We always bake a birthday cake for Jesus... that becomes our Christmas morning breakfast... Merry Christmas everyone!

My kids always decorated the tree when they were at home. We could always tell how tall they were that year by where the ornaments were hung! I didn't rearrange the ornaments, just left them where they were hung. We always had a stocking and still do. We couldn't open stockings until everyone was up and breakfast was eaten.

We have cinnamon rolls in the morning. We open the gifts one at a time from youngest person to oldest. That way it takes a few hours and everyone get to see each other's gifts one at a time. My nativity is set out a few weeks ahead for all to see and ponder on the true meaning of CHRISTmas.

Never really had a chance to develop traditions,moved to much as a kid, messed up childhood and husband made holidays miserable and for many years after my divorce didn't even do holiday things because I was always working on the holiday and my DD went to friends houses for them. But before the divorce the one thing I always did was read The Night Before Christmas to my kids. I loved it . I always wished it had continued with my grandchildren but the universe had other ideas. They are scattered all over and I never see any of them. But I love reading about others traditions.

Traditions
 

My sister started something that has become a tradition in my family. When her children were young she decided that instead of having a big Christmas dinner, she would have all kinds of finger foods that we could eat at any time all day long. When my kids were small, I continued this as I didn't want to be stuck in the kitchen while the kids were putting race tracks together or trying to get Barbie dolls out of their boxes. My dh and I would be right there with the kids playing with their toys with them rather than worrying about serving a meal. My kids are 20 and 21 now so I thought we'd have a nice dinner. I talked to my daughter about it and she vetoed the idea! She wants us to continue just having various finger foods so that's what we'll do. Besides, how often do we make dips and spreads for our own families to enjoy?

We always have a birthday cake for Jesus. My grandmother started the tradition and we have continued it for over 50 years. As was her custom, the cake is in three graduated tiers and has green frosting with drops of red coconut. BD candles are placed in each coconut drop. I let the g'kids choose a cake topper from the multitude of ornaments on my tree.

We did not celebrate Christmas as my parents were very religious in a religion that did not celebrate Christmas even though they were Christians. However, that did not stop me once I got my own family. We celebrate the whole month of December starting with "First Fire" which is the first fire of the season. We sit around the fireplace and talk and eat and nap and generally just "chill." We always have a 1000 piece puzzle on the living room table and work on it off and on during the month. Christmas Eve, the kids are allowed to open one present (their choice) and try to get DH and me to let them open another. No dice! Christmas morning is big breakfast time and opening presents. Laughter reigns. I have magi figurines around the house and they always find their way to the Christ child by Christmas. We go over the Nativity story and discuss it (since the kids have grown, these have been SOME discussions!) We always make a big batch of butter and chocolate chip cookies. All go home with the kids! All my DH's Christmases were sad before we were married (drunk, abusive dad, crazy mother), but all our Christmases together have been joyful, even when we didn't have much. We have each other and now we have 2 DD's and one DGD to share the joy with.
Merry Christmas to all on the board. You are an awesome bunch!

My oldest sister started giving me an ornament every year after i got married, so i do that with my kids now. My eldest went through a divorce and her ex threw away her Christmas box when he emptied the house while she was gone. She was devastated so i gave her all the ornaments that my sister had given me from when she was a baby to start her new collection. I travel for work so i buy each of my 6 kids and my sister ornaments from where ever i am. So this year, Hawaii and Germany.

I started giving my kids their own ornament from their first Christmas on and have continued this with my DGKs. It's always funny to watch the evolution of the ornaments, from Sesame Street to Angry Birds, and so on. They are always funny and they have a ball putting them on their own trees!

My parents had the tradition of giving us lots of gifts to open...but not necessarily expensive ones...well...never expensive ones. I remember her telling my husband when we were first married that I liked a lot of gifts to open, and they didn't have to be expensive....he has carried on that tradition! But he forgot about the not expensive part. If I put 10 things on a wish list he would get them all. So, I have learned to put fewer expensive things on the list.

I tend to do this with my Grandchildren too...lots to open....but since we are now up to 12 Grands...thinking we will have to slow down more and as they get older they want more specific things...so changes they are a comin'.