It's nice to carry on family and cultural traditions, but it's also fun to start new ones.

I've decided I like the Argentinian custom of opening the presents at midnight and might adopt that one for my family, since it's daylight here until 9pm, and to me Christmas should be in the darkness.

I also like my mum's tradition of the last ten years, of insisting we all have a stiff drink so we don't argue as much

I'm not sure about the menfolk all sitting around whilst the women prepare all the food, so I will have to think of one to combat this

How about in your household?

ZombieKitten said:

I hope it's got nothing to do with that other box...

Cheek said:

Well, every other year my sisters (and my nieces) spend Christmas with the families of their husbands. And this year is such a year. So my mother won't be hosting Christmas this year.

Instead I have the options of spending Christmas with my mother and her husband with her husbands children and grandchildren. Or I can spend Christmas eve with my best friend and his parents in another city.

I haven't decided yet, because I want to wait until we're closer to Christmas to decide whether I feel well enough to take a bus to that other city, or if I should just go with my mother and her husband.

So there's not much Christmas tradition for me this year, other than I'll go visit my mother and her husband in the days surrounding Christmas.
[Edited 11/26/07 4:16am]

scififilmnerd said:

Are you ill?

Booze. Lots and lots of booze.

At the time of this post,
this thread is sandwiched between two threads 'bout porn.

Now, it isn't.

Now it is again.

is not

retina said:

I had a nervous breakdown last year. I'm still recovering from that, so I'm not that mentally strong these days.

scififilmnerd said:

God knows, this is the most stressful time of the year for everyone (except tiny kids!). I hope you sail through to the New Year.

scififilmnerd said:

I've had a couple of major breakdowns in my life as well, so I know how long it can take to recover. You have my sympathy and understanding.

ZombieKitten said:

Hot damn!

We always eat Chinese for lunch...and Italian for supper. And every Christmas Eve, my son and I go to the movies. He says it makes time go by faster, so Christmas morning comes sooner.

MoniGram said:

Moni...can you dress up like the girl above you ?, cheers.

liberation said:

Would that make your Christmas better?

I have to make the christmas dinner this year

We leave a pie and sherry out for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer.

MoniGram said:

excellent!

Christmas Eve my family (parents and sister) have always been together, watching movies, baking cookies, listening to music, playing games... it's a really fun night. Although now it includes a couple more folks, but it's been that way since as long as I can remember. I own most all the classic Christmas animated stuff (Peanuts, Rankin-Bass, Grinch, etc...), which we watch throughout the night. It's just a very fun, relaxing evening.

Putting the Xmas tree up the night of Thanksgiving (if it's fake), or buying a real one a week after Thanksgiving...

Exchanging Xmas ornaments and cards Xmas eve...

My daughter and I always go into Toys R Us and buy a toy together for the Toys For Tots program...we decide whether to buy for a boy or a girl, then she picks it out and I pay for it lol ...She drops it into the huge donation bag at the front of the store, and I always say something like "Santa will be arriving for one more kid this year"...

Either DVDs or (lately) playing "Scene It" on Xmas eve and a pizza...If I go see my mom, Xmas eve is pizza and wine all night long lol

violator said:

FUN and RELAXING

2 things I must really try and incorporate into my christmas mix

ZombieKitten said:

It's a good time!

Meggy and I are new to Christmas and are having fun starting our own traditions.
Igopogo is a great help, he loves all things to do with the holidays. I had a hard time getting them to wait for Thanksgiving to put up the tree. We have 2 trees, a small white one with all purple decorations and a bigger traditional tree. They are just so beautiful,
Our friend Jay is going to be Santa for the little ones.
We are going to do some cooking for a women's shelter .
Our city has a tree lighting ceremony that should be nice.
There are many concerts and some parties to go to.
We're going to church with Igo for midnight Mass, my first one.
I don't know what else we're doing because it's mostly going to be a surprise this year.

shellyevon said:

why are you 2 new to Christmas? are you in a different religion?

sj1600 said:

Thank you, sj.

retina said:

Thank you, retina.

I hope you're fully recovered from your breakdowns.