Christmas traditions?

Question

My husband and I will be celebrating our first Christmas with our daughter this year and we are in desperate need of some traditions we can start with our own little fmaily...Any ideas? What does your family do for the holidays?

Answer 1

Where to begin? My family has so many traditions. I guess I'll just name a few favorites and ones that don't cost much.

First, we always go driving to look at Christmas lights. We always put up the Christmas tree at midnight after Thanksgiving. After the kids got big enough, they decorated the tree all by themselves. Of course, shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Decorating the windows with fake snow and stencils is always fun. Watching a Christmas movie every night during December is a must. New stocking every year opened on Christmas eve. Oh yeah! While opening presents, none of that putting away all of the paper and bows in a neat trash bag as you go. Oh no... Everyone throws the paper and ribbons about until the very last gift is opened. I have a photo every year of the huge mess around the tree after all of the gifts have been opened.

Some ideas especially for young ones: As already mentioned, you can't go wrong with "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". I still love this story myself and have it memorized from reading it to my kids every year for a lot of years. Of course, putting out treats for Santa and even for the reindeer. And did you know that Santa leaves notes in return? We have gotten under the tree and looked up at the lights from underneath. Really a pretty sight and makes for interesting conversations. When your daughter is old enough, let her make a homemade ornament for the tree each year. When she goes out on her own, give them to her for special memories on her own tree.

There is an article about this exact topic at: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/79091/start_your_own_family_holiday_traditions.html

Answer 2

We always have Advent Calendars for the kids to open a window each day, some have chocolate behind them, the book Twas the night before Christmas is always out and is read especially on Christmas Eve, teaching the kids about other religions and what other countries do for Christmas, telling the story about the birth of Christ, the Magi etc. Singing carols while decorating the house and tree, making a gingerbread house and Christmas biscuits/cookies with the kids. And the old favorite of leaving some for Santa. Do animals really talk at midnight on Christmas Eve??

Answer 3

1) My neighborhood always puts up lovely light displays, so I take my kids for a walk every evening to look at them. My baby girl is too young to appreciate them, but it's still fun.

2) A few years ago I started making gingerbread houses. I just buy a kit so I only need to decorate them, not bake them. Soon my son will be old enough to help and I think he'll enjoy it. I'll let him nibble a few candies as we go.

3) The family exchanges gifts on Christmas Eve and Santa leaves treats and small toys in the stockings by the fireplace for Christmas morning.

4) One of the grandmas makes Christmas cookies and lets the kids help decorate them. Rice crispy treats are also fun and less work.

5) On Christmas day we have a special breakfast (like sweet rolls) and a fancy dinner in the evening. My Mom likes having movie marathons all day.

6) This year, I let my son pick out a pretty ornament to buy and add to the tree himself. I'm not if I'll always do this, but it was fun.

Answer 4

we always had socks on Christmas eve, then evening Church services, then Christmas gifts, them mom always read the Christmas Story, breakfast, played games and visited then lunch more playing games and visiting singing, taking pictures, making new memories & remembering the old. there was an 86 year old lady who had a photo album with nothing in it but photos of her with Santa each of her 86 years. quite a memory reminder.