[briena]

What are 12 traditions or things you do/ look forward to in the Holiday season?


Mine:
1.) When we do our family Christmas my mom always prepares the turkey, and she makes the most amazing stuffing. The best I have ever tasted.
2.) We always con our grandparents into letting us open presents early.
3.) We always open new PJ's on Christmas Eve.
4.) We do Christmas crackers every single year at the dinner table.
5.) My grandma gets me a grocery card every single year, and even though I know she does it, I always think she won't and I get so excited when I open my card lol.
6.) We always get each other scratch tickets and then sit around the living room scratching them at the same time (lol!).
7.) We pick one kid every year to be Santa and hand out gifts, this year it will be Dakota because she has worked really hard to learn to read everyone's names!
8.) My grandma always brings dessert and home made cookies. She picks all the best stuff!
9.) We always watch the movie Grease after we open presents and have lunch. Not really sure why, but I love it lol.
10.) My favorite thing about Christmas, is seeing my grandparents! I only get to see them a few times a year and it is the best part of my Christmas, every single year.

[linbein]

Ok, let's see if I can actually come up with 12...

1. Christmas Eve Dinner is at my house every year.
2. I always make my orange glazed ham. mmmm....
3. While we are waiting for the kids to be well asleep, DH and I make spiced mulled wine, and hang out by the fire.
4. The girls put our reindeer food on the sidewalk before going to bed.
5. I read "The Night Before Christmas" to the girls together before going to sleep.
6. I make the same things every year for our Christmas breakfast. We have a yogurt/fruit parfait, and I make a few quiche the day before for a quick re-heat in the morning.
7. "Santa" leaves a gift under each of the girls' little trees in their rooms.
8. Christmas dinner is at my cousin's house for the rest of the family.
9. It never fails, "A Christmas Story" is plaing in the background all during the marathon, and yet, I never get to watch the whole thing.
10. I HAVE to bake Christmas cookies. Every year, I will try a new recipe or two, but there are some things I always have to make, including cut outs, chocolate chip cookies for my Dad, and haystacks (the things with chow mein noodles, cashews, and melted chocolate and butterscotch chips). My brother LOVES them, and looks forward to me making them every year.
11. We usually watch the Polar Express on Christmas Eve too.
12. I pretty much spend the entire day Christmas Eve from morning till night in the kitchen. If I'm not cooking, I'm eating, if I'm not eating, I'm cleaning. But I wouldn't have it any other way!

[ootpik51]

1. Christmas Eve is always spent at my parent's house with every grandchild there no exceptions.
2. We always play dirty bingo which everyone loves because we buy crap from the dollar store and wrap up.
3. My brother always ends up wearing one of the dirty bingo prizes, rudolf nose, elf ears, etc. and I still have no idea why.
4. We always do a non-traditional christmas eve meal: chilli, subs, or this year it is a taco bar. Of course we still have cookies and such.
5. The kids always get a new pair of christmas pjs to wear to bed
6. Cookies for santa, a glass of milk ( poor DH has to drink even if warm so we know Santa came) and a carrot for the reindeer which is always nibbled off of.
7. Christmas morning the kids open gifts in front of the fireplace with Christmas music playing.
8. Christmas morning mass as a family
9. Another christmas at DH's parents where the gift opening takes so long there is an intermission for bathroom use and snacks.
10. We celebrate DH's sister's birthday with cake and ice cream even though she is 30 now.
11. We arrive home tired, lug everything into the house and drop it in a pile for the next day.
12. The day after christmas the kids play with all their new stuff, I unbox everything and organize and DH hauls out all the trash and then we spend the evening watching a christmas movie together

[splier]

1. We sing Christmas songs all the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house.
2. New Christmas PJ's for the kids (grandkids).
3. Eggnog (with brandy for the adults).
4. I bake Christmas cookies and brownies to give away!
5. Spend Christmas Eve and Day with my in-laws...we usually unwrap presents late on Christmas Eve.
6. Christmas mass.
7. Must watch "A Christmas Carol" (George C. Scott version) late at night with all the lights off.
8. Must read a scary book during the winter break from school (LOL...I know, weird).
9. Take a drive around the city to see people's Christmas lights...especially the really huge houses that go all out.
10. Play board games with relatives.
11. Decorate the entire house with about 10 Christmas trees...I put one in every room and about 5-6 in the living room and kitchen.
12. We fill everyone's stocking with a bunch of stuffers that we wrap individually...even if it's lip balm or a piece of chocolate.

[briena]

I am loving this thread!

[kimmiejo]

1. Christmas Eve with my parents, eating and drinking wine
2. Christmas morning, up early with coffee and then the gifts!
3. Brunch with my parents and sister and her family
4. Nap Christmas afternoon
5. My moms sugar cookies, they are seriously so freaking good!
6. Watching Christmas Vacation so funny!
7. making a gingerbread house
8. baking cookies
9. New Christmas PJs for the kids
10. Christmas dinner with my only remaining Nana and my Dad's side of the family
11. Decorating and putting up the trees (we have 2 big trees and several small ones LOL)
12. Christmas parties with friends.....and wine, lots of wine