Christmas Traditions – Near and Far

by our Designs By SiCK customers and friends

The response was, once again, overwhelming!  I have included all of the challenges and hope you enjoy reading each and every one…as I mentioned in the Newsletter – get a cup of your favorite beverage and sit back and relax.

An update here – our tradition changed this year – because my other half decided to take a header off the side deck – and ended up fracturing his clavicle.  So, he was pretty medicated for Christmas Eve and  – well, he still is.  So, no “Night Before Christmas” at our house this year.  And, Christmas morning was slow and relaxed – we all made breakfast together and after Dad rested a bit, we opened gifts in the living room – probably close to 2 PM.    (This is also the reason the Newsletter did not go out last Sunday!)

After reading all of the entries, however, I see some I would like to incorporate into our lives (mostly the goodies!) and I know my daughter will do the same as she has read every one and has fallen in love with so many of your family traditions.

Once again, thank all of you for sharing part of your lives with us.

I give you – Christmas Traditions – Near and Far:

Homemade Goodness
by Sue R.

On Christmas afternoon all of my paternal grandparent’s family would gather at their farmhouse for Christmas. When I say all,  I mean 52 of us – Grandpa and Grandma, 14 aunts and uncles and the 36 cousins. Everyone brought food and we would have a full sit down meal then open gifts from the grandparents – we all knew what we were getting but it was still exciting. My grandmother would start sewing in January for the following Christmas.
All the girls got long flannel nightgowns- fancy ones with lots of ruffles and a pocket containing $2.00 (lots of money for a child in the 50′s and 60′s). The boys got flannel pajamas also with $2.00. The women got home made aprons with $5.00 in the pocket and the men just got $10.00. I remember feeling sorry for my uncles because they just got money.
After gifts were opened and the money all turned over to the parents my dad hitched up the horses to the sleigh (if there was snow or the hay wagon if not) and took the little kids for a short ride then all the older kids would go out for a long ride. When we got back we all would change into our new home made pajamas and have hot chocolate and cookies. How I wish there were pictures of all the kids in the jammies but in those days I guess people just didn’t think of doing that.
My grandmother has been dead now for forty years but I have now continued the pajama tradition first with my two boys and now with my 4 grandchildren and hope it will be remembered just as fondly.

Ornaments Through the Years
by Laura S.

My husband and I were married in North Carolina on December 7, 1969.  Bill was stationed at the Lemore Naval Air Station in Lemore, CA, so our honeymoon was a 10-day drive across country to Fresno, CA where he had rented a small house, furnished with a sofa-bed, a stove and refrigerator.
We had all our wedding gifts and other worldly possessions stowed in our Rambler and  arrived in Fresno on December 17, just 7 days before Christmas.  A friend of Bill’s gave us a small live Christmas tree, but we had nothing to put on it so decided to start a new tradition of each person in our home at Christmas time would add a new ornament to the
tree with their name and the date written on the ornament or on a tag attached to the ornament.
We had no idea how important this tradition would become to our lives.  That first year, Bill found a beautiful white ball-shaped ornament with delicate gold trim to symbolize our new marriage.  I, being the crafty one, bought a white styrofoam ball that was hollowed out in the middle and open on 4 sides.  I had saved the little plastic wedding bells and the sugar doves from the top of our wedding cake; so I sewed them in the center of the ball.  Then I sewed leftover seed pearls from my wedding dress around the openings on the sides and added a gold ball on the bottom.  So our tree the first year had two ornaments.
The next Christmas found Bill at sea and I flew home to be with my family.  Before I left, I purchased my ornament for our second Christmas – a lighted ornament with angels inside that was made to go on the top of the tree because our first tree didn’t have anything on top.  When I returned, to my surprise, Bill had sent his ornament home…an angel that was meant for the top of the tree.  Luckily, for our 3rd Christmas we added a gold string to Bill’s angel and hung her on the tree.
It’s now 42 years later and the collection has grown, along with the size of the tree.   We had 2 boys, some foster children, occasionally grandparents or friends and home-stay students from Japan that shared our Christmases.   If a guest didn’t know about our tradition, we took them shopping for their ornament.
The Christmases that we all shared are on the tree, complete with dates and names,  and the memories are priceless!

Holly, Holly Every Year
by Ruth C.

