Christmas Traditions

What are your family's Christmas traditions? My kids are at an age now where they are starting to get really excited about Christmas and I am keen to start some traditions of our own. My first that I have come up with is to buy the kids a brand new smart outfit as one of their pressies every year that they can wear on Christmas Day.

We are also starting one with the help from my Dad dressing up as Santa where all the coussies get a medal (gold wrapped chocolate) and a certificate for their outstanding behaviour of the year. We thought that would be a good way to recognise the really special things they do, and Santa will make a special appearance at our family do to present them.

For my dads side of the fam we do a big late lunch with all that side (normally before xmas day) and then xmas eve we do dinner with mum and her partner, and then on xmas day we do breakfast with mum and brunch with dad lol, Tyler will get a present in bed on xmas morning (as thats what we always did as kids). Im wanting to start T up with a little wooden train set and every year get another train or track to add to it, but not sure yet!

Lol, I got so excited I put the tree up on Monday! I just couldn't wait!
But that's normally our tradition too, Dec 1!

We might do advent calendars too next year.

And this year we are doing something on Xmas eve - BBQ in the park and I believe that's instead of going to Waikanae for Xmas Lunch because ILs are going away and hoping to leave after Bfast with MIL side of fam.

We don't really have any traditions aside from the big family lunch at one of the houses. It tends to be my cousins as they have a big house with two living areas a pool etc. As kids it used to be every second year at our house.

The tree used to go up the day we finished school and decorated as we get a real tree.

Am wanting to do the christmas decoration thing for DD, didn't do it last year but will just get two this year, probably one in the sales after xmas.

Growing up mum always put up the tree cause thats her thing... but christmas eve some people went to church and we'd read christmas stories and go to bed. We were't allowed ouit of our rooms til 7am we used to sit and count down LOL then we'd open christmas stockings have breakfast and go to church come home have massive cooked lunch and when ALL of the dishes were done we'd sit down and do all the resents under the tree. Then people would nap, rest, read, play, we'd have afternoon tea and then dinner would be an assortment of leftover lunch and nibbles.
We have a big family so its a crazy day.

I've started our own Chritmas traditions. I put up the chrstmas tree on Dec 1st. and we have aven calender which I've put a jelly bean in each pocket. (3 days later and DS has already worked out that after breakfast he gets a jelly bean) On CHristmas Eve we'll have a roast meal and I'll read the kiddies a christmas story. THen in the morning they'll have a stocking and we'll open the presents under our tree. Then drive 1/2 hour to IL's for lunch and presents. Then drive another 10 mins to my family for presents and dinner then we'll drive all the way back home again and DH and I will complain the whole night about each other family and how next year will do it different. LMAO

Jaxnz1 wrote: Chocolate for breakfast!!

Yum!