Holiday Traditions.. what are yours?

[needvapor]

We have quite a few over here.. some change since moving to Florida as I am away from Mom, Dad, sister and kids.
We used to go out East in Long Island and cut our own trees down.. there is nowhere here I know of to do this
This will be our first year for as long as I can remember without a "live tree" We still may get a table top one.. but need to figure out in the moving chaos where to put it!
Another tradition is we let the kids open 1 gift each and hubby and I exchange all but 1 gift on Xmas eve and leave Christmas morning mainy for the kids! Then we have a French Toast and Bacon breakfast.
Xmas eve is our "big eating" night, we start early and finish late..LOL Italian family's no meat mostly shellfish and appetizers and then xmas we just do Lasagna and ribroast.

One new one we have done since here in Fla is take our Holiday pics down at the beach.. I love the candid shots the best of my daughter in Christmas dress running barefoot down the beach with Santa hat on...its just priceless!
We have a georeous day today so this is our plan for after school today so I can get them mailed out!
I am looking to possibly add a new fun tradition to the Family being as we are moving into our new house...post away! I love hearing things like this!

 

[angjen0816]

we arent religious at all and don't really celebrate anything other than the excuse to buy ourselves frivolous stuff without feeling guilty

 

[WonderfulMe]

We have a couple. Kids get Christmas pajamas, that's the present opened on Christmas eve. It was funny as kids we never realized it, but were always mildly disappointed Christmas eve to not open a toy.

Christmas morning quiches, yum! And stockings Christmas night, you have to spread the fun surprises out!

NeedVapor- Your daughter on the beach in her Christmas dress, How cute! We may just have to steal your tradition.

 

[needvapor]

we arent religious at all and don't really celebrate anything other than the excuse to buy ourselves frivolous stuff without feeling guilty

LOL Ang,
It doesn't have to be anything religious at all just looking to hear about other family traditions!


[

We have a couple. Kids get Christmas pajamas, that's the present opened on Christmas eve. It was funny as kids we never realized it, but were always mildly disappointed Christmas eve to not open a toy.

LOL.. that is funny in fact now that I think about it my daughter always gets this from Nana on Christmas eve!

Christmas morning quiches, yum! And stockings Christmas night, you have to spread the fun surprises out!

ohh hwat kind of quiches, that sounds fabulous!
We do our stockings in the morning so my hubby and I can wake up over our coffee! =)

NeedVapor- Your daughter on the beach in her Christmas dress, How cute! We may just have to steal your tradition.

no thats not stealing... its sharing and hopefully creating some beautiful moments like mine in your life! That was my intention on the thread!

 

[j4mmin42]

Chevy Chase's "Christmas Vacation" on Christmas eve, homemade french toast and stuff for breakfast...mmmm, yum...

-J4mmin

 

[laurel099]

It was funny as kids we never realized it, but were always mildly disappointed Christmas eve to not open a toy.

LMAO!! When my son was small I remember waiting for his excited self to FINALLY fall asleep so I could 'do' Christmas. I'd be tired as hell the next day!

Early on I made some executive decisions... My husband laughed at me. First, I said Santa would NOT wrap presents so only those from us would need wrapping. Saved me

After my son no longer believed in Santa (gosh, hope I'm not busting anyone's bubble and thank you 1st grade teacher!!)... I decided what the heck.. Why wait for him to go to sleep... ruin my night's sleep/ruin my morning's sleep. I started letting him open everything on x-mas eve and that made my x-mas mornings much nicer (for sleep that is).

Now as the kid is almost 17 and totally past all the hooplah... I don't do a tree or decorations. I don't wrap anyone's gifts to save either... I call it environmentally friendly but others might call it lazy... Whatev!! Heck I have REALLY shaved the holiday down... I like it better now, it's more about seeing family or friends, food, company. Mind you I still have a huge collection of Star Trek hallmark stuff and oodles of it.... Haven't used the stuff in a few years now though... Easier that way!

 

[Promise]

Several places in Vegas to get real trees if you want to pay through the nose for them lol or for a stand by (and I kid you not) I saw a place selling Christmas tumble weeds, painted white with lights in them.

As for traditions I don't really have any. Don't have kids so I cant really pass on the ones I had as a child and I live across the country from my entire family. But I do hope to start a new tradition this year and head to San Diego for 4 days over the holiday

 

[laurel099]

I kind of like that Christmas tumbleweed idea

I do have a Christmas Palm Tree in my yard. No need to decorate it makes little red berries right in time for the holidays... I guess I do have an Xmas tree LOL!

