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Traditions
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Each family member writes down blessings from the past year in our "Blessing Book." It is a decorated notebook or journal book that is used each year until the pages are full. It is a wonderful keepsake. |
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We read the Christmas Story before opening gifts |
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We have an ornament exchange Everyone brings a single Christmas Tree Ornament for the exhange. We draw numbers to determine who gets to pick first. We even vote for the "Most Original" and "Most Beautiful", etc. |
Melanie from KY
Our family picks community service workers who have to work on Christmas, i.e., police, firemen, doctors. Then we make them homemade gifts and lots of goodies and take it to them on Christmas. I explain to my kids how fortunate we are to have our whole family together on Christmas but some kids parents have to work on Christmas. This has really been a blessing.
Another thing we started last year was only giving our kids 3 gifts that represent the three gifts given to Jesus. This has cut down on the commercial part of Christmas and the kids get 3 things they really want instead of a bunch of little stuff that they lose or break in a few days.
On Thanksgiving evening, we decorate a gift box for Jesus. In it each family member will place his/her gift to Jesus. We open it on Christmas morning after singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. He has received such gifts as a key with an attached note about "opening the door to my heart", a watch with the explanation, "I'm giving you more of my time" and a poem which expressed love for Jesus and a commitment to give that talent for the kingdom. The present is boxed up with the other decorations to be opened the following Thanksgiving evening. At that time, we see if we have truly given Jesus his gift.
Rachel, Lake Charles, LA
On Christmas morning we have one of our three children put baby Jesus into his manger. The nativity set has been set up previously, but since Jesus wasn't born until Christmas morning, the manager is empty until then. Then another of our children holds a candle while another lights it. It's set by the nativity scene and we sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus before we open our gifts.
The Reno Family
Alberta, Canada
Every year all Polish folks would gather and the leader would start a ceremony where a few prayers and readings are said. Then, he would take unleavened bread that looks like Holy Communion bread but it is larger, rectangular, pink or white and has a scene pressed on it and pass it out to family and or friends. Each person would break a piece off of each other's bread and exchange a kiss and wish for good luck. After that the group would eat while the children watch the window for the first star and then rush to open their gifts. When they are finished, the children are invited to eat.
The Mroz Family, Middle River, Maryland
Myself, my husband and our two sons gather
around the small Nativity scene with mugs of cocoa
and read the story of Christ's birth from the large
family Bible. We do this every Christmas Eve and have
done so since our sons were born. It is a very special
time for us. We all write down the things that we
thank God for and put them on the tree. Then, Christmas
day, we read them aloud and pray. We love this time
together. We have even started doing it many other
times of the year just to remind ourselves and the
kids that Jesus is the reason for every season.
May God bless you and yours and keep you this day
and always.
In Christ,
Mrs. Brittany Smith
I grew up in a loving Christian environment, and our family always had a Christmas eve "picnic" dinner. We would have burgers, fries, and pop, and for dessert, a cake to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. We would sing happy birthday, and talk a little about why Christmas is so important. Now, I am married and have a one year old son, and my husband and I are carrying on this tradition.
Christmas in Venezuela
Traditionally, since everybody goes to early mass a few weeks before Xmas, people go to the "Misa de Aguinaldos", after which youngsters roller skate the streets, which are frequently closed to traffic until 7 or 8 a.m.
There are groups of young children caroling, or singing aguinaldos, and simultaneously playing the cuatro, a smaller guitar with only 4 strings, maracas, raspa and drum, quite unique. Decorations abound everywhere, multicolored lights on every tree, house, etc.
One typical food of the season is hallacas, similar to tamales however, wrapped in slightly smoked banana leaves, and with different meat fillings which include turkey, pork, beef, raisins, olives, nuts, etc., all enveloped in a corn dough.
Often a ball is held with lots of dancing on Xmas Eve, then people go to the Misa de Gallo or midnight mass. Presents are offered either on Dec. 25 or on Epifany.
