Your Christmas traditions

[GreenEyesToo]

I thought it might be interesting, since we have Rooftoppers across the globe, to learn about everyone's traditions around celebrating Christmas - like when you open your presents, what foodstuffs are special to the season, that sort of thing. Either national traditions, or family ones you've carried on over the years.

Here in the UK, or in my part of it, presents are generally opened on Christmas morning, although I have a friend in the US whose family always has their big meal and opens their presents on Christmas Eve, so 25 December is then free for church and visiting. Christmas Eve for me is the day to finish off the decorating (or do all of it!), and as I listen to the midnight carol service, I always put up my cards on the wall as I sing (softly!) along.

Turkey is traditional here for Christmas Day (served with brussels sprouts, parsnips, cranberry sauce), followed by Christmas pudding (which is basically vine fruits, cherries, nuts, suet, sugar and usually alcohol, made well in advance of the day so it can mature) and mince pies (which are small pastry pies filled with yet more vine fruit).

In the UK, 26 December is Boxing Day, a public holiday - an alms box used to be placed in churches on 25 December, for richer patrons to contribute, and the box was opened the following day and the money distributed to the poor. A modern tradition is for groups of hardy folk to swim in the sea for charity - whatever the weather! Yes, even during our deep freeze last year!

So, what about your traditions?

[kygal]

We do different things on Christmas Eve. Last year we went to my parents house and ate a small meal and watched Christmas movies. This year my family of four are going out to eat and to a friends party. My siblings celebrate with their in-laws on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day is very busy for us. We do "santa" in the morning with our kids. We go to Kyguys mothers house and celebrate with his family. Eat breakfast and lunch there...usually ham. Go home for a short break to let dogs out and feed them. We go to my mom and dads to celebrate with my family and eat dinner later in the day. This year we are having a turkey again and some pick up food. Geez all we do is eat.

In the past when we were all young and my grandparents were alive the entire family of cousins would get together as well. Now we just do that at the beach in the summer.

I am lucky that all my family is located in Lexington. Kyguys sisters come from Louisville and Cincinnati which are close.

[ophelia]

Christmas Eve, usually my Mother arrives. This year My Mother and her dog, Ollie in tow. A Black Lab. Children, Dylan and Layla are overly excited, so hard time tonight trying to get them to sleep. As a child My parents used to let my brothers and myself go to bed at 8pm and then wake us up to go to Midnight Mass. I remember trying to stay awake in church and wishing I was in bed. Taking Harry, Dylan and Layla to Christmas Mass at 6 tonight. An hour of Christmas Carols and Mass starts at 7. Back for all to watch a Christmas Movie together and Bed for Dylan and Layla. Then It's a waiting game. Waiting for them to be in deep sleep. Bring presents out from all the hiding places and place under tree. It has been know that I have found Christmas presents months later from hiding places that I had forgotten about Then sprinkle icing sugar over Mr Ophelia's shoes to make Santa's foot prints, leave mince pie, and Mulled wine for Santa and Carrot for Reindeer.

Christmas day is excitement of opening presents and a breakfast of bagels, smoked salmon scrambled eggs with Buck's Fizz. A Christmas meal later made my Mr Ophelia. Mr Ophelia loves cooking. Turkey, and the full trimmings. Christmas pudding, mince pies. Later crackers and cheese. Wine, beer and Christmas cake.

Always think of Christmas past. Those who are no longer with us.
My darling Dad always missed and always loved. So a glass is rise for all who are not with us.

Watch Queen's Speech, games played, bit of a sing song with Harry, my son, on the piano. Then settle down and watch Downton Abbey. Then try and make our way up the stairs, never again to drink and eat so much.

Have a wonderful Christmas to all and best wishes for 2012.

LOve Ophelia xxxx

[anglophile]

Always host a big breakfast for as many family on both sides as possible. This year, I am the oldest living member of my family and this is a "first" I never wanted to see happen, but with the death of my 99-year-old grandmother a couple of months ago, I had little choice. Always fix "extra" and this morning, just as we were getting ready to offer the blessing over the food, daughter No. 2 remembered friends who had no plans for the day and would be feeling lonely, so she made a quick call and we ended up with 4 'extras," bringing the number to 30 (the best I could tell.) Most everyone stayed a while and then the game-playing begins. The married children scatter in late afternoon to visit in-laws and then we meet up again at the Christmas Eve communion service. We end that service each year by lighting candles row by row throughout the church and then exiting the church while singing "Silent Night" over and over again until the 300 or so people who usually show up are all outside the building with their lighted candles, lining the steps and sidewalk and sharing the light and love of Christ with those who pass by.
Tomorrow (Christmas Day), we'll have an early church and then children and their families will meet back at our house to open presents and tear into the stockings neither I nor they can seem to give up. A "staple" of this time is orange juice and fresh blueberry muffins - without which my son says it wouldn't be Christmas. My brother and his family will join us a little later and we'll have tons of "pick-up" food and more game playing and general hilarity.
then, suddenly, it's all over and I have to find distractions to keep me from feeling sorry for myself. Guess what that will be this year!!
Merry Christmas, everyone -- you'll keep me smiliing into 2012 and beyond, I'm sure.!

