Holiday Family Traditions

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Holiday Family Traditions
17
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 12:01am
Now that TGiving is over ..
Means the next holidays are on their way ::gasp::

WAs wondering ..
Do you have any family traditions with regards to Christmas?
Dinner together Christmas Eve/ Day??  Open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No opening of any gifts unti Christmas morning?
Share your family holiday traditions & how/where they got started.
Looking forward to your answers :) 
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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-12-1997
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 6:49am

My family always had the tradition of opening gifts on Chrismas Eve.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-24-2000
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 7:04am

On my DH side, we have always

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 10:54am
How cute only the adults particpated Ann,
Guess the young ones were waiting for Santa?
It does sound like a lovely way to open gifts.
Neat to see expressions on everyone's faces.
A time of year when all is good & peaceful filled with lots of love.
Am glad to hear you still do this even with dd married.
Least they are able to alternate so that helps :)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 10:56am
Such a fun time Bunny,
Wow on everyone .. yes craziness but a good kind, LOL
It sounds wonderful with everyne as that is what it's all about right?
Sweet on delivering gifts from Santa ..
No doubt the little kids faces are priceless.
I remember those days barely, LOL
Such warm tradtions & now being carried on by your DD.
Even better .. almost :)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2005
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 11:07am

On xmas eve we go to DH's grandmas and do the family thing there and have dinner...Then off to church service...The kids always get to open one gift that evening before bed...Then on xmas morning they get to open all their stocking gifts whenever they get up...I started that when my oldest 2 were small cause they would get so excited and wake up in the middle of the night and think they had to wake me up then cause Santa had been here...So we made a deal they got stocking stuff but they couldnt wake us up before 6am...And when they were small we would set an alarm clock in there rooms and tell them dont wake us up until this thing beeps...Then on xmas day I always do all the cooking and we end up w bout 20 + family members over to eat...All from both sides of the family...

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-26-2006
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 11:19am

This year we have a 7 month old baby. I have had three children and my oldest daughter passed away of cancer at the tender age of 16 months. She would have been 23 years old this year. Things have been tough for us financially, but this year will be a BETTER year! I normally buy her a small Christmas tree and visit her at the cemetery and will do so this year :-) People don't know "how" bad our finances were since 2003 (my hubby and I received two loans $13,000 and $5,000 of which we used to pay for our ENTIRE wedding everything from A to Z! including our honeymoon and wedding trio bands. Thank GOD we have the first one paid off during my birthday month next year (March 2007) and the last one will be paid off in mid 2008! I have had final notices for the utilities to be disconnected and have talked to the CPS (City Public Service) people and they have given me several extensions of which I inform them I have a 7 month old baby and a husband that's deaf; which helps. I've had my cell phone disconnected for about 3 months now and I have to put FIRST priority to things which is food for my family; to me a cell phone is a luxury. Anyway, NOW I can buy Christmas gifts for my family, enjoy myself this year without being stressed and embarassed about not handing out gifts like last year :-( We will open our gifts at Christmas Eve (going to in-laws w/the baby) while having Christmas dinner at their house and going to my mother's later that day to see my little brother and sister (adoped by my mom; they belonged to my 2nd cousin, but the state took them away from her) open their gifts. I had planned on buying them $5.00 gifts since I just didn't have the monies for it, but this year I found some in our "budget"; shifted monies round and can enjoy a Prosperous Joyous Christmas this year!! Thank God! Now the baby can have the stroller he desperatly needs :-)

Merry Christmas all!!

Love,

Eva




Edited 11/30/2006 11:26 am ET by evastephan

Good morning. It's me Eva

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-12-1997
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 11:32am
Yes, the little ones waited for Santa and opened gifts on Christmas Day - and there was no one at a time then, LOL!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 11:39am
Awww how lovely it all sounds,
I love the alarm clock idea, LOL
True mine too would wake in the middle of the night.
Wasn't getting them to sleep a bear as well?
Sounds like you found the perfect compromise.
How nice to have all your family together like that.
Truly a wonderful time of
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 11:43am
{{{Eva}}}
Sorry to hear about all you have been through.
A loss of a child is one of the hardest things in the world I imagine.
However I am so happy to hear things have gotten better for you overall & financially.
Life is meant to be enjoyed as you know & bet you are trying to do.
Your holiday time this year sounds quite precious.
Hard to remember it is the thought that counts when we are little.
Am so glad you will be spending some loving time with your family.
Really enjoyed reading your tradition ..
Makes you/us all appreciate how precious time/family really is :)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 11-30-2006 - 11:44am
That is a fun time to allow them to just be Ann,
Oh sweet times really & wonderful memories :)

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