Comments on: So What’s Your Favorite Christmas Tradition?

By: Chuck McKinnon

Chuck McKinnon — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:18:10 +0000

For 34 years now, we’ve held an extended family Christmas party on the second Saturday in December. Santa comes every year and brings each child a toy, and they each get a Christmas stocking with their name on it. We make Christmas crafts that, cheap as they are, become minor heirlooms as the years pass.

On the 30 year anniversary, my mother and her sisters announced they were turning it over to my generation. At that point we downsized: my mother is one of ten children, and with children and children’s children it had become too big. So now it’s me, my four sisters and our cousins in town, all the children (about fifteen so far) and a couple of aunts and uncles, who enjoy coming even more now that they no longer have to organize everything. We’ve opened our home to the party for the four years of its new version.

My wife finds my enthusiasm for this party surprising, as I’m not usually a fan of large family gatherings. But this is a tradition I loved growing up, and I want my children to know it as I did. I fully expect this party will become a 100-year tradition. If I’m very lucky, I may even be around to see it — I was three years old when it started.

By: JA Benson

JA Benson — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:02:58 +0000

The kids open one present Christmas Eve. Surprise !! The present is always pj’s so they look good for Christmas morning pictures. We eat our big meal on Christmas Eve. THis way I get get to enjoy Christmas day. Everyone is happy to eat leftovers.

By: Lamonte

Lamonte — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:10:14 +0000

A rather recent tradition (14 years) and one that, unfortunately, hasn’t involved my children to a great extent (they were all adolescent teenagers when we started) is to travel to our favorite Christmas Tree farm (Snicker’s Gap) just a few miles west of Leesburg, VA to cut our own Christmas Tree. The trees are planted in perfect rows up on the hillside. The farm owner’s and operators are all wondefully nice people and the families and children (and dogs) that come for the experience are all smiley faced and full of Christmas cheer (yes, even the dogs!). Although is has become a lot more crowded and hectic as the years have passed, it’s still a great amount of fun, the trees are beautiful and fresh, and it remains the starting point of our Christmas celebration.

By: Lamonte

Lamonte — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:09:24 +0000

By: David T.

David T. — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:12:53 +0000

Ever since my daughter was a toddler, our favorite Christmas traditions have been making a cheese and a chocolate fondue on Christmas Eve, leaving luminaries and reindeer food (oatmeal & sparkles) on the driveway, leaving the cookies & milk for Santa, and running outside to watch the neighborhood Christmas parade go by our house before we go to bed. My little girl is 11 now, and still doggedly holds on to all these traditions, including the existence of Santa– the only difference now is, by the time Santa comes she makes sure she’s settled with the bishop as a full tithe payer.

By: David T.

David T. — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:11:43 +0000

By: Susan M

Susan M — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 15:37:01 +0000

Our new tradition since moving to California is having a picnic lunch Christmas day on the beach.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:50:33 +0000

You’re welcome, although I can’t take credit for it. My parents were given the stocking and the idea from some friends about 18 years ago.

By: Don

Don — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:24:50 +0000

Cheryl,

Your Jesus stocking is a cool idea, I love it, thanks for sharing.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 15:32:03 +0000

Acting out the Nativity while my dad read the story from the scriptures. Being the oldest (and a die-hard traditionalist), I made my siblings do it, even after we were in college/married. Now we get to watch all the grandkids do it (much to my siblings relief).

My other favorite tradition (besides eggnog, Carols, Advent and presents) is the Jesus Stocking. All of us take some time on Christmas Eve to write down what our gift to Christ will be in the coming year. Then we put it in His stocking. Each year, we re-read what we have written over the years and see if we did what we wanted to give Him.