What Are Your Family Christmas Traditions?

[chrono903]

we have a big breakfast for dinner on christmas eve. after dinner we watch the videos from years before of us decorating the tree. It is definately the highlight of my year.

thom

[archibald]

About 30 of us from 4 generations cram into somone's house where we rehash arguments from 1975 and complain about percieved slights from 1957. Then we argue about politics until someone calls someone else either a fascist or communist, as the case may be, and then we eat. Isn't that what everyone does?

[Watchmeister]

We do Christmas eve dinner and exchange family and adult gifts. The next morning the Children get to open the gifts from Santa. Santa has already been very good to me. I am the happy recipient of a D-80 (my first digital SLR) and a complete lightbox kit. Now I just have to figure out how to use it.

[xwoodbutch]

For the last 10yrs, our huge family (relatives etc) all exchange gag gifts. They really aren't gag gifts they're usually pretty nice. We grab #'s out of a hat and the exchange goes accordingly. You can steel a gift or pick from the pile. You really want to have the highest #'s because of all the steeling. There's one thing that really adds to the excitement! Years and years ago I made up a rather large jar of bolts, nuts, washers, nails etc. Packed them very tightly so as they wouldn't make any noise and wrapped it beautifully. This gag gift has made it's way through most of the family now. Everyone that picks it and obviously ends up keeps it. Tries to pull-off the same trick year after year! It's rather hard now because most of us have caught on and it's getting harder and harder to pull it off each year. I'm sure there are many of you that have your own games you play similar to this. It sure does make for a load of laughs. I hope you and yours enjoy a very Merry Christmas and it's crammed with fun and joy!! Merry Christmas everyone!! Regards, X

[minuterepeater]

Archi - are we related???

[Pugwash]

First we decorate the aluminum pole. Then we have dinner, followed by the Airing of Grievances. We then end the evening with Feats of Strength. Nobody can leave until the head of the house is pinned to the ground.

Ah, Festivus ...

[KB]

Ok this will sound very corny but we usually all sit in the lounge on Christmas Eve, that is any family and friends that are visiting as well, then I recite the full "'Twas the night before Christmas" poem, when finished I wish each individual by name a Merry Christmas and they in turn wish me one too.

Then it's off to bed for any kids (but not before putting some food out for the reindeer and milk and cookies for Santa) and that's when I have to get down to work, last year it was putting a swing set together which I finished somewhere around 2am Christmas morning, this year it was a cubby house which thankfully was a heck of a lot easier.

Ken