Your Christmas Traditions

[FutureSister2009]

Ahhhh I love traditions! I go by the Religious traditions of not putting the baby in the manger until Christmas Eve. At night after dinner, I go up to help my grandmom with the children's pagaent and Mass which is my favorite Mass of the entire year. And then I stick around for my choir's Mass after that. Then I go home and I get to open one present. And sometimes I will stay up to watch movies. I'm 20 years old and I still have trouble sleeping on Christmas Eve! Then Christmas morning I'm usually up pretty early opening presents and eating cinnamon buns. Then I go to the Latin Mass. After Mass, I go to my grandmom's house for more presents and then we go to my aunt's house for more presents and dinner. She always has so much food but it's so good! And my favorite dessert is red and green jello with razzle dazzle whip!
Sorry that was so long! I LOVE this thread!

[MissScripture]

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1321993031' post='2339528']

DUDE. Best ever.

We do oyster stew on Christmas eve. My mom makes Kringle (amesome gooey pastry with fruit), we eat lots of lefse and rather terrible Christmas cookies from my grandma. When I was little we'd drive up to see my dad's side of the family (the Norweigian Lutherans) and open presents and sing carols around the living room - in four part harmony, of course, they being proper Lutherans. Now that we're older and live far away, we break out our instruments and play carols together. Oh and lots of mixed nuts in dishes throughout the house, with nutcrackers on the side.
[/quote]
YOUR MOM MAKES KRINGLE? I SO WANT TO BE PART OF YOUR FAMILY!

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1321985867' post='2339486']
Sauerbraten, red cabbage, mashed potatoes and German Kölsch beer. Then apple pie for dessert.
After dinner, family gathers to play charades.
[/quote]
Since this is only our 2nd Christmas married and at our own place, my husband and I don't really any solid traditions, yet, but last year for Christmas Eve I did a German dinner (recipes passed on from my Grandma. ) and he wants it again this year. But we went with Wiener Schnitzel.

Christmas Eve dinner is the "kick-off" for Christmas. We have dinner, and open gifts and then go to Mass (or however it all works itself out with when Mass is and how late the hubby has to work --when I was growing up, it was my mom's work schedule that we had to contend with). Last year there was a big debate about when to open gifts, because it was my family tradition to open gifts on Christmas eve, but his family did it on Christmas. I finally told him that I would open mine on Christmas eve, and he could open his on Christmas day. He suddenly realized the sense in opening on Christmas eve. We also eat cookies while we open gifts. Growing up, we always has one gift from Santa that we would get on Christmas morning, plus our stockings. Since Santa doesn't come anymore since we got married , last year we each saved a gift and opened it on Christmas morning, plus we got each other stocking stuffers. Then we have Christmas brunch, and spend the day hanging out and making Christmas dinner. After Christmas dinner we have pistachio cake for Jesus' birthday cake. When I was about 10 we went to my Grandma's and she made lemon cake for Jesus' birthday cake and I cried, because it was the wrong kind of cake. So, it MUST be the pistachio cake (besides, it's delicious and it's the one time a year we get it. We had the stupid lemon cake like a bazillion times a year.). And we also eat Christmas cookies. Basically, most of our traditions center around stuffing ourselves silly. Can you tell we're German?

[Jaime]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' timestamp='1321981062' post='2339455']
Jealous??

It's not like my vests are "Purple Clowns" or "Green Balloons" or anything. The Charlie Brown one is for 11/11 only... sheesh...
[/quote]

Why does it always have to be about you?

[Basilisa Marie]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1321993554' post='2339532']
Oh yeah, how can I forget the cookies. What is this Kringle? I am intrigued.
Thanks. And yes that meal is the best. I am thankful my wife was handed down the saurbraten recipe.
[/quote]

It's a pastry with a fruit filling, usually circular or a long strip, and you cut pieces off and it's flaky and frosting-y and amazing.


[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1321998818' post='2339564']
YOUR MOM MAKES KRINGLE? I SO WANT TO BE PART OF YOUR FAMILY!
[/quote]

YAY! I love it when other people know about it! Yep, she got a recipe from my great-grandmother. German/Scandinavian food is my favorite! :D

And we open presents the night before too - we do presents from family and friends, and then "Santa" would come the next morning. Or at Grandma's house, depending. OH and we would also save one gift for all of us kids to be opened on Epiphany - traditionally a movie, usually Disney, and then watch it together. We ended up with a rather extensive collection over the years.

Edited November 22, 2011 by Basilisa Marie

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='jaime' timestamp='1322001571' post='2339571']

Why does it always have to be about you?
[/quote]
Iono... I ask myself that all the time....

[MissScripture]

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1322001731' post='2339572']

It's a pastry with a fruit filling, usually circular or a long strip, and you cut pieces off and it's flaky and frosting-y and amazing.




YAY! I love it when other people know about it! Yep, she got a recipe from my great-grandmother. German/Scandinavian food is my favorite! :D

And we open presents the night before too - we do presents from family and friends, and then "Santa" would come the next morning. Or at Grandma's house, depending. OH and we would also save one gift for all of us kids to be opened on Epiphany - traditionally a movie, usually Disney, and then watch it together. We ended up with a rather extensive collection over the years.
[/quote]
I've never had homemade Kringle, but my parents used to have friends who would go get it from this bakery in Racine, Wisconsin. Then they moved away and we didn't have it for many years. Then, they made friends with another couple who would go to Racine and they started bringing it back for us, and then THEY moved, too! I miss kringle! I found a recipe for it once, but I was scared to try making it myself.

