Christmas

[Kirajo]

1.My parents always taped off the entrance to the living room with a sign that said "nope" until Santa came, and after he came they'd change the sign to " Go for it!" and so we'd periodically sneak out of bed and check the sign. Sometimes it would be at like 2am..sometimes later. My parents were so worn out but had a blast. Then we'd always open presents with the lights off next to a freshly built fire and Christmas tree glowing!!!

2. Instead of a big Christmas dinner, we always had a huge Christmas breakfast!

3. Opened a present on Christmas Eve. NOT pajamas. Whatever present we felt like opening.

4. My husband and I have done love letters for eachother for our stocking gifts every year. It's my favorite gift every time

Umm if I think of more I'll post haha I know these aren't unique but I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! I've already posted my christmas playlist on my blog!!! TKA

[pushka]

Charley, I love the way your Christmas celebrations sound..I used to attend Midnight Mass occasionally at Christmas Eve, one year I took my children to the local Children's Mass at 6pm on Christmas Eve, where they placed the figure of Baby Jesus into the nativity scene at the front of the altar, my son was only 5 at the time and asked when it was time for Jesus to join us in the church, lol!!

I used to tell my children that we couldn't open any of the gifts beneath the tree until after Father Christmas had spread his magic dust over them when he called on Christmas Eve/Morning, it kept them happy for a few years, lol

[MrsHart]

We're going to get a tiny Christmas tree and decorate it with tiny ornaments.
Our apartment is not big enough to accommodate a larger tree, but at least our tree will be real. Everyone I know is getting fruit cake (rum-free, obviously) for Christmas.

[MrsHart]

Originally Posted by Kirajo

1.My parents always taped off the entrance to the living room with a sign that said "nope" until Santa came, and after he came they'd change the sign to " Go for it!" and so we'd periodically sneak out of bed and check the sign. Sometimes it would be at like 2am..sometimes later. My parents were so worn out but had a blast. Then we'd always open presents with the lights off next to a freshly built fire and Christmas tree glowing!!!

2. Instead of a big Christmas dinner, we always had a huge Christmas breakfast!

3. Opened a present on Christmas Eve. NOT pajamas. Whatever present we felt like opening.

4. My husband and I have done love letters for eachother for our stocking gifts every year. It's my favorite gift every time

Umm if I think of more I'll post haha I know these aren't unique but I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! I've already posted my christmas playlist on my blog!!! TKA

All of this is too cute!

[Heavenguard]

I'm the kind that doesn't really care about Christmases and birthdays. I do put up the tree every year only because my mom asks (pesters, rather?) me to.

Go to church in the morn, then in the afternoon, the extended family either comes to my house, or we go to an aunt's place for dinner. That's really about it.

I suspect when I get my own place, I'll either not have a tree, or only have a tiny little dinky desktop one.

I do, however, enjoy the occasion to get presents for people :3

[countrygirl66]

We always have the kids vote on christmas eve dinner. (they pick an ethnicity italian, mexican etc) Then I cook a big dinner. They open their gifts to each other on christmas eve, and pajamas that I have made. Last year we all had zebra ones. Christmas morning I make cinnamon rolls and we open the mass of gifts I have bought. (I usually have a theme for each kid) Then we put it all away and they play. I put out cold cuts and snacks for the rest of the day. We watch movies etc. My h takes the whole week off and we sled, play etc. My kids each pick a day of what they want for the menu for that week. It is one of their favorite things. I love to cook. My favorite, favorite time of year. I remember when I moved in with my foster family. It was the first time I remember getting gifts like everyone else got. I was treated the same as the others there. It was one of the best memories I have from childhood. My foster/adopted/mom made sugar cookies and candy. They made me feel like I was one of them. My tradition in their honor is to do the same for whoever we have at christmas. It has been so fun.

[Puppenstein]

Originally Posted by MrsHart

All of this is too cute!

Agreed - those are great! What wonderful memories and traditions that everyone has!

In my family, we always had breakfast before we could open our presents. My mom will fix pancakes spelled out as our names (Some of us are very lucky to have long names!) Pancakes taste so much better when you are eating your name!

We always read a story - a children's book and alternate who reads it year by year. It is a special book that doesn't necessarily have a Christmas theme, but just a story with a lesson.

Those are the only two things I can think of that are a bit unique.

I can't wait to put the tree up, but I will let the Turkey have his day first.

[pam]

Every year since my children were born I have bought 3 Christmas tree ornaments. One for each child. I try to find something that represents each of them. When they get married or leave the home they will get to take their ornaments with them. That way they have a start for decorating their own trees away from home.

wow...so many interesting and great traditions!

Some of the things that my family did is that we always open up one gift on christmas eve. Then Cristmas morning my brother and I would wake up the folks at the Great Hour of about 3am. then..off to nanas and papaws for more christmas fun.
Also since we didnt have a fire place, for years my parents put up a cardboard fireplace so santa could come. We would gather around it and Dad would read the Christmas story form the Bible. And also of the time that He arose. For as my father put it "Without Him Being born here on earth, He could not have died for us later on. WE learned a valuable lesson around that cardboard fireplace. They still have it and gave it to my brother not long ago to carry on the tradition with his sons.
Another for years we would go to my uncles firehouse for the annual party. My brother and I would sit on santas lap and thank him for the candy cane and small gift. Not untill YEARS later..like 25 or so..did we find out that it was our own father. To carry on that tradition. I got to dres up as santa for my nephs one year. Mom and dad drove to tennessee and I followed a few hours behind them. I got there long after the kids were put to bed. I changed in the garage and very quietly tip toed to the tree. My brother was filming "Santa" from a "hidden location" and on que i made a bit of noise..out of the corner of my eye i see 2 little heads pop around the corner. In "Ho Ho's" voice i say...hmmm...i wonder if they are up? Never seen the youngest move so fast (he had just turned 2 at the time)! it was priceless to see the look on thier faces. They scooted off to bed so fast it woke up the whole house. To this day they never figured out how Unka got there right after Santa.

This year. We are hoping to have all the family together. will be the first time in many years. Will be noisy with all the little ones. but well worth all the family together for a much needed family portrait.

[susieSA]

Oh man that is just too cute GR... hehe

I can't remember this but always heard about it & have a photo as proof...
When we were still in play school my dad used to dress up as the Santa....
Now my dad has black eye brows so for us not to recognise him he used to put on sunglasses & cotton wool on his eyebrows... Totally fooled us...

My dad has dressed up as the Santa for Primary for years.... Had to do the same thing for his eye brows - all the kiddies know my dad... The funny part was the dog not recognising my dad when he left home dressed as Santa....
Now my brother dresses up as Santa for the Primary Christmas party... We joke and say that it has now been passed down.. hehe...

We were hoping to be with family for Christmas... This will be little dude's first Christmas in SA... But due to a few things we won't be able to make the trip...
But I am totally planning on making memories of our own...