[rumantic]

Whew...actually just finished our traditions about an hour ago. We always opened presents on Christmas Eve when we were kids (after we didn't believe in Santa anymore, that is...hope I didn't spoil anything for anyone here..lol) because we always went to my Grandma's house on Christmas day. Now, since Joe and I are both second marriages, it was easiest just to keep it that way. We do family Christmas-eve-morning at my house, I make breakfast casserole the night before and put it in the oven when the present frenzy starts, and by the time it all settles down we have a hot breakfast and mimosas (the latter a more recent tradition since the kids have gotten older.) Then we head out to my husband's sister's house(It takes about an hour and 20 mins to get there). His mother lives with her (his father died a very long time ago) and he is one of nine siblings, so by the time all the siblings and their kids and their kids kids get there, it's about 100 (very, very loud) people crammed in together...for first timers, it can be quite intimidating. Everyone brings there favorite snack foods...this year I brought bagel dip and chocolate chip cheeseball. We spend about 4 hours there, then head to my parents house, which is about 10 minutes away, where it is much much quieter. Very rarely, my sister, who is in the Air Force makes it in for Christmas, usually it is just me and mine, but since there are 7 of us without grandkids, it's plenty. My mom will make a light meal (this year, since she hasn't been feeling well she ordered a pretzel sandwich and made homemade chicken noodle soup.) Then Joe and I come home alone, the kids all go on to their other parents' houses, and we spend Christmas day in our pajamas, eating leftovers, and generally having a gloriously laid back time.

Love hearing what the rest of you do for the Holiday...Kygal, I was born and raised in Cincinnati, am curious if I might know your husbands relatives (the chances are slim, but hey, stranger things have happened!)

[kygal]

Sent you a pm Rumantic.

[kissmekate]

That's a lovely topic. Thanks for opening it, GE2!

In Germany, celebration starts on Christmas Eve, usually in the late afternoon, and we have two bank holidays on the 25th and 26th, so there's a lot of time to celebrate and meet family.

I have always spent Christmas Eve with my parents - we kept this going when I moved out. Mr Kate goes to celebrate with his family and I'm with mine (my parents, my sister and, since last year, her boyfriend). We usually begin with a small dinner, nothing fancy. This year we had potato salad and frankfurters, which is a Christmas Eve staple in many German families. Then we gather by the Christmas tree to sing a few carols, I play some little pieces on the alto recorder (I've introduced many English traditionals this way). My stepdad reads the Nativity story, I read another little story, we say a prayer or two, and then it's time for exchanging the presents and open the cookie jar, have a glass of wine and chat a bit after everyone has opened their gifts and is hopefully happy.

We used to go to Mass together afterwards (it's not held at midnight here but at 9.30 or 10 p.m.), but as I've got a few issues with the new priest in town, my parents went alone this time and I went on to Mr. Kate's parents' house for another round of music and gifts and chatting.

Back home, Mr. Kate and I exchange gifts and usually open a bottle of red. This year we were in the mood for music and stories as we came home at midnight, so he played a few carols on the piano and I read him some little stories, and in the end we went to bed at 3 a.m. and were pretty knackered the next morning ;D

One of the bank holidays is then dedicated to eating and drinking with the families. As both our families live in the same town, we're either with my parents for lunch and my in-laws for dinner or the other way round. Roast goose is a traditional German Christmas dish, but we normally go for venison, beef or fish, accompanied by potatoes or noodles and vegetables or salad. My mother often makes a three-course menu with a soup up front and a Christmassy dessert. At the end of the day, everybody feels like they will never want to eat a single bite again ;D

The other bank holiday is used for relaxing. We go to church in the morning (Mr. Kate plays the organ) and then just stay at home. I don't cook anything big then and we hang about, read the books we got, watch some movies and, if the weather is OK, go for a little walk.

Hope all of you had a lovely holiday!

[walt]

As KMK told you, in Germany celebrations begin on Christmas Eve and last the next two days.

Due to the time when the kids were small our Christmas tree is decorated on December 23rd. On Christmas Eve there's usually a get-together of the family including our mothers. We go to the service, then get our traditional meal of sausages, potatoes and sauerkraut. Afterwards the tree and the candles are lighted, the presents put under the tree and we sing a few carols and finally open our presents. Christmas Day the family spends together, later on Boxing Day we may split up.