[mtorres1681]

What is your family's holiday tradition?

In my country, the holiday season is very much celebrated starting from Christmas until New Year, but most people here celebrate weeks earlier, there are lots of Christmas parties especially in schools and offices. Some parties begin at the 16th of December, and children would start singing carols house-to-house even earlier.

While growing up, we used to celebrate Christmas by hosting a reunion on the 25th, most of our relatives would fill our house and we were a big family really, aside from the grandparents, there were at least 6 aunts, 6 uncles, more than a dozen cousins, plus a few more friends who would just drop by to join in the fun. Then we would exchange presents and play games where the elders would hand out prizes.

We also hand out candies for people who knock at our door almost every minute, it's better than giving them money. Then we spend the rest of our Christmas vacation by visiting other relative's houses, delivering and exchanging presents to those who weren't able to join us. Then we cap the holidays celebrating the New Year's Eve with lots of noisy fireworks in front of our street.

Please excuse me if I'm a little bit nostalgic here, it's because times have changed so much, most of my family have moved too far away and we can no longer celebrate the holidays this year like we've used to. Oh well, we may even start modifying our tradition, by celebrating through video chats online so we can still see each other somehow.

[jemgirl2k]

Our visit there was during the holidays. We had Christmas, New Years, and fiesta to celebrate. So much fun! I was to scared to hold the fireworks that my cousins were playing with! The whole "don't play with fire" rule just goes out the window there! =)

[whateverfloats]

We usually go to my aunt's for Christmas but she's getting a little sick of hosting it. One year we all rented cabins up island at Long Beach which was a lot of fun. However, making it up there was a challenge. Half the family got caught in a snow storm.

The party has been growing these past few years as the cousins get married. Last year my uncle made a huge table and borrowed some church pews so that we could all sit together. It was cozy but a lot of fun. He still has the pews. I think they just gave them to him.

[dangerousdi]

Wow MT, that sounds really great. I'm sorry your traditions are going thru a change...I know change is a good thing, but I got depressed for you, sometimes change sucks

Anywho, as far as traditions go for me. Usually Halloween though not what most people call a "holiday" its a wee tradition that one of my bestest friends have been doing the past few years, the kids and I go to her house (about a 1/2 hour from me) and we (me and mine, my friends and her boys, a few of her neighbor friends and their kids) all go trick or treating with the kids around the "bottom half" of her neighborhood area - about 6 or 7 blocks. We let the kids take a break and pick a piece of candy somewhere around block 4 or 5.. Then we call her hubby and we all pile into her SUV and go back to her house.
Since upon arrival all us Moms had brought some sort of food dish over, BF's hubby has started dinner, (big tray of ziti, mac and cheese, or something to feed the pack) and warmed up whatever the moms came with. Then we all sit down and have a nice healthy dinner, then finish up and still have about an hour before cerfew so we hit up the "upper" neighborhood area, its way dark and there is alot of wooded streets and trees making it even darker, so we tell semi spooky tales as we're walking to keep the boys close

Thanksgiving - when I was younger we'd have it at my Nan's (grandmother's), but that was long long ago. Now since I have my own family (and my husbands) either I host dinner and have my inlaws , and my parents over or someone takes the reigns. It all depends.

Christmas - well it had been tradition going back in the day to go to my nan's (once again) Christmas eve (my mom's side) and all my aunts, uncles and cousins would be there. But that changed a while back, so now we spend Christmas eve with my family. My mom had it at her apartment once (since she complained that we're supposed to go to her, when I hosted it one year after my house was remodeled) then she agreed that we should have it at my house , since its bigger, and I have the kids and just easier. But anyway its my side of the family on Christmas eve, and my husbands family on Christmas day.
Christmas morning I'll make a big breakfast (like my dad used to for us as kids, where my husband grew up eating cakes and whatever they wanted) the kids can rip into their stockings while Im cooking. Then we'll have breakfast, afterwards I'll take the spot by the tree and hand out the gifts from Santa. Its nice cause I sit and I can watch both kids open their presents with camera in hand. Oh yeah the "Yule Log" is on TV burning (tradition since way back in the day for me and my husband)

Then later in the morning we'll get dressed and head to my inlaws by early afternoon, hang around (my 2 sister in laws, one soon to be brother in law and my nephew, along with both parental inlaws) chat , other family (my husbands aunt or uncle) will drop by for a few minutes, then we have dinner and then do gifts. We usually end up playing some board games or something before we have to make dozens of trips to load the car before going home.

