# Your Holiday Traditions



## RavenclawPrefect (May 4, 2009)

What are your holiday traditions? I never realized we had as many as we do until I started thinking about it.

1. We put up our stockings and decorate the mantle and stairwell after dinner on Thanksgiving.
2. We have a countdown to Christmas calendar that my grandmother made for me and my brother in 1968. I have it now and my kids look forward to using it each year.
3. We have a Jesse Tree that a friend made us and we do this each night during Advent, put up a leaf and read the scripture that goes with it 
4. Each year, my kids get an ornament from our pets. We all maintain the illusion that the dog and birds dig through the couch for loose change once we are all in bed, saving up all year long to buy the ornaments. Once the kids are married, they get the ornaments to have a part of our tree on their new family tree.
5. We make monster cookies to put on the Santa cookie plate


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Hey no faaaaiiirrrr! I was going to start THIS thread! I started those two other ones and I wanted people to have a chance with them first... but now, I don't even have to start it!  We have LOTS of traditions! In fact I don't know where to start... we have traditions for EVERYTHING though! 

1) First one is our Advent wreath which my DD and I make every year & we say the prayers to go with the lighting of the candlesevery evening at dinner.

2) Next is our Advent calendar that we do together at bedtime. Her first one had different traditions/stories that people in other countries share. We can't find another one like it, this years has Peanuts and crafty ideas in each little window.

3) Decorating the tree on the day after Thanksgiving.... I shall add more in other replies.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

When I was about ten, our family "discovered" frozen pizzas to be heated up in the oven.  In particular there were individual-sized pepperoni ones that I liked.  After my mother slaved all day over a hot stove on Thanksgiving day, our house was full of all sorts of delicious home-made Thanksgiving food.  So naturally, that evening my ten-year-old self approached my mother and asked "Mommmm......Can I have one of those little frozen pizzas?"

As she looked at all the homemade food around her in the kitchen, my mother remembered that her own flesh and blood and genes were perpetuated in the little brat in front of her, and managed to avoid strangling me as she explained that I could and would eat some of this delicious stuff, and I would like it.  And that the cardboard-tasting frozen pizzas would stay in the freezer till later.  Years later, she still told the story of how exasperated she was.

So now, without fail, every year on Thanksgiving evening, I find my mother and ask in a whiny voice: "Mommm, can I have one of those little frozen pizzas?"


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

THC, your mother has remarkable self-restraint.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

Every year we buy a dated ornament signifying something special that happened that year. Once my sons were born, we bought extras for each of them. I plan on giving them theirs on their wedding day.

We have to have 'Christmas lasagana' for dinner on Christmas day. My kids were a huge fan of the Garfield Christmas special, and Garfield loves lasagna... They (now 27 and 24) expect it to this day!


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

We put up the tree and decorate it on Christmas Eve and then we go to midnight mass.


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## RavenclawPrefect (May 4, 2009)

Eek!  I forgot the Christmas Wreath!  This is a fairly new tradition for us, only the last few years. I know most wreaths use pink and purple candles, we use 4 blue, 1 white candle.  If you look, my avatar now has one candle lit since Advent started today.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

There's an advent calendar for DD, one of those with chocolate behind the little doors.

Then we start the seasonal celebrations on December 6th with St. Nicholas Day  --  kids put a boot in front of their door the night before, and in the morning they find it filled with sweets or little goodies similar to stocking stuffers.  I always thought this was a Northern European tradition but learned last night that some people in Texas celebrate this too.  

The same day I generally put a wreath on the front door, and start doing Christmas baking  --  piles of cookies, cinnamon bread, gingerbread, mostly to be given away.  And I get all the Christmas music off the high shelves, and every year I wish that I knew of a local choir group that goes caroling  --  used to have lots of fun with that, years ago.

Decorations and a tree go up around the 12th - 15th.  Since I have too many tree ornaments for one tree, I usually choose a theme  --  either just red and silver ornaments, or just the copper ones, or the music-themed ones, or the cookie-themed ones.  The last two years there have been lots of of child-produced glitter-glue-laden thingies on there as well.  

I always used to have an advent wreath on my table, but when I acquired cats, open candles were put away for safety.  All four of mine were red, though (the candles, not the cats).  I never saw any pink-and-purple ones until I was about 12, and it took me a few years more to learn why (at first I thought that family had just run out of matching candles!).  

