Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion Off-Topic Forum Holiday traditions

Okay, what's your favorite holiday tradition?

Do you hide a pickle in your tree? Do you always eat the same thing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? (Sorry for the slant, it's all I know )

Given that we all have limited energy, what is the one thing you won't let slide because it's just too meaningful for you?

slant?

I always fall asleep under the Christmas tree the night that we put it up. Going on 30 years of that tradition and I get to share it with my daughter now.

I've been thinking of this since yesterday. My daughter had to write about a family tradition for school. After trying to come up with something, I am at a loss. It has hit me, now, that with the recent loss of both my parents, that our holiday traditions went with them.

My daughter and I just put up the tree this past weekend, and we will make my famous butter cutout cookies, but the rest of our holiday traditions, well, we will not be able to carry out. It all revolved around going to grandma and grandpa's. I know we can start our own traditions, but it's really sad to realize that our Christmas holiday traditions are over.

It is true that I have to parcel out my energy just to get ready for Christmas, but we WILL make my cookies, come H#$% or highwater!!

If I can get my fingers to cooperate, perhaps we can sing Christmas carols around the piano. That should prove interesting. LOL

Crystal

I just realized that we have New Year's Day tradition that I've carried over from my childhood. I always cook a pork roast in sauerkraut and serve with mashed potatoes on NYD....I think it's suppose to bring you good luck all year long. So far, I don't think it's working!! LOL

Crystal

IrishElf,

Slant - bias, skewed towards Christmas rather than being politically correct and just saying "holiday".

Given that we spend every Christmas Day that we don't have family around with our Jewish friends, whose daughter LOVES our tree, I probably shouldn't worry so much about it. I just didn't want to offend or exclude those who have different religions, or none at all.

Crystal,

I know what you mean. My MIL kept the holiday traditions going. She passed away about 5 years ago. We moved most of the festivities to my house for the first two years, with pretty good success, but then my FIL remarried and now we're lucky if we get to see him on Christmas. Last year my new MIL wanted to make spaghetti for Christmas dinner because she could cook it in advance and it would be easier. This was after we 1) offered to have it at our house, and 2) offered to do all the cooking and cleanup. Luckily my FIL told her no spaghetti.

There are certain things we still insist on doing. Every year each family member gets a new ornament. Which means every couple of years we need a bigger tree

We have several traditions
1) We have to make butter cookie cut-outs
2) Someone in the family has to make Baklava
3) We always make Bagna Cauda for dinner (does
anyone know what that is?)
4) Santa always leaves a trail of candy canes
from the kids bedrooms to the Christmas tree
5) I always buy my Mom a pair of shoes as one of
her presents because a girl can never have
enough shoes (its our inside joke)
6) The kids always have a new set of PJs to wear
to bed on Christmas Eve.

Oh...the most important one

Christmas would not be Christmas without Johnny Mathis playing in the background while the kids opened up their presents in the morning!

I guess for me Christmas tradition is in the heart.

Whatever I'm doing and with whatever family member I'm doing it; it is always special.

With both my parents gone, our son moved away, my DH and I just do whatever we feel like doing. Sometimes we go "visiting", sometimes we make calls instead.