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Contest: What's your favorite family tradition during the holidays? (Answer for a chance to win this great necklace--details are here.)”

Asked by Work It, Mom! Team on 10th December 2007 | 35 replies

35 replies so far...

My favorite family tradition is making up new traditions! I'm a first generation American for my family so a lot of the traditions that existed for my mother as a little girl, just aren't the same for me. Every year, my family and I make it a point to do something new-whether it be traveling, staying home and cooking, or making some new pie or pastry.....we do our "own thing". The best part of that is having all of the kids around helping us make things up as we go along.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Tiffani on 13th December 2007
It's fun to read about everybody's family traditions!
We light all 4 candles on the advent wreath and sing
Christmas songs, read the story of Christ's birth,
and have Virginia wassle and gingerbread cookies...YUM!
Merry Christmas everybody!!

Flag as inappropriate Posted by on 13th December 2007
The day after Thanksgiving, instead of shopping in all that craziness, we all (Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, children, and friends) stay home, eat leftovers, and make a dozen flavors of rock candy. It makes the house smell sooo good, it reminds me why I love my extended family so much!

Flag as inappropriate Posted by mommy2kiera on 13th December 2007
Being happy. I used to get so sad on holidays and I want my kids to have a better season growing up.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by piepie on 13th December 2007
We have a big fondue dinner between Christmas and New Years, and invite lots of family and friends. The fondue is Swiss and authentic, there's lots of food and drink, and of course, good company. When someone walks in the front door, everyone raises a glass and yells, HEYYY! By the end of the night, the whole room is roaring.

At a mini-fondue dinner during Thanksgiving weekend, the latest addition to the family, our 18-month-old, discovered that if he yells HEY!, everyone else yells HEY! in return. It was a fantastic moment - his realization that he can lead the room of 25 people - and the look on his face was just priceless.

I can't wait for this year's dinner.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by MarcomMom on 13th December 2007
About four years ago we started the reindeer dust throwing tradition. It started when my nephew had brought home a packet of magic reindeer dust (glitter and oatmeal). This was to be spread on the lawn Christmas Eve, the glitter was to help guide Santa to our home and the oats were to feed his reindeer. Now every year we make our magic dust and go outside Christmas Eve night, dancing and signing while we spread our magic dust. Even my husband enjoys coming out with us and twirling the kids around while they spread their dust. Magic dust recipe and reindeer poem at http://www.alleventsadviser.com/holidays/Homemade-Christmas-Party-Favors-181.shtml

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kristi on 13th December 2007
The only tradition we have is to set up a tree and each person gets a special ornament each year. This is my babies' first Christmas, so I feel like we are setting traditions as we go.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kat on 13th December 2007
I was both pleased and saddened to carry on the tradition my grandmother had of setting up her christmas village,the day after thanksgiving,music,hot chocolate and getting everything perfect. This was the 1st year without her but my children and I wll make sure to do it every year

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kate on 12th December 2007
Decorating the tree --we go almost ornament by ornament and tell the stories behind each ornament. We have some that I made in grade school..and each year we add one or two to commemorate the year, as well as any the kids make. My teenager requested that we wait on decorating the tree until he was available!

Flag as inappropriate Posted by OliveMartini on 12th December 2007
Everyone gets brand new jammies to wear to bed on Christmas Eve (I see many families share this one!). We also do Advent dinners (complete with prayers and candle lighting). Making sugar cookies is another fun and EXPECTED part of our holiday. We prepare a huge batch of (Gluten-Free!) sugar cookies and decorate them with natural dyes and sprinkles (from India Tree). The kids love it, we make a huge mess and everyone has their favorite cookie to talk about for days. (We do GF and Natural because of allergies at home, I will be glad to share recipes if anyone needs/wants them!)

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Yes, Mommy has to work today on 12th December 2007
There are two. First, everyone gets a new pair of PJs on Christmas Eve so that we can all wake up in new duds to open up our gifts. The other was started by friends of my family who we spent Christmas Eve with for several years. We'd party all night, eat and chat and mingle until right around midnight. Near midnight everyone would gather around a giant Christmas tree outside and link arms. The tree would already be set up with holiday lights. At midnight, the lights would go on, we'd sing silent night and we'd pass around a ribbon, each of a different color, to hang on the tree for family members who had passed away. I don't think I appreciated how beautiful a gesture it was then but it moves me to tears sometimes now when I think how nice those Christmas Eves were.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Carla on 12th December 2007
OPENING A PRESENT ON CHRISTMAS EVE & OF COURSE MAKING COOKIES TO GIVE TO THE POSTAL WORKERS, NEIGHBORS, ETC.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by shelly on 12th December 2007