Christmas traditions

[Abbey Marie]

For those of us who celebrate this most joyous occasion, what are your family traditions for Christmas?
Do you have your own, or do you tend to follow the ones you grew up with?

To start off, here are a couple of mine:

As kids, we started opening our presents Christmas Eve after we got a little older. I have continued the tradition with my husband and daughter, but only if we have the time and energy. Sometimes visiting and midnight services tire us out, and we wait until morning.

Unlike my parents, we told our daughter that most of the gifts were from us, and just a couple were from Santa. I wanted her to believe in the magic of Santa, but to keep it in perspective. She told me recently she never believed it anyway, haha.

I love treasure hunts, so I always put a clue in pocket of the last day of the Advent calendar for our daughter. This leads to another clue, and another, etc., which ends in her finding a gift of (usually) jewelry. Nothing expensive, but nice.

There are more, but for now, this should get us going. Can't wait to hear about your traditions. :cool:

[Robert A Whit]

I live alone Abbey. At 74 and alone, not much to report.

When I was married (wife 1), the kids opened presents on Xmas day since as a kid, both me and the then wife grew up that way. As to making a big deal out of Santa, we never did that.

Wife 2 refused to address Xmas and refused to celebrate it. She would not celebrate birthdays either.

Don't feel sorry that I am not married. I have my own two wonderful daughters. One lives a few miles from me and the other in another state. Both are happy in their marriages. My oldest daughter tells me that my grandson who is a sophomore in high school is on a path to complete college and he wants to be an engineer working in connection to space operations.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

For those of us who celebrate this most joyous occasion, what are your family traditions for Christmas?
Do you have your own, or do you tend to follow the ones you grew up with?

To start off, here are a couple of mine:

As kids, we started opening our presents Christmas Eve after we got a little older. I have continued the tradition with my husband and daughter, but only if we have the time and energy. Sometimes visiting and midnight services tire us out, and we wait until morning.

Unlike my parents, we told our daughter that most of the gifts were from us, and just a couple were from Santa. I wanted her to believe in the magic of Santa, but to keep it in perspective. She told me recently she never believed it anyway, haha.

I love treasure hunts, so I always put a clue in pocket of the last day of the Advent calendar for our daughter. This leads to another clue, and another, etc., which ends in her finding a gift of (usually) jewelry. Nothing expensive, but nice.

There are more, but for now, this should get us going. Can't wait to hear about your traditions. :cool:

As kids we rarely had presents or even birthday or Christmas parties. After starting a family of my own I made sure we always celebrate birthdays and Christmas. We open one present the night before Christmas, any present the person chooses must be opened, even if its to go to another person. Also a stocking with x-number of sealed colored envelopes are each put into one Christmas stocking . Each envelopes contains one of four denomination dollar bills, a five , ten , 20 or 50. Christmas day after all presents are opened and we have had Christmas meal, later that afternoon we draw colors slips of paper sealed in small envelpes out of an old cowboy hat acquired from my days working on a ranch owned by Loretta Lynn in Whites Creek Tenn. back in 1973. The color one gets is the color envelope they retrieve from the Christmas stocking on the fireplace. They get the money in that envelope. Sometimes when the year was good I put only 20's and 50's in the envelopes , even a few times put a couple hundreds and even added envelopes for guests that had stayed overnight with us. My grown daughter now does this with her family. Also every year a bottle of Jack Daniels is opened on Christmas night and any adult wanting a hot- tottie may have one or two.. Kids over 6 years old are allowed to stay up to just before midnight and even eat ice cream before going to bed on Christmas Eve! Always chocolate or strawberry ice cream. I ALWAYS CHOOSE ANOTHER PERSON'S PRESENT THAT HAS BEEN GIFTED BY ME TO THAT PERSON..--Tyr

[Abbey Marie]

I live alone Abbey. At 74 and alone, not much to report.

When I was married (wife 1), the kids opened presents on Xmas day since as a kid, both me and the then wife grew up that way. As to making a big deal out of Santa, we never did that.

Wife 2 refused to address Xmas and refused to celebrate it. She would not celebrate birthdays either.

