This idea is from the book "Family traditins that last a lifetime"
I think it is a nice idea whether you have children or not.
Let cold winter evenings be the beginning of a tradition of fmily warmth this year. Instead of sitting around and watching TV, turn on some music, light a fire, (if you have a fireplace), and gather together in one room. Wrap yourselves in some big fluffy blankets, have hot chocolate with marshmallows, and spend time together. You could read to each other, talk, or play some games like checkers or dominoes. Just be togehter.
Though we do not have children we do have a tradition with my young nieces...there are 5 of them, ages 8 and under!
Every year my husband and I have bought them each an ornament to put on their families tree and them to take with them when they are grown!
Also, in addition to a toy and a couple small gifts, we give them each a book every year!!
peace,train
We started when all the kids were young, on Christmas eve [in the evening] we have a buffet of everybodies fav. dish, they all pick what they want a month or so in advance and I either buy or make all, you wouldnt believe some of the mixtures we have came up with.
my kids are almost grown now [except for youngest ds is 11] but we still do this and they all come home and always spend the night on Christmas eve, my granddaughter loves this. We always spend Christmas morning together. My oldest ds goes into the military in Jan. I hope that somehow this tradition will not be broken.
My parents live close by and we all go over there in the late morning and for dinner. So I an 43 and have yet to miss a Christmas morning with my parents. I love the holidays.
One of my favorite traditions is called our "ornament pick trip".
Every year we each pick out a new ornament for our tree...since we have 3 people in our family now...we get 3 new ornaments. We usually do this early in the season when the ornaments are stocked up in the store.
Now when my Ds is living on his own he can take the ornaments with him to use on his tree. They will have a memory around them because we each say why we picked this ornament.
Our tree is full of snowmen, trucks, instruments, fishing tackle, sparkling balls, etc. While trimming the tree it is so great to get to the box and look at all the "special" ornaments. I even have some ornaments that were my Dad's (now deceased) and every year I think of him and how he wanted me to have his ornaments.
Christmas was his favorite hoilday too!
Hi. One thing that we do every Christmas Eve is go to my Grandparents for a big get together with my Dad's whole side of the family. Our daughter likes this because she gets to see her second cousins that she doesn't see very often. We all bring something to contribute to the meal and everyone brings cookies ( Pop loves to keep all the left overs).
Then when we get home before bed we always read "Twas the night before Christmas" and sometimes "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and our daughter goes off to dreamland.... Usually doesn't take her long cuz she is pooped out from playing at Great Grandma's!
Christmas Day is always at our house and both of our families gather for the "Christmas Goose" that my husband cooks and always makes so good. He's an excellent cook. And our daughter loves the goose, she always has seconds and sometimes thirds! YUM! Then we exchange gifts and take pictures and everyone has a great day.
Our Christmas traditions... my dds are 12 & 4 yrs. We start our yearly traditions in the early part of Dec. by going to the Christmas in the park. It's a free event that is held in a small park in town and the kids love it! So does my husband and I. We see alot of our neighbors that we don't get to see often and make crafts and visit santa and it's just a wonderful event all the way around!! Our kids wouldn't let us miss it for the world!
On Christmas eve we always spend it with my dh's family. But before we go the girls are given their Christmas Eve gift first...Christmas Pajamas & Slippers! Then once they are dressed we have to Throw out the reindeer food for santa's reindeer. (This is done before we leave in case the girls fall asleep on the way back home.)
Then we are off to grandma's house. On the way back from grandma's is our annual light looking!!!
We tried the carriage ride to look at lights and a christmas hayride and even from the sky in a small plane ...but nothing beats just driving around the town and seeing all the different decorations!!
If the kids aren't asleep when we get back.We put out the cookies and curl up to The night before christmas and then we always wish Jesus a happy Birthday!!
My Dh and I like to wind down the evening with "A Christmas Carol" or Ebonezer Scrooge (my dh's favorite character!! BAH HUMBUG! lol)
Then the girls will wake us up early for Santa has arrived!!
Location: Live in own home in rural WV town next to Maryland.
Posts: 15
Our traditions
My family seems like a unique one. I live with my husband and my three dear daughter, my son and a little three year old that I have custody of. We also now have an additional girl here that is having a problem making it due to family problems. I wanted to explain this before I tell about our traditions because you need to realize that we are a unique bunch. Our traditions for Christmas are many, but all are special to us. One of them is that every member of the household has a stocking that we place on an antique mantel that I have had for many years. My father gave it to me but I do not know where he got it from. I hang all the stockings and into each we have to (every member) place prior to Christmas eve, a note telling each of the other household members what we like about them, or a "love note". Then, prior to Christmas eve, we have a thankful stocking that everyone has to place at least four notes into telling of something they are thankful for from the year, or tell of something someone did for them, just anything that made them happy during the year. We then open these on Christmas eve and each person placed a little gift into the others stockings, which usually fills them up to the brim. We always open them on Christmas eve and this makes for a very happy time when Christmas Day arrives. The rest of our traditions are not so unusual. We always have a very big meal, complete with turkey, ham, pumpkin pie, but we try to ad at least one dish that we have never eaten before, usually from another country. This usually centers on the other tradition of one of my children deciding on presenting a Christmas Presentation about another religion or a country tradition for Christmas. We usually also celebrate Hannaka, even though we are not Jewish, we believe that Jesus did. We also celebrate by playing with a dreidal. It is loads of fun. We try to combine and search for new things each year. This helps us to realize the love that Jesus had for everyone, we try to do the same. I want to embrase my Christianity to the fullest.
I was wondering if anyone would like to share their Christmas traditions.
On my side of the family, my mom does stockings for everyone. Even now, with me being almost 28 and married with a family of my own, she still does stockings.
Also, since I got married, I use ornaments that belonged to my mom, and my grandfather before her, on my tree. This is will probably be the first year, I don' t use them. Since my lil one can get them off the tree.
And since I got married, I buy or make an ornament for myself and my husband, and now our dd.
Usually doesn't take her long cuz she is pooped out from playing at Great Grandma's! 
He's an excellent cook. And our daughter loves the goose, she always has seconds and sometimes thirds! YUM! Then we exchange gifts and take pictures and everyone has a great day. 
Our traditions 
