Ten days until Christmas! Who’s ready? Let the countdown begin, right?
We’ve had some Inspy posts regarding Christmas romances. I do love them! And Christmas movies. It’s just the season for goodness and joy and gifts and love. No wonder the books and movies are enticing, drawing us in.
One of my favorite things are the traditions at Christmas. I love hearing about what families have done over the years, and about new traditions that are started for various reasons. It is hard to let go of tradition, but sometimes it’s necessary. (Someone should write that book!)
I know in our family we had our pancake-sausage breakfast. My dad’s family always had pancakes and sausage Christmas morning. More like brunch time, though. It was great fun and there were always so many people. My immediate family moved out of state and we continued the tradition with the five of us. Then as us kids left home and had our own families, we picked a Saturday or Sunday right before or after Christmas to gather for the traditional breakfast.
In 2018 my dad passed away. My daughter had started hosting the breakfast a couple of years before that, and we continued until 2020. Besides the pandemic, my daughter had a baby and my step-mother had moved into an assisted living home, and it wasn’t feasible to gather that year. Then there was something happening last year, and this year we attempted to keep it going, but have decided to do something else instead. It looks like that tradition has stopped. It’s not a time to be sad, but a time to rejoice that we can start a new tradition. We have new little ones and new fun times to be had.
What are some of your favorite traditions? Have you had to let any go?
USA Today featured author Lindi Peterson lives in north Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and a lively array of cats, dogs and birds. She loves sharing life with her family and friends. Her passion for reading led her to writing, and then God spoke words of love into her heart and changed her life forever.
We always bake cookies and we have a Christmas eve buffet, go to church, and watch a movie together.
I love carol concerts – I used to enjoy singing but find it hard with young children. I’ve simplified a lot of what I do at the moment but hopefully in a few years when they’re older we’ll get back to things again.
we had a lot of family traditions. when the kids moved out and away, my husband and I are now making new traditions.
Our family always goes for a walk around the neighborhood to see all of the decorations on Christmas Eve. When a child is present, an adult carries jingle bells in a pocket. Near the end of the walk, the bells are jingled and the child is informed that Santa must be and the child had better get home and into bed. Works every time!
As my grandson lives in another state, walking with him on Christmas Eve is a rare treat. And he keeps getting older! The jingle bells won’t work any longer. Anyway, my husband and I are on our own this Christmas. We are still going for the walk, and I plan to carry the jingle bells just for fun.
Since Mom’s passing two years ago, most of the traditions stopped. I keep the tradition of putting out the Nativity (the most important to me) the day after Thanksgiving, and the ceramic tree I use goes out after the Nativity. I use other Christmas pieces to decorate, too. Mom and I used to make chocolate covered peanut butter balls together, and this year, a friend and her children are coming over to help me make them.
my mom likes to buy her grandchildren and her 2 year old and almost 4 year old matchup pajamas or similar pajamas and put them on Christmas Eve and take pictures of them. my grandma used to do that for all her grandchildren but then it got to much when she was getting older now that she passed away her children and grandchildren like doing the matching pajamas for their children and grandchildren. Her grandchildren are violet age 2,lon age 1.5,Vince 1,Lottie 1 and Felix 1 week and one on the way due in February my brother will have 3 kids 2 and under in February.
Lori—Sounds fun. Especially the cookie baking. Merry Christmas!
Ruthie–We have a lessons in carols on Christmas Eve at our church. We can’t go because we go to my mom’s house. I understand with young children–things are different.
Merry Christmas!
Lori–Sounds like us at the moment. Merry Christmas!
Lisa—How fun! What a great idea. I love the concept of looking at the lights–especially in neighborhoods. Merry Christmas–and enjoy that grandson whenever you can!
Kendra—How fun with the pjs. And all the littles. What fun and exciting Christmases you’ll have with those babies as they grow. Merry Christmas.
Trudy–I do love nativity scenes! How special. And how nice that your friend and her children are coming over. Merry Christmas!
When the children were home, we would bake cookies, watch Christmas movies and decorate the tree. We would also go to see the Christmas lights at different neighborhoods and parks. Since the children have grown up and moved to different states, we no longer have those traditions. We do try to meet up different places to enjoy with the whole family.
decorating
Kathleen—Being with family is the most important part. Merry Christmas!
It is fun!! But we’re not decorating this year–and I’m okay with it. Merry Christmas!
My husband and I have had to let go of all our traditions-sending out Christmas cards as a family, baking as a family, celebrating Christmas as a family, celebrating Christmas Eve with friends, going to Christmas Eve service. My Mom has been in a nursing home for two years. We lived with her for eight to ten years prior to that. We are struggling to find our footing for our own traditions. There has been one tradition that has stayed. I read from Luke 2 on Christmas Eve. Thank you so much for sharing . God bless you. Merry Christmas.
Since 1992 (with the exception of a couple of years) we have each received a new ornament for the Christmas tree. With them all on, it makes for an eclectic tree, but there are so many memories. One of my favourites is what my sister calls the “Family Ball”. It is a clear bauble that you can fill with whatever you like, to which she added sequins and some small paper circles, each one with the name of a member of the family. As more people are added to the family – through birth or marriage – their name is added to the ball.