Don't feel sorry that I am not married. I have my own two wonderful daughters. One lives a few miles from me and the other in another state. Both are happy in their marriages. My oldest daughter tells me that my grandson who is a sophomore in high school is on a path to complete college and he wants to be an engineer working in connection to space operations.

Robert, I would never presume to feel sorry. I'm glad you are happy, and I hope that when our daughter moves out on her own, she chooses to live at least within driving distance of us.

[Abbey Marie]

As kids we rarely had presents or even birthday or Christmas parties. After starting a family of my own I made sure we always celebrate birthdays and Christmas. We open one present the night before Christmas, any present the person chooses must be opened, even if its to go to another person. Also a stocking with x-number of sealed colored envelopes are each put into one Christmas stocking . Each envelopes contains one of four denomination dollar bills, a five , ten , 20 or 50. Christmas day after all presents are opened and we have had Christmas meal, later that afternoon we draw colors slips of paper sealed in small envelpes out of an old cowboy hat acquired from my days working on a ranch owned by Loretta Lynn in Whites Creek Tenn. back in 1973. The color one gets is the color envelope they retrieve from the Christmas stocking on the fireplace. They get the money in that envelope. Sometimes when the year was good I put only 20's and 50's in the envelopes , even a few times put a couple hundreds and even added envelopes for guests that had stayed overnight with us. My grown daughter now does this with her family. Also every year a bottle of Jack Daniels is opened on Christmas night and any adult wanting a hot- tottie may have one or two.. Kids over 6 years old are allowed to stay up to just before midnight and even eat ice cream before going to bed on Christmas Eve! Always chocolate or strawberry ice cream. I ALWAYS CHOOSE ANOTHER PERSON'S PRESENT THAT HAS BEEN GIFTED BY ME TO THAT PERSON..--Tyr

I love your envelope idea. It's the same reason I do the treasure hunt. It adds an element of surprise and fun to the day. As for the Jack Daniels, now that our daughter is 21, we always have a good bottle of champagne on Christms Eve, with Christmas music playing, and a fire going. (And usually another for Christmas brunch the next day). Sounds like we have some similar ideas about Christmas.

[Robert A Whit]

Robert, I would never presume to feel sorry. I'm glad you are happy, and I hope that when our daughter moves out on her own, she chooses to live at least within driving distance of us.

I and my last wife divorced in 1989 and believe me, I would have welcomed marriage to a good woman again. I dated but no matter how well I treated the ladies I dated, none were interested in a long term relationship. Seems the women I dated tried to destroy relationships.

[KarlMarx]

Christmas Tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving, my son is always there to help and we always play Christmas music when we do

Christmas Eve is meatless. My mom used to make 13 dishes (all of which were meatless)

My son and I exchange presents on Christmas Eve (and we always play christmas music when we do)

My mom used to make bacalla (salted cod), lupinis (something like a bean), and pizza frite with raisins. She doesn't cook much now since she's older. No one likes the old Italian dishes, so she doesn't make them.

[jimnyc]

For those of us who celebrate this most joyous occasion, what are your family traditions for Christmas?
Do you have your own, or do you tend to follow the ones you grew up with?

To start off, here are a couple of mine:

As kids, we started opening our presents Christmas Eve after we got a little older. I have continued the tradition with my husband and daughter, but only if we have the time and energy. Sometimes visiting and midnight services tire us out, and we wait until morning.

Unlike my parents, we told our daughter that most of the gifts were from us, and just a couple were from Santa. I wanted her to believe in the magic of Santa, but to keep it in perspective. She told me recently she never believed it anyway, haha.

I love treasure hunts, so I always put a clue in pocket of the last day of the Advent calendar for our daughter. This leads to another clue, and another, etc., which ends in her finding a gift of (usually) jewelry. Nothing expensive, but nice.

