Share your Christmas traditions!

Comments (49)

Tom Flanagan
9 years ago
Every year on Christmas day without fail, once we've prepped most of the food, my Dad and I will go on a really long walk with the dog. It's nice not just because it gets you in the mood to eat, but because it gives us a chance to spend some time together as we rarely get much of a chance.
It's just a little reminder of what matters most at Christmas.
Luisa Rollenhagen
9 years ago
My dad and aunt gather around the oven and wave their arms around wildly while claiming the goose is being ruined, and only their particular culinary expertise can save it from sibling incompetency. They accuse each other of ruining their mother's sacred recipe, throw out a thousand obscure fowl-saving tips that are immediately shot down by the other, nothing changes, and everyone is so engrossed in their bickering that they forget about the goose in the oven until it gets a little too crispy. Every year without fail. I can't say it isn't entertaining though
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alant1000
9 years ago
On a personal note it's the only day of the year I deliberately don't shave or put any product in my hair. Small detail, but for me it symbolises the one day of the year I can let it all go! I wouldn't dream of doing this any other day!

I used to sit down with my nieces and nephews when they were about 3 and have a talk to them about 'what does Father Christmas bring good boys and girls?' The tradition still stands - which winds them up as they are all teens now and every year they know the chat is coming!
Alison Whitehouse
9 years ago
I love to chill with my hubby and although we dress up for lunch, after we've eaten it's comfy clothes and dozing on the sofa watching repeats. To wake us up we walk over the park to feed the ducks and see all the families out with their kids riding new bikes and playing. It's a magical day and as the evening draws in it's cold meat and pickles. Perfect. Happy Christmas x
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OnePlan
9 years ago
We always read 'the night before christmas' before the 'kids' go to bed on Christmas Eve !! It used to be hubby and I reading it to them - but now it's them reading it to us !! They grow up so fast !!!!
daniela_lichters
9 years ago
Ours tradition at Christmas include getting the advent calendars out of storage and having the challenge of stuffing the little sacks with trinkets. My son is now 22 and still insists on his (he's had it since his first Christmas) and it now gets sent around the world to where ever he is working. Our other tradition is purchasing a new stuffed toy reindeer each year to add to the collection. They're scattered about on sofas and chairs. We tend to move them about when the other isn't watching. Lastly, we always have sausages and mash on Christmas Eve. Perfect!
horsejump
9 years ago
Our tradition consists of having Christmas dinner together at 3pm. I'm going to have a photo booth this year as the entertainment! Hopefully this will be ongoing year on year! Everyone is going to wear a Christmas jumper
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Felicity Dargan-Bell Interiors
9 years ago
When I was a child I was allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve and these were always pyjamas! I now buy my sons pyjamas to open on Christmas Eve, they love it. On Christmas morning they will have a stocking on their beds full of various magic parcels and then downstairs will be their special surprise gift from Father Christmas...magic!
Karin Madgwick
9 years ago
Our Christmas traditions start with my husband making his "famous" eggnog a week before. Christmas Eve when the children were little would be gift giving followed by friends and family gathering for egg nog and carols by candlelight( on TV) . Christmas Day is breakfast with close friends then family lunch or dinner depending on grandchildren working. It is all about the food on Xmas day always very special. This year we will be Skyping with our son and daughter in law in Paris and friends in London. What would we do without technology? Merry Xmas to all
Emmeline Westin thanked Karin Madgwick
cinderellaslipper
9 years ago
In our family we have a long tradition of forgetting something in the oven, my Nana & Mum would always be so busy feeding us all there would be the odd bowl of stuffing, or bread sauce lurking at the back, just out of sight..& now I carry that illustrious baton, and have so far forgotten Yorkshire puddings, bread sauce, brandy sauce, & pigs in blankets, at one Christmas or another....'Wonder what it will be , this year?
dhf1
9 years ago
I live in a close and every Christmas morning me and hubby go to friends/ have friends round in pj's for bacon butties x going to miss it this year though as going to in- laws :( x
roxanawaughman
9 years ago
We usually have a lay in until our girls wake us up, then we tell them that they cannot open any presents before they make us a cup of tea and bring it to us in bed. They of course oblige and we play for a while, then they all bring one present for everyone to open whilst we have our cup of tea. There is always excitement, jumping on the bed and lots of laughter!
wallielo
9 years ago
