Your Christmas Traditions

[draganess]

As Christmas aproaches I was wondering what other people do on christmas day. So I though it would be nice to share our traditons, whether your a christian or not you must do something around christmas time.

Heres what our family does.

On the first of December we start to burn our christmas candle and we have christmas realated stories after dinner.

We always trim up the first of december but the come down the second of jan!!

On the day the kids break up from school, or the first day they are off together they are allowed to open a couple of dvds, this keeps them happy for a few days

Pressents are always put round the christmas tree, oh santa comes, but the kids know that its parents hard ernt cash that gets spent on christmas, they also know that santa puts the pressents out in a nice big pile around the fireplace and in frount of the TV stand, and depending on how good the kids have been will depict whether or not santa will take any pressents away!

Christmas eve is a busy night for most parents and one that is one of the most fun! We always put one gift on the kids beds, its usualy a teddy or cuddly toy for the younger ones and cloths for the older ones.

Oh and we always make sure santa has a bite of what ever the kids left him, and of course we make sure hes had his glass of milk we also make him go to the loo as our youngest says he must need to pee a lot cos of all the drinking

We hide 5 small gifts each for the kids that are under 16, then take ourselves off to bed!!

Whos always the first up in your house? its always me!! I sit there around 5 am thinking whos gonna be heared openning thier gift first. Usualy its luke our youngest thats the first awake then after that its a stead stream of kids. They come into our bedroom and sit on the bed.

Heres our christain bit, we quietly read the story of christmas from the bible (you can find this in matthew, mark, luke or john) then quietly sing a carrol. Then we sit and have a prayer together. Thats probably the last time the house is quiet and peaceful lol.

We dont open pressents straight away we always have breakfast first, then the kids take it in turns to figure out the clues where thier hidden presents are. This is so much fun, while they where little we would give them a clue to the rough location of the gift then say whether they are hot or cold. When the kids reach 16 they get a little disapointed that they have to sit out this one traditon, one that my daughter Debi is planning on doing with her daughter as they plan their first christmas together as a family.

We dont let the kids just dive into the pressents we take one at a time and the person its for has to read who its from. Its safe to say that we are sat busy till mid day at times as they each take time to say thanks to any one pressent for their gifts.

We always have gifts that are for all the family, we usualy let the older ones open these as they dont get as much as the younger kids. The gifts are often board games, books and dvd, and computer games.

Dinner time!! if my kids had to go with out gifts or food at christmas time the would happly forfit their gifts for food! I have strange children at times.

We dont have turkey! none of us really like it and only a few of us like spouts. So christmas dinner for us is beef welington! We usualy have 5 courses but never make it to christmas pudding!! so that gets served up and popped on the table for supper!!

We dont watch much tv on christmas day as we like to try and spend as much time playing with the family as prossible. We dont have bedtime on christmas day and the kids generaly start drifting upstairs after ten pm, they are glad to take them selves to bed and always say think you for a great day as they do.

Boxing day is the day we leave open for people to visit us, we dont have dinner we just keep the table filled up with goodies and relax. The older kids have all decidied that boxing day is the day they will come and spend with us when they leave home, which I think is nice!

I am a strong beliver in christmas time been a time to share your time and love with your family. Its never been about how much money is spent on them. Over the years we have had christmas's that we have not had much cash but the kids always say they have had a great christmas. We are a close family anyway, but christmas time is a special time of year when we can all show our love and apreciation for each other.

Now Iv let you into what we do, lets hear about your christmas traditon?

