Looking for a new Christmas Eve Tradition...

**MoonMommy** · 11-23-2008, 09:20 PM

What about the family getting together and making a gingerbread house each year. You could all try to do a part of it. We do one every year (although not Christmas eve) with our kids. My kids are little, so the houses haven't been very big or extensive, but each year, we have gotten better at it, and each year the kids look forward to do it. Then I make sure to take a picture of the kids sitting by the House.

**frugalbabe** · 11-23-2008, 09:31 PM

Well, I sew so I make my kids matching jammies and they get to open one present which is always a book.

We read the Christmas story out of Luke, listen to music, sometimes drive around and look at lights while we munch on gingerbread men.

On Christmas day we always bring a plate of goodies to the different fire stations or hospitals in our town to thank the emergency workers for being on duty and away from families to keep us safe if we needed them. My kids LOVE doing this and insist on it every year.

**kittykatstrong** · 11-23-2008, 11:22 PM

We also do the pjs on christmas eve. We go over to my aunt-in-laws home and do that side of the family. In the morning then it is more relaxed and no running around.

**joyofsix** · 11-24-2008, 07:08 AM

Dinner is variable, but I try to make it something the kid's will like ie. pizza, tacos, nachos. We go to the 7pm Christmas Eve service, drive around and look at the lights after that. I must watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. The younger kids will watch it with me, and then off to bed with them. Then I spend way too long dragging in presents.

**Patty A** · 11-24-2008, 08:04 AM

We do a Christmas Eve dinner, and open gifts. Then Christmas morning is for the kids and Santa. With the adults being all done with gifts its easier to help the kids when they need your help to put things together or set them up to play with.
We snack on left overs and that way I don't have to cook anything on Christmas day. It really makes it a fun day of just kicking back and having fun.

**McD** · 11-24-2008, 11:30 AM

Wesley gets to open his new holiday pajamas on Christmas Eve and his presents from Zac and I. We each pick him out a special, but inexpensive present. I'm giving him a hardcover Curious George Christmas book that was 5$ at Kohls. Zac is giving him the policeman parts for Mr. Potatohead, they were 3.99$. We watch movies and snuggle and snack all night. Then once we put Wesley to bed, Zac and I exchange our gifts, then I wrap gifts all night. That's our Christmas Eve!

**UUMomof3** · 11-24-2008, 11:54 AM

We go to the candlelight service, then take a drive around to look at Christmas lights. The kids like to watch a movie, probably Rudolph or Frosty this year. Dinner is usually soup and sanny. We put out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.

I like the idea of opening pajamas the night before. Everyone keeps telling me that they need another barbaloot suit, so maybe they will get those for Christmas eve.

**peanut** · 11-24-2008, 12:09 PM

You know, baking has always been a big part of Christmas for my teens. The gingerbread house idea has merit. At 10 and 19 your kids could do a great job with this idea! Carmelized sugar for window panes, etc.

My girls liked to make homemade chocolates - Turtles (tm) or pb cups. And, of course, Christmas cookies. Which in our home meant variations of Danish butter cookies.

Maybe a Christmas Eve baking session would be the ticket?

Jean

**kaurand554** · 11-25-2008, 05:55 PM

We do the pajamas, my kids would be lost without them too!

I'm thinking that the lights might be a good idea, we live near a great Light Display.

We make cookies with my daughters friends the week before which is fun.... but boy can it get messy..... LOL

Thanks for all the ideas! Everyone has such nice traditions!

-k-

**UUMomof3** · 11-26-2008, 07:42 AM

We have a gingerbread tradition in our house too. The kids help me pick the candies and we build a small house. I've got a mold that does either log cabin or victorian house, so we alternate. We build the house and decorate it the first part of December, and the kids (and DH) 'sneak' bits off for the next couple weeks.

**Momto2Boyz** · 11-26-2008, 09:45 AM

We normally visit with DH's Dad's side of the family, have dinner with them, then we come home and have our only family time together for the holiday. We make hot cocoa and snacks (usually total junkfood, x-mas cookies, etc.), turn off all the lights, turn the Christmas lights on and we each get to open one present (which is always new pj's - that way we look good in our pics while opening presents in the morning), we then snuggle down in our new pj's and watch my most favorite movie of all time "A Christmas Story" during it's 24 hour run on TBS.

Our other "big" Christmas traditions include watching I't's a Wonderful Life and my favorite, fixing up my tree skirt!

I started my tree skirt when my first son was born. It is a red felt skirt that I made, then each year, I trace the boys hands, and embroider them with their name and the year, then hand stitch them onto the tree skirt. I knew it would be something I would treasure someday, when I was old and grey, but I treasure it already!

**joyofsix** · 11-26-2008, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Momto2Boyz

I started my tree skirt when my first son was born. It is a red felt skirt that I made, then each year, I trace the boys hands, and embroider them with their name and the year, then hand stitch them onto the tree skirt. I knew it would be something I would treasure someday, when I was old and grey, but I treasure it already!

We do something similar. I trace their hand on the tree skirt and paint it in fabric paint. Amazing how they've grown.

**Jerseygirl** · 11-26-2008, 06:58 PM

Christmas eve was always the traditional 7 fishes Italian night that my grandparents hosted, with a little Polish mixed in. Now they have all passed my mom has taken over their home and tradition, but it is a bit less fussy now, we are generally down to 5 fishes, only the kids dress up, etc. Some years there are 10 of us, others there are 25, depends. For us this is the real holiday. After dinner, dessert and gifts on our way home dh and I usually drive through the light show at the arts center for the last time.
Maybe find a special recipe from the family you can recreate each year together, a service to attend or even a favorite movie to watch. Even going to the store, picking up some cans to take together to the food bank together. Look to the memories you treasure and why, then build from there. Don't try too hard, let it happen.