Do you have any xmas traditions?

[nellnell]

each child had a pillow case with our names etc on it that santa filled.

I've created a beautiful pillow case (or santa sack) for both of our children using felt, ribbons, bells, etc and adding something small to it each year. My daughter has santa carrying presents on one side, and 2 reindeer heads on the other. So far my son has snowflakes on one side. I also add their name and blanket stitch around the pictures in a contrasting colour.

[Winter]

Each year I get snapfish to create a couple of ornaments of photos of family to give out to Mum & sis & 1 set for me. I have done the last 2 Christmases.Lat year was our wedding, this year was all photos of DD with family and I ordered an extra set for DD for when she grows up. My mum does this as well (started 3 years ago)and hopefully my sister is going to start this year!! These are my favourite presents for the year, and I really look forward to making them & recieving them!! I can't wait to get the tree up and add the next family ornaments.

[Astrolady]

A few years ago I took over Christmas Day from my Grandmother as she was getting to old to do everything, and her place was getting to small for the growing family. Our first Christmas here we had 13 around the table consecutive years it has slowly dwindled down which has put a dampener on things a bit.

Last year (prior to xmas) we found out that My IL's wont come to chistmas at our place anymore cause they don't like my parents. Has to all be about them, never mind their son, or their grandchildren who they now miss out on seeing Christmas Day.

So I spend all Christmas eve (day) cleaning the house, christmas eve (night) after the kids are in bed I set the table for the 8 of us (Us, my parents, my grandmother) and I have the carols on as well.

Christmas morning kids have to be dressed and had breakfast. They then get their presents. After that I start preparing the vegetables for lunch. Mum brings the Turkey and my grandmother brings some sort of meat as well. I generally do the beef as well. So lunch is the traditional lunch with all the trimmings. After the main meal, it is pudding and custard and then when the dishes are done, we all sit down for the present opening. We also have a present hander outer which changes each year.

After that we just sit around the table and talk, kids go off and play. At tea time it is left overs with fresh salads.

Last couple of years my parents and grandmother have all gone home by 8pm. So once they are home Christmas is over. We now have had to go to the IL's on Boxing Day since they don't bother to join us anymore.

I usually put the tree up when our pageant happens which is generally early November. Last year however by the time Christmas Day arrived I was sick of looking at the tree, and it came down on Dec 27th. This year I am now going to wait till the first weekend of Dec to put the tree up. I might enjoy it more.

[NaeNae]

We are starting a few traditions, just not too sure how we will manage them this year with a newborn.

Usually, there is a mad rush to find the "perfect tree" and decorate it a week before Christmas

Christmas Eve DH and I go to his church's midnight mass (that starts at 9ish) he drags me kicking and screaming because the last few years the service person has been very "anti other religions and homosexuals" and some how manages to spend the entire service whinging about that - not very Christian in my opinion.

Christmas day we spend at home (and will always do so from here on in) I usually cook a large roast and we have PIL and SIL up to the house. Depending on what other family members do sometimes we get the other BIL and his family there as well. My Mum always goes out to her folks place on Christmas day so we never see my family on Christmas.

Boxing Day - we usually go out to my folks place and Mum puts on a bbq or something its usually a big day for us as its a 2 hour drive to their place one way (doubt very much we'll be doing that this year)

Then we eat left overs for a week

I do love Christmas. This year I have specifically told Dh that we will go to the proper Chrissy tree farm as I want to get a 10ft tree so it almost hits the roof. I love the smell of pine throughout the house.

Nae x

[smiles4u]

My family all laugh at me every 2nd Xmas i spend with them as they love watching me struggle to get the paper party hat out of the Xmas cracker to fit my big head

(( From the very 1st year that Kmart introduced the Xmas Wishing Tree (about early 1990's) i was young living out of home & working full-time & studying with no dependents at the time & i would purchase a toy for a boy & girl age 10 at $20 each ... then after doing this for about 5years a friend of mine at the time & a few of her neighbours in a block of commission flats whom were all couples with one or two children living on pensions but earning cash in hand for their undeclared full-time jobs laughed at how they could go & ' collect ' these toys for their kids which they DID even though they were NOT financially struggle (they were earning$ more than i) ... I was so upset by this that i never donated a toy ever again as it so put me off donating in this way again !!! ... Sadly in a way they muck it up for other children that desperately need a toy for Xmas ))

I pop a Xmas card in neighbours (that i'm not close to) letterboxes that i know have had a hard year so as to hopefully give them a smile for that moment

Each Xmas DP video's DD putting the star on the Xmas tree so in years to come we all will see the change in her growing up at Xmas doing the exact same thing (1st Xmas as a bub of course i helped her)