[Jaime]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' timestamp='1322001866' post='2339573']
Iono... I ask myself that all the time....
[/quote]


You're probably sensitive because you hate thanksgiving

[Chrysophylax]

We like to put up Christmas lights all over the house: red, green and white with the cords hidden in garlands, and we put them above the cupboards and the cornice board above the window in the living room. We also have the tree all lit up with a bazillion strands of lights and decorated with ornaments. Christmas eve we go to a party for my Mom's side of the family and come home around eight or nine. Then we often sit with all the lights off except the Christmas lights listening to Chanticleer and Mannheim Steamroller and other great Christmas music until midnight mass. Next morning, as soon as everyone is up, we open gifts and then at eleven all of us who are in the choir (I am one of these) go to mass again to sing. Then we do Christmas with Dad's side of the family, and usually stay there till late in the day. It's amesome!

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='jaime' timestamp='1322005063' post='2339597']


You're probably sensitive because you hate thanksgiving
[/quote]
Could be.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1321945177' post='2339362']
We went to Midnight Mass last year for Christmas, but everyone was a zombie the next day. We were so tired! We made the decision to go on Christmas Day since we are staying in town. The group leader for the EMHCs kept calling us to serve at the 4pm Mass on Christmas Eve (Children's Mass) but I told her (after she called 3 times!) that we go to my grandparents' house each year.
[/quote]

I meant to add that we also watch [b][i]National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation[/i][/b]. I love that movie!

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzyDsY0IsPI[/media]

Edited November 23, 2011 by MaterMisericordiae

[TheresaThoma]

I just remembered a few others. We have these 4 cute stuffed animal reindeer (3 little and 1 big one). They are part of our Christmas decorations and they get put all around the house. One small one is always on top of this certain clock though.
We also overload our tree with lights,we are talking like 6 strands of lights minimum.
My mom always gets everyone socks and underwear too. I can't remember a Christmas when I didn't get at least underwear.
My sister and I love to give each other "gag gifts" and wrap them in really creative ways. I always frustrate her by using shirt boxes for just about everything. Then I tape the boxes closed and then wrap them. She got me back one year by putting a jingle bell in one of my presents so I had no idea what it was. All the wrapping paper is put in one big pile for the cats to play in. It is always amusing watching them hiding under the paper and then popping out to pounce the others.

[Papist]

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1322001731' post='2339572']
It's a pastry with a fruit filling, usually circular or a long strip, and you cut pieces off and it's flaky and frosting-y and amazing.

[/quote]
Hmmm. I will have to have the wife try that. It sounds right up her alley too.

[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1321998818' post='2339564']
Since this is only our 2nd Christmas married and at our own place, my husband and I don't really any solid traditions, yet, but last year for Christmas Eve I did a German dinner (recipes passed on from my Grandma. ) and he wants it again this year. But we went with Wiener Schnitzel.

Christmas Eve dinner is the "kick-off" for Christmas. We have dinner, and open gifts and then go to Mass (or however it all works itself out with when Mass is and how late the hubby has to work --when I was growing up, it was my mom's work schedule that we had to contend with). Last year there was a big debate about when to open gifts, because it was my family tradition to open gifts on Christmas eve, but his family did it on Christmas. I finally told him that I would open mine on Christmas eve, and he could open his on Christmas day. He suddenly realized the sense in opening on Christmas eve. We also eat cookies while we open gifts. Growing up, we always has one gift from Santa that we would get on Christmas morning, plus our stockings. Since Santa doesn't come anymore since we got married , last year we each saved a gift and opened it on Christmas morning, plus we got each other stocking stuffers. Then we have Christmas brunch, and spend the day hanging out and making Christmas dinner. After Christmas dinner we have pistachio cake for Jesus' birthday cake. When I was about 10 we went to my Grandma's and she made lemon cake for Jesus' birthday cake and I cried, because it was the wrong kind of cake. So, it MUST be the pistachio cake (besides, it's delicious and it's the one time a year we get it. We had the stupid lemon cake like a bazillion times a year.). And we also eat Christmas cookies. Basically, most of our traditions center around stuffing ourselves silly. Can you tell we're German?
[/quote]
Ahh, Wiener Schnitzel. My grandma would make that with sweet and sour cabbage and German potato salad. [img]http://th12.photobucket.com/albums/a223/angeltattoo/smilies/th_drool.gif[/img]

[fides quarens intellectum]

[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1321998818' post='2339564']
Since this is only our 2nd Christmas married and at our own place, my husband and I don't really any solid traditions, yet,
[/quote]

kinda the same here - this will be our 3rd Christmas, but no solid traditions yet. we will be waiting to decorate until Christmas Eve, though, so i guess that's about all we have so far...

[MissScripture]

[quote name='fides quarens intellectum' timestamp='1322068622' post='2339820']

kinda the same here - this will be our 3rd Christmas, but no solid traditions yet. we will be waiting to decorate until Christmas Eve, though, so i guess that's about all we have so far...
[/quote]
We totally do not have the patience for that! LOL! I've always thought it was razzle dazzle when people did that, but I do not have the patience to do it myself! We do NOT, however, remove any decorations until Christmas is actually OVER! Drives me nuts when people take everything down the day after Christmas Day!

I figure, right now, however, is the time to figure out what traditions we want to do for the next 50 years. If my kids are anything like me and my siblings, traditions will be a HUGE deal and you DO NOT MESS WITH THEM! My mom couldn't even change the location of decorations in the house without us freaking out. Now she can't make any new types of Christmas cookies, because we won't eat them, or at least not until all of our traditional ones are gone. (Although, life just got even more complicated with that, since there is now a granddaughter with food allergies, so she might get to try a few new ones in the next few years!)