I don’t know if this counts as a typical tradition but in my family, it ain’t Christmas unless…
Back 35 years ago when I was first married, the Christmas decorations that were available were nothing like they are today!
I bought a 9-foot garland to put up in my kitchen archway. It was all plastic! Green plastic stem, leaves and holly with red plastic berries! Then there were 6 each of red-flocked plastic roses and apples spaced along the length. It was pretty nice compared to anything else that I could find!
I used it a few years and then one year the mice got into it during storage and ate the flocking off of the roses and apples! It was getting pretty ragged anyways and I could get much nicer garlands anywhere now so I was going to throw it away but the boys said, “Awe Mom!! Can’t you fix it!?! We love that thing!”
Soooooooooo, I went to the store and bought 6 silk roses and new shiny red apples and
replaced the half-eaten flocked roses and apples on the garland! I even decided to string some colored lights on it to pretty it up!
Well, this thing has somehow become the symbol of Christmas in our house! As I said, it is made of plastic and over the years it has broken in several places and I have had to wire it together! Every year I take it out of the box and have to do more wire repairs as it falls into pieces in my hands!
I had had enough and was going to throw it out but my 2 sons, almost in unison, said “Don’t you dare!!! It’s not Christmas without that garland!” It started out in my kitchen/dining room archway but then, since I wasn’t allowed to throw it away, and it was becoming pretty pathetic looking, I moved it to the dining room/hallway archway at the opposite end of the room and put up a MUCH prettier one in the kitchen since it was such a prominent spot for decorating! I got some grief from the boys but I said, “Hey! It’s up!!”
Then after a few more years, it was moved again – to the bathroom doorway!!! My sons are now 33 & 28 and laugh about it every year that it’s relegated to the bathroom – but it’s up!!!
This year, I had to replace all of the bulbs in the light string as they all blew out for some reason at the end of last season! I couldn’t replace the whole string because the stupid thing is all wired together and the light string is its main support! Besides, they are making the strings on the lights shorter and shorter each year and the new strings aren’t long enough!
At Christmas, I decorate every door/doorway, every window, every tabletop, every nook and crannie in my home! Neither son lives at home anymore but when I decorate the house and they come home for Christmas, the first thing they do is check to make sure IT is up!!!
I think I am going to have to put this thing in my will when I die! They will have to agree to either share it year to year or cut it in half that they can each have half!!!
Isn’t there a story in the Bible something along that line? Where if they truly love it they would not want it cut in half but rather leave it whole and allow the other to have it! Hmmm!  (Yes there is!  King Solomon!Kings 3:16-28)

Ornaments for a Lifetime
by Raelene T.

My Christmas tradition started with the birth of my eldest grandchild 13 years ago. I decided to make her, and any future grandchildren (I now have 8), an ornament for their Christmas tree – until they turn 18. That way, when they leave home they will have a a small box of Christmas memories to take with them into their new home.
The children start asking me mid-November what they are getting, but they don’t get told – it is a surprise.
So far I have crocheted, knitted, beaded, cross stitched, embroidered, used buttons, pegs, and lots of other things, but this year I made machine embroidered decorations!

by Helen M.

Our family traditions are the basic traditions.  We decorate, bake, and make gifts for friends and relative and attend Christmas Eve afternoon candlelight services,

followed by wild rice soup and watching “The Christmas Story”.  As each child was born I would make them a special Christmas stocking that has been used every

year of their life.  As they got engaged, I would make the new family member a stocking as well.  With them I try to blend the stocking with my child’s. And every

year my hubby and I pick out an ornament to symbolize that year, such as an animal when we got a new pet.
But where we get a little different is with our gifts to the children. When the kids were younger, so they could not guess what they were being given I would use

boxes way bigger than their gifts and put blocks of wood or rocks to disguised the weight as well. As they have gotten older it is hard for us to know what they

need, want, already have etc.  So I have been known to make money trees, buy clothes with lots of pockets and hide money in the pockets.  Most recently I have

started making money origami gifts.  I have made floral bouquets, jewelry boxes (to hold jewelry) and baskets filled with gold coins (dollar coins) .

Cookies from Grandmother
By Lucinda  C.

Our family’s Christmas tradition has always been about cookies.
Most of our traditional recipes were handed down by our Swiss Grandmother.
There is the traditional Christmas morning breakfast cookie, a brown sugar based one with raisins, dates and nuts. Another chocolate fudge one, best with black walnuts and frosted with a chocolate fudge icing.The light, one bite snowballs, filled with finely chopped pecans and dusted with a thick layer of powdered sugar.  This recipe came from my godmother.
The traditional Italian pizzelle with anise oil, made two by two and takes almost all day to make.  These weren’t from any specific recipe but my Italian grandmother always found someone to make them for any celebratory occasion – Christmas especially was no exception.
While our family has spread from one end of the US to another, we still cherish the family tradition of making cookies at Christmas.  Any yes, in our house Santa greeted with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk.

