2006-10-23 23:48:46 · 12 answers · asked by ? 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
We go to my mom's parents' house on Christmas Eve. It's a big family. She has 6 siblings and they are all married. There are 21 grandchildren and now some of them have their significant others, so it's always a big group. We'll get there around 8 at night. We'll eat some snacks. Then we'll all sit wherever we can find room. My grandpa will ask what Christmas means. Then we'll sing a bunch of Christmas songs. We always end with The Twelve Days of Christmas. We divide those parts up so around 2-4 people sing each part. Then we open presents and hang around for awhile. Then we'll go home. When I was younger, we'd try and look for Santa in the sky.
Then Santa comes (I'm 26 and he still brings me presents). We'll go over to my parents' house in the morning. My parents will make us breakfast and then we'll usually open presents. Sometimes we'll go over to my dad's sister's house and play games over there.
It's all a lot of fun and I know we'll all miss it when my grandparents pass away (which I don't want to think about) or when the grandchildren start having families of their own and stop coming.
2006-10-24 09:30:20 · answer #1 · answered by Tammy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because my mother was born in Vienna, Austria, she brought over her traditions. For example, we never opened gifts on the 25th but rather on the 24th.
In the evening, after dinner, everyone would gather in a room, singing carols etc. awaiting the arrival of the Christkindl. While we were in the room, the Christkindl (Christ child) would come and bring the gifts. A bell would be rung signaling that it was time to come out. We would then open all the gifts. Later we would attend Midnight Mass.
On the 25th, we would open the stockings left by "elves" - trailing after the Christkindl.
We never were into "Santa Claus". We did celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6th. We would get a special gift honoring what he did (giving dowries to a poor family).
We would also leave up the tree until Epiphany - when the Wise Men came. That way we celebrated the 12 days of Christmas.
Only 2 months to go. I don't want to rush the time but I can't wait. Christmas is my favorite time of the year.
2006-10-25 21:41:57 · answer #2 · answered by ange8338 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I remember the year we started this tradition, the girls were around 5 and 7. I had brought some special candles to decorate with for Christmas, there were about 10 of them spread out around the front room. The girls asked me when we could light them and I said on Christmas Eve. So on Christmas Eve after they had had their baths and were in pajamas, we lit the candles We sat on the couch watching the candles burning and talking about what they hoped Santa would bring them, after ten minutes they helped blow out the candles and they went to bed. When they returned to school and the teacher asked the class what was special about their Christmas, my daughters said it was the candles and the new tradition we started that year. Many things have changed since we started this tradition but the lighting of the candles of Christmas Eve remains.
2006-10-24 10:42:49 · answer #3 · answered by maria t 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I was a young mum and for some reason iv always bought new pjs for christmas eve i dont know why i do this i thinks its to do with the newness of getting new things and the new year of starting afresh other things we do is we all decorate the tree together with christmas songs in the background this builds up the excitment for the kids and for breakfast on christmas morning we eat bacon sandwiches
2006-10-24 07:15:24 · answer #4 · answered by vicky s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two traditions actually that I love. First of all, my hubby & I spend all day Friday after Tahnksgiving decorating the outside of our house & eating leftovers from Thanksgiving. It is nice & kinda romantic because of having the WHOLE family over on Thanksgiving - it is nice just the two of us. And - all of the neighbors love it because they have told us that we are the brighest & the best house on the block.
2nd tradition - after all the gifts & food on Christmas, when it starts getting dark, we pile all of the family into our cars & drive around like our own personal parade looking at Christmas lights.
2006-10-24 17:23:32 · answer #5 · answered by dmnyco 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
GOOD QUESTION!
Years ago, one of my most-enjoyable traditions was to go with my wife to her parents' farm and trek over to the cranberry bog across the road. There were blue spruce trees (and other "Christmas-tree varieties"), over there.
We would take a sled, of sorts, and wade through the two feet of powdery snow, for about a 1/4 mile (0.8km).
After we got there, we would "size-up" all of the trees and finally choose one to cut down. I took out the short-bladed saw that i was carrying and removed the 6-foot (2 meter) tree from its "home".in the earth: leaving a little stump behind.
We loaded the tree onto the sled; and, depending on how "frisky" we were, we would throw snow at each other and do "snow angels", on the ground, too.
If we were dressed properly (wading boots on), I would go over to the "bog" and "harvest" some cranberries, too, for Christmas Dinner.
All-in-all, it was a very good memory (and tradition), because we did it every year, for many years, while the in-laws were still around, for us to enjoy.
2006-10-24 07:04:03 · answer #6 · answered by hohobankhamen 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes every year right on the 24 and 25 of Dicember all my family get together to talk about this:
Where did Christmas came from?
Do you know what we found?
2006-10-25 11:07:11 · answer #7 · answered by javierporras1983 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My son, hubby and I we go out on Christmas Eve and look at Christmas decorations and go to McDonalds. then stop at my sister in law's house. I love doing it, we travel through out our county looking at everything. Last year we missed out because my son had the flu. the poor guy. Santa made it all better because he got a pool table. :)
Christmas morning, we open up stocking stuffers, then we eat breakfast lastly open the presents, and countdown to naptime. Wake up and have a small meal.LOL it all over then. I just look foward to the season not the day.
2006-10-24 07:56:02 · answer #8 · answered by Evey 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
my mom buys each of my children a Christmas decoration every year, it is very special for them to have their own decorations to hang on the tree
2006-10-24 16:01:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
we always have trifle and after lunch we always play cricket. this is the one day of the year where u get another go if u get out first ball.
2006-10-24 09:19:50 · answer #10 · answered by bettie b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