Christmas traditions

[Nighthawk]

Hey, folks!

My family are in the throws of one of my favorite Christmas traditions. I thought I would tell you all about it, and see what your favorites are. Every year, we spend hours and hours the days before Christmas wrapping gifts. On Christmas Eve, we put on the 24 hour A Christmas Story marathon and have the kids put all the gifts under the tree. Every Christmas, my mother loses at least one gift, which after an hour or so of hunting, gets my father whipped up to the point of foaming at the mouth and cursing like Ralphy's father, weaving a tapestry of obsceneties that blanket the Rockies like a new snowfall. This year, I bought my kids their first video game system- a Nintendo Wii and Guitar Hero with two guitars. I gave this wonderful set to (wait for it... wait for it!! ) ... my mother (!!!) to hold onto and hide for me. Guess what gift my father is currently demolishing the house searching for? Yep... the Wii and Guitar Hero bundle... Yep, nothing like a stress free, relaxing, silent night... Especially around this house. Nothing even resembling it! I need some SoCo and egg nog now.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I just hope I don't end up with a package of lacy thongs- again- while my wife ends up with all the boxers. Gods bless Mom.

[Bugbear]

I remember, as a little kid, laying under the fake Christmas tree, and looking up through all the twisted metal branches and plastic needles at the lights and ornaments from the inside out or backside. I also remember playing with Star Wars people in the tree and all the decorations.

[Nighthawk]

I remember, as a little kid, laying under the fake Christmas tree, and looking up through all the twisted metal branches and plastic needles at the lights and ornaments from the inside out or backside. I also remember playing with Star Wars people in the tree and all the decorations.

Excellent! I did the same! I have the entire line of Hallmark Star Trek ship ornaments that help to accentuate the toys- it's like a battle fleet on my tree! It's great.

[CDNSushi]

Funny. Last night, both my wife and I watched A Christmas Story for the first time ever! Really enjoyed it, BTW... A well done movie. Could sure relate to having a yellow-eyed neighbourhood bully (and his crony) -- we had a few of those ourselves growing up. Haven't been back to the ol' neighbourhood for almost 10 years. Makes me wonder what prison those bullies are doing time in now (and when they'll be up for parole)...

[Nighthawk]

Funny. Last night, both my wife and I watched A Christmas Story for the first time ever! Really enjoyed it, BTW... A well done movie. Could sure relate to having a yellow-eyed neighbourhood bully (and his crony) -- we had a few of those ourselves growing up. Haven't been back to the ol' neighbourhood for almost 10 years. Makes me wonder what prison those bullies are doing time in now (and when they'll be up for parole)...

I saw it for the first time last year. The father in that is my dad, completely. It's so relatable for me. By the way, we finally found the Wii and Guitar Hero set. I played it for over a hour after the kids went to bed... I'm a bass player, so I couldn't resist.

[Macman]

Sounds like a "quiet" night, Nighthawk! One of our traditions is to burn last year's Christmas tree in the fireplace on Christmas morning. When our tree comes down this season, I'll cut and tie it up, then save it in the garage for next year.

[cessna152towser]

One of our traditions is to pack all the Christmas cards which we received away with the Christmas lights etc. on 4th or 5th January, then when I bring down the Christmas lights from the loft at the beginning of next December I have the previous year's cards as a reminder of who sent us cards last year, and now I will write cards to them and throw away last year's cards once I have done so. The system seems to work, even though Ann and I have very few relatives, we still sent and received over sixty cards this year.

[Bugbear]

Usually I spend three or four days through Christmas at a friend's home, and end up at my mother's home; this is all in near by cities.

This year was different. I just stayed home with the six cats. I did the same for Thanksgiving, and will for the New Year. This might be a trend for me.

[Frank McGrath]

When my first marriage ended, I decided to start a new family custom. I had been asked by my mother to take her to church Christmas eve. Well, the best plans can get screwed up. My siblings had returned to the family nest for Christmas and we decided to pop open a bottle of Mr. Jack's famous whiskey. Well, one gallon later, Mom came downstairs to the room and asked who was driving her to service. Since then I have stayed sober on Christmas eve and took her to church several years in a row. So, since remarrying, I have set in motion a family custom of going to church on Christmas eve. When the kids were younger, we went to the family service. As they grew and started customs of their own, we would go to the last service of the evening. Two years ago, we spent Christmas eve at the chapel where Silent Night was first performed. Joan and I and a couple of thousand others. Very dramatic. To this day, Christmas eve is not the same without Stille Nacht, Helige Nacht. Even if I am the only one singing in German. And then on The 25th, we go to a friends house and have dinner and have a party with their family. Except while we were in Austria, where we spent christmas night in the hospital.

[Finn]

Wife & I have only been together four years so we're still creating our traditions. The only ones retained from my childhood are opening one gift on the Eve and cinnamon rolls the next morning.
This year we stopped at an Indian place for a snack on the Eve. After taking food to a disabled friend on Xmas Day, we stopped in again. We decided that we will have an Indian Feast in the future with makhani, saag, na'an, etc...

FYI~ I was born in the city in which "A Christmas Story" is set (in reality)- Hammond, IN. Hohman was a major road through it. Was filmed in Cleveland.