Don’t Forget Pajamas!
by Sandy R.

I make pajamas for Christmas. Needless to say over the years they have improved. Now they all have at least one embroidery on them. Some even have more than one on them. I still remember the year when my son was 10 I was not going to make pajamas. They had plenty by that time. When asked what kind he would be getting on Christmas Eve. Needless to say there I was in the the early hours of Christmas making him and his brother new Christmas pajamas.

Santa, Please Fill Our Sacks!
By Linda Sue C.

Our Christmas celebration has always been Christmas Eve, an appetizer buffet and opening presents from/with family and friends. That left stockings and Santa gifts only for Christmas morning. This started when the children were quite small and then after a divorce it was always the kids with me and my side of the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day around 10 a.m. they went to their father’s side of the family.
Another tradition was the fact that Santa didn’t wrap gifts. Both children had giant fabric bags with their names embroidered on then that they set out along with cookies, milk and carrots for Santa’s Reindeer.
I personally gave up wrapping gifts in paper about 25 years ago and all gifts given by me for any occasion come in fabric bags, embroidered FSL boxes or fabric envelopes. I had one friend who asked for her Christmas gift to be a variety of fabric bags in different shapes and sizes for her family Hanukkah and Christmas gifts.
When the children’s father moved out of state we started a tradition of going to the movies (the kids and I) on Christmas Day. I know that sound like a weird holiday tradition but it is fun family time even now that the kids are grown.
The holidays always mean gingerbread too. My son loves my gingerbread and I end up making several batches. However, I must divide them up in tins and hide them or he would make himself sick eating them all at once. He is now 27 and knows better but that doesn’t stop him LOL.
New Year’s Eve is party time for us. Not drinking and dancing or going out noooooooooo. We have a potluck game night. We have board games, computer games, old fashion parlor games from our Civil War reenacting hobby. Everyone eats and plays and laughs and sings and stays up all night. No one leaves. We set up air mattresses beds, beds, couches, even the floor . Then on New Year’s Day my kids help me make a huge pancake brunch and then everyone starts to leave around one of two in the afternoon.

Gingerbread Houses!
by Marrion

I started a tradition with my grandkids after a friend invited me over to do a ginger bread house about 5 years ago. I enjoyed it so much and had so much fun.
It’s a big hit evey with the parents of the grandkids and they wonder why we never did it when they were growing up. I bake the kits and glue them so they are dry and they get to decorate it anyway they like . Then we eat them later.

Chanukah Traditions
by Judy

As we are Jewish, our family traditions are a bit different than many. We always light our Menorah each of the 8 nights. I do hang “too many” Chanukah decorations in our kitchen and family room. Usually on the 8th night we have our lattke fry off. As we have our children, their spouses, girl and boy friends as well as the family members of our children by marriage and close friends, we can be frying patties for 25 or more. I make several brisket pot roasts, my daughters-in-law bring salad and veggies and we grate onions and pounds of potatoes and fry away until all are full. We serve sufganiot (Hebrew for fried, jelly donuts) as we exchange gifts. My children have a name swap but the granddaughter gets spoiled by all.
My husband and I always gave our 5 gifts every nite-small ones except for the last night. In memory of our son, Joshua who perished at the WTC, we give a basket of 8 gifts to a charity for children who might not have any Chanukah.

Expect the Unexpected
By Joyce

As a small group from our church we usually “adopt” a family from the community and provide gifts, clothing, and food per their “list” of requests.
This year we decided to “do” for several in our church who did not submit a list but could use some TLC.
To a widow, we provided a truckload of firewood to heat her home, to a college student who comes home to work each weekend a gas gift card, to a guy  undergoing chemo who can’t work full time a grocery gift card, and to our pastor, notes of appreciation along with a gift card to a local restaurant.
It’s nice to help those in need but nice too to recognize those who are special everyday.

Cherished the Old, Looking for New – Traditions
by Carla

One of our biggest traditions was on Christmas Eve we would all pile into the car and go look at Christmas lights after we would come home drink eggnog and the kids would get to open one gift or sometimes two. New pajamas and sometimes slippers. Can’t have the scruffy looking for the Christmas pictures.. lol
Now all three of my children have grown with children of their own. Christmas Eve has turned into watching it’s a Wonderful life or some other Christmas movie and after opening the pajamas and finishing all the wrapping, everyone tucks into their old room with their family. We all wake up just like they were still small and open presents and spend a grand day together when they go home they get to see what Santa brought to their house.
We moved into an apartment last year and now we don’t have that much room the kids say they will spend Christmas Eve night in their own beds. My grandson will be 12 in a week this will be new for him. Kinda of sad but yet sweet to see how the grow. Now we need new traditions.