And we try to go to a few Christmas concerts, usually the outdoor free kind put on by some local school.  I'm also on the lookout for a school production of the Nutcracker that I could take DD to; she saw it two years ago and wants to again...  but last year the only version I could find was a fancy $80-per-seat one, so that didn't happen.

That's pretty much it, I think...  I'm sure there's more but it's still November so I'm refusing to plan anything Christmas-y yet.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Susan in VA said:


> There's an advent calendar for DD, one of those with chocolate behind the little doors.
> 
> Then we start the seasonal celebrations on December 6th with St. Nicholas Day -- kids put a boot in front of their door the night before, and in the morning they find it filled with sweets or little goodies similar to stocking stuffers. I always thought this was a Northern European tradition but learned last night that some people in Texas celebrate this too.
> 
> ...


We have even more in common thatn I knew... We go to the little theater versions of Miracle on 34th St. & Nutcracker, or The Christmas Carol and start baking around the 10th... to get things mailed out and BTW... thanks for mentioning me in your post.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

It used to be driving around with egg nog, un-spiked, a blanket for the passenger -- me -- Christmas music playing, and a sheltie (the one who is pictures) in my lap, looking at lights and critiquing them.  Living in a small town, it's not nearly the event it used to be, and the sheltie is gone.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

I had to google 'pink and purple candles at Christmas' because even though I was brought up in the Christian religion, and Australia is a mainly Christian country, that tradition is just not known here.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

I didn't see that color combination as a child either, despite being in predominantly Christian countries -- all the table wreaths that I recall had red candles. Just now I googled it too because I see some with four candles and some with five, and I wondered about the significance. Found this webpage http://www.kencollins.com/question-10.htm which has some good info about the origins of wreaths and the colors. (It's apparently run by a Methodist church; I hope there's no problem with posting a link to that... KB rules about no politics and no religion, etc.)


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Pushka said:


> I had to google 'pink and purple candles at Christmas' because even though I was brought up in the Christian religion, and Australia is a mainly Christian country, that tradition is just not known here.


It's actually an Advent thing. . .which begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas. Advent is seen as anticipatory, with a little atonement thrown in. So the first week (starting on the Sundays) you light one candle (purple), two the second week, 3 the third week -- one of which is the pink one (Hooray we're getting closer!) -- and all 4 the fourth week. It's basically a home devotion; candles are lit at the family meal each evening . . . .many folks have a white candle in the center of the wreath and on Christmas eve, that is lighted. . . .and then usually the purples and pink are removed and red and green put in place for the rest of the Christmas season which goes at least until Jan 6 -- "Little Christmas", Epiphany, or the Feast of the Three Kings. . .depending on your tradition.


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Every year my family (okay my mom and I) bake in the days before Christmas. Then on christmas eve the entire family runs around town in the suv (which we rarely use). When we used to live overseas my bro and I would run he bled goods to family friends and so forth as they come out of the oven, but back then it was safer for us to be about the town on our own. Not to mention everyone lived within a mile or so


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

One tradition we had growing up was the making of homemade tamales. We used a recipe my dad made up and the tamales were rolled in aluminum foil instead of corn shucks. My job was the rolling up part. I never knew growing up that my dad's great grandmother was hispanic and that was where the tamale tradition came from.

The only other "tradition" we had growing up was every year my dad would say that THIS year we would have to wait until Christmas morning to open presents. Every Christmas Eve we would start begging him to let us open just one present and he would say "no, you have to wait until Christmas morning." We would spend the evening playing board games or working on a jigsaw puzzle and begging Daddy to let us open just one present. He would eventually give in and let us open *just one* and the begging would soon start again... finally, he would look at his watch and announce that is was midnight and we could open our presents. This tradition carried on even with my kids until my dad became too ill and we weren't able to do the late night Christmas Eve time at my parent's home, but whenever we have Christmas Eve at our home, the kids (and now their kids) begin begging my hubby to let them open just one present!


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Oh, I forgot to include one other tradition...

When my children were small (during my single mom days), we didn't have money to buy gifts for family and friends, but I had plenty of flour, sugar, eggs, etc... thanks to my ex-mil, who would leave groceries on my front porch to bake cookies. So the kids & I would make Spritz cookies, the kind you use a cookie press to make. We would decorate these cookies and put them in coffee cans to give as gifts. We continued making these Spritz cookies until they were in high school. A couple of years ago I found out that both kids make & decorate Spritz cookies with their kids every year. They both told me it just wouldn't be Christmas without them. I guess I need to go find my cookie press and make some cookies and reminisce!