There are more, but for now, this should get us going. Can't wait to hear about your traditions. :cool:

My childhood traditions, if they can be labeled as that, seem to have gone away over the years. Christmas used to be the coolest. The tree went up the 1st week of December and the rest of the month was always fun. I even went caroling with my friends a few times. Man, good thing there were no such things as cell phones and digital cameras back then! And going to Church was fun when I was a kid, at Christmas time, because of the beautiful decorations and the choir at Christmas time. It was also the time to go ice skating, even if just the one time a year we did so. We would go to some huge Christmas place in North Jersey every year too, like a Winter Wonderland place and Santa was there! And the movies, everything from the Nutcracker to Rudolph and Frosty to The Baby New Year. The four of us kids would be up at about 3:30-4am, after no sleep on Christmas morning. Man, dad always had this look like he wanted to kill us when he would finally crawl out of bed around 6-7am. Mom was much cooler about it, but we couldn't open presents until Dad was up and had his coffee. Did it matter anyway? We spied the gifts all month long and cut tiny holes in the rest under the tree to peek at them! LOL

Times changed. Family moved down south. Us 4 kids got older and live apart. We don't always get a "real" tree every year, and when we do, it's a small "Charlie Brown Tree". No lights outside, although we put up a tad in the living room. Just a nice dinner for family and my son gets to open half his presents on Christmas eve, which was her tradition, and half on Christmas morning, which of course was mind. No relatives visiting. And since Mom passed, every holiday feels empty and I don't feel much like celebrating anyway.

Crap, now I'm sad.

[Abbey Marie]

Christmas Tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving, my son is always there to help and we always play Christmas music when we do

Christmas Eve is meatless. My mom used to make 13 dishes (all of which were meatless)

My son and I exchange presents on Christmas Eve (and we always play christmas music when we do)

My mom used to make bacalla (salted cod), lupinis (something like a bean), and pizza frite with raisins. She doesn't cook much now since she's older. No one likes the old Italian dishes, so she doesn't make them.

Yay for Italian Grandmoms! You brought back some memories for me. We grew up with my Grandmother's old Italian special dishes, too. I miss those so much. She made these things that look sort of like mini-calzones, but not as heavy, and she would put different things inside. We also had those sticky little round dough things. (I wish I knew the names for all her dishes).
These items only showed up for Christmas.

[jimnyc]

Oh, and Mom ALWAYS had Christmas music throughout the house, and she would sing along with it. She was big on Christmas and loved the holiday. And the tons of Egg Nog, and I know Dad was spiking his with some liquor. My Grandfather would give us kids a candy cane that would take a year to eat, HUGE! But we would never know that as I don't think one ever lasted a week before we had to hit one another with them! And shopping back then was normal, to an extent. It was still busy during the holidays, but it was a fun busy if you went to a mall. Everyone just seemed so happy, and of course all the Christmas music was still allowed and played at many places you went.

[Abbey Marie]

My childhood traditions, if they can be labeled as that, seem to have gone away over the years. Christmas used to be the coolest. The tree went up the 1st week of December and the rest of the month was always fun. I even went caroling with my friends a few times. Man, good thing there were no such things as cell phones and digital cameras back then! And going to Church was fun when I was a kid, at Christmas time, because of the beautiful decorations and the choir at Christmas time. It was also the time to go ice skating, even if just the one time a year we did so. We would go to some huge Christmas place in North Jersey every year too, like a Winter Wonderland place and Santa was there! And the movies, everything from the Nutcracker to Rudolph and Frosty to The Baby New Year. The four of us kids would be up at about 3:30-4am, after no sleep on Christmas morning. Man, dad always had this look like he wanted to kill us when he would finally crawl out of bed around 6-7am. Mom was much cooler about it, but we couldn't open presents until Dad was up and had his coffee. Did it matter anyway? We spied the gifts all month long and cut tiny holes in the rest under the tree to peek at them! LOL

Times changed. Family moved down south. Us 4 kids got older and live apart. We don't always get a "real" tree every year, and when we do, it's a small "Charlie Brown Tree". No lights outside, although we put up a tad in the living room. Just a nice dinner for family and my son gets to open half his presents on Christmas eve, which was her tradition, and half on Christmas morning, which of course was mind. No relatives visiting. And since Mom passed, every holiday feels empty and I don't feel much like celebrating anyway.

Crap, now I'm sad.