Cranberry Pie
By Merry M

One of our family favorites is Cranberry Apple Pie. I make my own crusts, and the rest of the pie is pretty easy. I buy the cranberries in bulk and toss them in the freezer as-is. When I need them, I scoop them out by the cup, rinse them in the collander, and they’re ready to go! The recipe was in the old Betty Crocker cookbook that I got when I was in high school (a few years ago!).

Saving the Memories
By Connie V

Our family goes together to drive around and look at Christmas lights and end with hot cocoa.
I also put together a notebook of traditions with family cookie recipes, Christmas short stories, fun memories. The girls all really love these for adding their own recipes and traditions or Christmas memories.
One memory I shared was our very first Christmas. We did not have much money and I spent $5.00 on a scruffy tree and went to a thrift store and found red and green pipe cleaners and small Styrofoam balls and those became snowmen ornaments and I made construction paper hoop chains and it was my fondest xmas memory which I included in the memory book.

A Tasty Tradition
by Carol

My first Christmas as a bride money was so tight it was practically non-existent. We had a small tree and managed to buy a string of lights. I made an angel for the top of the tree out of a dime store doll that I cut in two. I taped her top to a paper roll. I stitched a dress for her from scraps and remnants of fabrics, her wings were silver feathery picks for a floral arrangement. For the ornaments on the tree, I made and intricately frosted dozens of sugar cookies and hung them on the tree. When the kids came along, they loved the cookies on the tree, so did all their friends!
Now, 46 Christmases later, the same angel is still on top of our tree and we still decorate with cookies. Over the years I have added a few ornaments too, just so it doesn’t look too bare when Christmas arrives and most of the cookies have been eaten. Now the grand kids love the cookies on the tree. As long as we have a Christmas tree, it will be decorated with cookies.

Cookies of Their Very Own
by Pat H.

I am 73 and when I got married in 1959 I received my grandmother’s molasses cookie recipe. We would only make them at Christmas. My daughter and each grandchild gets a batch, plus all of mine they can get before going out the door. Takes 2 days to make and starting the beginning of December they keep asking when I am going to start. They are wonderful with milk. If they did not get any gifts, they would think the cookies were enough if they got their own batch.

Keeping the Home Fires Burning
By Kit J.

We too read the “Night Before Christmas. We also place cookies and milk out for Santa. The kids who are now all teens, or older, still look forward to it. With Dad overseas for another year and missing Christmas with us, it is important to do the comforting traditions that make the Holidays special.

Carrying on Family Traditions
By Judy S.

Christmas eve was always the Polish Custom of the 7 fishes, mac and cheese at Grandmom’s in Philadelphia.
After dinner we celebrate and wish each other good cheer while sharing the “host” with all family members. Then Santa arrives with gifts for each and everyone – the whole alley between Grandmom’s house and the aunts was filled to the brim with gifts. More food was served and we would got the little ones in their Christmas PJs and drive the 30 miles north for 10:15 PM Candle Light Christmas Eve. This custom continues even though grandmom and older relatives have passed, but now at a cousin’s home in NJ the Sunday before the holiday. The grandchildren now enjoy and its always a good time with the relatives.

A Nutty Tradition

By Jill

One year, my ex-husband and I had a bowl of mixed nuts in the shell on the table at Christmas time. When his sister (20 at the time) came over she said she thought that only “rich” people could afford nuts in the shell. The next year we started delivering a bag of nuts on her doorstep, we would ring the bell and run!! Silly her she didn’t know who was doing it (whatever). My daughter had not even been born yet when this all started but we took a break one year when she was 12, the next year she wanted to know why we didn’t do it anymore so we started again CJ (the daughter) is 29 and still delivers nuts to her Aunt Glor every Christmas.

Protecting the Tree?
By Sharon T.

When our kids were little, we would wait until Christmas Eve day to put up the tree.  Cookies and cocoa after dinner.  Breakfast as soon as the kids were up meant we got something in their tummies before the melee of opening gifts began.  My husband always brings in a large trashcan and everyone balls up the paper to toss from as far away as possible.   We attend the last Mass of the day on Christmas Day, usually about 11 AM.  Pretty staid by most standards.
I do recall one year putting the tree in the playpen because our then 18 month old son would crawl out of the playpen and crawl under the tree.  The time it fell over was when it, instead of our son, went into the playpen.  He wouldn’t stay in the playpen, but he wouldn’t voluntarily get in either, no even to play with the tree.
The year I discovered our kids getting up in the middle of the night to open their gifts and then rewrap them so the “parents won’t know” was the last time they were put out early.  After that, it was after we were sure they were asleep on Christmas Eve.
The kids are all grown with kids of their own, but we still have turkey with all the trimmings for dinner with homemade pumpkin pie for dessert.
Now the tree goes up in early December and comes down a week after New Year’s.  We get to enjoy it a bit longer.  The ornaments are ones we’ve collected from the places we’ve been all over the country.  Opening those small boxes up is a treat every year as we remember when…..
Gifts are still opened right after breakfast, although when it’s just hubby and me, we enjoy our morning coffee a bit longer.

