What Christmas Traditions Do You Follow?

scott spencer

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Rochester, NY
For those who celebrate Christmas, I'm wondering what interesting or unique traditions you have.

We've got 6 kids from 7-19 and started a few traditions that we still follow. Here's a couple of my favorites:

- We put out a doll cradle before Christmas and set a bowl of cotton balls next to it. Everytime someone does something nice they put a cotton ball in the crib. The goal is to have a crib full of soft cotton balls for Baby Jesus to lay in on Christmas morning. The kids lay a doll in the crib and we say a prayer before opening gifts.

- The kids gather at the top of the stairs before coming downstairs, and we snap a picture every year so we can see how much they've changed.

- We pull out my Dad's pre-WWII Lionel train and set it up around the tree every year...it may not be all that unique, but it's definitely one everyone remembers and looks forward to.

- We usually go to 9:00 mass and hear the kids choir sing, then come home and have a nice big breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, sweet rolls, and toast. Then finish opening gifts.

Let's hear about yours....
 
We started one last year. My DIL is half Mexican, her Dad. He mom died when she was younger but she was raised by her aunt on her dads side of the family. To make a long story short my Grandaughter is 1/4 Latina so I decided that we should have a traditional Mexican Christmas eve dinner so we have Posole and tamales. Pasole is a soup made from Pork shoulder, chilies and homely as well as a few other secret ingredeints. This is derived from the traditional Mexican Posada where the poeple form a procession with the infant and visit various houses prior to christmas looking for a "place to stay" this goes on for several days prior to christmas. Each house they visit provides food which is Tamales and Posole. The funney part of it is my DIL doesn't cook so I (a gringo) make the Posole and buy the tamales from a local tamale maker. MY DIL says my Posole is better then her grandmother or aunt make..:D
 
As close as it comes, I make all my gifts. I have been making gifts since July of this year. I made this a tradition about 15 years ago. Mostly turned stuff but, some flat work as well.
 
Umm, posole!!! We should send a gallon or two to Steve and his crew. That would help raise the roof!!:thumb:
Throw in some green chile stew, and they'd be all set. I got burned out on posole growing up...it was cheap food for a family, and my folks took advantage of that fact.

We had a number of traditions growing up in New Mexico, but about the only one I've brought to California with me are the (electric) luminarios in the front yard. One tradition we've started here with LOML and her family is ordering Chinese take-out for our Christmas Eve dinner. Nothing quite says peace on earth and goodwill to men better than fried won tons and egg drop soup. :rofl: Hey, it wasn't my idea, but the Chinese restaurants are about the only ones open on Christmas Eve. :D Most years in the past we've also gone to NM a few days after Christmas to spend time with my family, but this year we'll be staying home for the duration of the holidays.
 
When the kids were little they could open one gift on Christmas eve. Then on Christmas morning I would wake them up at 5:00 a.m. and they could open the rest.
For Christmas dinner we always have crab legs, chilled shrimp and steak off the grill....and I do all the grilling and boiling.

My oldest son was born on Christmas day so we also celebrate his birthday since he loves steak and seafood, that is the reason I grill and boil on Christmas day.

Kids are both moved away so this tradition may be ending.
 
One tradition we've started here with LOML and her family is ordering Chinese take-out for our Christmas Eve dinner. Nothing quite says peace on earth and goodwill to men better than fried won tons and egg drop soup. :rofl: Hey, it wasn't my idea, but the Chinese restaurants are about the only ones open on Christmas Eve.

Hey, you thief. That's my tradition! :D Not really, but we usually do the same thing on New Year's eve.

...art

ps: what the heck is posole?:huh:
 
My family and I have a few traditions. Some, like attending Mass with my parents on Christmas Eve, is carried over from my youth. (We used to attend Midnight Mass, but since Midnight Mass is no longer at midnight, and at 10:00 p.m., we attend an earlier service.) We then return home, and watch "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", and munch on hot wings and other assorted finger foods. After the rest of the family hits the hay for the night, I watch Midnight Mass celebrated by the Pope in Rome. Watching the Mass in a dark house, with only the Christmas Tree lights on is something serene and special for me, and a tradition I have been following for as long as I can remember. I am up early as usual on Christmas Morning. I get a roaring fire going in the fireplace, and wait for the rest of the family to get up, and begin the day's festivities. I love Christmas...........celebrating the birth of Jesus is my favorite day of the year! :)
 
We do pretty much the usual. My son and his family live a couple hours from us. I'll go to church on Eve if we are at home, sadly miss if we are there. The grands get us all up WAY too early Christmas morning for present opening. Other than that we enjoy each others company and eat more than we should.
 
... Around here GIFTS are secondary. As true Christians, we express honor and respect and acceptance through salvation for what Jesus Christ did for us by celebrating his birthday in going to church on Christmas eve or Christmas day.
.... A holiday tree will always be known to us as a CHRISTMAS TREE.
.... Seasons Greeting or Happy Holidays will always be known as MERRY CHRISTMAS.
.... If we had family and or decent neighbors they would all be welcome at our house.
.... And last but not least the food; Turkey, dressing, a number of ways to fix it, cranberries, sauerkraut. mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, gravy on everything, baked sugar cured ham, Smithfield ham, Hot buttered homemade rolls. And for desserts; Mincemeat pie, Home made applesauce cake, fruit cake, Apple pie, cheery pie, pumpkin pie, sugar cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, a host of assorted chocolates, fresh fruits, dried fruits and assorted nuts, a variety of drinks including eggnog and I am sure I have left somethings out. Needless to say my wife doesn't have to buy groceries again for a month or more after the holidays.


MERRIEST CHRISTMAS TO ALL


Boyd.

:wave:
.
 
... Around here GIFTS are secondary. As true Christians, we express honor and respect and acceptance through salvation for what Jesus Christ did for us by celebrating his birthday in going to church on Christmas eve or Christmas day.
.... A holiday tree will always be known to us as a CHRISTMAS TREE.
.... Seasons Greeting or Happy Holidays will always be known as MERRY CHRISTMAS.
.... If we had family and or decent neighbors they would all be welcome at our house.
.... And last but not least the food; Turkey, dressing, a number of ways to fix it, cranberries, sauerkraut. mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, gravy on everything, baked sugar cured ham, Smithfield ham, Hot buttered homemade rolls. And for desserts; Mincemeat pie, Home made applesauce cake, fruit cake, Apple pie, cheery pie, pumpkin pie, sugar cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, a host of assorted chocolates, fresh fruits, dried fruits and assorted nuts, a variety of drinks including eggnog and I am sure I have left somethings out. Needless to say my wife doesn't have to buy groceries again for a month or more after the holidays.


MERRIEST CHRISTMAS TO ALL


Boyd.

:wave:
.

I just gained 4 pounds reading your post! :huh:
 
Umm, posole!!! We should send a gallon or two to Steve and his crew. That would help raise the roof!!:thumb:



Wheeweee. Wish I had some of that about a week ago;)

We do the usual. Exchange a few gifts, eat, then wish we hadn't ate so much.
We usually have a church dinner the sunday before. [More great food:thumb: ]
 
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