Family Christmas Traditions

“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” Burton Hillis

                In Untangling Christmas, the first thing the authors ask you to do is a "Re-Thinking Christmas Survey”.  One of the questions asks for you to share your favorite holiday memory growing up and to notice if it had more to do with money/getting or people/doing.  My husband and I sat down and did this together (after a little whining from him).  My answer was Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house and his answer was Christmas breakfast at his grandmother’s house.  Coincidence?  I think not, Christmas is first about Christ and secondly about spending time with our family.

                Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house was the epitome of a “happy family all wrapped up in each other.”  She had 10 kids, they were all married, and all but one of them had kids themselves with families of their own, and then there’s usually be a few neighbors or extended family to come.  So there was usually about 60-70 people all crammed into a fairly small house.  There was always plenty of food on the table, a huge Christmas tree and presents galore!  

                We all arrived at different times to eat but around 8 or 9 o’clock everyone gathered around the tree in the living room (some in the bedrooms off to the side) and Maw Maw passed out the presents one by one.  Everyone always had one from her and usually a couple of others.  Wrapping paper would be flying across the room trying to ring one of the giant boxes set up for trash and laughter would be filling the room.  Honestly, I can’t tell you very many presents that I actually received during all those years at her house, but I do remember the warmth of family, anticipation, squeals of joy, and hugs that were all around.



Maw Maw passing out presents on Christmas Eve- late 80s
You can see my cousin (on the left) with his ball of wrapping paper ready to throw!

                I wouldn’t bring my grandmother back to earth for anything for I know she’s in a much better place but if God did allow her to come back for a day I’d want it to be Christmas Eve.  I’d love for “Miss Priss” to experience that kind of joyous Christmas!  However, even though it may not be in the exact same ways, I’m still determined to create lasting memories and traditions for her.  For example …

1.        Our biggest family tradition has always been the Christmas tree.  Since Curt and I have been married we’ve always spent an afternoon putting it up and decorating it together.  Sometimes we visit a Christmas tree farm for a real tree and other years (like this year) we’ve put up our artificial one.  One thing we also started this year which was A LOT of fun was after the tree was up letting “Miss Priss” open up a present.  She got a pair of Christmas PJs and a giant coloring book.  Then the 3 of us spent the rest of the night in our PJs, drinking hot chocolate and coloring!  I’m thinking next year we’ll do the same thing and then all spend the night in the living room with the tree!

"Miss Priss" and I coloring after the tree is up :)

2.      I mentioned in my post yesterday we also read Jesus’ birth from the Bible on Christmas Eve.

3.       We spend Christmas Eve with my side of the family.  Then Christmas Day, Santa comes (then this year we’ll go to church) and then visit with Curt’s side of the family.

That’s really the only true “traditions” we have with our little family so far.  However, there are several other things we’ll be doing to celebrate Christmas even though we may not do it in the same way every year:

1.       Visiting Santa’s Wonderland at the Bass Pro Shop

2.       Looking at Christmas Lights – this year either at Homestead Hollow or Stone Mountain

3.       Decorating cookies

4.       Christmas Parade

What were your favorite childhood Christmas traditions?  Did you carry those over to

your children or create new ones?