Christmas Cake  – With a Kick!

By Geraldine V.

Because I’m Irish and love Guiness, I bake an Irish Guiness Cake, where the fruit is stewed and soaked in Guiness instead of the traditional Christmas cake, instead of the icing I decorate it with slivered almonds on top and top it with some whiskey when it comes out of the oven. The cake is made in advance and the smell is devine, it is not cut until Christmas Day. This has become our traditional Christmas cake in our house and everyone loves it, my friends expect to get some when they come round.

Chocolate Gravy!
By Stacey B.

As small children we’d visit our aunt, my Mom’s older sister, and her many children. She always made homemade buttermilk biscuits and chocolate gravy. My siblings and I loved it, when I was around 13 I got the recipe and it became a tradition for Mom to make it on special occasions but we all showed up at Mom’s with spouses and kids in tow for Christmas morning’s breakfast of chocolate and biscuits. She always fixed something else for the spouses as none of them seemed to care for it. We lost Mom in March of 2009, but this is a tradition we have all continued in our own homes in Southeast GA, and Northwest GA. I can still hear Mom saying, “Keep stirring, mmm, smells good.”

And, Stacey has shared the recipe!

Here is the recipe!!!

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• Mix all the dry ingredients in a heavy saucepan with a whisk, add the milk.
• Cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Remove the pot when the mixture is thick, it’ll thicken after it starts to boil, don’t let it burn.
• (optional) Add the butter. Stir in until completely melted. Serve over biscuits with a teaspoon of butter dolloped on top.

If you don’t want to make buttermilk biscuits of your own, it’s messy lol, Grands biscuits work great, and walmart’s bag of buttermilk biscuits are good too.

Ding Dong Ding Dong…

By Pamela S.

Christmas Eve has always brought such wonderful memories for me.  All ten of us (and often a few more-Grandma, a friend or other relative) would crowd into our little front room.  We would have a little program with piano/violin playing, songs, nativity (either read or acted out).  One of us kids would be in charge of planning the event.  As we have gotten older, we have gotten sillier.  What I remember most about these nights is the laughter we share with one another.  There is one event that is a staple at these programs…the pipe bells.
One year at a family reunion, we made some pipe bells.  This became the new hightlight of our Christmas Eve programs.  We were so awful at harmonizing with those bells that we always ended up laughing our way thorugh the songs rather than playing them.  We had a friend that came to our Christmas Eve program just to play them!
My parents eventually moved out of state and my husband missed those silly bells.  He made us a set as well as one for his parents.  Now, we play those bells at his dad’s home.  Some years we get to play them twice if my parents are in town.
This year, I am giving a set to my sister who doesn’t live near us or my parents.  She missed those bells and wants her children to enjoy playing them.
Who would have thought they would bring so much Christmas joy and memories!

On the First Day of Christmas…

By Jackie

My husband and I were married 18 years ago and on our first christmas we started a new tradition. We give each other a gift every day for the 12 days of Christmas ending with day 12 being Christmas Eve. This makes the holiday last almost 2 weeks. I really enjoy it, it’s such a treat to check our stockings every morning when we get up. We have different schedules and some days, in lean years, we just get a handwritten note or very inexpensive gift like cheap jersey work gloves since we both work outdoors in the cold and wet weather. Happy holidays!!!

Bushels of Cookies

By Carol Ann M

Our family loved to BAKE, BAKE, BAKE at Christmas, and every holiday for that matter!
I remember my grandmother making “bushels” of cookes for Christmas. There had to be enough for anyone who came calling to take a small dish of cookies home. And let me tell you, that’s exactly how her recipes read…”makes 1/2 bushel” or makes one bushel”. But the funny part is grandmom never measured anything precisely. The ingredients were a “pinch of this” of “a little in your palm”, or “whatever it takes” (usually referring to flour).
The prize question posed to Grandmom every year was, “whatever it takes to do what, Grandma”? Of course, there was never a scientific answer, but she would always respond with my original question….”Whatever it takes!”
I guess she meant whatever amount it took to make a good cookie dough. You had to be able to “feel” the consistency of the cookie dough to know if it “takes” more flour or more butter, etc.
So every year, at Christmas, when I run myself ragged making “bushels” of cookies, I think to myself “Grandma, what does it take” to realize I don’t need to drive myself crazy making all those cookies!?

