Christmas Traditions?

We do the bikkies and beer for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer to share. I don't know if that counts as a tradition but its something I remember loving as a child (running in and checking the plate and cup to see if Santa had been) and that we do every year now.
I also started one of our own, every year the kids choose a Christmas decoration for Daddy. I write the year on the bottom of them so they can look back and laugh when they're older.

We inherited a tradition from my MIL. When we lived in England she gave each of the grandkids a new pair of PJ's/new nightie to wear on Xmas Eve. So now we are in NZ I still buy each of our kids a new pair of PJ's for Xmas Eve.
I've also started collecting Xmas tree ornaments. They get an ornament each (name and date them so everyone knows whos is whos) and when we pack up the tree they will have their own box to pack away their own decorations. When they leave home they will get to take the box with them so they have a start on decorations for their own trees.
Otherwise just the usual cookie for Santa, carrot for Rudolph and so on. One friend of mine used to leave a trail of glitter from the fireplace to the cookies (Santa's magic dust!) and chocolate covered raisins scattered around (reindeer poo!!). LOL.

I love family traditions....it helps kids feel safe, secure and loved.

Debs

I love your traditions mrs Mojo. i think it important children know the story of Jesus (not just christiens(sp) ) and that it is not just a santa and pressy thing.
Debs I like the new PJ idea, i think we will do that one too, you can tell your MIL that she has started something over here aswell
Well we give a special decoration in the stocking for the children (grandma sews and ebroiders the stockings, none are the same) I also make the santa sacks.
No beer for santa or DH will have to lock him up for drinking and driving...We leave a breathaliser kit out for him so he can check. Biscuits and coffee and a carrot for the reinder to share.

gemsmum wrote: We inherited a tradition from my MIL. When we lived in England she gave each of the grandkids a new pair of PJ's/new nightie to wear on Xmas Eve. So now we are in NZ I still buy each of our kids a new pair of PJ's for Xmas Eve. I've also started collecting Xmas tree ornaments. They get an ornament each (name and date them so everyone knows whos is whos) and when we pack up the tree they will have their own box to pack away their own decorations. When they leave home they will get to take the box with them so they have a start on decorations for their own trees.

We're doing the new pj thing too! So our "kids" (well one day it will be kids IYKWIM) will get one present to open on Christmas Eve and it will always be new pjs. Woop woop! We've already got Harry's for this year, they're so cute.

We also do the buying a decoration each year... actually I should label them with the years, that would be a good idea.

On Christmas Eve we tell the story of how Jesus was born, and whereever we are we go to church on Christmas morning (this year it will be to DH's Nana's church in a small town, last time there were about 12 people there! Lol).

Also the santa stockings get put out on Christmas eve, and get filled with lots of individually wrapped little things... fancy pens, lollies, choc, little toys, stickers etc. This year Harry just has 3 things - a shaker bells thing, bubbles (from $2 shop) and 1 thing of sultanas! lol.   The "rule" with stocking pressies is that they get opened as soon as the kids wake up, whereas the pressies from us are more 'sit around the Christmas tree as a family" sorta thing.

I also heard the tradition of each kid chooses a special box of cereal. That's wrapped as a pressie and opened on Christmas morning and their name is written on it in vivid. So then only they can eat that cereal, and they have it for breakfast on Christmas morning (something a bit special but not much cleaning up etc to do before church).

The rest of the day depends of what side of the family we're with.

My family, the kids take turns at being the "Christmas Elf / Angel", and choose a present from under the tree, deliver it to the person and say who it's from (eg. For Aunty K from Harry)... that person then opens it and everyone watches and admires the present. then the Elf/Angel delivers another present.

DH's family it's a bit less organised people just randomly give presents and kinda open them at the same time lol.

ETA: Oh and if we're at our own house (DH's family lives outta town so we stay with them), we do our own family presents after breakfast in the morning, before church, and then extended family (grandparents, aunties etc) presents wherever we go for Christmas lunch after church.

Can you tell I love Christmas and traditions?!

Edited by arohanui

Every year we choose a decoration so we'll let Rowan and her siblings do that from now on.

Also our family and AN_E's family go to midnight mass together which we'll probably not do this year but hopefully will do next year when the girls are older.

Plus I'm making her a Stocking this year. Then every year we'll add a felt shape to it to represent a current interest. The pattern is on marthastewart.com if anyone else is interested in doing that.

Growing up we always got to open one gift on Christmas Eve and every year it was PJ's. My mum now sends PJ's for my little ones to open on Christmas Eve.

Milk or Hot Chocolate and cookies (biscuits) or some sort of sweet for Santa with a note, carrots for the reindeers. Outside we sprinkle reindeer food (oatmeal with glitter) so the reindeer know where to land.

We also read the story of Baby Jesus.

I think leaving Beer out for Santa is hilarious, I had never heard of doing that until moving to NZ.

I have just got the kids Santa sacks this year which will be left out before bed and "santa" will fill during the night, we also will be doing the beer and cookies for Santa

I am also going to get Noels boot and dip it in flour to leave "Santa" footprints around the fireplace.

Aww I love some of these traditions, the kids chose a decoration each year but thats about all we have. I'm so stealing the PJs idea Jack will love it.

So great to read what everyone else does for Christmas!

We used to write our notes to Santa and send them up the chimney for him (in the good old days of open fires). Some years we went and stayed with Mum's parents for a week leading up to Christmas and on Christmas Eve Mum and Dad would come pick us up, we'd have Christmas dinner with Grandma and Grandad and then open one present and fall asleep on the drive back to Chch.

We were never allowed out of bed before 7am but used to find our stockings full at the foot of the bed when we woke up. We took them in to Mum and Dad's room to open them all together and then went into the lounge to open the rest of the loot from Santa!

Since DH and I moved in together I've done "stockings" (OK, pillow cases) full of little pressies and we always have a tree. This year I will be starting some more family traditions sooner than expected - we're hoping Callum will be home with us for Christmas so I can't wait!!!