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> It's actually an Advent thing. . .which begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas.


That's interesting Ann, thankyou. We have Advent in preparation for Easter time. Do you celebrate that too? Advent for Easter is a very sombre affair as opposed to the anticipation of a birth.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Lent is the season before Easter:  begins on Ash Wednesday which is the day after Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and runs to Easter.  It encompasses 6 full weeks before Easter plus half a week to the previous Wednesday.  It's a very different season. . .much more emphasis on the penitential aspect.


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## RavenclawPrefect (May 4, 2009)

> It's actually an Advent thing. . .which begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas. Advent is seen as anticipatory, with a little atonement thrown in.


My specific church doesn't do anything special for Advent but I liked the idea of a wreath and a devotional so I adapted it to our family. We do 4 blue candles, 1 white. We don't do anything for Lent either.

Tonight we started another tradition I forgot about....the chocolate countdown calendars. I guess they are supposed to be Advent ones but they start on Decemeber 1st. The ones we get come from Germany. Everyone got a little chocolate piece with a candle on it today.


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## tlshaw (Nov 10, 2008)

Our family tradition is to open gifts on Christmas Eve. First, we eat, and the menu is the same each year. I boil shrimp and crab legs, we have a cheese ball with crackers and various goodies I bake for the holidays. After eating, we then open gifts. I started out with me, my husband and daughter. My parents moved to the same town several years ago, and joined the party. They look forward to it just as much as we do. When my daughter started dating the man she married this summer, he joined our happy little group. Last year I was going to leave off the crab legs, but my husband and now son-in-law vetoed that. I have already been asked about this year, and have assured all that the tradition will continue.

There is a reason for the menu. We moved from Florida 19 years ago, and my husband says the annual shrimp dinner is to celebrate leaving FL, like Israel celebrating Passover to commemorate leaving Egypt.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Susan in VA said:


> And we try to go to a few Christmas concerts, usually the outdoor free kind put on by some local school. I'm also on the lookout for a school production of the Nutcracker that I could take DD to; she saw it two years ago and wants to again... but last year the only version I could find was a fancy $80-per-seat one, so that didn't happen.


Yay, I found one! This weekend, tickets $15 ($10 for kids), balletnikitenko.com for anyone in this area who might be interested. Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunday at 3.


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Growing up many of the airmen that worked with my dad would come over during Christmas, for some of them it was their first Christmas away from home. We would usually have something on chrstmas eve that would last really late. Usually after midnight. Somehow we came up with the tradition that each of the kids get to open one of heir gifts at midnight, but it is the parent's choice.


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## Richard in W.Orange (Nov 24, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> It's actually an Advent thing. . .which begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas. Advent is seen as anticipatory, with a little atonement thrown in. So the first week (starting on the Sundays) you light one candle (purple), two the second week, 3 the third week -- one of which is the pink one (Hooray we're getting closer!) -- and all 4 the fourth week. It's basically a home devotion; candles are lit at the family meal each evening . . . .many folks have a white candle in the center of the wreath and on Christmas eve, that is lighted. . . .and then usually the purples and pink are removed and red and green put in place for the rest of the Christmas season which goes at least until Jan 6 -- "Little Christmas", Epiphany, or the Feast of the Three Kings. . .depending on your tradition.


Oh Lord stir up thy might, we beg thee and come and with great might help us that we may be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sin and saved by thy deliverance, who livest and reignest forever.


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## Richard in W.Orange (Nov 24, 2009)

OK -- I was close with that (Most of Ann's traditions are also mine -- family hazard) so here it is "correctly"

The Meaning of the Advent Wreath

Obscure in origin it is believed that the Advent Wreath may have had its beginnings in the pagan fire wheel. In Christian symbolism the wheel or wreath stands for eternity. Its use is especially fitting during Advent the season of the anticipation of the coming of our Lord.

Children love the beauty of the simple traditional ceremony. Lighting candles in an Advent Wreath is a simple way to start a tradition of family worship in the home. Those who participate will cherish the experience all their lives.

The Advent Wreath Ceremony

The ceremony is simple. It starts at the evening meal on the Saturday before the first Sunday in Advent with the blessing of the wreath.

(The head of the household is the one designated to say the prayers following which various members of his family light the candles. If the group is not a family then a leader may be selected to say the prayers and others appointed to light the candles.)