Sorry, Jim. I know how you feel. Almost everyone on both sides of our family has moved away (or died, like my Mom and my FIL). And my MIL has serious Alzheimers. Christmas isn't the same without them. Sometimes we talk about "Skipping Christmas" (funny book btw, better than the movie based on it- "Christmas with the Kranks"), and going on a cruise. But so far, I just can't do it. I think I would miss it all too much.

[red states rule]

I have my Christmas music playing but with the cats I cannot have any decorations. Each cat I own is a four legged demolition squad. When I was growing up somehow my Mom was able to have decorations with cats. Of course we did not have tinsel on the tree unless Grampa sneezed :laugh:

[Abbey Marie]

I have my Christmas music playing but with the cats I cannot have any decorations. Each cat I own is a four legged demolition squad. When I was growing up somehow my Mom was able to have decorations with cats. Of course we did not have tinsel on the tree unless Grampa sneezed :laugh:

My cats have always been pretty cool about it. One did like to knock things off the tree, so I put the unbreakable stuff within paws' reach. Someone (I think on this board?) once posted a pic of her cat sitting half way up her decorated tree!

[Robert A Whit]

I had several phases of X-mas.
Phase I lasted from birth till about age 12. Mom was married to a man whose contribution to the family were more kids. And living in poverty for most of the time. While living near my grand parents did result in X-mas gifts to an extent, I got in the habit of not expecting givts. Mom divorced my natural father.

12-18 Mom had married a great human being. Darned few men want a sterile woman with 5 noisy kids. Dad was special. Dad died in 1995. My daughter used to have me to her home for X-mas until about 4 years back. I don't know what happened. She now goes many miles away with her husband to his parents house. When they used to live close to me, i would go to their home as well. When I was 12 and over, Dad who worked at construction worked steady. As a boss, the company never laid him off. And being very well paid, X-mas meant presents. Mom and Dad wanted us to open them X-mas Am and Dad would remove them from under the tree and pass them out. I never snooped into the presents. My siblings did I believe.

I was not married until getting out of the Army and I was 25 upon my first marriage. My home with my then wife operated about the same as my parents. My wife and mom somehow never quite got along. They did not fight, but my wife acted not too friendly toward my parents. My parents were simply great. I really liked her parents too. My wife did not get along with her parents either. My wife got into a fight with her mother and was going to leave me at her parents house had I not got to the car in time. I felt sorry for her mother since her mother had to be the one making an apology. For what, i never found out. And I was in the same room when the fight started. And my wife started them. But she never would apologize.

Wife 2 refused to even accept X-mas. I guess I got out of the habit.

After divorce in 1989, I had a number of lady friends. I would have married 2 of them. But alas they liked to cheat. I was loyal to a fault. The last one got me to thinking i did not need the aggraviation of that crap.

[red states rule]

My cats have always been pretty cool about it. One did like to knock things off the tree, so I put the unbreakable stuff within paws' reach. Someone (I think on this board?) once posted a pic of her cat sitting half way up her decorated tree!

Abbey, I once put a cat toy on the end of a coat hanger and put it on a door knob. Within 10 minutes the thread was broke and the toy was taken apart. They are obsesses with bottle caps off plastic containers of spring water. When they hear a cap hitting the counter or the top of my desk, they MUST have it
http://lolchristmas.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Christmas-Comic-025.jpg

[Abbey Marie]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fTT9xlgZ9CU/SVGk5eTb0bI/AAAAAAAAQz0/2j2_dAATFsk/s400/Christmas.jpg

[red states rule]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-023pgr5y16A/TvT0EKQfywI/AAAAAAAAJNQ/DNfgxy5tN7o/s1600/funny-pictures-cat-in-tree-tries-to-look-ornamental.jpg

[Abbey Marie]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-023pgr5y16A/TvT0EKQfywI/AAAAAAAAJNQ/DNfgxy5tN7o/s1600/funny-pictures-cat-in-tree-tries-to-look-ornamental.jpg

:laugh2:

[Abbey Marie]

So, of course another tradition is a small Christmas stocking for our cat. Usually containing a toy and some treats.

