jkwilliams Posted December 19, 2017 Posted December 19, 2017 I was wondering what other posters have as favorite Christmas traditions, as it seems everyone celebrates differently. A few of the things we do: On Christmas Eve, we read the account of the Savior's birth in the Gospel of Luke, and everyone gets to open one gift (my wife always makes sure the first gift is pajamas). On Christmas Day, we open presents in the morning, and instead of having a big Christmas dinner, we have sort of a "pot luck" in that each person chooses something they want to eat, and they are responsible for buying or cooking it. It's made for some interesting meals, but it's much easier than trying to put together an elaborate meal. I always make two recipes that came over from Scotland when my great-grandmother emigrated to Utah in the 1870s: hot cider punch ( a variation on wassail) and steamed carrot pudding with lemon sauce. This year we have all 3 of our sons home from Utah and Texas, and our daughter and her fiance, who live here in Virginia. The only bad thing is that I can't take time off because I recently started a new job, and I have to save up vacation time for 2 upcoming grandchildren and a wedding. What are your favorite Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) traditions?
Robert F. Smith Posted December 19, 2017 Posted December 19, 2017 I suspect that our Xmas is really a Winter Solstice, and that Dec 25 is the same as Kislev 25, the date of Jewish Hanukka, The Feast of Lights (Hag ha'Urim), which in America includes dreidels, a Hanukka Bush instead of a Xmas tree, and Hanukka Gelt instead of Xmas gifts. Still I have had Jewish friends insist on going Xmas caroling, while I have greatly enjoyed Hanukka songs, such as "Ma'oz Tzur Yeshu'ati" -- "My Refuge, My Rock of Salvation" -- which I have sung many times with my Jewish friends:
jkwilliams Posted December 19, 2017 Author Posted December 19, 2017 1 minute ago, Robert F. Smith said: I suspect that our Xmas is really a Winter Solstice, and that Dec 25 is the same as Kislev 25, the date of Jewish Hanukka, The Feast of Lights (Hag ha'Urim), which in America includes dreidels, a Hanukka Bush instead of a Xmas tree, and Hanukka Gelt instead of Xmas gifts. Still I have had Jewish friends insist on going Xmas caroling, while I have greatly enjoyed Hanukka songs, such as "Ma'oz Tzur Yeshu'ati" -- "My Refuge, My Rock of Salvation" -- which I have sung many times with my Jewish friends: Thank you for posting that. We enjoy sharing Hanukka with the Jewish members of our family (my sister and her family), but I had not heard that song before. We are doubly grateful this year that my nephew is home after completing his time in the Israeli Defense Forces. 2
Jeanne Posted December 19, 2017 Posted December 19, 2017 5 minutes ago, jkwilliams said: Thank you for posting that. We enjoy sharing Hanukka with the Jewish members of our family (my sister and her family), but I had not heard that song before. We are doubly grateful this year that my nephew is home after completing his time in the Israeli Defense Forces. Oooo...I envy you. I would love to better understand and be somewhat connected to Jewish tradition. This is what I loved about my children attended school on a government post. Children from all over the world celebrated different ways and my kids were just so ho hum about it...like what's the big deal??? Now I wish that I had connected better with the parents of these children to just feel like a genuine part of the world.
Tacenda Posted December 20, 2017 Posted December 20, 2017 4 hours ago, Jeanne said: Oooo...I envy you. I would love to better understand and be somewhat connected to Jewish tradition. This is what I loved about my children attended school on a government post. Children from all over the world celebrated different ways and my kids were just so ho hum about it...like what's the big deal??? Now I wish that I had connected better with the parents of these children to just feel like a genuine part of the world. I went to my grandson's school Christmas program today, who's in 1st grade, and there was every ethnic group I believe. And one grade sang a Nigerian song. The white kids were in the minority, 2 to 3 per grade practically. I saw Muslim, Oriental, Hispanic, African American, Vietnamese, Tongan... I loved the diversity, and it was in West Valley but felt like I was in a different part of the world. I love the variety of beliefs and celebrations! My favorite traditions are just the togetherness of family, doesn't matter what we do, but some have been making gingerbread houses, but going to do the ugly sweater party for my birthday on Christmas Eve, my daughter's idea. I thought it was getting old, but glad because I've never been to one yet! A favorite memory is when we've done the 12 days of Christmas for a needy family while my children were young or sub for santas. And them delivering the gifts. Oh, forgot, I love driving to the different homes that are decorated, and now they are so elaborate and include synchronized lights to music that you tune into on your car radio.