Some Old, Some New

By Louisa K

I grew up with a lot of traditions but some I changed. On Christmas eve we went with my mother to put flowers on all the family graves here in Hermanus (RSA) and when getting back from the graveyard gathered around the Christmas tree and one of my children would deal out the presents under the tree.
Then to bed to wait for Santa while sleeping.
After all the excitement we go to attend the chucrh service and then have a meal of cold meat and salads where my mum slogged away in the heat to serve a cooked feast.
We do end with my mother’s special recipe of trifle.
Crackers and paper hats a plenty and love and joy.
This year I will be privileged to have all three my sons and their families together for the first time in six years!!!!!!!!!!!

Plum Pudding from Grandma

By Pauline

Our Christmas tradition is the famous recipe of a scrumptious plum pudding I inherited from my mother in law 50 years ago. My family will not eat any other. As I am in Australia I have my Christmas Pudding in any weather as it is summer here, but that does not seem to matter. They love it.

“Deer Me!  What’s for Dinner?”

By Gerry B

We always go to church on Christmas Eve, then come home for our big Christmas dinner…so all the Santa stuff can be enjoyed the next morning! Years ago we started having venison on Christmas Eve…not telling the kids it was DEER meat until they were older. Of course I had to joke it was Rudolph (remember all our kids were grown by then) so one year one of college aged kids slipped a cherry tomato onto the platter & waited. Yes, we all laughed. Now we have grandchildren and again don’t mention just what that meat is, but we still have venison every Christmas Eve thanks to my hunting friends!

The Best Potatoes EVER!

By ibwaitn

My grandmother from Russia didn’t have much money so they made potato fudge. When she past away mom made it and when I married, I started making it and 50 years later I still make it for the family.

Waiting the Arrival of the Baby Jesus

By Cindy B

Here is the custom we have had at our house since our children were little.  I can remember doing this in school as a child and thought it would be a good custom to continue so that our children would learn that Christmas is not just about toys and gifts.
At our house, the nativity scene was set up at the beginning of Advent.  However, the baby Jesus was not put in the manger until Christmas Day.  I had made our set in ceramics years ago.  The original set had the baby Jesus and crib as one piece.  Then a few years later, I found a 2 part piece.  So I bought it and painted it also.
Our children had to do good deeds before Christmas and when they did, they were allowed to take a piece of straw and put in the manger scene to start making a “soft” bed for the baby.  And the baby would be put into the crib after the kids went to bed on Christmas Eve so they could find Him waiting for them in the morning.
We continued this custom until they all left home.  One year, our son was over with this family before Christmas.  That year I was in a hurry when setting things up and had put the baby Jesus in the manger scene.  He saw it and exclaimed:  “Mom, it’s not Christmas yet, the baby hasn’t come.”  He promptly took it out and put it in its hiding place.  Never again has the baby appeared “too early”.

PJs Made by Elves

By Billie S

This tradition was carried on from my childhood, to my children.  And now that they are grown, to the grandchildren.
Every Christmas eve, “Santa” pays a visit to the kids room right before bedtime.  He leaves a present for all the kids.  When they quickly open them they find a fresh pair of pjs or nightgown made by one of his “elves”.  So they get to wear the new pjs to bed.  It is usually without problems, as Santa showed them that by leaving the presents, he is in the neighborhood.

Smorgasbord!!!

By Carol H

My family is of Swedish heritage. Every year my aunt and uncle would hold a smorgasbord on Christmas Eve. We lived far away from each other, but I remember always being intrigued with the idea of smorgasbord. I married a man of Swedish heritage (imagine that!) and told him about my aunt and uncle’s tradition. One year, early in our marriage, we decided to do a smorgasbord for his family on Christmas Eve. Armed with my mother’s authentic Swedish meatball recipe and my grandmother’s authentic rice pudding recipe and recipes from my aunt, I forged ahead and we had the first smorgasbord. It became a tradition and parts of it have carried on over the years, well loved by my children. A few years ago, with both sons, daughters in law, grandsons, and grandpuppy in attendance I became ill and had to teach my son to make Swedish meatballs. We were coming close to full circle. They turned out very well and the tradition continued.