married 8 years this Christmas, and our little tradition is one present to be opened on xmas eve, the ham is always cooked on xmas eve and ALWAYS attacked just as it comes out of the oven! then xmas morning some thing really nice but light for brekkie, followed by a long walk on the Curragh Plains (County Kildare Ireland) home then stick the turkey in the oven and potter around for a few hours, usually in fancy clothes and slippers ha! then over to my mams for some of her turkey and a comparison to mine ha. roll on xmas. making myself hungry now! Happy Christmas Every one, and best wishes for 2015. Thanks for all the inspiration and giggles over the year xxx
prozacspice
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
As my children are still relatively young, we seem to be starting new traditions every year. First the stockings are brought (well they run in laughing) into our bed so we can delay the early start as long as possible. DH still plays Santa giving out presents one at a time so the unwrapping lasts as long as possible. The screams of happiness still have me in tears! Selection boxes are still their favourite Christmas Day breakfast. The one tradition that was in my family and I still carry on today is eating Christmas Pudding and Ice Cream while watching the Doctor Who Christmas Special. Long may this continue. Merry Christmas all xxxx
wallielo
9 years ago
ohhhh prozacspice - selection box's - my favourite!!
xtine74
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thinking about this my favourite of my families traditions are on Christmas Eve. New 'Christmas' Pajamas sit warming by the open fire ready for the youngsters to wear after their bath. Then we open all our presents to and from each other, yes on Christmas Eve! A riot of gifts and wrapping everywhere! Some go off to midnight mass and when they return the ham has just been taken off the boil and is sat there begging for pieces to be pinched much to my mother's annoyance as she protests there won't be enough for the Christmas dinner when really we all know there's more than enough for that night plus twenty dinners ! Then off to bed we go excited to see what the big man will have brought for us when we wake ...
Average Jo
9 years ago
We have more guests than usual this year, which may entail adjustments to the usual Christmas routine but I hope my son and I will still find some quiet time to make our annual donation to the charity which used to deliver a present to me each year in my childhood (when my mother and I were not well off). It's one of the more meaningful pauses in what is otherwise a day replete with every kind of over-indulgence!
caromac14
9 years ago
As kids, we had chocolate for breakfast. As an adult I can't get out of the habit!
stebonheath
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I did this with my kids and now my daughter is doing it with hers. We simply decorate the Christmas tree together while singing along to an old recording of magical Jim Reeves Christmas songs. Every single decoration goes on our tree, including the ones my kids made when they were little, and a few baubles from when I was a child - shabby but still holding special memories. There is a riot of colour - though no colour co-ordination for us. Just sweet memories and lots of love. Merry Christmas everyone!
pinklark
9 years ago
We always give a 'tree' present. It has to be worth no more than a pound and particularly useful/suited to the recipient; so if they can never find say an elastic band or pen they might get a colourful or quirky pack of those from the tree. (It's a lot easier now with pound shops everywhere...) I have to admit at times I think about this present more than many of the others and also look forward to the fun of opening the tree present! We also spray fake snow outside the front door on Christmas Eve and walk in it to show where Santa's footsteps have been....
kennifer8
9 years ago
-Bake and decorate Christmas cookies for Santa in the morning.
-Get a nice hearty stew/soup and bread made for dinner.
-Go to Christmas Eve service.
-snuggle up on couch with hubby, sip eggnog with Christmas music in background and just enjoy looking at the glowing tree and the peaceful stillness of the Eve.
-after all the presents are open Christmas morning my kids and I like to lay in the wrapping paper under the tree and just talk, snuggle and sometimes even take a nap.
Debora Ramos
9 years ago
I used to make a fruit salad with my grand dad. My grand father wasn't the warmest person but he was fair and full of principles. It was a huge project as we used to get loads of fruits some in cans but most were fresh. Peal every single one of them and cut it in cubes. We used to have around 15 or 20 different fruits, then added the sugar and the Port wine. Not my favorite dessert but I would give everything for those moments again. Now a days the tradition is for my little one to anxiously wait for Santa (which is my husband disguised).
Natasha B
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Every year I have returned to my parents' house for Christmas. When we wake on Christmas morn my dad makes bacon sandwiches which we enjoy with a glass of orange juice and cup of tea (or coffee for mum).
I sit beside the tree and pick the presents from underneath it, handing them to my parents or opening one for myself. I've done this from early childhood and this year will be the first time I don't spend Christmas day with them. Instead this year will be the first Christmas my husband and I spend together. Time to bring our traditions together.
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Inside Studio Ltd
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Whenever we go on holiday, as souvenirs we buy Christmas tree ornaments.

