[DisneyTeacher]

I always enjoy hearing about how other families spend their holidays. What are some of the traditions special to your family?

Our Christmas eve traditions are some of my favorite memories with my family.

After we put our tree up we start reading The Polar Express every night and on Christmas eve we read that book again along with Twas the Night Before Christmas.

After we read our stories we go out and leave Santa's reindeer some food. We sprinkle reindeer food over the lawn and leave a few carrots near by. We then turn off all TVs and computers and just listen to Christmas music and enjoy time together as a family. We don't have dinner, we just have snacks while playing games and talking.

We decided that cheese and crackers were good for Santa, he has to get tired of all those cookies! He also must get sick of all that milk too, so we leave him a very nice bottle of wine a couple of glasses.

After checking the Weather Channel to check the Santa Tracking we put DS to bed where he stays awake as long as he can waiting to hear Santa arrive.

What are some of the holiday traditions special to your family?

[WEDINDISNEY]

Every year for the past 10 years on christmas eve I always go into work around 8pm and give out a Christmas Message over the radio.(Iwork in Law enforcement) So all the officers that have kids turn on their portable radios to hear when santa is over our area etc.
Then after I leave work I meet up with my DH and we meet with some friends over at the local hospital and visit with the patients and staff and pass out cookies and some other little goodie bags that we make the night before. We have only been doing this for about the past 3 years.
Then we finally head home and watch A Christmas Story (which most of us know they run for 24 hours from x-mas eve to x-mas) and let our kids (the doggies) open 1 gift and then its off to night night.

[Dana]

Amy -good for you. Great tradition even if it's only been for the last three years, it's great to give something of yourself to others. I am very proud to know you.


My tradition is: I work until 7:30pm. I come home and my parents have my whole family over for drinks etc. Me and my DD open our gifts from each other. Mine to her always tend to get lost in the pile from Santa. This way she actually remembers what I gave her..:laugh Santa doesn't get milk or cookies here either Stephanie...he has to get tired of the same ol' thing. He gets a nice cold beer and some chips and dip. Variety is good right? DD then goes to bed after we also leave food on the lawn for the reindeer. My BF comes over right after she goes to bed and helps me do "my work" and then I wrap all of his gifts for him so his family doesn't get presents wrapped in newspapaer and duct tape. Not a very spiritual tradition, but it's what we do.

[tiggerlover1971]

well since I have met my husband I started celebrating Christmas ( before it was just Chanukah we buy a special ornament every year to go on our tree and we usually go to his sisters for christmas dinner but since she is going to louisiana this year we will spending a quiet one with just ourselves and my family

[Captgoodguy]

You know Dana, a lot can be said for duct tape! *wink*

We have a tradition that doesn't actually take place on Christmas. It's the few weeks before when we put up our tree. We always have the George C. Scott version of "A Christmas Carol" playing on TV while we decorate.

[Dana]

Originally posted by Captgoodguy
You know Dana, a lot can be said for duct tape! *wink*

I know...:laugh :laugh But seriously, his parents are elderly and it would take his poor father till next year to open it the way he wraps it in duct tape. The first year I wrapped them for him, his parents thought he had the mall to it for him....:laugh :laugh

[DisneyTeacher]

The duct tape reminded me of the Christmas before my DH and I got married. Years ago, my DH's little brother lived with him for his last 2 years of high school. For the first time ever, he had to wrap his own gifts before we all headed home for the holidays. He used white cloth medical tape to wrap my Christmas present, it was so funny.

[Dana]

Originally posted by DisneyTeacher
The duct tape reminded me of the Christmas before my DH and I got married. Years ago, my DH's little brother lived with him for his last 2 years of high school. For the first time ever, he had to wrap his own gifts before we all headed home for the holidays. He used white cloth medical tape to wrap my Christmas present, it was so funny.

:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh My little brother wrapped his with napkins and band-aids when he was in grammar school one year. My mother wanted to scream, but it was to cute.

[MickeyRon]

I love traditions! I think that is what makes holidays so special!! Here is ours:

On the 23rd, we drive down to Cincy and get a hotel room so the DD's can swim and enjoy the hotel... they love that!! We then hang out in Cincy (actually KY, across the river) with Great Grandma and then head to Grandma's for the night... we then get back on the road to Columbus around 10 - 11 PM and my DW and I have our own special time together at 2AM... it is really cool. We both tend to be night owls and this is a very special time for us!

On Christmas morning we read the Christmas Story and then open gifts (early!) Then we just rest and relax and THIS YEAR WE WILL ENJOY THE DISNEY PARADE! (found out about it on this site!), then we will go to the other Grandma's house to enjoy Christmas dinner... It's a full weekend, but oh sooo much fun!!:love:

[goofygal1975]

Our christmas tradition seems to end up changing in one small way or another each year.

Whenever I get home from work on Christmas Eve, my son and I decorate cookies that we make (this year i'll have to make the sugar cookies in advanced since i wont be home unit 6pm). We usually order out pizza or get something quick to eat. We get together with some family memebers (usually changes each year) and go look at christmas lights. (there is a neighborhood that collects $$ or food donations and thier whole neighborhood is decorated, we usually go a few time) We go to quite a few areas to see lights, listening to christmas music on the radio and listening for reports on where Santa is. We also go online now to see where he is. (my son loves this!!)

Then when we get home, we put out the christmas cookies and milk, the reindeer food outside, and we read the Christmas story. If there is time we usually watch a christmas tape before he goes off to bed. (Which is usually pretty late since he is *determined* to see Santa Claus!!)

When I *know* he is asleep for good, I do all my work and head off to bed.


*** When my sister and i were young, she'd stay the night in my room every Christmas Eve, and we'd always sneak up around 3am to see how many presents we had, and to go through our stockings!! Santa got smart though and started hiding them, leaving a note in our parents room as to where they were!! Hahaha.***

[ajbdk5]

Each year DH and I drink way too much egg-nog and wake up under the tree..........in our BACKYARD:p :whistle: :D

[Dana]

Originally posted by ajbdk5
Each year DH and I drink way too much egg-nog and wake up under the tree..........in our BACKYARD:p :whistle: :D

:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

[DisneyTeacher]

Originally posted by ajbdk5
Each year DH and I drink way too much egg-nog and wake up under the tree..........in our BACKYARD:p :whistle: :D

LOL Amy! That reminds me of two years ago when our DS just would not go to sleep so Santa could get to work. We ended up drinking way too much of Santa's wine and boy was Christmas morning rough. Needless to say, I passed on a glass of wine with my Christmas dinner.

[Jacki]

Originally posted by ajbdk5
Each year DH and I drink way too much egg-nog and wake up under the tree..........in our BACKYARD:p :whistle: :D

Way tooooooooo funny Amy, I can just picture it!!!:laugh :laugh :laugh

We always leave the reindeer food and a COCA-COLA for Santa along with some chips, your right variety is GOOD!!!!

Always Coca-Cola!!!

[mickaholic4077]

One of my favorite traditions is when we all get together on Christmas Eve. The signal for us all to go upstairs for presents is my sister puts Frank Sinatra's version of Jingle Bells(I love those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells)in the CD player,and my niece and nephew ring the bells and we all go and unwrap our presents.