What are some of your Christmas rituals (besides opening gifts)?

Question

Mine are as follows:
Watching 24 hours of "A Christmas Story"
White Russians beginning at 7:00 in the morning
eating a big juicy, teryaki marinated ribeye, lefse with scrambled eggs and bacon

Answer 1

we get up and make coffee and orange juice and cinnamon buns.
We read the Nativity storey out of an old pop up book that we've had since the kids were babies, and yes, they still take turns reading it....
then we say a prayer thanking God for all He has done for us and all He has given us
Open presents
Enjoy each other's company while we try things out
Then we have a big breakfast usually eggs and bacon or sausage and cinnamon buns. And more coffee
in past years, we would have bundled up to go to my parent's home at this point. But this will be the first Christmas without my father, and so my mother has made other plans.
So this will be a year of transition.... making new traditions for my own family - maybe starting with dinner and thinking about who we will invite over for next Christmas. My kids are growing fast, and my son will likely spend Christmas day with his girlfriends' family this year.
It's going to be different, but I still thank God for all He has done.

Merry Merry Christmas Patrick! Have a white russian on me - I will likely have a couple black ones myself... mmm
(((((patrick)))))

Answer 2

I could do without the White Russians but the ribeye, eggs and bacon sounds like a hit. Ours have changed over the years as the kids grew up. Now we get up, have some coffee and some home baked sweets, then sit and open the gifts, get dressed and then everyone has some kind of job in the kitchen getting dinner ready for the rest of the family and friend who will join us. I have found though working together in the kitchen has brought us closer, it seems to make us not just family but a teem of friends too. We laugh a lot and act silly, and every once in a while you'll hear a little sigh by someone of contentment. That's a beautiful sound. Hope yours is Happy.

Answer 3

Since my Dad passed away and my sister is married, Mom and I spend Christmas Eve together. We go to church services at 7 p.m., then drive around to look at Christmas lights in town. When we get home, we ALWAYS watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and have summer sausage, cheese, crackers, herring in wine sauce, shrimp and baked potato with sour cream. (I think it's a German thing with the eats!) We open presents in the morning, then head to my sisters for more gifts and Christmas Dinner with my immediate and extended family.

Answer 4

Mine are:
My parents tell us not to wake them up till 8:00 :(
I wake up at 7:30 and watch the clock
Me and my sisters go and get my parents and brother up
Start some cinnimon rolls baking in the oven
Get the camera
Open gifts
Call grandparents to thank them for the gifts
go over to aunts to be with cousins and get gifts from them
come home go to sleep!

Answer 5

Reading The Economist's holiday issue and doing the supersized crossword puzzle in the Toronto Globe & Mail.

Answer 6

Here are mine!:
Family comes over (almost every year!)
Opening presents!
Eating Omlets, bacon, eggs, waffles, pancakes, Drinking sparkling grape juice!
Gathering around the fire and singing christmas songs
Just having a good time with friends and family!
Merry Christmas!!! Hope its safe!!!!

Answer 7

Wait for my kids to get here
Make a big Christmas breakfast
Try out all the new stuff everyone got
Visit extended family in the evening
Stop by Holy Smoked's house for some butt-nog (rofl!!)

Answer 8

Enjoying another of God's wonderful days with family and friends.

Answer 9

sleeping in, reading the paper, texting friends since i dont celebrate Xmas

Answer 10

Going to eat Chinese food and watching movies with my friends; I'm Jewish!