Joan Rosemary

Hi girls
what does your family tradition compose of? Just a thought as we are all different and have different approaches?

clem55

Everyone comes here for Xmas Eve. We have lots of snack foods, , drinks and laughter. Thern we all gather in the living room and open gifts. I guess the "traditional "part of that is making fun of what Mom picks out for the guys. I use to try very hard to buy clothes I just knew they would love, only to have it be something they would take back. It got to the place I don't even bother taking the price tag off anymore, and just buy something to wrap including the receipt! It gives us lots of laughs, no hurt feelings or anything. "Mom just refuses to give a gift card or money!! Then on Xmas morning they all come back and we have a big breakfast together . One little thing that is done every year is a certain decoration I put out. Back in the late 50's Joy detergent hadf little elves that hung arounde the bottler. We couldn't afford to go buy cute things, but we managed to get two of those. Those little elves hang around a candle every year. That is for Don and I. We are reminded every year how different things were for us, and makes us appreciate all that we have now. another is the "spercial gift" decoration. It is a beautiful silver and sparkly poinsttia that lays flat on a gift box. In 1960 Don did without his lunch so he could buy me a cashmere sweater for Xmas. That tag was on the box, and it gets used every year as the marker for the "special gift". Our kids have no idea what those two items mean to us, that is just for us.

Jeanniejo

Being of Scandinavian decent we have a midnight supper on Christmas Eve. We have a fresh pork roast, homemade bread, rice pudding, pickled herring, egg nog, Swedish potato salad and lots of cookies!!! The tree gets decorated before our midnight supper.

Joan Rosemary

How great is that. So much love and memories in your household

ptquilts

used to make cutout, decorated sugar cookies with my mom. Don't have the recipe with me but it is in my recipe box somewhere. Really good tasting too.

gmaybee

Christmas Eve my husband and I have a nice dinner. This year I think we're having pheasant. Then we go to the candle light service (he's in the praise band) My son and DIL come from Indiana, to church and spend the night. Then in the morning who ever wants to come for breakfast can. We have monkey bread, fresh fruit and dip, and a breakfast casserole. My husband kids come for breakfast and opening presents. This year will be the first year I won't have my youngest home as they live in China. It will also be the first year without my mom. She passed away in May. Many changes for me this year.

Gramof6

We have our 4 kids & all of the grands here on the 22nd for dinner & gifts. We play one round of Dirty Santa with just the adults. We set a price for everyones Dirty Santa gift and it is a blast. On the night of the 24th, my parents have my 2 brothers & I, and all of our kids & grands to their home for dinner & gifts. It's such fun to get that many together & laugh over times together in the past! LOL Christmas afternoon, anyone that wants can meet at our home for lunch & then we all go see a movie together. That is fun. And then it is all over.

The reason I set ours for the 22nd, is that my wonderful DDIL's mother, always tried to have hers just an hr or so from when we had ours planned. Sooo I just took the 22nd and she can have hers anytime she wants. Mine is etched in stone though. LOL

slk350

I usually decorate the tree and rest of house the weekend after Thanksgiving. My ceramic village goes up and the big train goes around the tree (have a 4 year old grandson). My husband puts the lights on the outside of the house.A few weeks before we make and decorate ginger bread houses and I bake all the cookies a day or so before Christmas...Spritz, Whiskey balls, iced sugar cookies to name a few. Everyone comes over our house for turkey dinner and gifts. And the pies, I bake the day before also. AND I PROBABLY GAIN 10 LBS. LOL

Quiltforme

Growing up we always had a family get together on Christmas Eve. It rotated through the years and ended up at my uncles house. As long as I could remember my grandfather dressed up as Santa each year we sat on his lap had our picture taken and received a gift. For the longest time I believed it was the real Santa. My Santa went home to Jesus 3 years ago I miss him dearly we no longer have the get togethers like we used to the last Christmas with Grandpa was such a wonderful memory. At my aunts house she had a dog named Zeke and Zeke loved Grandpa. He sat in Grandpas lap that year and it was the cutest thing to see him feed the dog one bite for him the other for the dog. My precious memory!!

Joan Rosemary

Sorry to hear about your mum. Intrigued as to what Monkey Bread is?