Old Ways Are the Best Ways

By Vivian

We didn’t have much for Christmas when I was a child. Our tree looked more like Charlie Brown’s, but my 2 older sisters and I made red & green paper chains, and our Mother showed us how to string popcorn. We weren’t allowed to touch the glass ornaments, that was for Mother & Dad to put on, with a star on top. It was a real treat to have our parents drive us around the neighborhood on Christmas Eve, to see all the pretty lights people had put up. We thought our tree was just as pretty.
That all ended when our Dad died when I was ten, sisters were 13 & 16. We had to move in with our Mother’s parents, and Grandma and Grandpa helped make sure we had a nice Christmas.
My husband and I would drive around with our 3 kids every Christmas, and we made paper chains and popcorn and cranberry strings on our fake tree we had to use because of one child’s allergies, and it was just as pretty.
Now the kids have moved away, and it is just the two of us again. The town we live in decorates a park for people to walk or drive through, and there is a Christmas train that goes through town before Christmas. It’s so much fun watching the little ones’ excitement, waiting for Santa’s train. The tradition continues with our grandchildren, driving around with their parents, who live too far away for us to visit.

Presents, One By One…

By Anne

Growing up, there were three families, my grandparents, aunt and uncle and their girls, and ours (my brother and I and our parents).  On Christmas Eve, we alternated to each home, where we had dinner, then exchanged gifts from each other.  We went around the room, opening one at a time, so all could enjoy.  On Christmas Day, we always went to my grandparents’ house (even if we had been there the night before) for Christmas Dinner.  Now that I have children of my own, and they have children, we are not able to get together, because we live all over the country.  Our youngest lives closest, so we usually go to their house for the holidays.  And we still go around the room to open gifts.

Gingerbread Rules!

By Rose

When my oldest son was in 3rd grade, the room mom led the kids in a Gingerbread House Decorating Party.  We thought it was so much fun, we’ve done it every year since. This year was our 16th annual party. I have several high school seniors who’ve made gingerbread houses with us since they were in kindergarden-and these are the football and baseball players! My niece is a cop and she brought half of  her squad with her on duty this year! (let the neighbors wonder! :0)
The party started out with just my kids and their friends. Then we added cousins and friends, then neighbors, then as the kids got older, we started adding our friends and their kids. We’re up to about 50 guests and 25 houses the last  few years. We start with graham cracker houses and cement frosting, then add everything we can find that works. A cheeto bit is the nose in a marshmallow snowman, black gum drop bits for his coal buttons and pretzel stick arms. Sugar cones coated in cement and rolled in green sugar for a Christmas tree with red hots for ornaments.
Pretzel logs for log cabins. Necco wafers for roof tiles. Two sprinkles on a starlight mint for the clock in the clock tower. Green gummy Army men for the fort. Pinto beans for the rock chimney. Shredded wheat for straw. Tic-tacs hang off the edge of the roof like icicle lights. A Rollo on top of a Tootsie roll for a coach lamp. Spearmint leaves on top of Tootsies for short trees. Powdered sugar through a sieve for a snow coating at the end!
My only rule is that everything has to be edible. I usually make some basic houses for first timers, and we give everyone an aluminum foil covered cardboard “yard” to work on. Have plenty of extra graham crackers on hand for those creative guests who make things like army forts, castles, space ships, etc. I have the recipe, diagram and directions on a PDF file and would love to share it if you want.

GINGERBREAD FOREVER!

Christmas with Grandparents
By Shari G.

When I was a little girl, on Christmas Eve we would go to my paternal grandmother’s house and open presents.  Since she was a widow, she would spend the night with us or with my uncle rotating each year.  We would take her with us over to my maternal grandparents and open gifts there.  That side of my family was large so there were 20+ kids running around and my grandmother would always have some gift for each of us.
When I turned 13, we moved 3 hours away and no longer went to grandparents on Christmas eve.  It wasn’t until I married my husband when I was 22 years old before we started having the Special Christmas Eve again.  We started going to my in-laws for Christmas eve dinner and gift opening.  Since we lived on the family ranch, our house was only about 100 yards behind their house.  Starting about 4 AM my mother in law would watch out her back window for our kitchen light to come on to know she and my father-in-law can come down to see the kids excitement over what Santa brought them.  Because I knew how much this meant to them, I never allowed the kids out of the room until they were down there (although I am sure when they got older, they would sneak a peek while we were still sleeping).
Then either my parents and brother would come to my house for Christmas dinner or we would go to my parents.
Now my kids are all grown and have families of their own.  My youngest son and his wife would always let Santa come here for their little Emma since their apartment wasn’t big and they knew how much I loved to see the excitement in her eyes.  We would all go Christmas eve too my in-laws or I would have it here, Emma would spend the night and my son and his wife would get up early before she would wake up to come over.  It was wonderful.  My older son and his family do Christmas eve with us either here or at my in-laws and we always have my parents join us and then they go to my daughter-in-law’s family for Christmas day.  My daughter and her husband makes a round to everyone’s on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Last year, our Christmas has changed.  My youngest son was killed in a car accident June 12, 2010 and so his daughter and wife moved back to his wife’s hometown and I no longer get Santa to come here.  They do come over for Christmas Eve and then over to my parents for Christmas dinner and I am thankful for that.
Our traditions are changing as the family grows and changes but one thing is constant, the love and excitement of the holiday season which is the best tradition of all.

