Christmas Traditions shared (or are they Rules?)

At www.JohnLewis.com they are asking parents to share their Christmas “Rules for a Perfect Family Christmas” and plan to compile a huge list of them early in December. This post is my contribution.

Being a bit contrary, I prefer to call them traditions…….  Rules are just asking to be disobeyed, but traditions sounds much more…….something?!!!

Those who have been following my blog for a while will know how much I love Christmas, and for the past two years have posted daily in Decemeber. Have not yet decided if I will attempt it again this year….wait and see!

To whet your appetite for lots of Christmas blogging,  here are my Christmas traditions, and as I started to list them, I realised we have quite a few…….

 Decorations

• Each year we light a candle on our Christmas Pyramid (a gift from Austria) on the 4 Sunday evenings prior to Christmas Day.  We often sign a Christmas Carol (usually Away in a Manager) and it is a special family time.

• I love to decorate the house for Christmas, and as near to 1 December as possible we get down the boxes from the attic.
• Only ever WHITE lights on our Christmas tree(s).

I also like to take pictures of my kids in Santa hats, and they humour me by letting me do it!

Christmas Eve

Early in the evening we all wrap up and go for a walk around the neighbourhood to see the Christmas decorations. Once or twice it has even began to snow.

We return, get the kids into their pyjamas, drink hot chocolate and read “Twas the Night Before Christmas”

We leave a mince pie and glass of port for Santa, and a carrot and some “reindeer food” (which looks remarkably like porride oats and glitter!) on the fireplace beside the stockings.

My husband attends the Communion Service on Christmas Eve at our church while I search for those last minute gifts I hid around the house but can’t quite remember where!

Christmas Morning and the Children

All presents and stockings are left by Santa downstairs by the Christmas Tree.

We all head down together, with me just ahead with camera at the ready!

First Santa’s gifts and stockings are opened.

After a frenzy of opening/assembling we take a break for breakfast.

Then we open the family gifts to each other, trying to each take turn to open a pressie.

Later in the morning, after dressing in our Christmas festive best, we join the neighbours for some mulled wine, mince pies and shortbread. Our kids bring down a toy (or 2!) with them and love to see what their friends in our street have received too.

Christmas Dinner

We have the traditional turkey, ham, stuffing, sprouts, potatoes, carrots, gravy, cranberry sauce. (My favourite part? The stuffing (I may share the recipe this year), the sprouts and the cranberry sauce!)

I don’t usually do a traditional pudding, opting instead for something lighter – maybe a fruit salad this year.

I serve it at about 3pm and then I RELAX (!) and everyone else does the dishes!

Any remain presents are opened/assembled after dinner, and no, we never watch the Queen’s Speech.

We try to stay at home now on Christmas Day, and let our family come to us. The kids enjoy the day so much more, having time with their presents.

While the kids play with their new toys, my husband and I struggle to assemble/insert batters and remove all those little ties that firmly attach all toys to their packaging – that is usually our entertainment! 

We rarely watch much TV, until perhaps later in the evening, if there is a good film on.

Phew! – have you made it to the end? Congrats!  All photos and digital scrapbooking layout are from Christmas 2008.

Seeing it all listed fills me with both excitement and a little panic, but Christmas time is a wonderful time to celebrate the birth of our Lord.

So, how do you celebrate, and are you planning to do anything differently this year?

I am participating in The Inspired Room’s Holiday Friday Linky too this week – love Christmas, you will love this carnival.