What Christmas traditions did you observe when you were a child? What are your Christmas traditions now?

I forgot to ask whether you open presents on Christmas eve or Christmas morning. Asked by autumnwind 12 months ago Similar questions: Christmas traditions observe child Society > Religion & Spirituality.

Similar questions: Christmas traditions observe child.

I always liked that my mom would wrap each kids presents in a different color, so we would know right away which was ours, too. I do that with my daughter, even though there is only one of her and we had four kids back then! We used special "Santa paper" that she didn't know I had.

With the four kids, there was a lot of crazy "rip and tear" with the presents; with one is much more calm! We have never been religious about Christmas, so that has not changed over the years, although I enjoy the traditions and some of the symbols and music of that. We always had my grandma spend Christmas eve with us at our house so she could be there Christmas morning.

That grandma is long gone, and the only one left is in Florida at Christmas so my daughter never got that special experience...I wish she did! .

Christmas is in your heart, TLW....it's not always under the tree...

I like the idea of different paper for each kid. I might just borrow that next year. Autumnwind 12 months ago .

I forgot about icicles on the tree! HAD to have them! They were so fun to put on the tree.

Now--no way! .

When I was first married and living in Louisiana, I was shopping with a friend near Christmas time. She picked out an ornament and said that she was going to start a tradition of getting one special ornament each year. I thought that was a good idea, so I bought an ornament, too.

That was the last year that I kept that tradition that I planned to start. I still have it and each year when I put it on the tree, I remember when I bought it and that I planned to buy a special one each year. Now nearly 40 years have passed since I bought that little ornament.

I have many special ornaments from years that followed, but I didn't go out and buy a special ornament for each year. I have ornaments my children made at school, ornaments with my children's pictures on them, and ornaments I picked up in Alaska or Mexico.. The one that is most special is the one my mother made. Her church class made them and put their names on them.

The minister presented it to me when she passed away. I have angel ornaments that I bought to represent my sister and grandson who died, but I consider my mother's angel to be even more special because she made it herself. Autumnwind 12 months ago .

That's a great tradition that I wish I, too, had started a long time ago! I like to buy ornaments that represent something that is special to us--an astronaut when my daughter went to space camp, a White House ornament when we went there, etc. They have special meaning, but I guess we have never made the effort to have just one special one each year!

My mother made sure that part of Christmas was giving to those in need. Even when times were tough for my family. We would all go to the Post Office and get a letter that a child wrote to Santa Claus and then we would all go shopping to grant that wish.

Then we would go home have hot chocolate, listen to Christmas Carols and wrap our gifts. Lots of times they just asked for food, or a warm coat. When we got that type of letter my mother made sure we include a special toy for the child that wrote the letter.

Even though I don't have children, I still keep this tradition. In some small way it keeps my mom with me during the season and I know that I'm making someone smile on Christmas morning. Every year.My kitty Milo always gets a big gift.

This year he is getting a fire truck. LOL!Jpg.

That's a very good tradition. I'm glad you keep it. My husband and I get angels off the tree at our churches.

You gave me an idea. I've just been buying the presents and wrapping them myself. Next year, I think I'll get my grandchildren to help me.

I love your pictures. Is that your cat or did you get the pictures off the internet to represent your kitty. Hope he enjoys his truck.

Autumnwind 12 months ago .

I think that would be a great idea to get the grandkids involved. I think it really changes the way kids view Christmas. No that's not my cat, but it is the Fire Truck he is getting this year.

Shhhh! It's a secret. This is my Milo.

Took this picture last Christmas. Jpg.

Oh, your Milo is cute. I promise not to spoil his secret. Autumnwind 12 months ago .

My mom's Christmas "traditions" were the same artificial tree, the same ornaments, the same icicles, and the same shopping trip for us kiddies to pick out our own gifts so we weren't complaining about what was under the "tree" that morning. We'd open a gift, go to church, have breakfast, and open more gifts. Then we'd go outside and play with our swag.

We always had real trees when I was a child, but we've had mostly fake trees since I've been grown. Autumnwind 12 months ago .

When I was young, I wrote an essay on Christmas traditions, that not only got me top marks for the assignment, but also got me published both in the local paper, and in a student anthology; as well as winning top prize in an unrelated writing competition. Now, while the family still gets together, there has not been a Christmas tree in my house for two years now, and there won't be one this year, either. It's hard to justify wasting money on frivolities like that when you've got a medical industry to support.

Cake, anyone? .

I do hope you're not experiencing a serious illness. Autumnwind 12 months ago .

Not me. My wife. She's got a chronic illness, and had complications as well.

She's lobbying for me to not pull duty shift christmas eve, but I haven't decided yet.

TLW wrote, "It's hard to justify wasting money on frivolities like that when you've got a medical industry to support. " This just galls me. The middle class is disappearing under a mountain of debt and lost opportunities.

The poor have been all but forgotten. But thank goodness, the rich keep getting richer - that's all that matters in a plutocracy. I hope that your wife is doing better this Christmas.

You're in my thoughts. I observe most of the same traditions I always have. Decorating, baking, presents, carols.

The one tradition I no longer observe is going to church. Hallelujah! .

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For instance, every Christmas my son gets a nutcracker and...

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