If you celebrate Christmas at home, what do you do that day/ night?

[ourbabygirl]

I'd like to start some Christmas traditions at home for when we're here and not visiting family, but I'd like to keep it more holy and not just about opening presents and playing with toys, etc. Our DC are still young enough where we can't do too many 'serious' religious things where they would understand it very well, but I want to work up to it. ;)

Any traditions you care to share? Maybe something you did growing up, or something you do now?

Thanks!

[SnuggleBuggles]

We love going to church on Christmas Eve because it just makes you slow down and appreciate the season. But, on the day of we don't really do anything except eat, open presents, and play games.

Beth

[bubbaray]

We love going to church on Christmas Eve because it just makes you slow down and appreciate the season. But, on the day of we don't really do anything except eat, open presents, and play games.

Beth


:yeahthat:

This year, we might bake a birthday cake for Jesus. The girls have asked to do this.

[LD92599]

Growing up we always had my paternal grandmother over for breakfast; nowadays we stop and get my mom and then head to the diner after we've opened a few gifts (not all). We'll have dinner at our house or hers this year and exchange family gifts along w/ some extended family.

DH & I have always try to go into NYC on Christmas Eve, on the early side, planning to be back in time for the kids church service late afternoon.

[maestramommy]

not sure how old your kids are, but in our house only Dora is finally old enough to inject some religious aspect into our Christmas celebration. We are doing the Advent wreath until Christmas Eve. If we can get them to sing in the cherub choir at Church, or even if we can't, I want to attend the family Christmas Eve service. And that's it. Christmas Day we'll probably have dinner with extended family. That is a tradition maintained by Dh's aunt, so it depends on whether she extends the open invite this year.

[daisymommy]

The day before we usually bake cookies together as a family and then deliver plates of them to our neighbors. We go to Christmas Eve service at church (candle lit), come home and the kids get to open one gift, and we read the Nativity story from the Bible.

The next day we let the kids open stockings first (while grown ups are trying to pull their eyes open over a cup of coffee ;)). Then we have coffee cake with candles in it--Jesus's birthday cake, and we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Then we all take turns opening gifts, so that everyone savors each gift and doesn't get into a greedy mood, and appreciates seeing the joy on each other's face (a tradition passed down from several family generations back).

Once we are all done with gifts, the kids play while the adults clean -up, shower, etc. and we get ready for family to come over to visit. Once they are here, they stay all day, and we have our big holiday lunch/dinner together, watch Christmas movies, enjoy cookies by the fire, sing carols together...it's a great time!

[SpaceGal]

We usually go to midnight mass. We also bake cookies for Santa and put hem out by the tree. Then Christmas morning we watch the parade and open gifts. As the kids get older we will probably watch some Christmas movie together.

[m448]

We're latin so Christmas Eve (Noche Buena) is the big deal. We have the big dinner that evening and the kids go to bed. If I was back in my country or hometown it would be a huge family party into the week hours of the morning with the kids alseep on the couch.

[Corie]

On Christmas Eve, we go out for Chinese food and then we go see a movie.
(The theater is pretty empty, usually just 2-3 families.) We started this
tradition when we lived in Rhode Island and we didn't have any family close by.

Now, that we are in Ohio and we are near family, we will still continue this
tradition since the kids LOVE it!!

[AnnieW625]

On Christmas Eve we have family day at my work so DH will bring the girls in around 9:30, they will have photos with Santa, and then a potluck, and will leave around 12. I will stay until 1:30 or 2:00 when the office closes.

On Christmas Eve night we spend it with my family (aunt+uncle+cousins, great aunts, and grandma, and some family friends) and have a full three course meal, plus appetizers. Last year it started at 4 and we didn't get home until midnight. It's fun, but I am seriously hoping that we can eat the main course before 8 pm because DD1 was pooped last year, and I know that DD2 won't even make it past 7 (DD1 slept starting at 9pm) .

We open presents whenever the girls get up so right around 7am, then go to church at 10 am, and then we'll come home and veg for a few hours and watch Christmas Vacation, and then head over to DH's aunt & uncle's place for a pot luck, presents, and fun. It's much less formal than the night before. The girls might even end up spending the night too which is fun and DD1 loves. The next morning around 10 or 11 we head over for left overs.

[Elilly]

We go to Christmas Eve mass and then out for Chinese food (it's usually the only place open!). On Christmas morning, we do stockings while breakfast is baking. Eat breakfast, open presents one at a time, then I fix Christmas dinner. We stay in our jammies all day long and eat with the good china :) We never leave the house but all family are invited to come over if they wish!

[mamicka]

Christmas Eve is when my family has always done the big meal & presents (old country tradition). The meal is very symbolic followed by candlelight church service, home (we stay at my parent's) for dessert & opening presents one at a time. My family usually just spends the next day lounging, preparing dinner & singing Christmas carols. Now we go to my in-laws for big breakfast & then presents & my family always comes to my IL's for Christmas dinner.