Christmas Traditions

[jscarbor]

I guess my families biggest holiday tradition was having homeade cinnamon rolls and a full on breakfast after opening gifts. Those cin rolls were butter heaven.

My wife remembers her and her sister getting a pair of pajamas christmas eve.

Any other good one's out there?

Edited December 12, 2003 by jscarbor (log)

[Lone Star]

I always make homemade cinammon rolls for Christmas morning , and my kids enjoy them because I only make them once a year.

Our Christmas eve tradition is to have the whole family over for gift giving and carol singing. We always have chili, tamales (this year pork and barbacoa), cornbread, pinto beans, chile con queso, and guacamole.

It makes a great meal to set out and allow people to "graze".

Edited December 12, 2003 by Lone Star (log)

[Jaymes]

Always a rich and hearty soup for Christmas Eve...usually eaten when we get home from Midnight Mass. For years, this was oyster stew. But recently, I began mixing up a much simpler potato-bacon chowder. But it has to be a luxurious soup of some kind.

And then Christmas Morning -- a very special custard-style French Toast, served with strawberries or fruit medly and all the fixin's, and bacon and sausage.

Christmas Dinner is the typical -- turkey, ham, cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, sweet potatoes, etc. With Bourbon Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie for dessert.

I've tried "innovation" -- but at my house, that just made everybody mad. I got the "grinch" treatment. My eleven year-old even patiently explained to me the meaning of "tradition." I never tried that again.

[RBloom03]

My family’s Christmas traditions have been the same since I can remember, even though all the “children” are now in their 20s and 30s. We all gather at my parents’ house on Christmas Eve for a Thanksgiving style feast and to drink a lot of wine. Everyone spends the night so that on Christmas morning we can wake up early to exchange gifts and have a made-to-order omelet breakfast before heading home or to the in-laws. I would include non-food related traditions as well, but my entire family likes to focus all visits (holiday or not!) on food...

Edited December 12, 2003 by RBloom03 (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

I have an open house and make Cassoulet - friends drop by throughout the day (or Christmas Eve) for a glass of wine, a bowl of cassoulet, a gift, and a hug.

[Jaymes]

Another food one.

I bought a small (about three foot) artificial tree. That was always set up somewhere in the kitchen and decorated with edible treats -- cookies, candy canes, small wrapped candies, etc., tied on with festive Christmas ribbon. There was also a small pair of scissors. Guests could cut off whatever they liked as their treat.

Another nonfood one.

I had three kids. I also bought small artificial trees for each child that they put in their rooms. They decorated them according to their personal taste. One year, my daughter had a "Barbie" tree wherein she tied all her Barbie stuff to it, including Ken. And furniture from the playhouse, clothes, little plastic Barbie shoes. She also did a "Pony" tree one year, and a Troll tree the year after that.

From the boys, we got Star Wars, Matchbox cars, and various sports teams.

Each of the trees also had colored lights, so it made a gentle glow in their rooms.

They tell me now that they loved their "personal trees" most of all.

Edited December 12, 2003 by Jaymes (log)

[Suzanne F]

Wow, Jaymes, you almost made me wish I celebrated Xmas! What great ideas.

[cjs]

As a kid, when it got to be close to christmas, my sisters and I couldn't wait for the decorations to go up. They were always done in the night when we were asleep.Every morning we would wake up and run for the living room to see if the "elves" had been busy in the night. It really felt so special when we were small.

We also had these paper elves(actually they are called nisser in Danish)that we would find for days on end, stuck on different things throughout the house.

[Jaymes]

Wow, Jaymes, you almost made me wish I celebrated Xmas! What great ideas.

Thanks. Of course Christmas without my three little kids around is a much different affair. I really miss it.

On the other hand, though, I don't think I'd be happy if they had never left, either.

[maggiethecat]

Each of the trees also had colored lights, so it made a gentle glow in their rooms.

They tell me now that they loved their "personal trees" most of all.

Jaymes: Santa moved the stockings from the mantle to the bedpost in our house too. My brother would come sit on my bed, and we'd take turns unwrapping.

I love the idea of the kitchen food-favor fir a lot, but it's the bedroom trees that really, really make me wish that I had children still living at home. A beautiful idea.

[fresco]

Our kids both had advent calendars, with each day bringing a small piece of chocolate. It was a tough one for them to give up.

