shopping mom Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 What is yours or your family's favorite holiday tradition. (You can have more than one if you need too:yup:) Things you only do during the holidays. I'll answer my own question later when I have thought about it some more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momof5plus1hubby Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 When it gets closer to the big day we drive around and look at the Christmas lights We take a picture of the kids infront of the tree Christmas Eve. Boys r in green. Girls r in red. We bake cookies about a week before christmas any kind we like we bake lol. I have the little ones sprinkle reindeer food and they put out choc milk n a brownie cause santa gets tired of cookies n reg milk lol. Also carrots n water for the reindeers. I cant think of anymore right now:confused: I will have to get back to ya lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgmckny Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 We like to drive around and look at the lights, well I like to and my mil can't drive at night anymore and loves the lights, so we usually go to dinner and then drive around and look at the lights. The last few years, my ds11 has wanted to bake fresh cookies for Santa on Christmas eve and frost them (yum for me later...). We leave Santa a note where to find the milk or other beverage of his choice, 'cuz Santa doesn't like warm milk.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitlinn Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Every year we go shopping and I have each of my kids pick out their own ornament to put on the tree. It is really expanding our collection, and it's great to see how their tastes have changed in these few short years!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amberleigh2 Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 we always go to the "north pole" on christmas eve, a few years ago I discovered a house that welcomes people to come visit, they have a huge house & windy wrap around drive~way, it is decorated to the max, I mean unbeleivable!! there is so much to look at, the kids were just in amazement the 1st time & really everytime we go, they add new stuff every year... The first year we did it a snow storm had just hit, the roads were really bad getting out, I played it all up & told them some big story of how we got there so fast, it's only bout 20 min away, but I told them something crazy & they fell for it well ds12 played along anyways for ds & dd!! So anyways we always look foward to our annual trip to the "north pole"!! We also do cookies for santa & lots of pics by the tree!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohitsunshine Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 We love to drive around and look at the lights, we always decorate the tree the day after Thanksgiving, and we always bake about 5-6 different kinds of cookies and mail them out to our family. Living away from everyone we are forced to start some new traditions of our own- our holidays used to be filled with daily events we had to drag ourselves to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilgetumipretty Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) DH is an engineer for Amtrak and when he has to work on Christmas the kids (DD & DS) and I go with him. He dresses in the pinstriped "engineer" bibs with a red shirt and Santa hat and decorates the cab of the engine with lights. It looks like a disco inside! lol:cheesy: The kids and I pass out candy canes to everyone on the train with Merry Christmas wishes. And I get a Heavenly Ham and make a Christmas dinner for us and the rest of the crew. Edited September 24, 2008 by ilgetumipretty grammar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pogiporkchop Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 I always make a batch of my grandma's peppercookies. It's the only time of year I will make them :9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassgurlie04 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Taking a ride around the area to view all the pretty lights, and taking the boys to the fire station for the train garden, they love it and my parents took me every year when i was a kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbaldasare Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Reading a mini christmas story each night from December 1st until the 24th. The boys love picking out the number we are on every night. At 12 and 9, I love that they still want to cuddle up with mom for story time! Christmas Bingo with candy prizes! Last year we started a new family tradition and I hope to continue it for a long time. I hide a pickle ornament somewhere on the tree and whoever finds it, gets a little treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JollyGG Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 My five year old already loves midnight mass. This year already he asked if we could go to church in the middle of the night again. (Too bad our local parish doesn't have midnight mass) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vsa3janes Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Since I was 5 yrs old we have each had a bird ornament to hang on the tree. Even as we have grown Mom still saves the birds for us to hang when we stop by. As the family has grown with spouses and kids I have bought each new person a bird to hang. This year we will proudly be adding my new grandson's bird to the tree. Christmas morning when we open gifts the stocking must be opened first. No matter what Santa brings unwrapped the stocking have always came first. Funny we always had stocking Christmas morning but for my sister in law and her husband this is so exciting. They never had stockings as kids. Each family brings a tray of cookies to my Mom's house for dessert. It must be a different type of cookie, Mom make the traditional choc chip, peanut butter and snowballs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abentley Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Years ago in a church activity ago my MIL made each of her sons a book in a church activity that is Christmas stories to be read with the kids every evening. On December 1st, she would give the families a little something like hot cocoa, popcorn, whatever to snack on while reading the stories. It has become a little treasure in my home. So many of the classic stories in one book, and something the kids will always remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josetann Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Past two or three year's we've stayed at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville for a night or two. Last year we stayed the night before Christmas Eve, so we checked out on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, we have breakfast with my Mom and if he's not working, my brother. Been going to Shoney's for probably over 15 years now, but it still feels not quite like tradition. Originally we went to a place called Pancake House. At some point my grandmother decided she wanted to go somewhere else, and we ended up at Shoney's. Anyways, we tend to hang around my mom's for a bit before heading over to my dad's. His side of the family has most of the festivities on Christmas Eve. We used to go to someone else's house and have a big get-together, now we pretty much just go to his house and stay there until late Christmas Eve. Then we head home (which is 3+ hours away), arrive exhausted, and are pretty tired on Christmas day (which so far I've insisted we spend at home). May need to tweak it this year, I'd like to get home earlier on Christmas Eve. Anyways, within about a week past Christmas we head out to my wife's side of the family and have a get together at her sister's house (my wife gets Thanksgiving, her sister gets Christmas). Last year was our first Christmas in our new house so far from our family (we used to be 15-60 minutes away from immediate family, now it's 3 hours or more), so we've still got some adjusting to do. We'll have a more solid routine within a few years I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shopping mom Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 .On Christmas Eve we go to my parents church. The candelight service is usually singing and some poems and scripture reading. Then we go to the in-laws and open presents. I always fix them a stocking and I honestly think they like that more than the gifts. We take our time and have snack type foods. Then on Christmas morning we open stockings first. (Last year all the kids had those huge ones from the dollar tree packed full...this year I am going to do the super tiny ones with gift cards to favorite places for the older ones.. I going to tell them I washed them and they shrunk) After stockings we have a HUGE breakfast. Finally time to open presents which we do one person one present at a time. In the past it has taken the rest of the day to open gifts. I love seeing their faces even now. During the month of Dec we will be shoppping, wrapping and baking cookies and making candy. We will also look for opportunities to help someone less fortunate to have a Merry Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaInNC Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 My mom always made "Pine Bark" for the holidays - it's like toffee bars. She passed away 2 1/2 years ago. The only 2 people that have the recipe are me and my DD13. DD13 has made it now for the past 2 Christmases. My sister asked her for the recipe and she said no. lol My mom would never give the recipe out because she told her friends that if they made it all the time, her gift wouldn't be special anymore. So DD has decided to carry on her gram's tradition and keep the receipe a secret too. I also make Reese Peanut Butter cup cookies only at Christmas. Everyone looks forward to those too! We also open one gift on Christmas Eve. The kids always look forward to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathGirl Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 One of my favorite traditions is Christmas shopping with my Mom. We have a great relationship and have soo much fun together. We live about 1500miles away so when she comes to visit before Christmas, we shop. She will be here October 8th and leave around November 9th and we will do shopping then. When ever one of us is stuck on what to get someone, it always helps to have someone to help you come up with ideas. I am super excited because my Mom and Dad are also going to try to come out for Christmas! Another favorite tradition is putting up our tree. DH and I make hot chocolate and have Christmas movies playing while we decorate our tree. He puts on the lights and then we pick out our ornaments, a mix of old and new, homemade and store bought. Our tree never looks the same, which I love and it is always so pretty. On Christmas Eve we stuff each others stockings. My Mom made our stockings when we were kids and she made a new set for my DH and I when we got married. They are red with embroidery and even include fabric from clothes I wore when I was little. They have our names on them and some of our favorite things embroidered on them. Snowflakes, Christmas lights, a football for my husband and a doll for me. I LOVE our Stockings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kboyts Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 I ask my daughter (3) to leave beef jerky for santa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scanner420 Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Decorating the tree and listening to christmas music. (usually the week after THG, but we're doing it early since we'll be in Disney.) Cookie Day with DW's sisters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyfanamo Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Before I got married I would hold a Christmas Eve dinner at my apartment. My family doesn't really do much for Christmas so this was a way to get people together. My husband and I love to go around to the different neighborhoods and look at the lights. We also purchase a special ornament each year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vsa3janes Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 A tradition I started the year my granddaughter, now 9, was born and will now do for my grandson is to purchase an ornament each year that has a special meaning or is related to an event from the year. In the ornament box I place a note from me to her explaining why I purchased the ornament and date it. Then I pack them away in a plastic storage container. When she has a home of her own I will give her the ornaments to decorate her tree. Neither my daughter or granddaughter know I started this tradition so someday in the future it should be a good surprise for both of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherril Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 we started last year with my dad buying the kids a Hallmark ornament. and I saw a new snowman series starting