What Are Some of Your Favorite Christmas Traditions?

Well with my ex there was always the decanting of the wine followed by opening gifts. We didn't dare sit down to dinner until everyone was properly sedated.

Now we just make it up as we go along. :)

As a child it was always going to my uncles house.

our daughter passed away 18 years ago. Up until last year, I bought a SnowBaby ornament in her memory each year. Her ornaments are the 1st ones on the tree & always placed prominently. (I have decided to stop at 18...we'll see if I backtrack.)

The next ones placed on the tree are my collection of antique glass ornaments. I have many from both my gr-gparents & gparents. They mean so much to me!

Next comes the keepsake ornaments for both of my sons. Some are quirky, some are babyville, some are handmade. These ornaments are what "makes" our tree a family tradition, & I love it!

We always use white lights to represent the stars in Heaven, & use a star for the topper. We also always end up picking the coldest night of the week to buy our fresh tree....no matter how we try - that's how it always ends up!

Moving on: we always celebrate with the ILs the 2nd wkend, my extended family the next wkend. Christmas Eve & Day are spent with my Mom, Gma (who's 90 this year!), & with my sister's family. The timing on this always fluctuates, but we're always together for most of it. I love spending days with my Mom/Gma! Prior to her death, my MIL would also join us.

For me, celebrating the generations is the epitome of the holiday season. 2 years ago, both my MIL & my Dad passed away. We felt at a loss, felt that we needed to fill in our time....so we've added a ###-###-#### pc puzzle to our days. It's fun doing it together, it's addictive, & guests cannot resist helping!

More traditions: a big bowl of fresh mixed nuts. Fresh cooked cranberry sauce. Persimmon bread or cookies...if the crop is decent for the year. Choc chip cookies for my uncle. Russian t cakes for my Mom. Gma's black walnut fudge....yummm. The other Gma's heirloom hermit cookie recipe which uses sweet red wine....double yummm. Oh, & 50 million other foods which we consider "traditions"!

We've added in some new ones: we toast our dearly departed at our dinners. I make a pilgrimage to my Dad's grave & have a "shot of Gentleman Jack" with him....miss him sooo much. I make sure I have a ton of old family photos all around....& my scrapbooks handy.

Oh, & thru my childhood, my sis & I made gifts for our gparents, aunts/uncles, & our elderly neighbors. We've lived in our small town for the past 21 years... & each year, my sons (who are now 15 & 24) help deliver trays of cookies/goodies to our neighbors. They share their gardens with us thru the summer & we deliver Christmas goodies to them. A very good thing!

& as long as this is....surprisingly, this is a small sampling of our holiday traditions: we also attend Midnight Mass, we always have a new outfit to wear on Christmas Day, I always have fresh cut greens thruout the house + flowers for the table. The dogs always get pig ears....yuck. & no matter how old my sons are ...the childrens Christmas book collection is always out!

Thanks for the memories....as Bob Hope used to say! Which reminds me: have to have classic Christmas music playing....nonstop! & I always watch my fav movies.....Christmas in Connecticut, Miracle on 34th St, The 3 Godfathers (with John Wayne), & many more......including Dolly Parton's Smoky Mt Christmas, Home Alone, & Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation!

You have me smiling!

New PJs to unwrap on xmas eve

Buy or make a new special ornament (I have 32, my mum 60 mumble, my son 9)

Drive around in PJs looking at the lights

Watching Charlie Brown Christmas to open up the season,

Find a special gift for Dec. 6, St. Nicholas Day to put into Dutch shoes placed upon the porch. This year is a Santa figurine.

Having a Christmas caroling party.

Attending a special Christmas sing-a-long at a pretty church.

Going for a family hike in the country on Christmas Eve Day.

Having an intimate family meal at home and then attending an early Christmas Eve service.

Open a few gifts Christmas Eve, then open more the next morning.

Have a special breakfast.

Listening to Christmas music while wrapping presents.

This year we're taking my five-year-old to see The Nutcracker for the first time.

Going to the tree lot, find a tree, tying it to the top, driving it home, and cursing while we put it into the tree holder.

We always start our Christmas season on Thanksgiving day watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. Its something I carried over from when I was a kid.

The past couple years we've been near our family in the mountains and DH always insisted we cut down a tree on his parent's property and this year (since we moved) I am REALLY excited we get to go buy a tree at the Christmas tree lot. ;)

The kids get special jammies, and special "Christmas" blankets we only bring out this time of year. Also Nin our Elf on a Shelf will be back and that is always fun to do with the kids. This year we are going to a paint your pottery place and making a special Santa's cookies plate. We also get hot chocolate and drive around and look at the lights on houses. We hope to see Washington D.C. all dressed up for Christmas this year.

Oh, and Chistmas music 24/7. :)

Home made cinnamon rolls for breakfast! Although whether placed on a cookie sheet in a Christmas Tree shape and Iced with Green Icing or in a pan with caramel and nuts is a matter of whim. I make them Christmas Eve day and put them in the fridge. Let set on the counter for 30 minutes or so Christmas morning then bake

After my son open his gifts we play Christmas CD's and cook a big breakfast. We love dancing around silly and being "jolly"! We try and stay in our pj's as long as possible and allow time to check out the new toys and things before spending the rest of the afternoon with friends and family.

We always go and cut down our Christmas tree. We drive about an hour to a state park where you get permits. (listening to Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton Christmas music all the way!) We all bundle up with hour thermoses (one year it was only 7 degrees out. 7!) and hike and find the perfect tree! Then we go back to someone's house and have chili. It wouldn't be Christmas without it! I missed last year because I had just had my baby about 10 days prior and wasn't quite up to it! This year my baby is already almost a year old and will come with us. Can't wait :)