We love this because when we decorate the tree we reminiscence on so many happy memories! Plus they don't clutter the house all year long and also the mis-match only really works on a tree!

See more images of our Christmas From Around the World on the blog: http://bit.ly/1vrpmYs
Caroline Eccles
9 years ago
One of the Muppet movies, the reusable Playmobil Calender and a lot of chocolate :-)
Emmeline Westin
Original Author
9 years ago
It's a real pleasure reading your stories, keep 'em coming!
Jill Gittins
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
When I was a child, the Christmas morning tradition in our house was that my younger brother would join me in my bed at some un-godly hour, and the pair of us would snuggle under the covers and open our presents together, allowing our parents to sleep on. Sweet - except that he always smelt faintly of wee! That's one tradition I'm glad we've grown out of ;-D
User
9 years ago
I wish I could say our Christmas was calm, but it is quite the opposite. There is hair pulling out, screaming and flailing arms in the kitchen as everyone in my beloved family of course needs to have a say on how the cooking is done. Come lunch, however, once the 25 of us are sat down with full plates, it's as though it never happened. The afternoon then rolls on into a blurry wonderful slumber. Easily my favourite time of year!
Ingrid Flower
9 years ago
We always have a champagne breakfast - full English but with American pancakes to remind us of good times with friends - on Christmas Day!
slimberley
9 years ago
We enjoy a "Birmingham breakfast" every year on Christmas morning - a slice of pork pie, bread and butter, and a tot of whisky. Goes down a treat. Only time any of us ever drink whisky but it somehow just works.
Tony McIntyre
9 years ago
We have a tradition of leaving everything in the oven and making it 'nice and crispy'
jheath118
9 years ago
This may sound a bit holier than thou, but true! When we first got together we couldn't afford much decoration for the tree so made little present boxes out of match boxes and wrapping paper. Now we're a bit better off I still hang a couple on the tree to remind me how lucky we are. Mind you we are in middle of doing up house and have no cooker at the moment!! Have a very Merry Christmas everyone.
irenedd
9 years ago
My tradition is two trees, our mine one with Christmas ornaments we have collected since my children were small .Each one as a special memory, some the children made some from around the world, some bought from friends that are no longer with us. My other one is a small memory tree .It as tiny photo frames that I bought in a Christmas shop in Canada while on holiday. I have a photo in each of all my love ones that are no longer with us. Little white fluffy doves clip on the braches it looks so beautiful ,and all the family untied at Christmas.
Jenny Watson
9 years ago
We have many traditions in our house (some I have done since I was a child - thanks mum!) but my favourite has to be first thing Christmas morning. My daughter brings in her stocking and shows us what she has been gifted. Then I go down stairs to make breakfast and take it back up to bed for us all. I love to see the magic in my daughters eyes as she quizzes me on whether Santa has left anything under the tree for her or not. To me that is Christmas
Elaine
9 years ago
Every Christmas Eve we get so excited as we all have our new Christmas pyjamas to wear. We prepare the glass of milk for Santa, (he'll get too drunk on spirits and as he's got lots of work to do and we can't be responsible for him getting fined for drink driving his sleigh-what would happen if he got banned!!) Then we leave him a mince pie, and his reindeers each a carrot. Next morning we know he's been because in return, he leaves us all foil wrapped mini jam or peanut butter sandwiches for when we wake up; which we must eat before we open our presents! The anticipation is electric!! We have been doing this for 23 years!!! It's still as exciting as ever!!!
genkigal
9 years ago
The most enchanting feature for us is the centre piece of a magical Christmas tree , especially the myriad of beautiful baubles you can find or make to bring it to life. Every year since the children were tiny, we go shopping to choose a unique new bauble to add to the collection for the Christmas tree, starts the festive mood flowing. We have an electic collection of individually chosen and much-loved baubles! We then end up giving some of the original ones we had before choosing, to charity, to brighten someone else's tree we hope...
aleklanga
9 years ago
My mum is a Swedish-Finn and my dad is British. We always celebrate Finnish Christmas on the 24th and British Christmas on the 25th - double the festivities, double the fun! Not double the presents though.....
elgells
9 years ago