Watching the Alistair Sim version of A Christmas Carol. My daughter can recite it line by line, with gestures.

The singalong version of The Messiah.

Long distance calls lasting a long time and involving a lot of people.

[Lone Star]

I got a "tradition" lecture from my 17 year old last year when I wanted to put the tree in (gasp) the opposite corner of the room!

[Jaymes]

Jaymes: Santa moved the stockings from the mantle to the bedpost in our house too. My brother would come sit on my bed, and we'd take turns unwrapping.

Isn't that just the BEST!!

And we also had advent calendars. They're wonderful, too.

I was really lucky to be a small child in Germany. They "do up" Christmas the very best. We even headed out into the forest in a horse-drawn sleigh to select our tree, which then got cut down, and dragged home behind us through the snow.

My Dad always said that the Germans had to do Christmas in a big way because the German winters were too miserable to do anything else.

[Jaymes]

I got a "tradition" lecture from my 17 year old last year when I wanted to put the tree in (gasp) the opposite corner of the room!

That's a wonderful story, and really sums it up, doesn't it? Every time I hear stories about people that tried this or that new recipe for Christmas dinner, I always think, "you'd never get away with that in MY house."

[cjs]

our advent calendars came from my aunt in Denmark when we were kids. There were no chocolates, but very intricate and sparkly like pictures. I also remember the gifts she sent for us were tied with real ribbon. no tape in sight.

[cjs]

o.k. how about some food

christmas eve was all about the food and then the gifts.

we had roast duck, which my mother stuffed with prunes, raisins and apples

red cabbage

caramel potatos and the one thing I would actually like to forget, the gravey you could stand a spoon up in.

dessert was heaven, riz alamande. anyone else have this?

[ludja]

Most special thing is having real candles on our Christmas tree (in addition to lights). We light the candles on Christmas Eve and q few other times. It is truely magical, with Silent Night in German in the background and is a time (amid all the other bustle of the holidays) where one can reflect on the true meaning of the holiday. *Note* we alway cut our own tree a day or two before Christmas Eve and never leave it unattended*

Food on Christmas Eve is large platters of Austrian/German coldcuts and cheeses including Westphalian Ham and cold, smoked pork chops, liverwurst, salamis, headcheese, etc. also good pickles, rye bread, stuffed eggs w/anchovies, creamed or mustard pickled herring, german potato salad, etc. and concluding with a large platter of my mom's cookies (at least 10 different ones).

Santa Claus always came (and still does) on Christmas Eve to our house w/Austrian traditions. When we were very small, he brought all the presents and a decorated tree on Christmas Eve. (Blanket would be over living room door). When older, we decorated the tree the day b/4 Christmas Eve and Santa Claus brought the presents and lighted the tree (*tree lights only--no candles!)... We had to leave the house early in the eve, then drive by later to see if the lights were on. Needless to say, boundless excitement to see the lights on...

Christmas Day Dinner somehow evolved to an English Standing Rib Roast w/Yorkshire pudding, creamed onions, peas, etc. Started w/shrimp cocktail and finished w/trifle and/or plum pudding.

edit for missing word

Edited December 12, 2003 by ludja (log)

[Lawen]

Christmas Eve usually involves a case of champagne which my mother and aunts make short work of, and a fifth of decent scotch shared between my grandfather, my uncle, and myself. My father usually slow smokes a couple pork shoulders and reheats some frozen homemade brunswick stew for dinner.

Christmas morning after the children open presents a pot of coffee, a pitcher of mimosas and a pitcher of bloody marys are the first order of business. Then breakfast is made: scrambled eggs, homemade biscuits, sausage, bacon, ham, red eye gravy, grits, and a whole spread of coffee cakes, cinnamon rolls, banana or zuchinni bread.

Around three in the afternoon we sit back down for roasted (and occasionally, in recent years, fried) turkey, a smoked ham, and a mass of standard sides (sweet potato souffle, green beans, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, english peas, etc.). Then a spread of a dozen+ cakes, pies, and cookies and my mother's ambrosia with fresh whipped cream.

Then everyone collapses and naps for several hours. Gotta love holidays in the deep south.

