A random assortment of reports, thoughts, ramblings and information. Pretty much a view inside my wonderfully complicated, sometimes broken, and entertaining mind.
Christmas Traditions
This is now my second Christmas here in Alberta with my love. Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year, and I grew up with lots of different traditions. Of course traditions change over time, but I guess it is a bit sad that I feel like I have almost none of those traditions left.
We used to always go visit my grandma on Christmas Eve. It would be a huge Christmas dinner with all of my cousins and aunts and uncles. We would have dinner and then open presents. As I got older, I would never eat the dinner (my grandma is an awful cook - shhhh don’t tell her), and instead we would order pizza and play board games and have hot chocolate with Baileys. My mom and brothers would always stay over, or I would stay over at their house so that we were together for Christmas morning.
Christmas morning we would get up at 7:00 am. Every since I was a little girl, that was the time we were allowed to get out of bed. We would go up to the living room and sneak a peak at what Santa brought before going into our parents room to get them up. Even as I grew older, my oldest brother would sneak into my room Christmas morning around 2:00 am and we would be awake because we were too excited to sleep.
When we were finally allowed to open presents, we would start with our stockings. This has always been my favorite part. And then one of us would put on the Santa hat and hand out the gifts. Usually I got to do this part. And I loved watching others open their gifts.
We would then have a big breakfast, wearing our new Christmas PJs, which I would wear the entire day.
After cleaning up from breakfast, we would usually have some down time before the extended family came over for dinner. We would have turkey and potatoes and vegetables.
After dinner, we would play cards and board games, and then end our night by taking a drive/walk around town to see the Christmas lights.
A lot of these things changed when I moved away from my family. I have been blessed the last two years - I get to see my family on December 26, so we get to do a few of those things together, and pretend it is Christmas Day. However, Asslvr and I haven’t really established a lot of our traditions.
One of the problems is that Asslvr’s family is so sporadic and don’t plan anything. Therefore it is usually last minute before they make up their minds, and we kind of have to just go along with them. We have decided that this is the last year that this is going to happen. Next year, we are going to do our own thing and they will be invited. The same for when we have our own children. I don’t want to rely on other people to make our plans.
So, as we try to establish some of our traditions, I was hoping you might be willing to share of yours with us.
Currently, we have Christmas eve dinner with Asslvr’s family and exchange gifts. This year, we are also going to go to the Christmas Eve Church Service at the Church that I work at. When we get home we are going to exchange the Christmas PJs we bought each other, and then we will probably go to bed.
In the morning we will do our Christmas together and then have breakfast with Asslvr’s parents.
And that is that we have so far ….
What are your current Christmas traditions? Your favorites? Things you would love to do, but don’t get to? Please share them with us!!!
We used to always go visit my grandma on Christmas Eve. It would be a huge Christmas dinner with all of my cousins and aunts and uncles. We would have dinner and then open presents. As I got older, I would never eat the dinner (my grandma is an awful cook - shhhh don’t tell her), and instead we would order pizza and play board games and have hot chocolate with Baileys. My mom and brothers would always stay over, or I would stay over at their house so that we were together for Christmas morning.
Christmas morning we would get up at 7:00 am. Every since I was a little girl, that was the time we were allowed to get out of bed. We would go up to the living room and sneak a peak at what Santa brought before going into our parents room to get them up. Even as I grew older, my oldest brother would sneak into my room Christmas morning around 2:00 am and we would be awake because we were too excited to sleep.
When we were finally allowed to open presents, we would start with our stockings. This has always been my favorite part. And then one of us would put on the Santa hat and hand out the gifts. Usually I got to do this part. And I loved watching others open their gifts.
We would then have a big breakfast, wearing our new Christmas PJs, which I would wear the entire day.
After cleaning up from breakfast, we would usually have some down time before the extended family came over for dinner. We would have turkey and potatoes and vegetables.
After dinner, we would play cards and board games, and then end our night by taking a drive/walk around town to see the Christmas lights.
A lot of these things changed when I moved away from my family. I have been blessed the last two years - I get to see my family on December 26, so we get to do a few of those things together, and pretend it is Christmas Day. However, Asslvr and I haven’t really established a lot of our traditions.
One of the problems is that Asslvr’s family is so sporadic and don’t plan anything. Therefore it is usually last minute before they make up their minds, and we kind of have to just go along with them. We have decided that this is the last year that this is going to happen. Next year, we are going to do our own thing and they will be invited. The same for when we have our own children. I don’t want to rely on other people to make our plans.
So, as we try to establish some of our traditions, I was hoping you might be willing to share of yours with us.
Currently, we have Christmas eve dinner with Asslvr’s family and exchange gifts. This year, we are also going to go to the Christmas Eve Church Service at the Church that I work at. When we get home we are going to exchange the Christmas PJs we bought each other, and then we will probably go to bed.
In the morning we will do our Christmas together and then have breakfast with Asslvr’s parents.
And that is that we have so far ….
What are your current Christmas traditions? Your favorites? Things you would love to do, but don’t get to? Please share them with us!!!
Total Comments 2
Comments
-
Our Christmas traditions always involved family. My family is divorced, so sometimes we would stay with dad, or stay home with mom. Every other holiday was this way. The traditions from there were different. We always celebrated Christmas day with one and then celebrated with the other after the holidays. We were raised not to be too materialistic, so the trip itself was a present, and then also things we really needed like clothes during the school year. The traditions varied between them. At my dads we didn't eat until noon when we would have the big holiday meal for the day. We would open presents when everyone was awake. At mom's we all woke up early and the adults made coffee. My sister and I had two hats, one of us would be Santa's helper and pass the presents out, the other would collect all the wrapping paper at the end and put it in a garbage bag. At mom's we would invite people over for dinner and dessert. My memories of the food.. Everyone pretty much has to be rolled out the door because they stuff themselves silly. We always cooked to feed an army at mom's.
At Dad's we sometimes went out to see a movie in the theaters and then home to enjoy our gifts before bed.
I am not surrounded by family this year, but I do have friends. My family is a few hours ahead of me in time differences. I too am trying to figure out my own traditions this year. I put my tree up with a Christmas movie and my puppy was excited as its his first Christmas. We go driving around with the windows down at night to look at the pretty Christmas lights and the Life sized inflatable snowmen and Santa Clauses. The puppy loves this, he hangs his head out slightly with his tongue out.
This year i celebrate the Christmas holiday by myself, but I already have plans to call my family. I can't wait to hear what they are doing this year..
Happy Holidays to you Butterfly.
Posted 12-21-2016 at 05:52 PM by starbaby13 
-
Thank you for your response. I do hope you had a great Christmas and that you were able to establish some new traditions.Posted 12-28-2016 at 08:55 PM by Butterfly