this year that I want to start for our family. we also drive around looking at lights bake cookies and cakes and whatever else we decide to bake On Christmas Eve everyone gets to open one gift. but after the kids are asleep and we have everything out for the kids and picture perfect dh and I exchange our gifts to each other because we like to focus all our attention on the kids Christmas morning especially since they are so young. There might be more I just cant think of anymore right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokanm Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 We open one gift and always read The Night Before Christmas. They get annoyed now with this or so they say..but deep down I know they love this tradition and will carry it on with their own families Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Mommy Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 We go a few times and look at lights. The last few years I have had everyone over here for Christmas Eve dinner so we haven't been able to go on Christmas Eve. I recently became a SAHM again so this years dinner will be early so I can get everyone out of here and look at lights! My Mom and sister come over and we make cookies with my boys. We have a list we like to do and it differs from year to year. We get our tree and set it up the weekend after Thanksgiving. I usually start listening to Christmas music in October and I think my boys ages 14 and 7 will do the same with their family. They love it! :) We also let the boys open 2 gifts Christmas Eve night, a small toy and ALWAYS p.j.s. My little one sprinkles reindeer food out on the front lawn and leaves Santa cookies and a Pepsi. Santa doesn't like milk! Dh goes out after ds is in bed and we soak dry dog food in water and after it puffs up we sprinkle it outside for reindeer droppings. Ds loves it! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokanm Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 We also go here every year, although I swear it is the coldest place on earth I know it gets awards for its decorations/lights on a national basis www.lasalette-shrine.org then click on Christmas It is beautiful and the trip is always followed up with hot chocolate to help warm up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMommy Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 (edited) Christmas Tree Cakes!! They are my weakness. It's a good thing they're only available a few months a year. 1. Christmas music, I can't help it but I love XMas music. 2. I love wrapping presents. Of course I make my own bows too. My family usually tries to save them b/c they say they can't bear to throw them away. :) 3. One night we will go out driving just to look at XMas lights. We are planning on starting a new tradition this year. We live about 3 hours from Gatlinburg. This year we are planning on taking a day trip up there. There is this great place for breakfast, it's called The Pancake Pantry. It's in The Village. If you've ever been to Gatlinburg you probably know where I'm talking about. We are going to go early, eat breakfast when we get there (they serve till 2pm), then go shopping. There are some great little shops up there with gifts I couldn't get around here. Edited October 7, 2008 by SuperMommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarerice Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 We put up our tree on Thanksgiving night ot the night after. We watch Christmas Vacation while we go it. And then Christmas morning we all sit around the tree and open prosents. I love Christmas night when everything is settled and we look back and all talk about how thankful we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToastyOasty Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Christmas Tree Cakes!! They are my weakness. We are planning on starting a new tradition this year. We live about 3 hours from Gatlinburg. This year we are planning on taking a day trip up there. There is this great place for breakfast, it's called The Pancake Pantry. It's in The Village. If you've ever been to Gatlinburg you probably know where I'm talking about. We are going to go early, eat breakfast when we get there (they serve till 2pm), then go shopping. There are some great little shops up there with gifts I couldn't get around here. I live about 30 minutes from Gatlinburg! Have you ever been in the winter? Its GORGEOUS! If you havent been to Dollywood at Christmas you hafta go!! There's nothing like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMommy Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 I live about 30 minutes from Gatlinburg! Have you ever been in the winter? Its GORGEOUS! If you havent been to Dollywood at Christmas you hafta go!! There's nothing like it. Yeah, we went in January one year, WE FROZE!!! The high everyday was supposed to be in the low 60s, it only barely hit 30 till the last day when it was it hit mid 60s. I couldn't even get warm in the room. But yes, I have been to DollyWood with all the lights, and yes it's gorgeous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleman4905 Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 we start our traditions on thanksgiving with putting up the tree, then the day after me and hte oldest daughter would go shopping, once we got back and resyed we'd take teh 2 younger to teh dollar tree so they could do their shopping *they loved telling their friends they went the4 day after thanksgivin* then we wrap sme of the presents and put them under the tree..we listen to musica all through the season. But what i will miss most is something my sister and I started when the kids were little we would leave them gifts from "santa" starting the week of Thanskgiving and every week on different days we'd leave more,..one a week till x-mas,..small reminders to believe and behave ..cards in the mail, a small gift on their beds, we even put trinkets on our doorsteps when the kids were in their bedrooms rang the doorbell and had the kids answer the door,..they would get so excited anticipating santas next gift,..we've done large coloring books, socks, candy, anything we could find that was cute but cheap!! One time the kids were misbehaving terribly so we sent them a small lump of coal from teh toy store with a note saying that more would come if they didnt straighten up ..now they no longer believe it makes me sad sitting here thingking about the fun we had with this.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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