What’s Your Favorite Holiday Tradition?

November 5th, 2008 by AmyL · 3 Comments

Now that we’ve covered getting the house ready, preparing food, and buying gifts, let’s talk about holiday traditions.

I remember our Christmas celebrations growing up. We always opened gifts from youngest to oldest, and we’d take lots of time doing it. There was plenty of time to see everyone open and appreciate what they’d been given. I remember how relaxed it felt and I think fondly of those days.

That’s what I love about tradition: the way it can strengthen a family. Building memories together brings you closer to your kids.

Don’t get me wrong, tradition can be a bad thing too. I’ve seen families who got stuck doing something they hated every year because “that’s how we celebrate”. Since we have plenty of time to ponder, why not evaluate the holiday plans from a safe distance? If there’s something you hate, is there a way to drop or change it without hurting feelings?

And what do you love about the holidays each year? How about sharing with the group? You might even wind up inspiring the rest of us!

by AmyL

Photo graciously provided by krisdecurtis, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved

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3 responses so far ↓

STL Mom // Nov 5, 2008 at 12:45 pm

In my Norwegian-American family, the Christmas Eve tradition is to eat a vile substance called “lutefisk”. This is a cod fillet which is dried, then reconstituted in lye, then rinsed in water to remove the lye (which would be poisonous). You are left with a horrible white, jello-like mass that makes the whole house smell like rotten fish when you bake it.
This is one family tradition that will die with my parent’s generation. Neither my brother or I can stand it.
Traditions I like: decorating the Christmas tree, eating Swedish meatballs (one set of ancestors knew how to eat!), singing carols, re-reading “A Christmas Carol” or watching the Muppet version, reading “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” over and over again.
Things I try to avoid: entering any mall or store between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, buying too many toys for the kids, stressing out about anything.
Anita B // Nov 6, 2008 at 8:22 am

I come from a large family and I am the second oldest. My fondest memories were staying up very late on Christmas Eve and wrapping all the presents. My mom would number the boxes 1-5, and you didn’t know your number that year, so it was a probability that you would wrap your own gift. Also, I was born on Christmas, so at midnight, we would all stop and they would sing me happy birthday. It was the one time in my life that my birthday was special and not just another chaos filled day. But, sadly, I moved away and now that tradition has ceased. Although when my kids get older, I might trick them into wrapping their own gifts as well, just because it was so fun to tear open the package you yourself had so meticulously put together.
Stu Mark // Nov 6, 2008 at 12:55 pm

I’m Jewish, but I *love* Christmas. I was born and raised in suburban New Jersey. I went to school in a very inclusive neighborhood – Italians, Irish, Poles, Germans, all close friends. While I spent Hanukkah with my family lit candles and played dreidel and sang songs and opened presents, I also spent Christmas with my friends and their families.

Christmas was always a joyous time of year – my friends’ parents were nicer and more mellow, the decorations and lights were everywhere, and Christmas music was on every radio station.

My favorite holiday tradition is Christmas Cheer. No matter where you are, no matter the neighborhood, no matter the race, no matter your previous grievances, there’s a period of time, sometimes a week, sometimes more, when *everyone* is a little nicer. And that’s a terrific tradition.