Both of my brothers live in VA now. My youngest brother and sister in law, usually come up to NJ for the holidays since her family lives up here too, and they stay with her mom. My other brother his girlfriend and their 2 kids ...plus a friend of my brothers (long confusing story, even I don't understand it ) moved to VA just recently so I have NO clue what they plan on doing for the holidays. If they did decide to come up , where they would stay (since her family is useless) and my 2 clawless cats would not take kindly to a dog in the house *shudders* the horror!..
So I guess thats something that needs to be figured out.
Otherwise its going to be a very quiet, peaceful Christmas eve ...which while its sad since holidays should be with family, its not a bad thing.
We're all grown up now with our own families, and I think if we use Christmas as a point to get together, then there is something wrong. They're my brothers we should get together more then just once a year anyway. Its hard doing things long distance though and add kids and pets to the mix and well...its life.

As long as I have my husband , my kids and Mom and Dad (regardless how much I complain about 'em , I'll be alright. We have free long distance calling so its all good.

(Sorry for the ramble, its insomnia night/day.. Im overtired and its nearly 6am.,,Im just not tired enough to sleep if that makes sence. )

[zina_the_puma]

With my family in Christmas we never eat turkey but lamp. We started it one year and now it's tradition

[lo_specchio]

In our country we generally celebrate New Year, Christmas is just a religious holiday, which comes on the 7th of January.
We don't really have any fixed family traditions. I usually celebrate the holiday with my friends.

Following a general tradition, I decorate my flat and my New Year tree (I love doing that!). During a New Year party everyone switches on the TV at about 11.55 pm and listens to the congratulation speech of our president, then at 12 am the Kremlin clock beats 12 o'clock and during that time someone should open a bottle of champagne and pour champagne into glasses. Then, with the last strike of the clock everyone shouts "Happy New Year!" and drinks champagne! I love that holiday, it's allways very exciting and brings people together. Oh my, now I want champagne.

[lo_specchio]

Oh, I nearly forgot. The first bottle of champagne should be drunk at about 11.30 pm to say good-bye to the passing year.

[no1_qu33n_b08]

Well, New Years Eve for my family's tradition to eat collard-greens and black-eyed peas;

Collard Greens - Are for more prosperity and wealth for the New Year

Black-Eyed Peas - For health and salvation


This is been tradition for my family for years!!

[mamameezb]

Well....since I've moved away from my family and married my husband a lot of the traditions I had kinda disapeared, but there are a few hold overs.

Thanksgiving: We go to my Hubby's cousin's house, where the entire family (cousins, uncles, aunts, grandma's, ect.) cram into a pretty small house, and eat dry turkey and drink lots of wine.

Day after Thanksgiving...I immediatly put up my Christmas lights. (Yes...I'm one of those people) The tree get's decorated about two weeks later (we have a fake one) and we always listen to Christmas music while doing it. I always make Christmas Cookies for Santa Clause (even though I end up eating most of them) On Christmas Eve we each get to open one gift (but not a big one) and then Christmas morning, we open stockings first...and then wait till later for presents (mainly because we go over to the In-Law's house for that)

After that the tree stays up till January 2nd. (It's my birthday and I like having the tree up for that)

So yeah...that's my Holiday Traditions.

[ham_guy02]

jemgirl2k wrote: Our visit there was during the holidays. We had Christmas, New Years, and fiesta to celebrate. So much fun! I was to scared to hold the fireworks that my cousins were playing with! The whole "don't play with fire" rule just goes out the window there! =)

haha ive never paid that "rule" much attention