What traditions did your parents have for you that were special?

[BabyBearsMom]

I've been thinking back to the special things my mom used to do and thinking about ways to incorporate them into our lives for my DDs. What are some special things your parents did for you that you plan to carry on with your kids?

I remember that my mom used to celebrate my half birthday when I was in elementary school. It was nice to feel special at a random time of the year.

We were Jewish, but on Christmas day my mom always had a special little toy for us so we didn't feel completely left out.

I'm trying to think of others (there were a lot, my mom was so good about things like that).

I've also been creating my own:

Baking with the girls (mostly DD1) - Pumpkin bread in the fall, cookies for Christmas, cupcakes for DH's birthday

What are yours? Have your implemented them with your kids? What new ones did you bring up?

ETA - My mom also used to leave little notes in my lunch bag to tell me I was loved or to have a great day.

[hellokitty]

The only decent family tradition my parents did that I like was putting up the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, now that I have my own family, this is what I would like to do. However, I married into a family of slugs. DH and his side, just want to lay in front of the tv and fall asleep after thanksgiving and they don't even care if a christmas tree gets put up. So, we've only been able to do this tradition maybe twice since having kids, and usually that means that one of my brothers is over visiting and will help out. If nobody on my side is here, then it doesn't happen until a couple wks later.

[njk07]

We opened Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve. After opening the gifts, we would start working on a 500 piece puzzle and we usually did not finish until Xmas morning. There were 6 kids. I guess we started doing this after we all graduated from Santa ;)

[hellokitty]

We opened Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve. After opening the gifts, we would start working on a 500 piece puzzle and we usually did not finish until Xmas morning. There were 6 kids. I guess we started doing this after we all graduated from Santa ;)

Lol, this is so funny. My dad insisted that we open gifts on christmas eve (even though nobody else wanted to do it that way). My brothers and I hated this tradition, so all of us insist on opening gifts on christmas morning, now that all of us have our own kids. So funny how everyone can be totally different. I like your puzzle project though! Thanks for sharing that one!

[anonomom]

My mom baked cookies with us on Fridays while we watched Dallas and Falcon Crest on TV.

We lived in NJ, and every time we drove through the Holland Tunnel to NYC, there was a competition to see who could spot the NJ/NY line first.

My dad made big breakfasts on the weekend. I've been doing the same for a few years now.

[elektra]

My dad used to make me the best Halloween costumes. Like seriously amazing ones. People would ask me if he did props for movies (he probably should have!)
There is no way I will be able to continue that tradition for my kids. Maybe my dad can starting doing my kids' costumes or something.
My mom was always the manager of all my sports teams. I am not entirely sure how she was able to do that but she did. I did asst. coach DD's team last year.
She would write me little poems in the morning on my napkins sometimes. So goofy but I liked it. :)
There were certain restaurants that we would go to together too after my practices or games- we have sort of started doing that with DD and DS every Thursday evening.
I am sure more will just naturally evolve too. These next few years should be really fun. :)

[Cam&Clay]

When you get new pajamas, you have to "test" them to "see how they hug" with every member of the family. It was something I remember my parents doing with me. I especially remember my brother who was 7 years older than I actually stopping what he was doing so that I could "test" my pajamas on him.

[specialp]

I was born at noon so every birthday, my mother took me to lunch -keeping me home from daycare or checking me out of school when I was older- and as soon as it hit 12, would turn to me and say, “Let me tell you about the first time you and I met!” She’d start with her waking up that morning and go through the whole thing. We do not live close so I no longer get the lunch, but she calls me and I still get the story which I think is precious although I’m sure I rolled me eyes when I was a teenager.

My dad picking us up from school on his day off and taking us to Orange Julius in the mall.

Christmas would be a long list of little things, but DH and I continued a lot of those in our family now.

Once we were young adults, my mother started giving my sister and I presents that said “favorite child” or “mom’s favorite” - a throw back joke to when we would argue over who was the favorite/who got away with more when we were little. My sister always finds hers first and declares that must mean she is the real favorite. (We haven’t matured much.)

[mackmama]

When you get new pajamas, you have to "test" them to "see how they hug" with every member of the family. It was something I remember my parents doing with me. I especially remember my brother who was 7 years older than I actually stopping what he was doing so that I could "test" my pajamas on him.

Love this - it reminds me that we had to "model" all of the clothing presents we received for Xmas. We'd each do a little runway show -- siblings and parents included. We'd each always moan and groan about having to do it - but at least I secretly loved it and had fun trying on all my new stuff.