Another tradition since our daughter was born, is we always have books for her under the tree. I have to say, it is a lot harder to choose books for a 21 year old. When she was little, it was so much fun.

[Robert A Whit]

I had a step father. His mother, my grandmother, was a masterfull cook. And at her house, X-mas was special. See, she had the luxury of a commercial kitchen and a huge dining room.

She got hired by Kennecott Copper Company in Utah to run their Mess house. This house had full living quarters and a number of bedrooms, all upstairs. On the main level, it had an entry and the huge dining room coupled to a huge kitchen. She had a cake and pie room just for breads and such. She had a bunch of coolers like in supermarkets. She had hired help.

Man the food those executives wanted. The meals were simply awesome. She at times fed men whose net worth was in the billions of dollars. They expected the best.

I used to really hope my parents went to grandmas for X mas.

[Kathianne]

Growing up, Christmas was always at our house, Thanksgiving at my dad's sister's home.

My parents were kids during the depression, my dad born in 1920, my mom in 1922. After my sister was born with Down's syndrome, they had problems having children. By the time they had me, mom was 35, my brother was born 18 months later.

My folks made a huge deal over Christmas presents, starting in about September. My mom would get the Sear's "Big Toy Book" and tell us to circle ideas for Santa. I don't know how little I was the first time, "It always WAS." We always had chocolate advent calendars and a huge one my mom had made with riddles in each pocket, 'about the meaning of Christmas.' She wrote new ones every year.

We went to Marshall Field's the day after Thanksgiving to have our pictures taken with Santa and eat in the Walnut Room. I don't know how she did it, waiting in a two hour line with two antsy kids. Every year the same menu order: Chicken Pot Pie, hot chocolate, Christmas Stollen with whipped cream. We'd stop in the Market and my mom would buy a gazillion boxes of Frango mints for the house and for gifts for teachers, neighbors, post man, etc. That was it, no other shopping, home we'd go on the train.

Around the 2nd week of December, off to the YMCA we'd go, for 'the tree.' That was always a Saturday and we'd decorate on Sunday. My brother and I would keep making new ornaments and adding them to the tree.

When were like 7 and 8, my brother began searching for 'presents' from Thanksgiving on. He'd find one and shake it, (My mom must have known he'd do so, they were always wrapped!). I didn't want to know!

The week of Christmas my mom would go nuts baking cookies and cleaning. She enlisted us as her mini-slaves. I had to polish all the legs of chairs and tables. Vacuum. My brother had to clean closets. Only once did she ask us to wash the china and silver. Two pieces broken in 5 minutes, never again. ;)

Christmas Eve my dad was always off and would take my brother and I shopping for mom and him. Always went to the Field's in Oak Brook, where he could enlist one of the salesmen to help pick out his gift. LOL!

We'd get home around 3:30 and my brother and I'd watch Christmas shows on TV. Dad would be cutting up celery and onions in very small pieces, while my mom kept on cooking. Around 5 we'd eat the same thing: While Irish, my mom's sister had married an Italian, seems my mom picked up the 'meatless part,' (I always wondered where that came from): Minestroni Soup, Salad, Baked Ziti, Bread, and Cheesecake.

From early to about 10 years old, to bed by 9, but always had new 'Christmas pj's and slippers, (Santa had to put together toys!). We'd wake up around 5:30-6 and tear into the packages, my folks drinking coffee the whole time. When I said they took Santa seriously, sheesh. It would take us an hour and a half-two hours to open. You can imagine the amount of paper and ribbons. Yes, my mom wrapped bicycles! It looked like toyland!

Then? All hell broke loose! My mom was a fanatic about 'house being clean' and the marines had nothing on her. While she had turkey and filet roast to make, the house had to be perfect, meaning, "Get all this stuff out of the living room! Vacuum, there's paper everywhere! Dust!" Insanity. No playing with toys, get it cleaned up! Oh yeah, we had to be at mass by 10 am. While we had a huge living room and dining room, the bedrooms were not. The house was built in early 1900's, closets were small. Try putting away so many toys! I dare you! Luckily my dad knew the drill and would carry many down to the basement, knowing my mom would be normal the 26th.

