What traditions does your family have?

[mylittlemonsters]

I think the only one we have is drining champagne on christmas morning and when we decorate the tree.

I am thinking of inventing some for the future.

sneering and creating tension

well that's my mum and dad, thankfully I have eradicated that in my immediate family

Christmas traditions or any?

Xmas morning is breakfast at MiL's with Bucks Fizz, and only opening the stockings before we go, the rest of the presents before dinner.

Stockings are handmade xmas eve with mummy, baking is done with daddy, the carrots/drink and mince pie left out for Santa and the reindeer. The aerial pulled out of the tv so Santa has 'knocked it whilst on the roof' Snowy/dirty footprints next to the fireplace.

Now they are getting older I want boxing day to be bigger than it is but not sure what to do. Our tree always comes down boxing day night because it's DS1's birthday on 29th.

Birthday child chooses which restaurant to go and eat in for birthday tea.

Daddy has to go downstairs first on Christmas morning to see if Santa has been yet.

All not just Christmas

celebrate any occasion with champange, always have chinese takeaway for christmas eve, always make dh test the tempurture of the swimming pool before we get in, dh always brings drinks to bed at weekends, dh gets to choose what i cook on a sunday when we are at home (cos my roasts are the best, he says )

at least once a month dh brings a present home after being away on business.

Advent baking....mostly german cookie recipes....

Kids get all a brandnew pyjama (to sleep in x-mas night)and their present from their german Grandma on X-mas eve....usually at least one of the boys will get a DVD which we will watch before it is the little ones bedtime....

for easter we always get egg-colour from germany and colour hardboiled eggs.

Dp and the dd's have a "picnic" indoors on a friday evening whilst im at bingo.
At xmas we always buy a party dress each for the girls and we all get dressed up smart even though we are only indoors. My whole family has always done this so i was gutted when the inlaws arrived in tracksuits on xmas day!

Siblings receive unbirthday presents (from 'Alice') from parents / grandparents. So I got an unbirthday present from my parents on my sister's birthday, DS1 gets one on DS2's birthday from us and from his aunt etc, just a little something like a book or small toy, but it's still nice.

I like the un birthday idea.

Any more for any more?

Every Sunday is the same as often as possible - church/ roast lunch/ family walk/ 'tea' eaten in the living room, cold roast sandwiches and cake which we made earlier all washed down with a pot of tea with proper cups!

It's one of my strongest memories of childhood and I really want it for my children. We never go to the shops on Sunday apart from the village shop for papers and sweeties after mass.

My mother started these.

Pyjamas to be given on Christmas Eve.

Gingerbread penguin/snowman for breakfast with tea.

Full Scottish breakfast around 12.

Father Ted to be watched after Christmas dinner.

Erm, I think the only one we have is hte variety pack of cereal for the dc when we go on holiday

There are others but I wouldn't count them as family traditions, just seasonal ones tbh.

Does my dad baring his arse to the Queen during her Christmas speech count?

I think it should.

Lol. Mercy - my dds get a variety pack of cereal in their Christmas stockings; it's the only time in the year that they're allowed it!

excellent idea janeite

For the girls' birthdays. On the left hand side of the card I write a list of what they've acheived/what they like/do in the last year. Dh writes the birthday message on the other half of the card. Its a good journal. Each dd gets a charm for their charm bracelet every birthday. Again one that represents their current love/obsession for the year.
Christmas - dds have new pjs for christmas eve. Champagne for breakfast (me and dh not the girls) I have to force it down though.

When we are going on a "journey " in the car, usually on a day trip or holiday, we always have a packet of Garibaldi biscuits, DD1 usually waits until we are just on the M5, before she asks for "some kind of snack, preferably biscuity" she is 5.

DD's can only have Cocopops on holiday, as that's the only place they are sold.

OOh, I forgot, each Christmas they both get a new decoration to put on the tree, so when they set up home they will each have some decorations with lots of memories to go with them.

Ooh yes, we do that too. Unfortunately ne never remember to label the bloomin things, so they will probably reach leaving home age and fight over which ones belong to which daughter!

For us, birthdays are about the celebrations, Christmas is about the presents. So, as my DDs birthdays' are only two weeks apart, it usually involves a big party (lots of planning) and a weekend break (although the birthday fairy does visit us with small gifts)

Christmas always involves a 'joke' present which is wrapped up loads and you have to work out what the gift is.

All Xmas presents under the tree are disguised, and every day you can have 1 guess what they are. If you're right, you can open it there and then. (Have never managed that in 33 years!)

Family parties at Christmas, usually involves playing Newmarket.

Elkat, excuse my igorance, but what is "playing Newmarket"?

Funny how many people give Pyjamas on X-mas eve But, I suppose it makes even more sense over here....where photos will be taken the next morning, when unwrapping presents.

We always play newmarket at Christmas too! It's a card game, 3andnomore. We bet with pennies and the children feel like they're rich when they all finsih up with a few pennies!

rules