Christmas Traditions. - Chesterfield,MO

We do several things. Here is a timeline
Thanksgiving night we set up the Christmas tree

The Sunday after we decorate the tree while decorating we usually talk about the different ornaments each kids gets a new one each year so that they have their own box full when they move out.

We go to at least one but sometimes more Christmas plays or musicals. When money permits its a biggie (rocketts, Trans Siberian orchestra, a big name theater production etc) when money is not so fluid we do local church or school concerts. And have hot chocolate and cookies after.

The biggest most talked about tradition is one started years ago. We do gingerbread houses. It started out as just one my kids and I did. Now it's a gingerbread house competition lol. It's 1 house to every 2 people. Everyone has the same house kit. But decorations are whatever you want to use. My sister in law brings a craft box which she shares. My son picks Christmas berries off the bushes in the yard. My daughter brings a candy store with her lol. A blue ribbon is awarded each year. (It's a cheesy ribbon I print on the computer) the grandkids are in on it now also. You put youngest 1/2 of the group's names in a hat. And then let the oldest half each pick A name they are then partners. We always let the oldest person pick first. at the end of the night there are usually 6 to 8 houses. Everyone is handed a ticket to vote. Votes are counted and ribbon pinned. The real prize is listening/watching the video later. My husband always sets the camera up in the corner. People forget it's running. My favorite line from about 10 years ago. My side wall caved in and my son 8yrs old at the time was my partner that year. He never missed a beat and said "it's ok mom ours can be the garage I'll get 2 of my cars" so we made a ginger bread garage.

Traditions start whenever you find something you love and do it more than once. It is never to late to start a new tradition. So don't be afraid to pick up something you think looks fun and give it a whirl. It might be that you start the tradition of making ornaments or make cookies. Whatever your family likes. go for it.

Christmas day is a revolving door at our house. One thing we do is leave "A Christmas Story" playing on repeat all day long. It's my husband's favorite movie. :)

I have a ton of kiddos...and we used to host christmas day at our home. To cut down on the # of gifts...and to have some fun...with the grands...and aunts and uncles, we did a version of a Yankee Swap...

yankeeswap.com/yankee-swap-rules.php

Mostly though it was a time to talk, enjoy good food, and watch the kiddos play with presents.

If no snow (or only a little), we would have a re match of the family football game we'd had at thanksgiving.

You might also ask each person to jot down a tradition of theirs...and e mail you before so you can sort through and pick some to incorporate that would be familiar to your guests.

best

Just choose 2 or 3 things that sound fun to you that you can pull off w/your family. Some of what we do:

-we go to midnight mass when we can
-everybody gets a new ornament to put on the tree
-decorate cookies or put out a store bought gingerbread house
-we have tons of appetizers out
-eat a big Christmas dinner together w/a fully decorated table & nice
dishes
-the kids get new pajamas to wear Christmas Eve
-we walk around the nearby neighborhood for a quick look at lights together w/hot cocoa
-at night we open one present while playing Christmas songs or a Christmas movie enjoying hot cocoa & cookies
-we are sure to have a few traditional dishes from our heritage. In your
case I would make old family Italian dishes or look up some new dishes
to make
-each person gets a stocking filled with fun things, little gifts & items they
can use
-we play Christmas music all night long
-the lights on the tree are on all evening
-Christmas day we open presents, have music playing, have coffee & muffins/croissants, a big late breakfast

What have you been doing all these years? You create your own traditions, not copy others. Have you not celebrated Christmas all these years. Preteen is a bit late to start. "Traditions usually start when they are babies. Go back and think about what you have done over the years.

We usually do a Christmas Eve dinner at my in-laws around noon, and then go to the 4:00 Mass. After that, we go home, relax a bit, get the kids to bed and then when they're asleep, my husband and I bring all the gifts out (there are some under the tree already to make it look nice, but the bulk gets put out Christmas Eve, so there's "an explosion of gifts" as my hubby puts it, on Christmas morning), and we put the gifts under the tree and stuff the stockings. Right after that, I enjoy my most relaxing (and favorite) moment of the Christmas season. I turn out all the lights, except the tree, and plop down on the couch with a big sigh, knowing all the preparation and work is DONE! I sit there for a while in the dark, just reflecting on things and enjoying the silence. In the morning, we all go through our stockings right away, which gives the kids some trinkets to play with while hubby gets breakfast going (Pillsbury orange cinnamon rolls & other things) and I take a quick shower. When I'm out, we all have breakfast and start opening gifts, with Christmas music in the background. Around noon, my in-laws arrive with all their gifts and we have some snacks and then settle in for Round 2 of opening. Dinner is around 4:00ish, usually ham, except the one year we got a turducken! The evening is spent visiting, playing games, etc. I also always make a crockpot full of wassail for everyone to drink throughout the day and there are always plenty of snacks and treats!

We watch Polar Express, plan the same meal of Turkey, twice baked potatoes, green beans, home made stuffing, pumpkin and apple pie.

The rest is just chatting, kids running, laughing, and playing, eating, and cleaning up. That usually consumes about 5 hours.

How sweet that you are working so hard to make this special. :)

Things we do:
-go crazy with Christmas lights (get the kids out there helping you put them up, and enjoy their creative designs, too)
-decorate the tree with Christmas music playing and fireplace on
-bake gingerbread, shortbread, sugar cookies and cranberry bread
-decorate gingerbread houses with extended family
-go to a local park and ride the mini train with dozens of lights, then for hot chocolate
-go sledding or ice skating
-do a Christmas craft (beaded tree ornament, reindeer pencil topper etc)
-bake fudge
-walk around the neighborhood in the early evening and admire all the lights (also do this xmas Eve, with popcorn and hot choc in the car)
-read Twas the Night Before Xmas in front of the fireplace, on Christmas Eve, plus leave out cookies and carrots (for the reindeer)
-take decorated cookies a crafts to nearby senior's center
-take the kids shopping for a new clothing item and toy for child their age, and donate it
-advent calendars
-new xmas pjs for the kids
-lots of xmas music!

Enjoy!
PS- one of the best gifts you can give those around you is YOUR happiness - don't feel pressure to do too much.