Dinner company, my dad's family, would come around 5. Unlike Thanksgiving, Christmas was about the appetizers and gifts; dinner was good but not the main event. We'd have like 12 different appetizers, the adults having their drinks, us kids punch and egg nog. Dinner was around 18 people, for dessert and games it went up to close to 30. Everything was in the dining room. Sit down.

I think I'll make a second post about later years.

[Kathianne]

It just dawned on me to look for pics of the Walnut Room at Marshall Field's State Street. I chose this one because it gives some sense of the tree and the store, a work of art:

http://i46.tinypic.com/16hjk9u.png

Every year the tree changed, there are some great images:

http://www.google.com/search?q=IMAGES%20marshall%20fields%20walnut%20roo m%20christmas&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=900&bih=421&sei=hi3BULOoG8aZyQGSioHABw

Speaking of images, just found this, Walnut Room Chicken Pot Pie:

http://i50.tinypic.com/34e2owh.png

I couldn't find a pic of Christmas Stollen, but did find the more tasty, Frango Mint Pie!

http://i45.tinypic.com/nnqs7d.png

[Abbey Marie]

Growing up, Christmas was always at our house, Thanksgiving at my dad's sister's home.

My parents were kids during the depression, my dad born in 1920, my mom in 1922. After my sister was born with Down's syndrome, they had problems having children. By the time they had me, mom was 35, my brother was born 18 months later.

My folks made a huge deal over Christmas presents, starting in about September. My mom would get the Sear's "Big Toy Book" and tell us to circle ideas for Santa. I don't know how little I was the first time, "It always WAS." We always had chocolate advent calendars and a huge one my mom had made with riddles in each pocket, 'about the meaning of Christmas.' She wrote new ones every year.

We went to Marshall Field's the day after Thanksgiving to have our pictures taken with Santa and eat in the Walnut Room. I don't know how she did it, waiting in a two hour line with two antsy kids. Every year the same menu order: Chicken Pot Pie, hot chocolate, Christmas Stollen with whipped cream. We'd stop in the Market and my mom would buy a gazillion boxes of Frango mints for the house and for gifts for teachers, neighbors, post man, etc. That was it, no other shopping, home we'd go on the train.

Around the 2nd week of December, off to the YMCA we'd go, for 'the tree.' That was always a Saturday and we'd decorate on Sunday. My brother and I would keep making new ornaments and adding them to the tree.

When were like 7 and 8, my brother began searching for 'presents' from Thanksgiving on. He'd find one and shake it, (My mom must have known he'd do so, they were always wrapped!). I didn't want to know!

The week of Christmas my mom would go nuts baking cookies and cleaning. She enlisted us as her mini-slaves. I had to polish all the legs of chairs and tables. Vacuum. My brother had to clean closets. Only once did she ask us to wash the china and silver. Two pieces broken in 5 minutes, never again. ;)

Christmas Eve my dad was always off and would take my brother and I shopping for mom and him. Always went to the Field's in Oak Brook, where he could enlist one of the salesmen to help pick out his gift. LOL!

We'd get home around 3:30 and my brother and I'd watch Christmas shows on TV. Dad would be cutting up celery and onions in very small pieces, while my mom kept on cooking. Around 5 we'd eat the same thing: While Irish, my mom's sister had married an Italian, seems my mom picked up the 'meatless part,' (I always wondered where that came from): Minestroni Soup, Salad, Baked Ziti, Bread, and Cheesecake.

From early to about 10 years old, to bed by 9, but always had new 'Christmas pj's and slippers, (Santa had to put together toys!). We'd wake up around 5:30-6 and tear into the packages, my folks drinking coffee the whole time. When I said they took Santa seriously, sheesh. It would take us an hour and a half-two hours to open. You can imagine the amount of paper and ribbons. Yes, my mom wrapped bicycles! It looked like toyland!