Here are a few of our family Christmas traditions that instantly spring to mind. Every year, the handmade vintage reindeer given to me years ago by my mother takes pride of place. It's quite large and is, so I'm told, about 30 years old. I wouldn't part with it and anyway, the house just doesn't feel Christmasy until the reindeer is out on display. Also, every year, we carefully go through the decorations before they go up and remove only one old tree decoration (it must be one that's literally falling to bits or well past it's best), then we add a brand new one. Every Christmas Eve, we all have our first mince pie. It's an unwritten rule in our family that no-one goes anywhere near a mince pie before Christmas Eve.
shegribbin
9 years ago
Every year the Christmas tree is the first thing to be decorated and the first bauble is not a bauble but a hand made effort from our first Christmas together some 30+ years ago. It is, in fact, a matchbox wrapped in golden paper and tied with red cotton. Looks very old and a bit tattered but it reminds us of a time when money was too tight to buy beautiful baubles which now adorn our tree. Another traditions which we have picked up along the way is to have sausages cooked on the b-b-q on Boxing Day, no matter what the weather, before heading out on a long walk to recover from the overeating on Christmas Day.
soozmacrae
9 years ago
Bucks Fizz on Christmas morning, still in bed!
supersonia
9 years ago
After Christmas dinner we all get together as a family (there's usually about 12 of us) and play the name game. Every year without fail. It's awesome. No technology, no iPads or gadgets - just paper and a pen. Simple!! The kids love it. Merry Christmas x
Sam Hill
9 years ago
I love, after a delicious Christmas dinner, to listen to the National Anthem and the Queen's Christmas message. On a traditional Roberts Radio. 198 LW.
I also like attending the Midnight communion service. It's extremely well attended - and the mince pies afterwards just to it off.
But isn't the best thing about Christmas something else, something that happened long, long ago?
chyleddra1
9 years ago
Family traditions
My grandparents from the 1930s until 1980s used to own a popular shop in a small town. Throughout this time my grandmother would increase her turnover every christmas by creating the most amazing handmade tree Angels and artisan crackers.
From September until December it was a tradition of fairy and cracker making. I loved the glitzy fabrics,netting and bright tinsel that adorned the fairies. The cracker making was great fun the smell of the crackers when pulled was nothing like today.
Just like Fortnum and Masons my grandmothers Christmas window display would be unveiled at the beginning of December,people would flock to buy her Angels and crackers.
I never had one of the fairies and I often wonder if any are still in use today, I hope there is somewhere,in some ones home adorning a tree at the top loved by all as a tradition in memory of my grandmother.
Sadly my grandparents are no longer here though the tradition of Christmas cracker pulling reminds me of the excitement and joy at Christmas pulling one of their crackers. Today nothing else cuts the mustard, even though I follow the tradition of making my own, of course I know what's inside.
I hope my daughters and grand daughters will follow the family tradition in cracker making one day too.
Peace and goodwill to all
Ginny
sharonnormanton
9 years ago
It's that most treasured time of the year when individual family traditions light up our souls and bring that warm glow within us. To others it may seem a little odd, even I, when our grown up children come into our bedroom with their stockings, full of rubbish early on xmas morning, blowing their fuffers and saying " he's been", think it's a little weird and my husband groans with all the noise but I'm so happy that my kids still indulge me, it is the best day ever.
fiendarina
9 years ago
Chocolate for breakfast!
Vivienne Sung
9 years ago
My husband and I try to buy one new ornament each year to remind us of somewhere special we went together. My favourites came from Bruges - there is an amazing decoration shop there filled with Xmas treasures! Our favourite tradition is hanging them all on the fragrant pine tree (with Christmas songs and mulled wine as a backdrop).
kmullin85
8 years ago
One of many but we love our cranberry sauce and bacon filled croisants (filled before baked) for breakfast.
Suneiah
8 years ago
Growing up Xmas was flying from our home away from home, Jeddah, to a family picked destination. Just mum, dad and I flying out on Christmas Day. Being on a plane on Christmas morning: decorated, champagne, and empty was very cool. Then Christmas dinner was getting dressed up and the three of us going to the hotel restaurant for family dinner. It will be 10 years in Dec that my dad died of cancer, and this is our first year with our little baby. It will be bitter sweet. For the last couple of months I have been pondering what family traditions to implement (since we can't afford the Dec travel, it is hot in Aus, and we also don't want to leave our two dogs over the holidays). Merry Christmas everyone x

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Share your Christmas traditions!

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Emmeline Westin
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