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1) every Xmas eve - "Mrs. Claus" brings new PJ's for everyone. She "ding dong ditches" us, LOL.
2) I bring my boys to a Hallmark or other store and they get to pick an ornament for the tree. When they are older and have a tree of their own, I'll give them all their ornaments - I have them boxed with the year written on them. One already has been given the heave ho - my son picked out a Michael Vick ornament in '05.
That is funny. When we were kids we would get new PJ's on Christmas eve too. I always wanted the ones with feet.
When my husband and I first were together, we started buying one of those Dickens Village-Dept 56 buildings a year. We just purchased another and we have a whole town and set it up with snow, people, and other pieces. My cat would always run off with the people and we would lose a few every year-never able to find where he put them. I know that there are a few of them under the stove of our first apartment that we were never able to get out before we moved.
My husband and I also open gifts to one another on Christmas Eve not Christmas day. We always did this because Christmas was spent going from house to house and we kept Christmas Eve for ourselves. We also buy the latest version of Trivial Pursuit and I force him to play with me.
That is funny. When we were kids we would get new PJ's on Christmas eve too. I always wanted the ones with feet.
When my husband and I first were together, we started buying one of those Dickens Village-Dept 56 buildings a year. We just purchased another and we have a whole town and set it up with snow, people, and other pieces. My cat would always run off with the people and we would lose a few every year-never able to find where he put them. I know that there are a few of them under the stove of our first apartment that we were never able to get out before we moved.
My husband and I also open gifts to one another on Christmas Eve not Christmas day. We always did this because Christmas was spent going from house to house and we kept Christmas Eve for ourselves. We also buy the latest version of Trivial Pursuit and I force him to play with me.
Yeah, I pretty much attempt to force everyone to play against me, but the stock response is pretty much uniform: "Get the f out of here!" or something in that order.
I guess I am an anachronism, because that game pretty much went the way of Rubik's Cube and Members Only jackets.
Yeah, I pretty much attempt to force everyone to play against me, but the stock response is pretty much uniform: "Get the f out of here!" or something in that order.
I guess I am an anachronism, because that game pretty much went the way of Rubik's Cube and Members Only jackets.
Whats wrong with my members only jacket?
Anyways....
Gf and I do dinner at her parent's friends house. A bunch of people who love to cook get together and make TONS of food, its quite the spread. Everyone gets a little gift from each other (we're talking one gift a piece, like a $5 fun thing), and just relaxes and has a good time.
Her parents house, theres this mad dash to throw presents around... someone passes the gifts they are giving out, and everyone opens the gift from that person... goes round and round like that for a while (she has 4 siblings, plus the rents, and then me and her sister's bf).
At my parents house....
PANCAKES. Every year since I was little, my mom would make pancakes... sometimes with some chocolate chips, whatever we felt like. She still does Its one of the best things about the holiday - and I mean that. Gifts or not, pancakes (or just anything made special) always sets the mood for me
Since we started dating, every year I buy an ornament "Our First Christmas" with our names on it and the year, then "Joe & Mary's Christmas" and the year. Its little and cheap, but I think she really enjoys seeing the new ornament every year
1) every Xmas eve - "Mrs. Claus" brings new PJ's for everyone. She "ding dong ditches" us, LOL.
2) I bring my boys to a Hallmark or other store and they get to pick an ornament for the tree. When they are older and have a tree of their own, I'll give them all their ornaments - I have them boxed with the year written on them. One already has been given the heave ho - my son picked out a Michael Vick ornament in '05.
Oh cute idea with the ornaments!
We always have our extended family over on Christmas Eve. We exchange gifts and eat till we explode. It's a mad house till everyone finally leaves.
Christmas day is always just us and the kids. On Christmas Eve our kids put a stocking on the foot of their bed and Santa fills it with goodies (dollar store stuff). In the morning they bring them to our bed and open them. This buys us an extra hour in bed which is good when they wake at 6am. Then downstairs to see the real gifts.
1) We always have prime rib, baked potatoes, and Della Macie Chianti for dinner on Christmas Eve.
2) We open our gifts at 9:30 PM on Christmas Eve (nobody knows why it is 9:30 )
3) We always go to Mass on Christmas Day at 8:00 AM.
What time am I expected for dinner?
We had a nice tradition growing up - we don't do it always anymore. On the Sat before Christmas we'd drive to NYC, park around Macy's Herald Square, go in and see Santa and the decorations. We'd then walk down 34th to 5th Avenue and do the total tourist thing - windows (I used to like B. Altman's), shopping, THE TREE (of course), we'd stop in St. Pat's and light candles, walk up to FAO Schwarts, then we'd take a carriage ride around the park. We'd stop for a light snack along the way, then we'd take a cab back to the car and return to Jersey. We'd go to Hoboken and have dinner at Helmer's each year. I have SUCH phenomenal memories of this. But you know, NYC was a LOT LESS crowded on the Sat before Christmas back then than it is now!
Existing traditions:
1) We celebrate Christmas Eve. I usually take the kids to the Children's Mass at around 4-5. Then we have food, fun and festivities! Since we hated the mayham of opening gifts and not knowing who got what, we now have a new way of doing it. We put everyone's name in a hat, then we pick one name at a time. If we pick "Joe" then "Joe" has to put on a Santa hat (or antlers, or some bizzare item...) and hold this large stuffed moose we have for a photo. When that is done "Joe" gets all his gifts and we ALL watch JOE open his. When he's done, Joe picks the next name. "Sally" Now Sally repeats... it's fun and then everyone appreciates watching the others get their gift... helps appreciate GIVING not just RECEIVING.
Yeah, I pretty much attempt to force everyone to play against me, but the stock response is pretty much uniform: "Get the f out of here!" or something in that order.
I guess I am an anachronism, because that game pretty much went the way of Rubik's Cube and Members Only jackets.
My dad bought Trivial Pursuit when it was only available in the back of GAMES magazine - I think this was in '81. I still have that original board/cards and we also have a lot of the 'other' editions (80's, boomer, etc). Our family would spend hours on the weekend playing, trying to get all the pieces of pie. My dad would usually win.
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