Personal Christmas Celebrations/Traditions

12-06-2002, 11:40 PM #1 (**permalink**)

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Do you have any special Celebrations/Traditions that you and your family take part in at Christmas?

Do you sit around a fire on Christmas Eve and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas?

How about reading the beautiful story from the Bible about the birth of Jesus?

Do you listen to special music as you decorate your tree? Do you have a special way that you decorate your tree? Special ornaments for each person in your family??

Please take a few minutes and share those special moments with us.

I'm sure that people would love to start a new family tradition or maybe there are some newly weds out there that want to start a special tradition for theirselves.

Thanks for your Ideas!!

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12-06-2002, 11:49 PM #2 (**permalink**)

When our first daughter was born we purchased a special Christmas ornament for her. It said "Babies 1st Christmas" Then every year at Christmas we would get another ornament with her name on it for that year. Each ornament we would date it so that we would know what year it was from.

Also I still have several ornaments that I made when I was a small child. As I put them on the tree each year I remember when I made them.

There is also the ornaments that my Mother crocheted for each of us several years ago. They match the beautiful thread crochet angel she made for me. Even though she is no longer here to enjoy the holidays with us in person~her spirit will forever live on thru the beautiful ornaments she made special just for us!

Christmas Blessings~

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12-07-2002, 12:14 AM #3 (**permalink**)

I have purchased a tree ornament for every Christmas for each of my children each ornament is an important event of that year , The year my son learned to drive , his baseball stint, hockey ect...my daughters figure skates, the year she cut her own hair, the year she found frogs.. When they where little we always had a cake for baby Jesus and as they got older my younger sister took over with her younger children, this year my neice has a new daughter so she will carry on the tradition.

We go to midnight mass and open 1 gift each always new pajamas and still at 22 and 20 they wait for this gift.

There are many more traditions but these are a few of my favs!

MissWillo

12-07-2002, 02:36 AM #4 (**permalink**)

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We lived in Germany for three years while I was growing up. I was in grade 3 by then - and no longer believed in "Santa". In Germany, the tradition is to open the gifts on the 24th, after going to church. They don't decorate until then, and then leave them up until the feast of Epiphany (the twelve days of Christmas). Our family modified that tradition slightly. We go to a midnight service together and then come home and open our presents then. Even now, when I no longer live at home, I still stay overnight on the 24th and we follow this tradition.

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12-10-2002, 12:13 AM #5 (**permalink**)

I grew up in Mexico City, X-mas is celebrated a little different down there and happens to be some of my best childhood memories. We have "Posadas", which I think start around the 16th of Dec. to Christmas Eve, everynight, someone in the family (we've got large families) or in the neighborhood sponsors one. People get together at night, Some of the people stay in their homes and the majority goes to the street with candles re-creating Joseph and Mary's journey as they try to find a place to stay, all the while knocking on doors until finally someone (the host home for the night) lets them in. All this is done singing back and forth between the crowd outside and the people in their homes. Afterwards, everyone eats and drinks a very delicious hot (real) fruit punch. Also when the nativity set is brought out, the baby Jesus isn't set out until Christmas Eve at midnight. Dec 24, through out the day is the time to visit relatives, A huge meal is prepared but we weren't allowed to eat until after midnight. Same thing with presents, couldn't open them till midnight. Reason is that since Jesus was supposed to have been born at midnight and Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of his birth. We didn't have Santa Claus, we had The 3 Kings. The gifts we got Christmas Eve were small presents, a few weeks before we'd each pull a name out of a hat, and thats whom we had to get something for. But on January 6th, now we're talking toys! On the fifth at night we'd leave our letter for the 3 Kings in our shoe (I don't know why, but its tradition) come morning time, our shoes along with a bunch of toys be hidden all around the house. Now that i'm all grown up and I get a chance to spend 3 Kings Day in Mexico, I love going along to shop for the kids in the family. Someone is assinged to watch them overnight on the 5th, and all the shopping is done throughout the night. Downtown is lit up, all the stores and markets open and tons of parents shopping for their kids. Sorry its too long, just got carried away with my memories..... [img]images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]images/smiley_icons/Thinkingof_.gif[/img]

04-28-2003, 05:15 PM #6 (**permalink**)

I also have bought my daughter an ornament every year of her life. One of these ornaments is a chart that you write her height and weight and the date... My mother did this for me and it was a great keepsake. We also have our friends over every Christmas eve for a cookie exchange. At night before my daughter goes to bed I also read her twas the night before christmas.