For blessing the wreath the following prayer is suggested:

Father: O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth thy blessing upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from Thee abundant graces. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then follows the prayer which is said before the evening meal each night of the first week in Advent. *

The First Week*

Father: O Lord, stir up Thy might, we beg Thee, and come that by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Thy deliverance. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Each night the first purple candle is lighted by the youngest child of the household and is left burning during the meal.

The Second Week

Father: O Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare for Thy only begotten Son that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve Thee with pure minds through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then the eldest child lights not only the first but a second purple candle. Both candles burn during the evening meal as before. 
The Third Week

The joyful Sunday in Advent (known as Gaudete) is represented by rose (or pink) instead of the penitential purple color. Each night during the third week the mother of the family lights the pink as well as the two previously burned purple candles after the following prayer has been said.

Father: O Lord, we beg Thee incline Thy ear to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The three candles are extinguished immediately following the meal. 
The Fourth Week

The father of the household lights all four candles in proper sequence during the fourth week after repeating the following prayer.

Father: O Lord, stir up Thy power, we pray Thee, and come; and with great might help us, that with the help of Thy Grace, Thy merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins impede. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Candles can be replaced as necessary during a particular Advent Season without reblessing the wreath. 
After Advent

For the Christmas Season which follows immediately after Advent, candles and ribbons can be changed to white. If you wish, the wreath itself can be freshened with new greens and decorated festively for use during the holiday period. Lighting all four white candles to burn during the principal meal each day of the Christmas Season is a customary and appropriate practice.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Did I mention that sometimes my brother can go on long past everyone else is finished with the conversation?  

Also a family trait, I'm afraid.  

Though it is true that Richard is the most "Christmasest" of the bunch of us. . . .

(waiting for the commentary on the Von Trapps)


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## vsch (Mar 5, 2009)

I am enjoying reading about the different traditions and stories behind them.

The holiday season is a busy one for the restuarant business so we don't see alot of DH leading up to Christmas, but he is home Christmas day as it is the only day of the year the restaurant is closed.

This week I am cutting and baking pieces for fifty 8x10 inch gingerbread houses. The kids all have their friends over to decorate and then we decorate some to donate to the service center. 

Christmas day when DH is home we have eggs benedict, bacon, homefries, scrambled eggs, toast and champagne with strawberries for breakfast. Christmas dinner is lobster and steak with the works.


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## RavenclawPrefect (May 4, 2009)

I didn't even think of food traditions LOL

We always have lasagna for dinner on Christmas Eve, I make Monkey Bread on Christmas morning.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Did I mention that sometimes my brother can go on long past everyone else is finished with the conversation?


And that's bad?  Gee, someone should have told me that years ago....


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Since we moved here our traditions have changed drastically, and yearly.  Changed churches recently so there is no tradition there either, yet.

The one thing that is fairly consistent is DH goes to Dallas to be with his family and I stay here in Mexico.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I love reading everyone else's traditions.  When I was growing up we made some sort of ornaments for the tree each year (paint-by-number, decoupage, felt, clothespin people, etc.) and my sisters and I got to take one ornament from each set to start our own trees when we left home.  We carried on that tradition with our kids and every year brings wonderful memories and stories as we hang those individual ornaments.

Our daughter is the "Don't Mess With Traditions at Christmas" arbiter.  Many years ago she actually made a list that remains posted year round.  It is as follows:

#1  No double wrapping of ANYTHING (i.e. each piece of an outfit is to be wrapped separately, the more packages the merrier)

#2  Presents are to be opened one by one and you must make a "real" guess out loud before opening.

#3  Dad is the Christmas Elf (he decides the order of distribution for opening and passes the presents out).

#4  Slush (frozen bourbon, lemonade, orange juice) shall always be present.

#5  One present to be opened on Christmas Eve and NEVER the special "Daddy" present.

#6  The final event of Christmas Eve is to read the Christmas stories - The Bible first, A Visit From St. Nicholas last.

#7  No partial opening of presents to enhance your guess is allowed.

#8  There shall always be a Christmas Tree - none of this "Holiday Tree" crap. (just typing what she wrote)

#9  Mom and Dad shall always use "cute names" on their presents for each other (we never use our names, it is always from "Attorney" to "Domestic Engineer" or something - it is getting harder to be original after 32 years)

#10  Presents don't matter (much), being together does -- but Santa should be reminded every year to include crayons, coloring books and dart or water gun toys in our stockings - FOREVER.

