Christmas Traditions?
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Topic: Christmas Traditions?
Posted By: josephnia
Subject: Christmas Traditions?
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 9:30pm
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Well, this will be our first 'family Christmas' with Blake and I'd really like to start some Christmas traditions - it's always been a very important occassion for us but apart from reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' we don't have any family traditions.
What do you do at Christmas time? Or what do you remember as a child growing up that made Christmas really special for you? -------------  
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Replies:
Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 11:39pm
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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. ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 7:05am
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We used to go to midnight mass, it was a treat to be up so late when we got home we'd be able to open 1 present.
Leaving beer! and biscuits out for Santa. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: gemsmum
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 7:35am
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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 ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 8:00am
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While DH sets up our nativity set I read Michaela the nativity story from her childrens bible and then DH showed her all the different characters in our nativity set. All the characters are out except baby Jesus who slots into a hole in Mary and on Christmas day Michaela will get to deliver the baby. A tradition we'll start next year when she's old enough is the Jesse tree. It's a small tree that is a symbol of Jesus' family tree. Each day we read a particular story from the bible and then place the symbol for that day on the Jesse tree. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=545 - http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=545 When we were kids mum and dad used to send us out with a big bowl to pick grass for the reindeer and we'd leave that on the patio for them and the obligatory beer and cookie out for santa (mum now tells me that 6 kids on Christmas eve were absolutely diabolical so they'd find us the biggest bowl they could to get us out of their hair for awhile). Our Santa sack were hung out just before bed on Christmas eve, never earlier, and when we woke in the morning 'Santa' had left them at the foot of our beds. Dad used to pour us each a teeny glass of sherry on Christmas eve once we were all bathed and in our pjs (apparently getting 6 kids to sleep on Christmas eve is diabolical too). -------------  
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Posted By: McPloppy
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 8:17am
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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. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: IVFGirl1111
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 8:56am
I  the Pjama idea too!
For us, it was going to Carols by candlelight on Christmas Eve and leaving out the beer, biscuits and a carrot for the raindeer! How cool is Christmas time!  ------------- TTC 6 years IVF it is IVF/ICSI round one 10 eggs, 8 mature, 3 fertilised BFN IVF/ICSI #2 = 22 eggs! 20 mature, 15 fertilised, 1 fresh transfer and 2 frosties BFN 2 Frosties still in freezer thank god |
Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 9:19am
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?!  ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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gemsmum wrote:Posted By: Daizy
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 9:47am
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We do the PJ thing too, I always thought it was nice for keira to be wearing nice pj's for christmas morning.
We havent yet bothered with a santa sack or busciuts before although It might be a fun thing to do with Keira now shes older. Christmas day we always have Santa (my Pop) turning up in some elaborate fashin, last year was on a motorbike, he has also turned up on a boat, in the roof, by helicopter (or so we were lead to believe :P) I am still so excited to see how hes going to get there this year
Christmas Eve, all us Grandkids used to put on a Christmas eve concert for the family, these used to be quite big productions and so much work was put into them, they were pretty cool. Since moving out of home everyone has sort of given up on them. I would love Keira when she is older do be able to do the same thing (she already has a song planned out she wants to sing for everyone.. aww!) We got to open one present on Chritmas eve for our efforts ------------- 
 
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 11:11am
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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. -------------  
 
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Posted By: ooEvaoo
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 2:29pm
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Gosh I haven't had any xmas traditions...growing up, or starting with Kahtrell!. We were just happy to have all our family together, which is now a rareity since we've all dispersed from the parental nest...usually have xmas hangi (guess that's a tradition lolz)...but these last few years have been having xmas at siblings houses...this year we're holding xmas. Things I am starting this year is a santa stocking for Kahtrell filled with little bits and pieces from $2 shop and lollies, and will also start the ornament thing too!. The inlaws christmas tree has an ornament for each member of the family so that's pretty cool. ------------- 
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Posted By: Kellygirl
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 5:43pm
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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. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 8:04pm
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We don't do pj's for the morning of Christmas because I don't like the smell (having had wet nappies in them all night) and I like them dressed for photos - okay so maybe a bit OCD LOL
Our Christmas traditions are... 1st December or Saturday close to it, spend the day decorating the house and tree. We put the Christmas lights on on random nights but they go on early on Christmas Eve night and stay on until all the presents are opened in the morning. We go to a Church service that night and pass several Christmas lights (ie people's homes having been decorated for public display) on the way home from there. On Christmas morning we get up and changed (and sometimes have breakfast depending on how pregnant I am or how young the "baby" is) and we open up our presents - letting the girls help read and pass out the pressies. The kids all have time to spend on their new possessions until about 11am when we usually are expected to leave to see my folks or the in-laws for Christmas dinner. However this year things have worked out on slightly different days so we will have the whole of Christmas Day to ourselves
On New Years we visit the family that we didn't get to see on Christmas Day and on New Years holiday (2nd January) we take down all the decorations and round out with a celebration dinner (those banging poppers, sparkling grape juice, party hats, roast dinner...) just for fun. ------------- |
Posted By: floss
Date Posted: 13 December 2008 at 9:13am
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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. ------------- My beautiful big girl Sienna 15.04.06 Double the trouble double the fun Noah & Lola 10/11/07 |
Posted By: sno0ze
Date Posted: 13 December 2008 at 11:04am
| Wow some really great ideas here, I have only read the twas before xmas book, and my DD able to have her stocking and then open the main presents later. |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 13 December 2008 at 11:46am
| 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. |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 13 December 2008 at 12:31pm
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just so you know....according to my nephew, beer being left out for Santa is a big no-no - drink driving he says.
we read some xmas stories too, the kids (including me and lew) have a santa sack. this year the kids are older so we are going xmas house stalking. then once they are in bed, the adults put out the presents and have some drinks and nibbles |
Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 13 December 2008 at 1:02pm
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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!!! ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |