If ever there’s a time of the year that’s full of tradition, it’s Christmas. Depending on who you are, where you live and what rituals you’ve grown up with, it could involve decorating a Christmas tree, hanging stockings, draping your house and yard with every Christmas light imaginable, door-to-door carolling, parading a large ox laden with holly and ribbons through the streets or making sure the barbie is fully gassed up and clean.
You only have to Google “Christmas traditions” to find there are literally thousands of different rituals, ceremonies and practices for those who celebrate Christmas around the world.
I’m curious to know…
What would you say your favourite Christmas tradition is?
Mine is the present opening first thing in the morning on Christmas day. Now I know this may seem materialistic but it’s not. Really, it’s not. There are a couple of reasons I love this tradition…
I love the giving aspect to it. There’s nothing cooler than seeing the look on someone’s face when they open a gift they love. You know you’ve nailed it when their lip starts to twitch, like when my brother was given a Nintendo something or other when he was about 10. He was so excited his lip starting involuntarily twitching when he ripped open the wrapping to find his highly prized treasure. He’s never lived it down.
I love the Christmas-wrap-bomb-explosion look the lounge room has after all the presents are opened. Can anyone see the dog?
I love the laughs. In our household, there are ALWAYS laughs, mostly because we have a $2 gift tradition, which I alluded to in my 16 not very helpful tips for a stress-free Christmas post.
Every year, we each buy a gift that costs no more than $2 and wrap it. The gifts get assigned a number and then a hat gets passed around containing bits of paper with corresponding numbers. Each person draws out of the hat and gets the gift with the same number.
If you’re lucky you might get some chocolate. If you’re not, you might end up with a giant skull mug complete with plastic red jewels for eyes or a frog sculpture that you’re pretty sure is a frog but can’t be certain or a box of cow shit. Yes, my beloved brother once entered a box of dried cow dung as his $2 gift. Guess who got it? Yep, me.
Not only did I get a box of dehydrated cow shit but I was also told in no uncertain terms by someone who shall remain nameless, Mum, (oops, did I just say that out aloud), that I was being ungrateful when I protested. Yes, that’s because IT WAS A BOX OF COW SHIT!
So how about you? What’s your favourite Christmas tradition?
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There are so many Christmas traditions that I love (decorating the tree, baking cookies, etc.), but I have to say one of my absolute favorites is reading The Magic Christmas. I’ve read it every year since I was a kid and I always love pulling it out every year and re-reading it. No matter how many years go by, I never get sick of reading it!
Hey Sami – I have to say I totally agree with your post – I love the gift unwrapping also. I love to try and make the dogs open their own present, but they don’t quite get it yet.
I also love the post-lunch time.. the storms are on their way, it’s stinking hot, everyone is full to the brim with Christmas lunch and we all just sit around chatting. Nothing in particular is happening, it could be any other afternoon, but it has that special feeling at Christmas and we are simply all together having fun.
Merry Christmas!
Getting the Christmas tree. When I was small, my father use to take me on my land and chop down a tree.
When I got married my wife wonder why I just didn’t go to those places that sold pre-chopped trees. Instead I took her and later our kids through snowy fields to find it.
Now I take my grandsons to pick out the tree and chop it down. ( I love the it now I don’t have to get on the ground and cut it. The boys love doing it.) There is nothing like the scent of a freshly cut tree that brings Christmas to my mind.
dehydrated cow shit = $2
having a story to tell at one’s blog that makes readers laugh out loud = priceless
I love the $2 idea! My husband’s family does this every year, too. The famous present that keeps getting re-gifted is the singing stuffed trout wall plaque (truly heinous!). It just keeps coming back for more! And it won’t shut up! The other favorite of mine was a human-sized plastic barbie doll which was about 4.5 feel tall (1.37 meters)!
Yiiikes!!!
As for holidays – my favorite part of this time of year is New Year’s Day. Ahhh, fresh new start for everyone! Even if it is only signified by a calendar date, I still love it. The fates must have know this, I married a guy whose birthday is on New Year’s Eve, so I get to party with him no matter what! Isn’t that cool?
~xo
OMG, Lori, we have that trout. @_@ It’s my hubby’s. I’ve been trying to throw it away for years but he keeps finding it and bringing it back in the house…. That and his blasted farting Santa.
My own favorite holiday tradition(s) are both for Christmas Eve. Every year since their births, my kids have received a new pair of PJs and a book on Christmas Eve. Though I love watching them open gifts on Christmas morning, that “eve” tradition, with them joking about wondering what’s in the package, has to be my favorite. And then we watch “Scrooge”, the musical with Albert Finney, “Thank you very much”. It’s my all time favorite holiday movie.
Those two things just give me a solid sense of continuity … regardless of what may have happened to disrupt our lives, those Christmas Eve traditions mean “family”, and sometimes “family” is the only thing that’s real.
I remember one year I bought all 3 of my brothers presents with a total of two bucks! Plastic horns, as I recall — the kind that make music, as opposed to the ones you’d find on a bull’s head. I think I must’ve been 7 or 8 that year.
We love our tradition of brandy Alexandars before breakfast – yes booze, first thing.
And letting the child open one gift on Christmas Eve.
And tossing the cat in the tree — Kit-Kat loves it! Whichever ornament he lands on first, we have bronzed and donate to charity.
@Positively Present
Hi PP. A very cool Christmas tradition. Why am I not surprised it involves a book!
@Katie
Hey Katie. Border Collies would totally have the unwrapping thing down pat by now!
Your Christmas afternoon sounds exactly like ours; lots of lounging around, groaning and holding very full bellies! Hope you guys have a fun Chrissy. xxx
@Chick J
Hey Chick J. I can so relate to your tradition. As kids, our family would go out on our farm and chop down a tree for Christmas. We generally chose ones that were pest-type trees (eg Wattle) which meant their leaves lasted all of about a week! They were also always way too high. Nonetheless, it was a tradition I look back on very fondly. I’m sure your kids and now grandkids, will too.
@Lori
Hey Chicka. I gotta get me a singing stuffed trout wall plaque and human-sized plastic barbie doll!!! THAT would be too hilarious!! I can just see the look on Dad’s face!
I’m with you on the fresh start at New Years. There’s something about the start of a year that’s motivating. I think it’s something to do with all the possibilities the year could hold. And a New Year’s Eve birthday boy eh? I shall raise a toast (or 7) in his honour!
@Gayze
Hey Gayze. Love your Christmas Eve tradition. It’s so cool to hear about all these different traditions families have that take place every year. And I totally agree, these sorts of rituals totally provide a sense of continuity, and for me, connection. It’s what makes them important to carry on. And yes, family is what it’s all about.
@Jannie
3 presents for a total of $2! Geez, now that’s knowing how to shop. And yep, I’m familiar with the booze thing. There’s nothing like champagne and orange juice at 7 in the morning! As for the cat tossing, given the dog weighs about 30kg, we’d have to get the whole tree bronzed if we took on board that tradition!
My favorite holiday tradition is a huge Christmas morning breakfast with the family (yes, BEFORE opening presents). We all cook together and clean up together. We also, in the last ten years or so, go somewhere with our neighbors who are family friends around the holidays.
@Daphne
Hi Daphne. Love those traditions. We tend to have a small Christmas breakfast and a gigantic Christmas lunch. Then we sloth around for the afternoon. It’s basically a personal trainers worst nightmare! Thanks for stopping by.