Do You Have Any Christmas Traditions?
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OK, Here's MY family traditions in my house. Some are from my wife's side, some from mine.
I don't give a rat's bootie about commercialization and what not. I'm in it to see the look on my kids' faces. Making them happy is the best frickin' feeling a parent can have. If that makes me part of the "problem", so be it. This said, we do donate to the local Open Door Mission and buy presents for children who would otherwise go without, so it's not like I'm totally self-centered in my spending.
Anyway, every year we set up the Christmas tree (yes, set up because I don't like real trees. My stupid dog would just pee on it anyway) to Christmas tunes from all eras. We hit up Baroque & Medieval all the way up to today. Once Christmas eve rolls around, the kids get to open one present, usually a stuffed animal or slippers or some such. I should point out that there are no presents under the tree. After the kids go to bed, my wife and I pull out the presents and get them under the tree. Then we fill the stockings with my wife putting an orange or apple in the toe of each. We then go to bed and get up when the kids get us up. We go through the stockings, then have a small, quick breakfast then move on to opening the presents.
Great thread!
-Jason
I don't give a rat's bootie about commercialization and what not. I'm in it to see the look on my kids' faces. Making them happy is the best frickin' feeling a parent can have. If that makes me part of the "problem", so be it. This said, we do donate to the local Open Door Mission and buy presents for children who would otherwise go without, so it's not like I'm totally self-centered in my spending.
Anyway, every year we set up the Christmas tree (yes, set up because I don't like real trees. My stupid dog would just pee on it anyway) to Christmas tunes from all eras. We hit up Baroque & Medieval all the way up to today. Once Christmas eve rolls around, the kids get to open one present, usually a stuffed animal or slippers or some such. I should point out that there are no presents under the tree. After the kids go to bed, my wife and I pull out the presents and get them under the tree. Then we fill the stockings with my wife putting an orange or apple in the toe of each. We then go to bed and get up when the kids get us up. We go through the stockings, then have a small, quick breakfast then move on to opening the presents.
Great thread!
-Jason
Yeah, even up into the late 1800's this was a pretty common conception. A case can very well be made in regards to the idolatry claim and I'm not speaking in terms of the commercialism aspect but rather the importing of ancient Babylonian religion. But that's another discussion probably best left off this forum :wink:
On Christmas Eve I make Gumbo Because my family is Cajun and I only make a few times a year. After dinner if I am with my Mom i go to Mass With my mom and step Dad and My sister if she in not in Hawaii whit the President. If I have my Daughter with me She get all the Attention. But she will be 16 this year no more going over board. This year my Daughter will be in Oklahoma with her Mom this will be my first Christmas with out her in 5 years. My Mom and Step Dad will stay in D.C. the just started new jobs. And My Sister will be In Hawaii. So I will Just hang out with my Grandpa the only grandparent I have left and Have Dinner With my cousins and Aunts and Uncle. My Girlfriend will be with her Parents in the San Luise Vally. Don't do much in they way of gifts any more.
Tobakenist, can I have Christmas at your house?
For years, my wife would give me a pipe for Christmas which we would pick out together and frequently racks, tampers, tobacco samplers, pouches etc.. Now she has decided I have enough pipes though I still get some accessories (I got a Ming-Kahuna tamper last year)or tobacco from her or the kids.
This year I know she has a couple of pipes tucked away for me. I know that because I bought them! They are NOS (new, old stock) from Schultes, an old time tobacconist from New Jersey who closed up about 30 years ago.
On Christmas eve we would do the pajamas routine, now including my son-in-law and my son's girlfriend and open presents on Christmas morning, after someone brings me coffee!
Later I would cook pancakes,eggs,bacon,etc., or my wife would make donuts.
In the afternoon we generally watch favorite Christmas movies ("Bernard and the Genie" anyone?) and I smoke a clay churchwarden and my Christmas pipe, if I get one.
For years, my wife would give me a pipe for Christmas which we would pick out together and frequently racks, tampers, tobacco samplers, pouches etc.. Now she has decided I have enough pipes though I still get some accessories (I got a Ming-Kahuna tamper last year)or tobacco from her or the kids.
This year I know she has a couple of pipes tucked away for me. I know that because I bought them! They are NOS (new, old stock) from Schultes, an old time tobacconist from New Jersey who closed up about 30 years ago.