Then? All hell broke loose! My mom was a fanatic about 'house being clean' and the marines had nothing on her. While she had turkey and filet roast to make, the house had to be perfect, meaning, "Get all this stuff out of the living room! Vacuum, there's paper everywhere! Dust!" Insanity. No playing with toys, get it cleaned up! Oh yeah, we had to be at mass by 10 am. While we had a huge living room and dining room, the bedrooms were not. The house was built in early 1900's, closets were small. Try putting away so many toys! I dare you! Luckily my dad knew the drill and would carry many down to the basement, knowing my mom would be normal the 26th.

Dinner company, my dad's family, would come around 5. Unlike Thanksgiving, Christmas was about the appetizers and gifts; dinner was good but not the main event. We'd have like 12 different appetizers, the adults having their drinks, us kids punch and egg nog. Dinner was around 18 people, for dessert and games it went up to close to 30. Everything was in the dining room. Sit down.

I think I'll make a second post about later years.


What wonderful memories! And that Christmas Eve meal is just about perfection, IMO!

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I love your envelope idea. It's the same reason I do the treasure hunt. It adds an element of surprise and fun to the day. As for the Jack Daniels, now that our daughter is 21, we always have a good bottle of champagne on Christms Eve, with Christmas music playing, and a fire going. (And usually another for Christmas brunch the next day). Sounds like we have some similar ideas about Christmas.

Yes we do..
Yes, its great fun and giving the money just delights everybody regardless if they get a 5 or a 50.-Tyr

[Robert A Whit]

Growing up, Christmas was always at our house, Thanksgiving at my dad's sister's home.

My parents were kids during the depression, my dad born in 1920, my mom in 1922. After my sister was born with Down's syndrome, they had problems having children. By the time they had me, mom was 35, my brother was born 18 months later.

My folks made a huge deal over Christmas presents, starting in about September. My mom would get the Sear's "Big Toy Book" and tell us to circle ideas for Santa. I don't know how little I was the first time, "It always WAS." We always had chocolate advent calendars and a huge one my mom had made with riddles in each pocket, 'about the meaning of Christmas.' She wrote new ones every year.

We went to Marshall Field's the day after Thanksgiving to have our pictures taken with Santa and eat in the Walnut Room. I don't know how she did it, waiting in a two hour line with two antsy kids. Every year the same menu order: Chicken Pot Pie, hot chocolate, Christmas Stollen with whipped cream. We'd stop in the Market and my mom would buy a gazillion boxes of Frango mints for the house and for gifts for teachers, neighbors, post man, etc. That was it, no other shopping, home we'd go on the train.

Around the 2nd week of December, off to the YMCA we'd go, for 'the tree.' That was always a Saturday and we'd decorate on Sunday. My brother and I would keep making new ornaments and adding them to the tree.

When were like 7 and 8, my brother began searching for 'presents' from Thanksgiving on. He'd find one and shake it, (My mom must have known he'd do so, they were always wrapped!). I didn't want to know!

The week of Christmas my mom would go nuts baking cookies and cleaning. She enlisted us as her mini-slaves. I had to polish all the legs of chairs and tables. Vacuum. My brother had to clean closets. Only once did she ask us to wash the china and silver. Two pieces broken in 5 minutes, never again. ;)

Christmas Eve my dad was always off and would take my brother and I shopping for mom and him. Always went to the Field's in Oak Brook, where he could enlist one of the salesmen to help pick out his gift. LOL!

We'd get home around 3:30 and my brother and I'd watch Christmas shows on TV. Dad would be cutting up celery and onions in very small pieces, while my mom kept on cooking. Around 5 we'd eat the same thing: While Irish, my mom's sister had married an Italian, seems my mom picked up the 'meatless part,' (I always wondered where that came from): Minestroni Soup, Salad, Baked Ziti, Bread, and Cheesecake.

From early to about 10 years old, to bed by 9, but always had new 'Christmas pj's and slippers, (Santa had to put together toys!). We'd wake up around 5:30-6 and tear into the packages, my folks drinking coffee the whole time. When I said they took Santa seriously, sheesh. It would take us an hour and a half-two hours to open. You can imagine the amount of paper and ribbons. Yes, my mom wrapped bicycles! It looked like toyland!