Christmas in Norway
When I grew up in Norway it was a custom to walk around the tree on Christmas eve, the 24th, and sing the Christmas carols and hymns. The family held hands in a circle, and often alternated the direction of walking. Since the presents were already under the tree, it was a "torture" for us children to just walk and look at them. All the presents were opened on Christmas eve, and Christmas day was for church and visiting, The big dinner was also on the 24th, so leftovers were available for the rest of the holidays. Also, the 26th was 2nd Christmas day, so we had 2 days for visiting.
Hope whoever reads this will enjoy it. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.
Americanized Norwegian Tradition
Our grandparents were from Stavanger, Norway. We
always celebrated "Little Christmas Eve" on the
the night before Christmas Eve. Each child was
given a gift to open. It was usually a toy that
would keep us occupied until Christmas day.
My family comes from Denmark and we mark Christmas
by going to the evening service in our local church
on the prairie. After that we go home together
and open gifts and eat a thankful dinner. When
the dinner is done we sit and visit and then comes
the old Danish tradition. We all gather together
and hold hands walking around the Christmas tree
singing Christmas Carols and thanking God for
the gifts he has given us..
Thank you for letting me share this with you.
North Dakota
Every year when we discuss the real meaning of
Christmas with our children, we think about what
we can give Jesus for a present. We wrap an empty
box and put a slit in the top of it. When any
of us do something nice for someone else during
the days before Christmas, we write it down on
a piece of paper and put it in the box. Hopefully,
by Christmas day, the box is full of things Jesus
would like for his Birthday. The kids enjoy shaking
the box to see how big the present is getting.
When My first child got married, their first Christmas
I gave them a white linen tablecloth. In one small
corner I embroidered their names, the date of
their first Christmas as a married couple, and
signed Love Mom and Dad.
I did the same with all three of my children.
Now, the tradition starts. When each one has their
Christmas dinner every year, whoever is sitting
at the dinner table, signs their name and date.
My children then embroider that persons signature
and date. The next year their Christmas Dinner
guests sign and date the table cloth. And so it
goes....... through the years they will be able
to recall each Christmas dinner and who was there....
and pass it on to their children.
I call it their "Memories of Christmas Past" tablecloth.
Thanks for letting me share....
We have a family tradition for celebrating Christmas:
Someone in the family (usually my wife) makes
Baby Jesus Cupcakes. After dinner we light candles
placed in each of the cupcakes and we all sing
Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus. Then all the children
join in to blow out the candles together.
My 3 children (5,7 and 9) and I have a birthday
party for Jesus. I have discussed the true meaning
of Christmas and how it eventually gave us the
gift of salvation. They also know that Santa is
just a story and God is the one who blesses us
with gifts and love. It helps to decommercialize
Christmas.
God Bless You,
Shi in PA
Each year I have my three children pick a local
charity or less fortunate member of our church
(usually a family with children) and we go shopping
for them and each of them buys a gift for $10
or less for the children of the family and I purchase
something for the parents. I have also taught
them that the reason we do this this is to focus
on how blessed we are and to emphasize that we
are celebrating the gift God gave to us of His
son because He loves us so we give gifts to others
to show love. It helps to take the gimmes and
what I wants out of the season.
Part of our Christmas ritual is to make our Christmas
meal dessert a birthday cake for Jesus. This has
helped to make our children realize that the reason
we celebrate Christmas is the birth of Christ.
One of our traditions is to have a birthday cake
for the baby Jesus. I began doing this when my
children were born. I felt it would help them
understand the event we are celebrating. This
year, my children will bake and decorate the cake.
Cake decorations are usually flowers or baby's
gifts...this year I have little samples of the
gifts brought to the baby Jesus to place on or
around the cake. Yes, we do sing Happy Birthday
Baby Jesus and our prayers at this time of year
end with "I love you baby Jesus".
A Danish Tradition
Ellen Truttmann
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