On Christmas eve we would do the pajamas routine, now including my son-in-law and my son's girlfriend and open presents on Christmas morning, after someone brings me coffee!
Later I would cook pancakes,eggs,bacon,etc., or my wife would make donuts.
In the afternoon we generally watch favorite Christmas movies ("Bernard and the Genie" anyone?) and I smoke a clay churchwarden and my Christmas pipe, if I get one.
It's not particularly unique or incredible, but about the only thing we do every year in my family without fail is have the "Yule Tide Log" TV show on Christmas Eve (Christmas music and a log burning).
This year though we've got the place decked out in Christmas lights inside and out. I've got a couple of young nephews and we're making this year special.
Movies, I almost forgot. I usually get corralled into watching "It's A Wonderful Life" every year (usually against my will, seen it too many times).
This year though we've got the place decked out in Christmas lights inside and out. I've got a couple of young nephews and we're making this year special.
Movies, I almost forgot. I usually get corralled into watching "It's A Wonderful Life" every year (usually against my will, seen it too many times).
Thank you for all the posts - It's nice to hear how you spend the day. Sorry to hear you have to work on Christmas Day Markw4mms. I kind of liked it when nothing opened on Christmas or Boxing Day, so very few people had to work. Even though the shops open the day after Christmas, people still seem to stock up like they wont be able to buy more food for a month! But I do think you're all right and some people go retail crazy.
Aussielass - Celebrations at this time of year date back, way before Christianity. There is no record in the Bible of what time of year Jesus was born. The early Church chose the end of December as it was already a festival marking the re-birth of a the Sun as the days stopped getting shorter and started to lengthen again. I don't think that you have to be a Christian to celebrate the "Turning of the Year". Whether you are a Christian or not, I think everyone can pause and spread a little "good will to all".
Aussielass - Celebrations at this time of year date back, way before Christianity. There is no record in the Bible of what time of year Jesus was born. The early Church chose the end of December as it was already a festival marking the re-birth of a the Sun as the days stopped getting shorter and started to lengthen again. I don't think that you have to be a Christian to celebrate the "Turning of the Year". Whether you are a Christian or not, I think everyone can pause and spread a little "good will to all".
I'm not a Christian and I love Christmas. I have very very fond childhood family Christmas memories and it is that spirit that I felt as a child that I celebrate at this time of year. I don't give gifts. It has nothing to do with what I like about Christmas. I may make a few extra batches of meatballs and sauce and give them away or give away some home made wine or something like that but I am not into all the wreckless spending and tireless hours in a shopping mall stressing over what present to get a grown ass adult. I just like to make merry and pass on some good will. Since I am pretty much giving away sauce and wine, making merry and passing on good will all year, I guess I don't really focus much on that for Christmas either ha ha ha.
The Church set themselves up for that hundreds of years ago when they co-opted the old Roman festival of Saturnalia and turned it into a religious celebration. If the stories in the Bible are true, Jesus was born in the spring - that's the only time shepherds spend the nights with their flocks, because it's lambing time.
As far as our traditions go, they are pretty simple. We always play the Peter,Paul, and Mary Christmas special while we put up the tree. I taped it years ago, when the kids were small; recently they found me a DVD. We always go to church on Christmas Eve - we're UU, and our church does a lovely service early in the evening. I always make our traditional coffee cake (a family hand-me-down) for breakfast Christmas morning. And then we join some good friends of ours for Christmas dinner later in the day. (They're always at our place for Thanksgiving.)
A friend of ours who doesn't believe in Christmas has a wonderful Winter Solstice party the Saturday before Christmas every year. She lives up on the mountain, in a very old cabin. They have an outdoor fireplace, kids do a drum line, etc. Lots of venison and other homemade treats. A few guitars, some singing and lots of pipe smoking for me. I drag my jews-harp out of the drawer and play along with the guitar guys. Last year, some of the younger folk had never seen one. I really look forward to this event, it's the anti-Christmas and a nice break in the hub-bub up to that moment.
When I was younger Christmas Eve was spent at my grandparents house eating the Feast of the Seven Fishes. All of the family would attend and very few gifts were exchanged. Christmas Day was spent opening presents at home and then dinner at my cousin's house for spaghetti with gravy and ham and just about anything else you could think of. After the grandparents passed away and I was in the Army that all changed. I'm trying to start new traditions with my wife and kids, but we haven't really come up with anything solid yet.