[Sash]

I've always struggled with Christmas until meeting Harv. I find it one of the most difficult times of the year after spending most of my life in care. It really is only in the last few years that I've been able to enjoy it and not worry about buying stuff for the kids because I should, even though they simply don't need the stuff, and relax and just enjoy having a laugh and playing daft games with the kids. It is really about family for me now, and even though it still hurts a lot, I try not to dwell on the past and remember that Christmas is about the kids now.
I love seeing the kids eyes light up at Christmas lights, and seeing other peoples houses decorated. We walk round our estate looking at the lights and the lions club comes round with Santa and they always stop and say Hi as many of them are friends with Harv. I also like going to the big shops that sell all the lights and stuff. Just looking at all that stuff makes it christmassy. I don't like being made to feel that we are tight because we don't buy the kids lots of stuff, and a lot of shops and companies encourage people to get into debt at this time of the year. We have to be careful, with 4 kids you just can't afford every single thing they ask for.

We don't really have any traditions if I'm honest. We kinda just go with the flow and do what suits us at the time. Christmas day Harv usually cooks a scrummy dinner and I clean up around him lol. Not sure what we are doing this year. Would really like to go out as last year was quite stressful but know we cannot afford it. £40 odd per head round here for Christmas day, and the £25 for the kids. They couldn't eat that much food, and that much money would be better used elsewhere. Might just have a few pizzas and some ice cream

[Evilkitten]

I'll tell you what our Christmas Tradition used to be. Even though I am no longer a child, still not in that phase of a family woman either so stuck in the middle but I do intend to keep the past tradition a live as my husband likes the sound of them. ^^

When I was under 18, I lived in a family unit and around 18 my family divorced and I say family because all of us took different routes to what they are today.

Anyway we grew up knowing that each Christmas we was not to expect much because there wasn't that much to give. On the the first of December we will start with putting up decorations and me and my sister will write lists. Was quite fun as one year we actually had a real tree (never again) but we would help by putting some around the bottom of the tree and hang up some string to hang the cards.

During the first few weeks we will separate with each parent to help pick each other presents, I used to find this bit very fun because me and my sister had the task of hiding them. Then later when each respective person was out doing whatever we would wrap the presents and always sign each present except one Santa and the last one with our name.

Then came Christmas eve, we would have a little party with some family friends where we would exchange gifts and eat honey roast ham. My mother used to always make this each year. Then when everyone went home and midnight fell, we would open one present before bedtime as a reward for being good little children. As you can probably tell, not always was this tradition held as I can remember on a couple of occasion I was naughty. hehe

Christmas day morning was mostly opening our stockings which had little pieces of presents to keep us occupied whilst our parents were asleep. They would usually get up about 8am onwards where we crowd around their bed and have tons of fun, joking and laughing. I miss this the most from my childhood but can't wait to do when ours come of age to enjoy it equally =).

Then until Christmas lunch which was about 3pm, me and my sister would be out playing in the street to keep out of the way of our parents. I remember one or two years where there was snow and our parents couldn't get us back in the house, that was fun. ^^ We would usually eat Turkey with all the trimmings then sometimes Christmas pudding to finish.

After Lunch, it was open present time and we would open, say thank you. Play with our toys and our parents would keep near us as quality time together. We have had on a few occasions family coming round but only once or twice at this point.

Then until bedtime, we would usually watch some classic programs like 'The Christmas Story' or Christmas songs on the Television. We would enjoy our chocolate selection boxes and have some great laughs. Sometimes we eat some turkey sandwiches if we got hungry.

Come boxing day we usually make up a stir fry with the reminder of the Turkey and vegetables we didn't eat. We always did this and I always ate every single bit.

Now, Christmas is just "whose house we staying at this year". This year we will be staying at a hotel with my mother which is different, never done it before but maybe it's good. ^^

Can't wait for next year, first Christmas as a little family unit, well excited just like being a kid again.

[Ratio]

To be honest i go with the Flow, there are lots of little people seeing their first Christmas this year so it will be an interesting experience, that will be scheduled round feeds and the like.

Christmas has been spent at the missus sisters with presents in the am, then round to her parents for food and drink for the last few years. There never seems to be a specific schedule, although NOTHING gets between me and Dr WHO! I think this year i may stay sober and help with the driving.

The only tradition i have is going down to the beach to say hello to the sea and have a chat.

But Boxing day, thats our anniversary, so thats steeped in tradition.