[tommy]

we sit around and scream at each other and debate meaningless topics just to get each other going. antipasto, consisting of various meats and cheeses, is a staple, and usually fills ever guest long before any sort of dinner (usually italian-american fare) hits the table. this is all on christmas day. christmas eve isn't a big deal where i'm from, although i'm trying to work in a new tradition of drinking and eating there as well. no yelling though. gotta save that for christmas day proper.

i've inherited, from my in-laws, a tradition of using these british "poppers" or somesuch before dinner. i don't know what they are, but they have a little toy inside, and a paper hat, which is meant to be worn throughout dinner. i'm usually the only one who does that, though.

Edited December 12, 2003 by tommy (log)

[maggiethecat]

i've inherited, from my in-laws, a tradition of using these british "poppers" or somesuch before dinner. i don't know what they are, but they have a little toy inside, and a paper hat, which is meant to be worn throughout dinner. i'm usually the only one who does that, though.

Ah, yes, Christmas Crackers.

My mother instilled the Cracker Rules in us early, and we abide by them to this day. Each of us must read the silly joke, and it is forbidden to remove the silly paper crown during dinner. Unless it's on fire.

[Squeat Mungry]

i've inherited, from my in-laws, a tradition of using these british "poppers" or somesuch before dinner.  i don't know what they are, but they have a little toy inside, and a paper hat, which is meant to be worn throughout dinner.  i'm usually the only one who does that, though.

Ah, yes, Christmas Crackers.

My mother instilled the Cracker Rules in us early, and we abide by them to this day. Each of us must read the silly joke, and it is forbidden to remove the silly paper crown during dinner. Unless it's on fire.

Could one or both of you elaborate? I have no idea what you're talking about. The hat and the silly joke is inside something? Does it explode? Is there anything else in there?

Thanks in advance,

Squeat

[slbunge]

My wife's ancestors came from Poland (she's three generations away from the old country) and their tradition is to share 'oplatek' (the plural is 'oplatki') before the meal. It is a large flat wafer similar to communion host but bigger. Prior to the start of the Christmas Eve meal, you break off a reasonable size chunk from the main wafer supply. Then, you go to each person at the table, wish them a Merry Christmas and each break off and eat a small piece of the other's oplatek.

Sort of clunky to describe in text but it is a simple way to wish each other well.

Oh, and you also offer oplatek to your pets to commemorate the kindness of animals at the nativity.

[Jaymes]

i've inherited, from my in-laws, a tradition of using these british "poppers" or somesuch before dinner.  i don't know what they are, but they have a little toy inside, and a paper hat, which is meant to be worn throughout dinner.  i'm usually the only one who does that, though.

Ah, yes, Christmas Crackers.

My mother instilled the Cracker Rules in us early, and we abide by them to this day. Each of us must read the silly joke, and it is forbidden to remove the silly paper crown during dinner. Unless it's on fire.

Could one or both of you elaborate? I have no idea what you're talking about. The hat and the silly joke is inside something? Does it explode? Is there anything else in there?

Thanks in advance,

Squeat

Those tube things....usually made out of heavy paper or cardboard...covered with shiny or colorful decorative paper. They look about the same size as if you took a toilet paper tube and covered it with something. And they have strings hanging out of each end. You pull the strings and you get a loud "pop" or "crack." They have something in them -- candy, or small toys, or hats, or silly jokes like in fortune cookies.

They're traditional in the UK for Christmas. So when you show up, there will likely be one in the center of your plate at the Christmas table, or in a basket or something that gets passed around.

You can buy them here in the States as well, and I often do. They're very pretty and festive, and kids love them.

Edited December 13, 2003 by Jaymes (log)

[Jaymes]

we sit around and scream at each other and debate meaningless topics just to get each other going. antipasto, consisting of various meats and cheeses, is a staple, and usually fills every guest long before any sort of dinner (usually italian-american fare) hits the table. this is all on christmas day. christmas eve isn't a big deal where i'm from, although i'm trying to work in a new tradition of drinking and eating there as well. no yelling though. gotta save that for christmas day proper.

[Larry]

I am of Ukrainian descent so we always celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January with the huge traditional twelve dish meatless dinner on the 6th. You can only begin the meal once the first star in the sky has been seen and each course is usually followed in the same manner.

This is more of a custom than a tradition, but I cannot think of a Christmas any other way.