Holiday Winner Week Three is…
******** Annette ********
A Chance to Win!
We are heading into the home stretch and I hope everyone is ready, or almost ready, for the holidays. I hope you spare a minute from your busy schedule to tell me about your favourite tradition? If you don’t do the holidays, you can let me know about any tradition you hold dear. I want to hear about them, too!
I will draw a winner on December 31st!
Our Christmas Traditions:
- Books! We all receive a book on Christmas Eve! I love picking out books for my kids, especially now that they are older, as in they are adults, and definitely have their own opinions about things. I love hearing whether they enjoyed the book I picked for them, or didn’t enjoy it.
- Lights! I love hopping in the car and going on a light tour. We get into a pyjamas, sip hot chocolate and take a tour of the lights.
- Games! I try and find a new game every year. This year it was a trivia game for my husband and I to play together. Last year it was the pie in the face game. My daughter wants to play that one again!
- Getting together with family and sharing a special meal. I do love turkey and all the trimmings. And, of course, the people. It’s not all about the food. Really, it’s not! Although, I do love mashed potatoes and gravy!
Until next time…
Tell me a favourited tradition!
My family all go to church and when we get back we wait outside my grandparents’ home until a little bell rings which means the angels have gone and we are allowed in to see the tree and all the presents. Then we read the Christmas story, sing a few carols out of tune with my grandmother playing piano and then we do presents. This all happens on Christmas Eve in Switzerland. Luckily we have some kids now so that we don’t look quite so mad keeping this tradition up… it was a little suspect when the “children” were us and we are all in our 30s
Oh my gosh, I love the idea of the bell ringing and the angels helping and the viewing of the gifts after they’d gone! When I was little we opened our presents on Christmas Eve, went to church and then to my grandparents house just down the road where we all gathered. My dad was one of 12 children so there was usually quite a crew!
My favourite Christmas tradition is when the family sings Christmas carols after we set up the tree.
That’s lovely! I can take or leave most trendy Christmas songs, but I love to sing the old familiar carols!
We watch a classic movie in our Jammie’s , with the grandparents and extended family. Complete with popcorn and hot cocoa. This year it will be Its a wonderful life and the sound of music. Then we read the Christmas story before bed.
That sounds so comfy and comforting! One of my very favourite Christmas movies to watch is The Sound of Music!
Grandma and Grandpa dumplings! A delicious treat that goes over ice cream.
Sounds delicious!
My husband and I exchange an ornament every year. After 10 years we each have 10 ornaments with special meaning, plus our children’s who have been incorporated over the last few years. We go to things remembered, but you could also make them yourself. We try to get the ones with picture frames to include a favorite memory from that year too. We also have fondue on Christmas Eve and watch the polar express in our pjs with hot cocoa.
I love the idea of giving Christmas ornaments presenting a memory from the year! Extra special to decorate the tree with memories! I wish I’d thought of that 28 years ago!
Also, my head is filled with Christmas story ideas now…
To me, Christmas tradition means spending time with family and friends and attending many different social events throughout the festive month of December. Family dinners are a valued and long-standing tradition for the Pistilli family. Typically, we enjoy a large seafood feast on Christmas Eve followed by another family gathering on Christmas Day. Spending time with my parents who have lived in the City of North Vancouver for 60 years is a very special time for all of us. I wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday season and hope you enjoy the precious time with your family and friends.
I could totally get behind a seafood feast every Christmas Eve! Delicious! Family is so important and worth treasuring! A joyful holiday to you and yours!
My grandmother has a double collection of the 12 days of Christmas glasses. On Christmas Eve, we have a waffle bar dinner and everyone grabs their glass. Then after we eat we sit around and sing the 12 days of Christmas, singing the part assigned by the glass you chose 🙂
Also, LOVE the idea of singing that song with the glasses. I’m trying to picture what they look like! Also, I may steal the waffle bar idea!
Every year I get my kids an ornament. I started with the letter “A” and so on each year. When they move out I will still give them one to finish the alphabet and then they have a wonderful set of ornaments for their first Christmas tree on their own 🙂
Oh, that’s so sweet! I’m sure they will treasure them and that they will have a story about each one! Also, wish I’d thought of this one, too!
When I was growing up, my Dad never read us stories as he had such bad dyslexia. However, every xmas eve, we’d get into our pjs before bed and sit around the fireplace. Dad would put the log fire on (the only time we had it on!), we’d sit around it and he’d read “Twas the night before christmas”. I now know he knew it off by heart! We’d then hang our stockings, put out the mince pie and carrot for father xmas and ruldolph and toddle off to bed.
I lost my Dad before I had children, so it seemed natural to start that tradition with mine and every year, I can still hear his voice and it feels like he’s there.
Oh, how special that he created this memory for you and that you have passed it on! It’s those special times that help us keep loved ones close even though they’ve passed on.