Our Family Traditions

[Jodie]

I have two boys (23 & 16) and years ago I noticed that men usually end up going to their partners house for Christmas, so I decided (when they were very young) to make Christmas Eve our celebration time.

Every Christmas Eve we have a lovely dinner of Baked ham, roast turkey and all the trimmings (yes it is hot here but I just love doing this).

We one one present on Christmas Eve as well. While watching carols in the domain (held in Melbourne each year) on television.

On Christmas day, I make cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we eat these while we open our presents.

Christmas lunch is usually a seafood and salad buffet out on the deck.

Christmas dinner is always left overs from dinner Christmas eve and lunch earlier that day.

Every Christmas I bake:
Christmas cakes and puddings - I put the recipe in the recipe section, if you are interested (usually around 8 fof each or us, family and friends)
Fruit mince pies
Shortbread
Christmas biscuits (cookies)
Pumpkin pie
Pecan pie
Trifle

There is more that I bake but it changes from time to time and I don't bake it all at once because there is only a few of us here and it would not keep.

I will post more of my recipes in the future.

[Noel+]

Our Christmas traditions have hanged over the years with the addition of children, loss of a home/moving to Arizona, and now extended family members living with us, The core essentials will never change - we worship Jesus Christ ion His birthday.

Christmas Eve

Preparation of side dishes, rolls, and finishing of cookies
Christmas Eve service
Cookies, hot cocoa, and sharing til late at night


Christmas Day

Opening of presents
Prayer and breakfast
Church
Christmas Dinner
Christmas movie
Leftovers for snacks
Christmas Evening service
Cookies, hot cocoa and bedtime prayers


It is my favorite time of the year!!!

[Jodie]

It is so nice to read about other traditions that families have.

[Noel+]

It is so nice to read about other traditions that families have.

Yes it is!

[ChristmasFanatic]

Christmas traditions are so very special to me. I believe I babbled on and on about ours when I joined the board, before, so I'll keep my ramblings to a minimum, this time.

Some of my favorite traditions that we continue are:

-Baking cookies
-Watching all the classic TV specials and classic films all through December
-Advent calendars
-Listening to Christmas music, non-stop and adding to my CD collection
-Putting the tree up the weekend following Thanksgiving

Thanks to my family, I have nothing but wonderful memories of Christmas' past and even years when things weren't filled with such wonderful memories, we still managed to make happy memories. Over the last few years, we have hosted a Christmas Eve get together and that's become very special to me. Last year, we moved in with my Dad, as he purchased a house and he offered us the opportunity to move in and help with the mortgage, since my health isn't good and our rent was going up by large amounts. My parents divorced when I was 13, but remained friends and we weren't sure we could really host the Christmas Eve get together, but Dad said he wanted us to do this and so Mom as well as my step-Dad were invited, along with my Grandmother, one of my younger brothers and three of his kids.

[Winterself]

our family traditions..well.christmas eve we usualy gather at moms who lives next door to me.and we watch some funny christmas movie together and its always national lampoons christmas vacation.it has become our traditional movie each christmas eve.then we prepare for our christmas day dinner..
then me and DD got home and open our gifts and stockings.
christmas day we bring all the gifts to moms and we open them.while i watch the macys christmas parade and mom and DD cook the dinner meal..
I dont cause i cant cook like them....haha..i get the honor of clean up..and boy is it alot to clean up..

[Jodie]

Thanks so much for sharing your Christmas traditions with us ChristmasFanatic and Winterself.

[ChristmasFanatic]

Thanks very much.....I love reading about everyone's traditions, too.

[hollybow]

I slightly changed our tradition... normally the tree goes up on 24th dec. morning.. but I changed it into the first week of december..

24th dec.

around 15.30 we have coffee with typical german cookies and stollen (no christmas without..absolute must for me.. )

around twilight time the lights go out, we only have candles lit..someone tells the story of the christkind ( in Germany an angel brings the presents ) and we´ll have our gifts.. while having our angel chimes lit (as a child I was told this little bells came from the Christkinds sleigh...still love the sound)

then we have our dinner:
it´s always some kind of fish as a main dish, mostly salmon (no special meaning about that, we all love fish.. that´s why..) and then vanilla pudding..my grandmother did it..my mother did it.. I do it (no special meaning about that either... we all love vanilla pudding...) and some wine while chatting...

slowly we´re getting prepared for the service at the church..it´ll start about 23.00.. when we come home it´s a magical moment.. it´s the first time we taste the *rumtopf* I prepared through the summer.. it´s mostly icecold outside and when you come in and get a warming drink.. tasting like summer.. it´s wonderful..

the next 2 days we´ll get a traditional meal.. roasted goose with dumplings and red cabbage..and with the coffee, of course stollen...

[Jodie]

hollybow I love stollen.

Do you make your own (I do, I have had the recipe for years - it is great)

[Noel+]

Yes, stollen is simple and delish! I think I posted my Grammy's recipe at the old forum!

[Jodie]

I think I will dig out our Stollen recipe and post it up.

We should all post them and see how different they are.

[Noel+]

I'm not off til Sunday but will try to remember to do that Jodie! it'll be fun!

[Winterself]

our traditional meal for christmas night dinner is turkey,home made mashed potatoes,homemade gravy,carrots,green beans and corn,rolls,cranberry sauce,sweet potatoes with marshmallows,pumkin pie and a berry pie,like cherry or apple..its always a feast..

[Noel+]

its always a feast..

That statement is true world-wide where people celebrate Christmas!

[Jodie]

Sweet potato with marshmallows?

That sounds interesting... Is it a dish that is a family tradition?

Could I please have the recipe - I love trying new things.

[Christmas_Eggnog]

My Christmas always begins the same way....

My parents, brother and I gather around the x-mas tree and take turns unwrapping gifts. The prsents under the tree are opened first and then the stockings. We then go to my grandparents house where we have breakfast and open the presents from them. I enjoy seeing them open their presents and see their reactions!

The rest of the day is mainly relaxing times with family. I usually eat chocolate, candy, etc for lunch (I know...I'm so healthy! ) and then eat a delicious turkey feast. Dinner is always held at my home...family gather together to enjoy the food and the rest of Christmas.

Christmas is no doubt my favourite holiday...I can't seem to get my mind off of it throughout the year!

[Noel+]

Thanks, Christmas Eggnog, for sharing your family traditions with us! They sound vaguely familiar.........especially the feasting part!

[Christmas_Eggnog]

No problem, Noel! I love reading about what the other people at CAY do before and on x-mas day. And, yes...I'm sure x-mas dinner is populzr in most households on this holiday.

[Noel+]

So true Christmas Eggnog. MM has been posting about her turkey dinner & leftovers this week so I am ready for holiday menu now!