I was just sitting sewing strips together for binding, which isn't exactly demanding, and my mind started to wander. (Yes, I can hear you at the back there muttering that that's nothing new!). In our house we always have a Chinese takeaway on Christmas Eve with as many of the family as we can gather together. It's great fun, and usually noisy. The big advantage for me is that I don't have to cook it. Oh, and there's very little clearing up/washing up to do afterwards. The takeaway that we go to usually gives us a nice desk calendar too, so there's an added bonus. So, do any of you have any Christmas traditions?
Mr Linky can be found
here if anyone is looking for it to add their name or just so they can go visiting.
My traditions have changed a lot in the past few years since my parents moved to Florida and I don't have a family of my own. But I enjoy being able to spend more time with my Granma on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We enjoy dinner and a movie on Christmas Eve and I am able to hide in a corner and knit or sew on Christmas Day! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm late:-).... but always better late than never :-) x x x
ReplyDeleteI've just read your latest post :-)
ReplyDeleteWe always watch for Father Christmas to go over on Christmas Eve :-) x x x .... unless anyone tells me different.... I make sure every one keeps at least one eye out for him.
One of my personal Christmas traditions that doesn't take place on Christmas Eve is to visit the Festival of Lights that takes place at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, Ma. That's about 30 minutes drive away. The lights are turned on at 5 pm, and I always want to be there for that because of the audible Oohs and Aahs coming from us spectaters. I pick a day when it's cold and wintery, because that's how I love it. There are hot cocoa and hot cider stalls about, and I always buy one before I start to walk around, a collection of creches, and 10 acres of 300,000 lights, it's a beautiful time.
ReplyDeleteIn my parent's home there was lots of tradition. Christmas Eve dinner was steak, Waldorf salad and baked potatoes. The only day of the year we ate steak or Waldorf salad. Christmas breakfast was grapefruit halves and pork pie. We could open our stockings when we woke up, then once everyone was awake we opened one gift before breakfast. After breakfast we opened the rest of the gifts, but in an orderly fashion, with one person opening a gift at a time so everyone could see. It took a while with four kids. Supper was turkey with bread stuffing, carrot, peas, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and bread pudding. Desert was English trifle (with lots of booze in it.) We always kept one present each to open after supper. In my home we have been less rigid with the customs and they change up from time to time. Last year we had smoked meat sandwiches for dinner on Christmas Day. We still keep the "no opening presents until eveyone is up and present :)" routine, although we let more than one person open at once.
ReplyDeleteWe always give the children (who are now adults) one gift to open on Christmas Eve. I didn't do this in our family but Dear Hubby's family always did. All the gifts from mom and dad were under the tree. The gift to open Christmas Eve had a big 24 on it. We really still do this. We almost didn't one year until the kids pitched a fit. Kids really DON'T grow up when it comes to Christmas!
ReplyDeleteOn Christmas Eve we have a fun party at my mom's. It's just family, but it is so much fun. We eat snacks all night, open presents, and track Santa.
ReplyDeleteHaving a new little man in the scene, we haven't really established any traditions yet. Usually just gather the family and eat, eat, eat!!!
ReplyDelete