 

[hittman]

We let our two daughters open pj's like Wonderful said he does. They actually seem to like it. Sometimes we give in and let them open one gift each. The oldest is twelve and has let us know that she does not believe in santa but does not let on this info to the younger one. So we still have one that believes. The girls are usually up by 7:00 christmas morning and after the paper throwing stops, I usually make breakfast. Also for the last four or five years, my brother in law(the kids favorite uncle) comes over christmas eve and spends the night so he can watch the kids open presents. He is single and I think it is good for the kids to have him there and that way he is not alone christmas morning.

 

[Up In Vapor]

My mom always makes Christmas quiche too!!! I love it. It's been a while since I've spent Christmas with my folks, been mostly here with the in-laws, but...we are crashing my parents house in Florida this year! I can't wait for that quiche on Christmas morning!
Growing up we always went to mass on Christmas Eve (Irish Catholic family) and out for dinner (Chinese usually), then home to open ONE gift. The rest would be left for Christmas day. This year we had to tell our 8 year old daughter that we e-mailed Santa telling him where she would be on Christmas. Shopped online mostly having everything shipped over there. Will be wild and crazy with at least 13 of my family definitely going to Mom and Dad's!

Thanks for the thread Lori, sure beats all the other crap in here lately, LOL.

 

[WonderfulMe]

LOL Ang,

ohh hwat kind of quiches, that sounds fabulous!
We do our stockings in the morning so my hubby and I can wake up over our coffee! =)

My mom always does the quiches, I think both are with swiss cheese, one has bacon and the other spinach. They are so yummy. My daughter has only had them once last Christmas since we moved back home, but she asked me last week if we were still going to have those Christmas morning pies agian this year lol

Hittman - I'm a she, I know the avatar is confusing Glad to know I'm not the only one with Christmas eve pajamas

 

[Up In Vapor]

Hittman - I'm a she, I know the avatar is confusing

Now that you mention it...I was kinda wondering what that avatar was???

 

[sstambo]

But it sure is funny!
I chuckle every time I see it.

 

[SmilingSlasher]

My family gets together on X-Mas Eve......we eat, catch up and then do the gifts. The next day, the wife and I go to her Grandparents house and spend the entire day there doing everything from joking about her Grandfathers obsession with farts, to me napping on the floor after I've stuffed myself. I can pretty much tell whats coming next by what time it is. They are very scheduled like that.

 

[hittman]

Sorry abot that Wonderful. I did not know.

 

[jj2]

joking about her Grandfathers obsession with farts, to me napping on the floor after I've stuffed myself.

Sure hope you are napping by Grandpa.8-o

Of course there is going to the gathering of the family.

My person thing I do every year is watch Scrouge and National Lampoons Xmas vacation.

 

[Up In Vapor]

But it sure is funny!
I chuckle every time I see it.

Be careful using that c word around here

 

[sstambo]

Oh, right. Giggle then.

 

[needvapor]

you guys are too much..lol!! yeah around here we laugh and giggle!
all seriousness..most chuckles are nice =)
I was also wondering about that avatar! Oh man a fart obsession? funny stuff..I have a cute card for you to send him I will post it!
I did a search and went looking for xmas quiche and all sorts of things came up all different quiches but I guess everyone has their own flavor of it. I may do this for Breakfast with the french toast, the swiss and bacon sounds good, maybe cheddar bacon! I am getting hungry!!!

Good stuff... I wanna hear more!
I forgot to mention our tree decorating tradition.. hubby hangs ONE ornament. because he just cant be bothered and he and my daughter always put the angel on the tree together!

fart card:
http:
//sendables.jibjab.com/sendables/203556/farting_carol
you can add all your family members!!!
funny stuff!

 

[needvapor]

My mom always makes Christmas quiche too!!! I love it. It's been a while since I've spent Christmas with my folks, been mostly here with the in-laws, but...we are crashing my parents house in Florida this year! I can't wait for that quiche on Christmas morning!
Growing up we always went to mass on Christmas Eve (Irish Catholic family) and out for dinner (Chinese usually), then home to open ONE gift. The rest would be left for Christmas day. This year we had to tell our 8 year old daughter that we e-mailed Santa telling him where she would be on Christmas. Shopped online mostly having everything shipped over there. Will be wild and crazy with at least 13 of my family definitely going to Mom and Dad's!

Where in Florida?
I am in southeastern part of state!