Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Family Tradition

So. It's almost Christmas. Again.

I'm not entirely sure how this is possible since it was just March like three days ago. But the calendar confirms it. I can't stop it, even if I try. (And I'm not the Grinch or anything, so I'm not going to try. No worries)

I'm looking for something, though. Something new.

I want a new tradition.

We do one present on Christmas Eve (and, for the first time in thirteen Christmases, I believe the children have finally figured out what's in the boxes). We have Christmas lasagna. We even have a birthday cake for Jesus. We love him so bad.

All of that is good and I can't imagine changing any of those, but I want to do something else too.

The problem is, I suck. And I can't think of anything new.

So what do you do? What are your special family traditions? Christmas Eve church service? Whiskey shots with grandpa? Nothing is to zany for me to consider.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Christmas Eve, present followed by Christmas Vacation movie with mudslides and cocktails.

Christmas Day, stockings a few small gifts and a big lunch.

Meredith said...

We do 10:30 candlelight service on Christmas Eve.

This is the 2nd Christmas since their dad and I separated, and I've asked the boys to each let me know what are the most important "traditions" or activities to them, so I can make sure we do them. I don't want the kids to feel disappointed because I forgot something.

We were going to do the Christmas Shoeboxes as a family this year, but ran out of time and the kids were at their dad's the weekend they were due, so I did them myself. Next year, though....

For me? On the years we actually put up a tree (because I hate taking it down), I spend at least one night enjoying a glass of wine with all the lights off except the tree lights.

Jill said...

Someone else posted the same thing earlier. Her kids are 2. We definitely do Christmas eve service. We used to drive to visit family, but this year, we are not. We are staying home, it's too far (1.5 hours) for a 7-8 pm service to then drive home. You could start making cookies the day before you know, for santa. You could make a 'breakfast casserole' or homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, you know, so you pop them in the oven, bake them and you can eat after presents are all done. You could read the 'Jesus birth story' from the bible and talk about it. I mean, I know, it's scary, but Mary was about BC/GC age when she found out she was pregnant. She wasn't married, and there was a chance if Joseph denounced her (okay not a chance, but a guarantee), that she would literally have giant stones thrown at her until she died. Aka. stoned to death for infidelity-her and her child. That showed a lot of faith in God, and you could talk to them about how they can show their faith, or well anything else that comes to you. You already celebrate Jesus which is awesome. You could visit a live nativity scene. The kids could collaborate and make their own advent calendar that counts down the days to Christmas. If you haven't decorated yet, you could turn on Christmas music and decorate. I know that's all sorts of random, sorry!

Aunt Sharon said...

Come to Virginia and visit your Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bob we would love to have you!!!!

EE said...

One of my friends (I swear it's not me), engages in a little holiday nookie under the tree every Christmas Eve once the kids are in bed. I've thought about it, but with my luck, I'd be sooo busted:)
At our house, the kids open new jammies on Christmas Eve, so that we'll have half-way decent photos in the morning while they're opening their Christmas gifts.

Anonymous said...

What about a Christmas lights tour? You could make a game out of it- each person gives the house a score, tell which you'd give an award to and why (tackiest, most religious, most expensive to run, etc).

Anonymous said...

We used to read poetry on Christmas Eve. 101 Famous Poems. Everyone read their favorite.

For years, we had neighbors, friends, students, etc. - anyone who didn't have a place to go - over for Christmas Eve. That was nice.

Allison von Anonymous

elle said...

1) We read "The Night Before Christmas" outloud before bed on Christmas Eve. Now that the kids are older, they pass the book around.
2) We drink Silver Fogs on Christmas morning....gin, vanilla icecream, 7 up and soda water. Kids get vanilla ice cream, 7-up and soda. We serve them in lead crystal highballs with silver ice tea spoons.
3) Dessert-a-thon: spend one day during the holidays where every person in the house makes an outrageous dessert, have some sort of contest, and eat them all for dinner.(the castle made entirely of jolly ranchers won last year, but took weeks for the kids to eat)
4) The day after Christmas we make pies for police officers and firemen that have to work, and deliver them to local stations.

Hope you find something wonderful!

Leandra said...

When I was a kid, my mom would always get out the bible and we would read the nativity story before we went to bed. Then we'd turn out all the lights and sit by the tree and sing Silent Night. I always loved the peaceful feeling that I had when we were done.

perdido said...

christmas lasanga? details please ; ) is it a special kind of just lasange for christmas?

Anonymous said...

Christmas Nachos and Slurpees from 7-Eleven... I have been doing this tradition since I was 10 years old... Every Christmas afternoon I will go get some Nachos and Slurpees and call my older sister and laugh about it...

She was the one who introduced me to this little tradition and its always nice to speak to my 3 sisters as we sit and eat nachos and slurpees together... I may be 1200 miles away from them but every year we still will "sit" together and eat our happy hearts out!

Katy K said...

On thing my Mom did was....she bought an orniment that was a little basket with a lid. Every year she would put a little note in the basketm, addressed to all of us girls. I knew about this basket but my sisters didn't. We were only allowed to open it upon her death. So, last year, I found it, cracked it open, and read the notes. There were pennies in there as well. I'll never know what they were meant for b/c their dares are random. We made photo copies of some of the notes and put the rest back in the basket. I know it's not a "family tradition" and prob. not what you're looking for. But I thought it was pretty neat.