[BDKmom]

I was born at noon so every birthday, my mother took me to lunch -keeping me home from daycare or checking me out of school when I was older- and as soon as it hit 12, would turn to me and say, “Let me tell you about the first time you and I met!” She’d start with her waking up that morning and go through the whole thing. We do not live close so I no longer get the lunch, but she calls me and I still get the story which I think is precious although I’m sure I rolled me eyes when I was a teenager.


I don't know if it's just PMS, or what, but that made me cry. Love it!

[Twoboos]

I don't know if it's just PMS, or what, but that made me cry. Love it!

No not just you, I teared up too. (Oh wait... I also have PMS, LOL!!)

Great tradition though! :D

[indigo99]

On our birthdays, we always got to choose what Mom would make for dinner. I haven't started this with the boys, but our tradition will more likely be letting them choose where they want to go out to eat. On my mother's birthday, my younger siblings (whom I raised after Mom died so they're kind of like my kids too) come over for a birthday dinner where we make things that remind us of Mom.

I am making a tradition out of doing birthday photos with the boys. They get their own cake and get to sit and light/blow candles over and over while I take pictures. I'm using the same cake plate each time (one we got for our wedding) because my grandmother always took photos of my uncle and mother with their cake and the same cake plate each year (which I also have but wouldn't want to risk breaking).

My uncle always wrapped our Christmas gifts in the comics from the newspaper and signed "from sandy claws". I thought that was fun growing up and maybe even cooler now that we never get the paper. Maybe I could wrap just a special gift that way. I do have one of the very large, red Pottery Barn bags that I'm going to use every year for Santa gifts though.

Growing up, we were always allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve so that's how I want to do it with my kids.

[maybeebaby08]

We always opened our presents on Christmas Eve, had a family dinner and then were allowed to stay up as late as we could to play with our presents. We usually ended up falling asleep somewhere (my Mom has a great picture of me passed out cold with roller skates on, in a sled in our family room.) We're continuing this tradition.

I also have been writing notes in DD1's lunch box like my Mom did.

[Green22]

My mom always made pudding pie and hot coco on snow days when school got called off.

I am sure there are a lot more things they did but I always loved this.

[kmkaull]

My mom baked cookies with us on Fridays while we watched Dallas and Falcon Crest on TV.

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LOL, my mom and I watched Dallas and Falcon Crest every Friday night. We also watched Knots Landing and Dynasty. I was like 10. Not sure what she was thinking, but man, we bonded over that trash. ;-)

Christmas traditions--my mom gave me new pj's every Christmas Eve. I'm now doing that with my kids. She was a Type 1 Diabetic, and a few years before she died, she had a low blood sugar incident that landed her in the ER on Christmas Eve. I will never forget her lying on the table, barely revived, and saying to me, "Your new pajamas are washed and in the dryer." LOL.

She also gave me a Christmas ornament every year. After I got through the Santa Claus years, my parents got into writing silly tags on all of the presidents. For example, To: Katie, From: Bill Clinton. Some were quite hilarious and I have years worth in a box somewhere.

[sweetsue98]

This thread is making me get all teary eyed!


My parents didnt develop many family traditions so I'm loving some of the ideas!!!

[weech]

We went to the same beach every year for vacation and we'd always ride bikes on the boardwalk in the morning and then go get breakfast (where they let me eat a belgian waffle with ice cream on top!)

My mom was an insane decorator. Our house was decorated for every holiday, all the time. I loved that so much. I'm not great with doing this, but I'm trying to be better.

We had sunday night dinners, which were special because my dad worked a lot and we didn't eat as a family much. My mom would usually make her homemade spaghetti sauce (it simmered all day) and after the spaghetti dinner, we'd dance in the kitchen. When I was little, I'd dance on my dad's feet. :love5:

My mom also made us great birthday cakes (and usually parties!) which I'm happy to say that I've continued with DS. It's fun for me.

[KpbS]

We were always allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve as a reward for good behavior that day. ;)

My parents created a scavenger hunt for our "big" Christmas present each year and we loved it. There were clues that took us all through the house and ultimately to our present. So fun.

Also my mom let us pick out whatever type of sugar cereal we wanted for breakfast on vacation. :)

[swissair81]

My father passed away when I was little, so my mother celebrated Children's Day on Father's Day each year until she remarried. We had breakfast in bed, special activities, and lots of mommy time (which was cool because she worked full time).