                                       THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULES!!!!

It makes me smile just to type the list again.  I thought about getting the list printed and framed, but am afraid the tattered, hand-written list has become another of the traditions.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

We get out the Christmas china right after Thanksgiving, and use it through the New Year.  Except it isn't microwaveable, so I always have to keep a few pieces of the regular china out.  Can't live without that microwave!
This year, I decided to also use the sterling for our everyday meals, instead of keeping it tucked away for use once or twice a year.  To add to the festivity.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

> #4 Slush (frozen bourbon, lemonade, orange juice) shall always be present.


I'd like to have the recipe for that!


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

4Katie said:


> I'd like to have the recipe for that!


As requested

SLUSH

1 1/2 C sugar 4t instant tea
1 large frozen lemonade 1 1/2C bourbon (we use Jim Beam)
1 small frozen orange juice 9C water

Mix together and put it in the freezer, it will freeze to "slushy" in a few hours. Scoop into a glass and enjoy!


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

Well, thank you so much! Can't wait to try it.

The instant tea is an interesting ingredient...


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

crebel, what a fun list!  Even if you don't frame it, I think you should at least scan it so that there's a copy available for the grandkids someday when the original has crumbled to dust.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Chris - I too love your list.

I did forget a couple of things.  I decorate myself, hats, clothing, ears, socks for Christmas, starting the day after Thanksgiving until New Year's Day.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Susan in VA said:


> crebel, what a fun list! Even if you don't frame it, I think you should at least scan it so that there's a copy available for the grandkids someday when the original has crumbled to dust.


Good plan Susan. I have thought about cross-stitching and framing the list too (but that would take away from reading and KB time). I really need to do something so she has a list to hang at her house now.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

Ok, an Australian theme is necessary here! 

In our state, Christmas starts with a Christmas Pageant, which is held on the second Saturday in November, rain hail or shine. This year, it was well over 100F so very hot. This is when Father Christmas or Santa arrives into town. And the shops start dressing up. We do have advent calendars, and these are usually filled with small chocolates. And even though I have bought one every year for me kids (who are now 24 and 19) the religious significance of this has never ever been a part of the advent calendar I would guess, for most Australians.

Christmas Eve can be a dinner for some - it is for us unless we are having the family over on Christmas Day. We have a major Carols by Candlenight function in Melbourne which is televised throughout Australia on Christmas Eve. Many people go to midnight mass; others wait until the morning. Or not at all. The presents are usually unwrapped on Christmas morning when the kids wake up. For many people, the main Christmas meal is lunch time, and even though it may be well over 100F, for many it is Turkey, Baked Ham, Pork, and then hot Christmas pudding to follow with lashings of brandy butter and custard. Dinner is usually a lighter affair.

But many families decide on seafood - Crayfish (your lobster), Prawns (your shrimp) and whole fish. We did it one year and went back to traditional. In NSW, the famous Bondi Beach is usually packed - with locals and tourists.

We still hear the traditional Carols, describing snow etc etc. But I guess if the true origins of Christmas are considered, our climate is more typical, than snow and snowmen and the like.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Santa in shorts and kangaroo rather than reindeer (or camels if you like) always brings a smile to my face.


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## Richard in W.Orange (Nov 24, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Did I mention that sometimes my brother can go on long past everyone else is finished with the conversation?
> 
> Also a family trait, I'm afraid.
> 
> ...


Well, I wouldn't want Ann to wait much longer. I DO NOT remember since it 'became' my job (I rather enjoy it which is how that happened) putting up a christmas tree or baking cookies without listening to The Trapp Family Christmas. It was our Mother's favorite Chrstmas Album and it is one of mine now. Thank god I ripped it to the iPod because I cannot find the CD. This holds true for this year It was the first (and only) Christmas album i played though and then went back and put the CD changer in shuffle mode.


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## Britt (Feb 8, 2009)

One year my brother and I realized just how many Christmas movies we had lying around the house, so we decided to spend all of Christmas Eve day watching them! The tradition stuck, and this year will be the 8th Annual Christmas Eve Movie Marathon  We change up the movies every year, but we always include the hilarious Jingle All the Way, our favorite. Though the two of us usually block out the whole day to veg out and watch all six movies, we print up a program with titles and show times so other family members can just pop in for the movies they want to see.


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