Holiday Traditions – Old and New

When I was younger, we didn’t have too many “traditions” per se, but there were always things that we did every year during the holidays. Things like taking a picture with Santa at the mall, crab cioppino on Christmas Eve and my Dad making gin fizzes on Christmas morning. My husband and I didn’t start too many, but the long standing one has always been watching almost all 24 hours of A Christmas Story (best Christmas movie EVER!) 

When we had Madison, we knew we would continue some of our traditions and pick up new ones. We take her to see Santa every year, we hide the Christmas Pickle in our Christmas tree and we always take a picture of her with a two foot tall animated Santa that we have in the living room, so we can see her grow through the years. That will be a funny one when she is 16! 

One of my favorite traditions has become one that I started five years ago. I wanted there to be a night where my husband and I would have our siblings for a get-together before all of the holiday madness. I decided that we should decorate gingerbread houses. This has become one of my favorite days of the year. My brothers-in-law are always comic relief and come up with some pretty crazy stuff for their houses. My nephews, of course, end up eating more of the candy decorations than actually placing them onto the house. Mine is always the “Martha Stewart” house. I like clean lines and simple design. Some of the funniest conversations have happened during this event. 

I wondered what traditions other people followed so I took to Facebook and posed the question. 

We donate every year to Toys for Tots, and canned foods for food banks. Also try to make my feral cats a very special meal. We go around looking at Christmas lights. Warm fireplace, good food, sparkly tree. Mostly appreciating our family and friends. –Delia 

Gingerbread house making CONTEST. I always win…Not that I'm competitive at all...but just saying. -Tami 

Toys for Tot's or a struggling family in our church. Just started the Elf on the Shelf tradition (very cute) And we also go out in the evenings and look at the lights followed by hot chocolate. -Francis 

Resort and summer collections are always on sale this time of the year so I go to Saks and Niemans and drool over the handbags that I want and still can't afford! –Ryan 

We wear Christmas PJs on Christmas Eve. – Dianna 

Mini breads, xmas cookies, fudge, and always Spanish Eggs on Christmas Morning. Guess I better get baking. –Sue

Weekend after thanksgiving - 4 factions of the Chivers family meet in the Santa Cruz mountains to cutdown a Christmas tree. Christmas Eve we have a seafood dinner, with linguini in clam sauce, shrimp scampi, and crab cakes. Presents Christmas morning. –Nick 

I love hearing about the traditions that other families follow and I may just steal a few of the ones from above! No matter how you celebrate or what traditions you may have, the holidays are what you make of them. So be sure to make them great this year and every year! 

Happy Holidays!