Starting traditions

*Louise*

Ohhh...traditions...:D

- The youngest person in the house is the one who puts the fairy on the tree

- Bedtime on Christmas Eve, everyone has to sing Jingle Bells when the kids are on their way to bed

- No one is allowed in the Living room in the morning until Daddy checks that 'Santa's been' (that's so they don't end up opening everything while we're still asleep!):rotfl:

- Parcels under the tree are kept until after dinner (Santa's parcels in the morning are on the couch, ones from Mum and Dad are under the tree)

meerustar

I never realised I actually had traditions until I read this thread, lol.

*Always make mince pies on Christmas Eve to leave for Santa.

*Watch a Christmas Movie before bed (usually The Santa Clause ... great film and know it more or less word for word, lol)

*Christmas morning, same as poster *Louise* ... I have to go downstairs to check Santa has been so kids can't open pressies ... (also to set camcorder up and put fire on low as it's usually cold.)

And Christmas Top of the Pops on full balst singing and dancing whilst finishing cooking the dinner (wonder if TOTP's will be on this year)

And finally, hubby cutting Turkey while we all clap and sing Christmas songs ... although eldest refuses to join in saying we're mad until we tell him he is having no more chocolate until New Year if he doesn't sing ... He soon sings!!!

Have a good one guys

angela110660

The things we have done over the years and eldest is now 20, is on Xmas Eve I make sausage rolls and we have them with chips and salad for tea. Hell to pay when I suggested we wouldn't do this one year.
The kids (yes even the 20 year old) make a tray with sherry, mince pies and carrots to leave out and have their photo taken - it's great to see how they change year on year.
Each year I bought a Xmas story book - nothing expensive but just enough to read at bedtime every evening up until Xmas. We have about 14 now ranging from Sainsburys 99p books to lovely hardback books with beautiful pictures. The youngest still loves it when all the books come out on Dec 1st and she can choose one each night and of course now she can read them to me too!

sali_mali

aurora_borealis wrote:

Beware the family traditions!

Take birthdays ... our tradition is that the birthday girl gets a treasure hunt that eventually ends up with said girl in bed with mummy and daddy and sisters at the end of the bed. Presents are duly opened.

This goes on for years even when the eldest is 21.
Picture this ... we stay at a London hotel for a 21st birthday treat. Eldest has a partner now and they come too.

So we have two people in their 20s, an 18 year old and a 14 year old searching for clues through a London hotel in their pyjamas.

Then they all end up on mummy and daddy's bed - partner included! :eek:

EDIT: I think you'l find I'm 19!

EDIT:I think you'll find I'm 19!

Christmas ...

Children bring stockings to mummy and daddy's bed to open.
Three children have their photo taken sitting in a row on the stairs (every year)
Room prepared, fire lit and children open their presents one at a time.

Buck's fizz breakfast (little ones had orange juice in champers glasses)

Always ... wild board games in the afternoon

Regarding the picture on the stairs....

I think we should stop that one as I've alwaysjust woken up and am in my dressing gown and look like a cave woman! Not pretty! :rotfl:

Bambam

Our traditions are :

Tree up Christmas Eve

New pyjamas Christmas Eve. I would pretend to hear something upstairs and hubby would go up to investigate. The children and I would wait at the bottom of the stairs and hear 'talking'. When hubby came down he had 2 'early' parcels from santa, to be going on with - always the pyjamas and and chocolate coins. We STILL do this and our 'children' are aged 20 and 24 :rotfl:

We would also shake little sleigh bells from the bottom of the stairs just before we went to bed (just incase the kids were still awake).

Table presents Christmas Day. Just a little humorous pressie for everyone e.g. one year dad got a pair of marigold gloves to do the washing up and an uncle got a bottle of washing up liquid.

:xmassmile

travelling_light

late at night when everyone is meant to be asleep - after bath, supper and leaving treats for santa and the reindeer..."the night before christmas story" is read... and all is quiet...ish a loud noise is "heard" and much loud whispering between my husband and I soon has lots of attention as we agree it must be the reindeer landing on next doors roof and everyone better keep their eyes closed and get to sleep....absolutely priceless when the kids are all agreeing with you they "heard" the reindeer...We also throw in a bit of sleigh bell ringing ...classic.
As a kid my dad made a "cine" every year of us all coming downstairs ...all new pjs and excited faces...really special to look back on now...but remember to include yourselves in any filming as it is great for when your kids are the adults and want to see their folks....

*Louise*

sali_mali wrote:

Regarding the picture on the stairs....

I think we should stop that one as I've alwaysjust woken up and am in my dressing gown and look like a cave woman! Not pretty! :rotfl:

Haha - I used to drive my whole family MAD when I was a teenager - I would insist on getting dressed and having my hair and make up done before I would let anyone near me with a camera!!:rotfl:

Cue much shouting and moaning from younger siblings as they waited downstairs before they could open anything:o :rotfl:

saveapenny

We started ours when the kids were little and we knew christams day would be really busy.
So we brought a bottle of nice wine (or 2) a good selection of cheese and all sorts of crackers. We waited till everything was done and the kids were fast asleep then it was our time we would turn the telly off and put some nice chrimbo music on and or watch midnight mass.
Our kids are 23 and 26 and we still do it now its lovely

kittiwoz

I always loved helping my mum with the cooking at Christmas. We would make a Christmas cake, spiced beef, a gingerbread house (and the extra would be biscuits I could take in my packed lunch and have as a snack at break time) and lots of mince pies. My dad is better at pastry than my mum though, he has a lighter touch, her pastry is always a bit overworked and tough. It made a nice build up as well because you have to make the cake well in advance and the spiced beef and you have to keep taking it out and rubbing it.

When I was little my brother and I would help decorate the tree (and we still do) and late Christmas Eve after we'd gone to bed my parents would festoon it with angel hair (strips of shiny mylar foil like they use to make tinsel). They told us Father Christmas had done it and I thought that was really magical when I was four. We used to write letters to Father Christmas and leave out a mince pie and a glass of sherry too.

We used to get up very early and open all the presents in our stockings which were actually pillow cases at the end of the bed. We used to get presents under the tree too but we were only allowed to open one before lunch, we opened the rest after the Christmas pud.

Another food related tradition is that my dad always makes a cooked breakfast. My dad does a brilliant cooked breakfast. I find it really difficult to get everything cooked together without anything going cold even though I'm just cooking for me but my dad has it down pat.

Sometimes I used to go for a walk with my dad before lunch to work up an appetite which I liked doing but sometimes it was too wet and muddy. That was always a father-daughter thing. My mum and brother were never much up for trudging around in the cold. Even in the South East where people are generally much less friendly if you go for a walk on Christmas day everyone you pass says hello.

tru

We went to a carol service for the first time ever last year, it was great cos they had loads of kids involved. That'll probably become a new tradition for us.

We drive around for a few evenings looking at decorated houses, we have some great ones here (Glos). The best is left for Christmas Eve - !!!!!! Shepherd's house on Stroud Road (remember !!!!!! Shepherd, stunt driver?) I could stare at his house for hours

At 7pm we turn off all the lights (except the Christmas lights of course lol), get the mince pies and hot choc out, take the phone off the hook and watch The Muppet Christmas Carol

Mr troo always reads Twas The Night Before Christmas to the kids - aged 15 & 16 :rotfl:

I tape every single Christmas film that's on the tele so we can watch them in the evenings, I have a load on DVD too. We usually go to the cinema to watch the latest Christmas film too.

I love Christmas I do :xmassmile

:xmastree: :xmassign: :santa2: :snow_laug :rudolf: :snow_grin