Traditions

[Mother Dragon]

Every family has its holiday traditions. Some travel long distances, some stay home. Others party. And some just want to whole thing to be over.

Do you have special holiday traditions? A certain menu? A special song? Mistletoe? Elf on the Shelf?

If you exchange gifts, do you open them on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Does everyone wear a matching onesie? Eat all the leftover cookies? Gorge yourself all day?

We really don't celebrate any more. We may have some sort of special meal - if we get around to it - but it won't be a traditional one. Curry, shrimp, Mexican. You never know.

Share your traditions, please.

 

[Maria Bayote]

As all Filipino families, we wait on the 24th for the clock to strike 12mn, ushering Christmas Day, and eat together the Christmas feast we call Noche Buena. Our Noche Buena would include Pancit Bihon (very thin rice noodles fried with soy sauce, meat and veggies), Chicken or Pork Lechon, Pasta, fruits, etc. Then afterwards we gather around to open gifts, laugh and talk some more.

 

[Elphaba09]

On Yule, my children, daughter-in-law, my "honorary son" (my son's best friend), (sometimes) my sister-in-law, my husband, and I watch Christmas movies, open gifts, have dinner, and play board games. The movies we typically watch on Yule are "Elf," "The First Christmas Snow," "Jack Frost," and "Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey." I make duck, a beef roast, baked macaroni, roasted cauliflower, honeyed spiced carrots, green beans, roasted potatoes, and bread. (The next day, I use leftover duck to make a Chinese dish.) I always separate the gifts by wrapping paper rather than tags. Afterward, we eat cookies.

After the house is settled for the night, we take a candle and use it to light a candle in each room. Because of the cats, we can only let each burn for the amount of time we stay in the room (a couple of seconds to a couple of hours, depending on the room).

We go to my husband's mother's for Christmas. I always make a couple of desserts and bread. Sometimes, I bring a vegetable or two.

On Twelfth Night, which is one of my favorite days of the year, I make a big dinner with roast chicken and pork roast, the same vegetables as I make at Yule, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and bread. I also make a dessert, usually a Pavlova or a spiced cake. All the gifts tend to be silly, cheap but useful items, games, or a necessity. For example, I get everybody new toothbrushes, a tube of toothpaste, non-perishable foodstuffs, Dollar Tree toys, coloring books/books, sweaters from Goodwill, and other such things. It sounds silly, but it is a great deal of fun that started when I could not afford to buy my children special gifts for Yule. We have Christmas crackers--the kind with the hat and the joke--and play board games while watching more Christmas movies.

 

[Mia6]

Christmas Eve we have appetizers, dips, Nicole makes a double batch of my mother's meatball recipe, shrimp cocktail.
I open my gifts over there as I need help. It's nice and low-key.

She makes a big dinner on Christmas day, served about 5-6pm. Turkey this year. I will probably borrow her Home Alone DVD
and watch at home. Sometimes I am not able to do both days so I just do Eve.

 

[NY cat man]

Michele's parents were German Lutheran, so the whole family would gather on Christmas eve to celebrate and open presents. My parents always celebrated and opened presents on Christmas day, so it worked out well. Since they have all passed, we really don't do much as a family group any more.

 

[Tik cat's mum]

We open presents on Christmas morning always have a traditional Christmas dinner sat round the table pulling crackers and telling the corny jokes. The rest of the day/night is spent eating and drinking until we can't move watching Christmas films listening to Christmas songs. This year there's only 4 of us so it will be alot quieter than normal. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[posiepurrs]

It worked out well for us. My husbands family (when we were close in vicinity) celebrated Christmas Eve and my family did Christmas Day. Whoever had the youngest child hosted Christmas Eve. The years since we moved away, we celebrate Christmas Day. We usually empty the stockings first, then open gifts. Dinner follows, but I think this year it will be dinner first then the other things. When the kids were grown, dinner was always an easy one and served buffet style so you could eat when you wanted. I was working full time so that was the easiest way to do it so it didn't require a lot of work. This year we are going to my oldest sons home so when my husband gets tired, we can go home so he can rest. It is always a loud, festive occasion when all of my kids get together. One is returning today from an almost month long trip to SE Asia so everyone is excited to see him. My absolute favorite tradition when the kids were small was reading a Christmas book each night from December 1 to Christmas. My own personal tradition is watching the sappy Christmas movies all month. Something I haven't done much of this year. Really not in the Christmas spirit this year.

 

[mani]

I take it as it comes each year, but one thing remains constant: fluffy brandy sauce.
Whether it's a traditional English style Christmas or Australian Bar-b-que day, it's always there.
I haven't had a Christmas without it in a very long time.

Here's the recipe:

• 1 egg, separated, white with a pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup whipped cream
• 3 tablespoons of very good quality Brandy

Beat egg white and salt till stiff.
Gradually beat in the icing sugar, a tablespoon at a time, till the mixture is smooth.
Beat in the egg yolk.
Fold in the shipped cream (gently) and then very gently fold in the brandy.
Chill

Gently refold the brandy through before serving if it's settled.

 

[WillowMarie]

Normally when I am with my family, we open presents on Christmas day, and have a large meal around lunchtime/early afternoon.

It will be just my cats and I this year, my choosing. I was thinking about getting a bunch of holiday type food, but when doing this for Thanksgiving I spent the next week eating leftovers. Which was great! But my job offers free meals at work, so I only eat a piece of fruit or similar before going into work the 5 days I work to save on food costs. It would be hard to eat all the leftovers before they spoil due to this. I may still pick up some special food/snacks. Something that will keep or freeze for later eating.

I will still be opening presents on Christmas day. My mom sent me a couple for the cats and I.

 

[susanm9006]

As all Filipino families, we wait on the 24th for the clock to strike 12mn, ushering Christmas Day, and eat together the Christmas feast we call Noche Buena. Our Noche Buena would include Pancit Bihon (very thin rice noodles fried with soy sauce, meat and veggies), Chicken or Pork Lechon, Pasta, fruits, etc. Then afterwards we gather around to open gifts, laugh and talk some more.

I love this wonderful tradition. When I was very little we used to go to Midnight mass with my Sicilian grandmother while grandfather stayed home and prepared a post church meal. Somehow that late night meal tasted so much better than a daytime one.

And also, a big congrats on your award!

 

[Maria Bayote]

When I was very little we used to go to Midnight mass with my Sicilian grandmother

Yes we also have this tradition to hear mass from December 15th until eve of Christmas. The old folks say that when you complete them, your wishes would come true. I loved how our family was so being devout Catholics.

And also, a big congrats on your award!

What award? I did not check yet. But many thanks. I heard it first from you.

 

[Maria Bayote]

And also, a big congrats on your award!

Congratulations to you, too! Just now I saw the post.