHappiestChristmasTree Aww these sound so lovely!! I completely forgot to add the music, it’s one of the best bits of Christmas!

@Adultchildofelderlyparents That is such a brilliant idea! I’ve never heard of that before but it’s a brilliant way to get everyone involved and think about the meaning behind gifting 🎄

My favourite thing is our North Pole breakfast around 1st December - this is when the elves arrive (fml / mine are lazy elves!) and we have the table all Christmassy - I decorate the house before this and then we get the real tree for the lounge. Love it!

It always worked well, and I think really helped them think of their relationship with others too. I remember one year for example older child suggesting a coffee shop voucher for grandma and I was so pleased they had really thought about what grandma enjoys doing - she would often tell us about her coffee and chats with friends.
I always did this beginning of December so they have the rest of the month to focus on their own wish list to Father Christmas

Appreciate your DD is far too young for this but I don't work Friday's and in December I make DD who is now 12, Christmas themed snacks for when she gets back from school at the end of the week. Sometimes v easy ones sometimes if I've got a bit more time I'll do cupcakes etc. then we have a hot choc and snacks together.

She seems to still love it and means I get to hear a bit about her day rather than the usual grunts before she disappears to her room!

December tends to be busy months for both DH and I at work so free time is at a premium meaning we just cant do much with the kids.

However, I will put xmas movies on (whether the kids watch is another matter. They're at an age when it's a bit uncool to sit with the parents to watch Elf) which was great fun when the kids were little.

Our main tradition is a walk on xmas eve. Our town has a lovely common which goes from one end of town and ends at the high street. We meet my friend (used to meet her kids too, but they're older now and not interested) and walk across the common, into town. Whereby we go for lunch and hot drinks at a fab greasy spoon. We then walk home and by the time we get back the kids just chill out whilst I prep the veg.

Whilst kids eat dinner, we bring down a big wicker basket which has their new PJs for the year. They then all go and shower and come down with the new PJs on and i try to persuade them to watch an xmas film..