poptart Posted December 20, 2017 Posted December 20, 2017 Lighting up mine tomorrow, it's next to the advent wreath. http://irminfolk.com/the-yule-leuchter/
Amulek Posted December 20, 2017 Posted December 20, 2017 On 12/19/2017 at 11:45 AM, jkwilliams said: I was wondering what other posters have as favorite Christmas traditions, as it seems everyone celebrates differently. Nothing out of the ordinary. We decorate ginger bread houses each year - though, technically, we don't actually make or use ginger bread; we use graham crackers instead. The kids really love it. And there is usually plenty of candy to snack on afterwards. We also take a pajama ride to go look at Christmas lights at one of the neighborhoods not too far from us. The HOA for that neighborhood used to give an award - like $5,000 - $10,000 - to the best decorated house, so almost all of the houses there are really decked out. We make popcorn and hot chocolate to indulge on during the ride, so it makes for a pretty good annual event. Oh, here's one that not many people do (or at least that that I have heard): As a family, we read a Christmas story each night before bed throughout the entire month of December. We put the big basket full of books on the fireplace, and the kids get to take turns picking what story we read each night. The only rules are that you have to pick a book we haven't read yet, and you can't pick The Night Before Christmas until we actually get to Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, we also read Luke 2. And I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but if you aren't reading Luke 2 from the KJV then you're just plain wrong. Period. Full stop. There is a time and place for other translations of the Bible, but Christmas Eve is not it. One of the things Santa does at our house is that, in addition to leaving a present in your stocking and under the tree, he also hides one present for each person in the tree. It's much more fun to go looking in the tree for a present than for a pickle (sorry Germans, or whoever came up with that lame tradition).
Jeanne Posted December 20, 2017 Posted December 20, 2017 55 minutes ago, Amulek said: Nothing out of the ordinary. We decorate ginger bread houses each year - though, technically, we don't actually make or use ginger bread; we use graham crackers instead. The kids really love it. And there is usually plenty of candy to snack on afterwards. We also take a pajama ride to go look at Christmas lights at one of the neighborhoods not too far from us. The HOA for that neighborhood used to give an award - like $5,000 - $10,000 - to the best decorated house, so almost all of the houses there are really decked out. We make popcorn and hot chocolate to indulge on during the ride, so it makes for a pretty good annual event. Oh, here's one that not many people do (or at least that that I have heard): As a family, we read a Christmas story each night before bed throughout the entire month of December. We put the big basket full of books on the fireplace, and the kids get to take turns picking what story we read each night. The only rules are that you have to pick a book we haven't read yet, and you can't pick The Night Before Christmas until we actually get to Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, we also read Luke 2. And I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but if you aren't reading Luke 2 from the KJV then you're just plain wrong. Period. Full stop. There is a time and place for other translations of the Bible, but Christmas Eve is not it. One of the things Santa does at our house is that, in addition to leaving a present in your stocking and under the tree, he also hides one present for each person in the tree. It's much more fun to go looking in the tree for a present than for a pickle (sorry Germans, or whoever came up with that lame tradition). Oh!!! The pajama ride...this brings back so many wonderful and fun memories of when my kids were little...I thank you for that!! The first snow fall...my husband would come home from work and without any word at all to eachother, we bundled up for the first walk. Little things...are big things.
Duncan Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 On a bad note we have our CRAZY Aunt who comes in, she's a toxic person. drama queen, She dresses up like Queen Victoria and shows up to political events in her province, sometimes invited but sometimes not...............So, Christmas day with her is usually spent taking as much headache medication, my poor dad has been dealing with her since 1965. We hope she gets permanent laryngitis, not sinister but enough to keep her quiet On a brighter note my son does his school's talent show, when he was 12 he did "the alphabet aerobics", last year he did Eminem's lose yourself and this year he isn't telling us what he's doing so tomorrow i'll be on the edge of my seat! 2
Jeanne Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 30 minutes ago, Duncan said: On a bad note we have our CRAZY Aunt who comes in, she's a toxic person. drama queen, She dresses up like Queen Victoria and shows up to political events in her province, sometimes invited but sometimes not...............So, Christmas day with her is usually spent taking as much headache medication, my poor dad has been dealing with her since 1965. We hope she gets permanent laryngitis, not sinister but enough to keep her quiet On a brighter note my son does his school's talent show, when he was 12 he did "the alphabet aerobics", last year he did Eminem's lose yourself and this year he isn't telling us what he's doing so tomorrow i'll be on the edge of my seat! Let us know what he does!!! Everybody seems to have an Aunt like yours...at the end of the day.,you can still hear their voices...even me!! 1
Duncan Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 15 minutes ago, Jeanne said: Let us know what he does!!! Everybody seems to have an Aunt like yours...at the end of the day.,you can still hear their voices...even me!! Her he is from 2 years ago, his voice hahhahaha! 1
Jeanne Posted December 22, 2017 Posted December 22, 2017 1 hour ago, Duncan said: Her he is from 2 years ago, his voice hahhahaha! Love This!! 1
Rain Posted December 25, 2017 Posted December 25, 2017 On Christmas Eve we each open 1 present. We used to read Luke 2/do a nativity, but long ago found it was always done in one form or another at church, family parties etc and just wasn't as special to our kids because it was always a repeat. Of course it is always a repeat and that us good, but if the kids just daw/heard/participated in it the last few days before Christmas Eve it just didn' hold them. Now we talk about Santa being a symbol for Christ and how he should be a reminder of Christ and for us to be selfless. Tonight we also talked about what we saw in Bethlehem 2 years ago and what it means to be Only Begotten. On Christmas Eve we always have apetizers that we graze on through the nught instead of a sit down dinner. On Christmas we used to go to mom's house for dinner. Now that we live so far we don't really have any specific traditions. We just go with whatever works. Tonight I am thinking of a single mom refugee of 8 children that just arrived in the states on Thursday and none of them speak English. I keep wondering about dropping by there and...something. I'm not sure what.
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