Also on Chanukah, she would give us a bag full of little gifts instead of one big one. One year I got a paperback book, funky wind up toys in the shape of kitchen electrics, a light up dreidel, little dolls, a small building set, chocolate gelt, and more that I can't remember.

Bedtime was also special. She said our bedtime prayer with us and then we each got to request a song. I can go on and on. She was a widow at 33 with 3 kids age 6 and under and she always did the right thing. I wish I was half the mom she was when I was growing up.

[swissair81]

Oh we also used to do Sarurday nights in front of the fireplace. She would buy a log and soft pretzels with mustard or microwave popcorn and we would watch a movie or make a giant puzzle together. I think she still has the giant Aladdin movie poster puzzle we made together. The genie was impossible that first time.

[citymama]

Half birthdays - that's so my mom! My mom was really the queen of birthdays - she pulled out the stops to make it a special day - no, week, for us. Decorating for holidays, new clothes and holiday traditions. We prayed together before my exams, something I found so supportive.

We had mom-daughter days out to the movies, nice/fancy lunch and sometimes shopping. Just a couple times a year, so it was special.

My dad was in many ways the parent I was closer to as a kid, but I don't remember any special traditions. Weekend morning movie matinees, maybe. :)

[bisous]

This is such a cool thread! I'm loving reading about what you guys did growing up. :)

One of ours that I used to love: when it is cold and rainy outside (fairly rare in So Cal) we would come home from school, light a fire in the fireplace and have hot cocoa and popcorn. Loved those days!

[lizzywednesday]

We used to bake & decorate gingerbread cookies - and hang them on our Christmas tree with our ornaments. It always made our super-fake tree look better.

I like the baking, but hanging the cookies as ornaments wouldn't fly in our house - DD will eat almost anything.

(I'm penciling the baking into my Thanksgiving weekend plans if I can manage to get the house in order before then. Maybe I will invite my dad down to help; he'd like it as much as DD would.)

Mom made my first few Halloween costumes ... and then she would help me assemble them with household stuff. (My first store-bought costume was a My Little Pony mask-and-vinyl-coverall set that tore in the middle of trick-or-treating.) If I would make the time to sew, I could make DD's costumes, too, but I choose to do other things.

Also, Christmas Eve was always the day Dad's parents came to exchange gifts & visit with us. We'd go to the children's Mass and then come home for dinner & dessert with Nana & Pop.

We also did an Advent wreath each night before dinner - we'd light that week's candle(s) and sing.

[BabbyO]

Baking Christmas cookies with my mom for as long as I can remember. The last couple of years we haven't been able to....but it was sorta ok because Stachio was able to start helping me!

We open presents on Christmas eve, and Santa filled only our stockings...so that is what we got on Christmas morning. We do this pretty similarly in our home.

Special Birthday meal (my sister always picked breakfast instead of dinner).

Hot cocoa after coming in from playing in the snow.

Crocheted Christmas stockings. My mom has made them for almost everyone in the family. I've made them for my DH, my BIL, and my 1st born who was adopted by my aunt. I've also made them for 1-2 cousins.

My mom would write funny notes on our napkins in our lunch box...it was pretty cool.

DH has started a cooking breakfast tradition with the boys. Frankly, anytime he's cooking, they will yell, "wait a minute!" run and wash their hands and get their stools so they can help. It is seriously the sweetest thing.

We've also started Pajama parties with popcorn on random nights. The kids love it.

[indigo99]

My grandmother always woke me by singing a good morning song, and I try to wake my boys with a song too. We also sing a song each night before bed.
Mamaw also made pancakes for me on the weekends, and we do pancake breakfast each weekend too (with strawberries and whipped cream).

[mom2224]

Oh geez, I'm teary reading this thread. My mom was awesome. We lived in a school district that never called off school. It rarely snowed much in Tennessee and when it did she made a huge production. Must be her Michigan roots. My brother and I were allowed to stay home from school and built huge forts and have hot chocolate. Great memories!! She'd tell my dad that we learned a lot more at home that day than at school.

Mom and I scratched backs. We'd lay on her bed and talk while we took turns scratching each others backs.

My parents didn't have much but they made it seem like we had everything. Dad would take us Wendy's for frostys after Tball. Popcorn from Hill's Saturday morning. Mom made buckeyes every Christmas. Yum.

[Pennylane]

When you get new pajamas, you have to "test" them to "see how they hug" with every member of the family. It was something I remember my parents doing with me. I especially remember my brother who was 7 years older than I actually stopping what he was doing so that I could "test" my pajamas on him.

That is so sweet!

Ann