Singing Christmas Tree
By Lori

One of the churches in town started doing a singing Christmas tree back in the early ’80′s. We used to go with my mom. After she passed away, I continued the tradition with my nieces and nephews. A few of them have stopped coming with us, but there are still more than a dozen of us that go – it now includes great nieces and nephews.

Carrot Crumbs in the Bedroom!
By Mariann

Now for some of the Christmas traditions and scenarios I set up with my own children…

I often thought about all the questions that pop up when kids see the different store Santas??? gifts with price tags from Macy’s on them??? etc…
So, when I explained Christmas to my own children, I let them know the facts
1. There is only 1 real Santa and he is the spirit of Christmas loving, caring, giving and joy. Of course he’s busy at Christmas time and can’t get around. But, there are Certified Santa’s whom he allows to work in his name at the stores, so that many, many children can get to see what he looks like, and enjoy his presence in the parades and at parties. They are his representatives and  pass on everything said to him. So, he knows what you say. He is magical so he knows quite a bit more without you telling him, but it helps to be direct.
2. He works with parents who pay part of the bill to provide gifts for their families and contribute to those who don’t have enough. The parents provide him with advice for their own families. That’s why you might get a Barbie and one outfit that you parents can afford. Your friend might get the real life $1000 Barbie BMW and her whole set of friends!! (If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?) Your parents help decide what’s appropriate for you and your circumstances.
3. The toy shops in the North Pole make so many toys, but mostly handmade ones. The toy manufacturers also make toys that Santa can buy. Stores like Macy’s, Longs Drugstore, etc. open in the middle of the night if Santa wants to shop to add to his collections. He pays and also buys their wrappings, just like parents do. So the wrap may be the same as at home.
4. Of course the reindeer bring him all over…time is different on Christmas Eve so he can get to everyone. Children provide cookies and milk since it is such a LOOOOONG trip for him. Our family decided to provide carrots so he doesn’t get sugar shock and he can share with the reindeer. Oddly, each year, the reindeer seem to come upstairs of our house, probably to see what sleeping children look like and they always seem to drop carrot crumbs in the bedrooms. You can be sure they were there!
5. Santa is VERY happy if you decide to share one of your toys with someone who doesn’t have as much – that’s the true Christmas Spirit.
Now as the children age and started questioning Santa…the answer is always the same – Santa is the spirit of Christmas and that is always true, you can see it everywhere. Besides, if you don’t choose to believe – well, it seems he stops bringing presents to you as to not offend. But Mommy and Daddy will always believe!

By Kelley P.

When my three children were small, I wanted them to have something to carry though life with them long after I was gone. So, I decided I would get them each a new ornament every year. By the time they were young adults ready to move on their own, they would have enough ornaments to start their own tree.
Those years were very, very lean, I can tell you. We lived in income based housing and never had two nickels to rub together but those kids always had their ornaments as one of their gifts on Christmas morning. Some where home made, not the greatest either, some were store or craft show bought. When the morning came, they would leave their stockings until last to open. That is where the ornament always was.
Now, to this very year, the ornament is in their stockings and they each have their own home, their own tree and their family Christmas tradition.
I have now started it will my grandchildren. Hopefully they will grow to realize that the memories created by these ornaments is what the world is made of…love, giving, Christmas cheer and memories!

Sweet Traditions
By Dee Dee

My younger sister and I created a tradition that our children and grandchildren enjoy one way or another.  We start getting together just after Thanksgiving and start making our Christmas candy.  We do ‘painted’ molded chocolates, peanut butter balls, fudge, different flavors of crunch (peppermint, peach, toffee and/or lemon), and I usually do several kinds of cookies (peanut butter crunch and chocolate chip are done every year!) and sometimes nut rolls.  Some like to help make them and everyone likes to help eat them!  We make enough for family and to give as gifts.