We kick off the season with our annual Christmas Tree Cutting Party. We take over a small bar around the corner from a tree farm and after folks get their trees we have a buffet lunch and I plug in my guitar and we sing Christmas songs and whatever people want to hear. I usually play for 3 hours and we're on the way home by 4:00.
The next day we put up the tree and wait for the big day.
My wife and I don't exchange gifts anymore since we buy what we want all year anyway. My daughter gets gifts and after 28 years of marriage I still don't have a clue as to what Christmas costs. We're all agreed that its better that way.
The next day we put up the tree and wait for the big day.
My wife and I don't exchange gifts anymore since we buy what we want all year anyway. My daughter gets gifts and after 28 years of marriage I still don't have a clue as to what Christmas costs. We're all agreed that its better that way.
Christmas has always been a magical day for myself and my family. Christmas Eve more even than the day. For over 30 years we have gone to the same Church for Christmas Eve Mass, (my wife and I now join my parents), then we go back to my parents house for a nice meal. After the meal, 1 gift is exhanged with usually many o drinks, including Rye and ginger's. LOL. Christmas morning is spent enjoying orange juice and champagne in my hot tub (sometimes a cigar, perhaps this year a pipe) with my wife, then off to see all the nieces and nephews for more crazy gift exchange. My favorite times are the Mass and breaking bread with family. All the commercial stuff just add's a little more festive mood for me, I don't look to much into it. I actually enjoy it, Christmas lights, Santa stuff, Reindeer...although that's not what Christmas is about, if it makes someone lighten up and show good fellow-ship, it worked.
Mattmars you must be Italian if you do the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve. I love the tradition myself. I guess it's just what I grew up with. I uphold the tradition every year weather I am home for the holidays or here in Canada. One year I even did it all by myself ha ha. Sat here and cooked baccala, calamari, smelts...etc... and got rip roaring drunk listening to old school Christmas carols. I had a blast ha ha ha. I do so miss the days when I was younger and 30 or 40 people came to my grandparents home for Christmas supper. It was always more about being with your family than it was getting gifts.
LOL - I misread that first time round. I had visions of you setting up your own bar in a field. Literally taking a small bar over to the farm!
:clap: Sounded like real dedication!
Another Italian here. We do a "7 Fishes" hybrid thing on Christmas Eve. Linguini with white clam sauce, spaghetti with red squid sauce, boiled shrimp, fried whiting, fried calamari, smelts. Open up the house to family and friends, red wine by the jug, Seagrams and ginger ale, baked cookies, nut roll. Christmas day is usually home made pizzas and Italian Wedding Soup to soothe a hell of a hangover.
Ah Traditions. Seeing as I grew up in Germany, there are many traditions that most of us here in the US do not celebrate, as the one that just passed yesterday, St. Nickolaus. It is where St. Nick comes and fills your boot that you put out the front door with all kinds of goodies (my daughter just learned when its pouring like mad, do not place boot out the door that does not have a roof over it, LOL) and in Germany the little tikes walk the street with hand made laterns and sing songs.
I also spend almost an entire day decorationg a live tree woith ornaments and tinsel, used to have real candles on the tree but stopped that a few years back, the tree to our family is just as magical as Christmas is all together.
Or as such, most celebrate Chirstmas on the 25th, but we do our celbrating on the night of the 24th as they do in Germany (and I get to sleep in the 25 )
One tradition we do have which drives kids nuts when their little, is that before we open any presents is to have a big dinner with all the fixins and then clean up, which can take hours and then we all go to the tree to see what Santa brought. No matter how you celebrate the season I think all traditions have some fond memories of when you were a little kid and could not wait to rip open the presents.
I also spend almost an entire day decorationg a live tree woith ornaments and tinsel, used to have real candles on the tree but stopped that a few years back, the tree to our family is just as magical as Christmas is all together.
Or as such, most celebrate Chirstmas on the 25th, but we do our celbrating on the night of the 24th as they do in Germany (and I get to sleep in the 25
)One tradition we do have which drives kids nuts when their little, is that before we open any presents is to have a big dinner with all the fixins and then clean up, which can take hours and then we all go to the tree to see what Santa brought. No matter how you celebrate the season I think all traditions have some fond memories of when you were a little kid and could not wait to rip open the presents.
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