Holiday Traditions

Coach Kristina

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, it brings to mind holiday traditions. In my family, my Dad has always been very Bah Humbug right up until 24 December. As a result, we don't do any decorating for the holidays until Christmas Eve. The decorating itself is an event; the whole family participates in putting up & decorating the tree, putting up the lights, and getting the house ready for Christmas. After the decorating is all done, we go out for a drive to enjoy the holiday lights. What holiday traditions do you enjoy?

Coach Jon

I definitely enjoy the holiday tradition of eating all the yummy food that is made! Besides that, I don't really have a specific holiday tradition during this time of the year.

-Coach Jon

UrsulaA

I do enjoy eating food with the family and exchanging gifts. Quality time also happens. Sometimes I walk around the neighborhood to see the holiday lights.

SRC54

We decorate nowadays the week of Thanksgiving because we usually take everything down on the 26th or 27th of December. My wife likes to decorate the tree while watching "The Bishop's Wife" with Cary Grant and Loretta Young. So that's become a tradition. Also, after many years of thinking it had been lost in the shuffle following my parents' deaths, my niece discovered my mothers Manger Scene with all the wise men, shepherds, holy family, sheep, camels, donkey, etc. and as old as I. So now I am custodian of that, and we place it near the Christmas tree as we did when I was a boy.

We also generally go to visit her brother and sisters at some point and to visit my brother's family on another day, so we look forward to that. It's always fun to tell the younger ones about Christmases past.

I enjoy sending Christmas cards so I am about to start that because they need to go out next week. We will also make a couple of mincemeat pies. I need to find someone who makes a real old fashioned cocoanut cake. And on Christmas Eve, we go to the Candlelight Service at our church unless it conflicts with one of the aforementioned visits to the brothers and sisters.

DannyB

Hanging the Greens: In our home, we "hang the greens" on the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving (instead of participating in the orgy of "black Friday" (😁 a little "counter cultural" jab at the commercialization of the holidays)). We put up the lights around the eves of the house and hang lights in the front yard shrubs. We set up our Christmas tree and decorate it along with holiday decorations around the house including lots of candles (we are fully switched over to the battery-operated and programable led candles at this point. 🎄🎋🕯️🕯️🕯️

Advent: This part of our holiday tradition starts on the fourth Sunday prior to December 25. We gather with others in our faith community and add share readings and prayers following the seasonal themes of joy, peace, hope and love. Lighting the Advent candles that are incorporated in the Advent wreath and devotional readings through the weeks.

Secret Santa: To make it easier for everyone in the extended family (there are 20 of us now), we draw names and each of us focuses on the family member whose name we drew. Adults draw adults' names and kids draw kids' names. We use an online service for this that allows everyone to list things they would like to receive, and we set a spending limit. This tradition culminates usually on Christmas eve with the whole gang gathering for a bit of feasting, family games and the final reveal and gift exchange. 🎅🤶🎁

Cookie baking and decorating: This just happens throughout the holiday season… the cookies have a way of disappearing shortly after being baked and decorated (often during the decorating!) 🍪

Christmas Eve Service: The one we enjoy attending most is the latest offered.

Those are a few of our holiday traditions.

Hey, @Coach Kristina, you asked! 🎅

RobWilk

We usually decorate (or start) the day after Thanksgiving, but this year, we started stringing up the lights the day before Thanksgiving because of the weather forecast (rain/cold).

When we were young, on Christmas Eve, we'd get "pajamas" as gifts because our parents wanted us to take pictures in new pajamas on Christmas morning.

For the last 15 years or so, we have met at my sister's house on Christmas, as she has kids, though they're both in high school (one almost in college) now.

It used to bother me that I never received gifts on the holidays as an adult, but at this point, at age 50, I just don't expect them, which makes that easier. Most of the time, as an adult, gifts are more work because you can of have to find a gift to give them (whoever 'they' are) back of similar value, so that you don't feel like you're just taking. If someone gives me a $50 gift card, I feel obligated to give some $50 cash equivalent back as it was just for show.