[Sash]

Originally Posted by Ratio

But Boxing day, thats our anniversary, so thats steeped in tradition.

OMG a man that remembers anniversaries!!!!!! OMGGGGG

[draganess]

What beach do you go to?

We used to have parents visit us on christmas day but they live too fare away for a christmas day visit. We have had visitors for the past few christmas's too but this year its gonna be just me andy and our kids

Im glad its not just our family that dont go mad with the pressents at christmas. My kids never nag for stuff, they may hint saying this ot that is nice but they are always happy with what they have got. They know its not about how much we can get them and cos they know if we are strapped for cash they seem to apreciate their gifts more.

[Puratech]

When me and my sister were younger, our parents and their friends used to meet up at christmas and new years. We'd do one day at theirs and the other at our house, christmas type meal, and such. It was one of those family tradition things, but was pretty boring leaving all ur christmas stuff at home to spend the day in someone elses house waiting to go home

Now its a little different though. I normally wake up fairly early and hungover, because my 5 year old nephew is nuts about christmas and presents etc and wants his presents at the break of dawn. Then we pretty much laze about until christmas lunch, traditional turkey and crackers and stuff.

Early evening i go to a mates house with friends, for like a second christmas thing. Lots of beers etc, stupid crackers/hats, usually some awful dvd and lots of drunken singing. We also do this thing where, as everyones impossible to buy presents for and its a waste of money, so we go for a £2 present thing and just buy eachother loads of novelty junk.

My local is always ******ed as its owned by a restaurant chain now. It only opens on christmas day for like 3 hours for christmas meals. I cant remember the price but the christmas menu in december is about £60 a person and ramped up for christmas day :/

[Angua]

As a kid christmas was nice and simple, we went and stayed at my Nans down in Bridport, there for 2 wks then back to Bristol.

When Dibbs and I got together things got a little more complicated cos his Nan needed pleasing, his mum needed pleasing and his dad needed pleasing (they are divorced).

Thankfully this year we are being really selfish and going to stay in a cottage in Devon with my mum, dad and sister...its gonna be a scream (got me wellyboots packed already), our lad has just found out the cottage has a games room and is already organising the rota for a pool tournament.

We had loads of little traditions... satsuma in the bottom of the stocking (hehe i do that for our kids now lol (( and they eat it, are they mad!)) Being postie and giving out the presents, always having breakfast first, leisurely stroll to the beach after lunch, watch 'Wind in the Willows' (or whatever was on, that year)

Christmas decs normally go up about a week before the 25th, but last year we had to miss out as Detty (Detritus the Kitten) was only abt 5 months old and was a complete monster!!! Not sure about this year either, although he will be 17 months old he ummmm still leaves a lot of detritus in his wake. Having said that the cats are going into a cattery for the first time this year while we are away.

Dibbs will have to tell you what his christmas' were like as a child I'm afraid.

[teflon]

I just move a small lump of coal from the bucket to the mantelpiece and attach a note saying 'You have been a bad boy' and try to act all surprised to myself when I get up on xmas day.
Every year I am so disappointed not to find the MicroMachines multi-storey parking garage with pop-up arms where they pay underneath a really camp plastic spruce, I end up vomiting into the kitchen sink as some foreign girl grudgingly peels potatoes on the draining board.

Then I normally go somewhere hot to get a sore head and avoid the cold and people who know me.

[Yzerman]

not really that bothered about christmas anymore more interested in the **** ups that surround it

on christmas day though usually wake up about 10:30 open what presents i get nowadays then go to my dads to visit him. then i come back home go to the pub for a couple then back for christmas dinner

[emmatot]

Well this is my last christmas at home so hopefully my mum will do something a little more special since me and r rob are leavin next year....(youll be very lucky if rob goes actually)...ill miss christmas at home ive always liked it....dont know wat im going to do when its just me and paul dont plan on having kids for another couple of years lol....(give me till my 19th birthday lol)