Then? All hell broke loose! My mom was a fanatic about 'house being clean' and the marines had nothing on her. While she had turkey and filet roast to make, the house had to be perfect, meaning, "Get all this stuff out of the living room! Vacuum, there's paper everywhere! Dust!" Insanity. No playing with toys, get it cleaned up! Oh yeah, we had to be at mass by 10 am. While we had a huge living room and dining room, the bedrooms were not. The house was built in early 1900's, closets were small. Try putting away so many toys! I dare you! Luckily my dad knew the drill and would carry many down to the basement, knowing my mom would be normal the 26th.

Dinner company, my dad's family, would come around 5. Unlike Thanksgiving, Christmas was about the appetizers and gifts; dinner was good but not the main event. We'd have like 12 different appetizers, the adults having their drinks, us kids punch and egg nog. Dinner was around 18 people, for dessert and games it went up to close to 30. Everything was in the dining room. Sit down.

I think I'll make a second post about later years.

Hey thanks a lot.

I love to read the stories about how various people handle this time of year.

My mom was a good cook and of course the table was always loaded to the gunnels with food of many types. You spoke of dishes I have only now heard of. I have to look up what Ziti is.

The thing with Grandma in Utah is she lived in a company house built for a huge number of people to eat meals at. And the company she worked for made sure she had top niotch food since the company top bosses would often eat there. Kennecott Copper is a huge company so Dad would take us over to the mine and we would think it was the Utah version of the grand canyon. I advise any of you going to Salt Lake City to go see that mine. It is so deep the enormous equipment looks tiny.

I should go visit Chicago but so far I have not. Last time I went to the East Coast, I did get to Niagra Falls and into Canada though where I had lunch and then back across the bridge on foot and headed out to PA. I marveled at how huge one of the great lakes is.

Great story Kath and I am waiting for chapter 2.

[Robert A Whit]

It just dawned on me to look for pics of the Walnut Room at Marshall Field's State Street. I chose this one because it gives some sense of the tree and the store, a work of art:

http://i46.tinypic.com/16hjk9u.png

Every year the tree changed, there are some great images:

http://www.google.com/search?q=IMAGES%20marshall%20fields%20walnut%20roo m%20christmas&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=900&bih=421&sei=hi3BULOoG8aZyQGSioHABw

Speaking of images, just found this, Walnut Room Chicken Pot Pie:

http://i50.tinypic.com/34e2owh.png

I couldn't find a pic of Christmas Stollen, but did find the more tasty, Frango Mint Pie!

http://i45.tinypic.com/nnqs7d.png I love these stories. That is a special place too when one is a child. Even as an adult.

I am now starving, thank you. :laugh:

[jimnyc]

http://xkcd.nl/FZ/funny-pictures-cat-hides-in-christmas-tree-and-waits.jpg

[jimnyc]

Awwwwwww

http://aartestsite.production.townsquaresites.com/files/2010/12/pug-large-xmas.jpg

[Kathianne]

My teen year holidays were also extreme regarding family, gifts, and food. I mean we all know that 'traditions' hang in there.

While my folks stopped drinking in my early years, not so the relatives. I was old enough now to realize Aunt Helen repeated her 'stories' 20 times, minimum, though they varied as the Manhattans kept flowing.

Still the holidays were grand. Favorite foods and as I got older my mom would let me seek out new appetizers to impress. It certainly helped I now know in retrospect, that items like crab, shrimp, and lobster didn't cause her a problem with costs. It's sort of funny in reflection, that the 'poor child' as an adult could afford 'extreme holidays' while the 'privileged child' finds basic holidays extreme. Irony abounds.

Anyways, my teens found myself working at Kroch's & Brentano's, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroch%27s_and_Brentano%27s) now defunct. A first rate bookstore and stationary store. They carried Christmas Cards and gift wraps in themes. 20% discount! LOL! We did just that. My folks around my 18 birthday, bought a huge artificial tree, which could be be put up at Thanksgiving and not be a fire hazard or cause of carpeting issues. For the first 3 years or so, Dicken's was the theme.

By the 4th, I was engaged and weddings was the new one. My brother managed to get engaged and married in between.

Anyways, not much really changed, other than my mom chilled out some, my dad wasn't as stressed or unpredictable in behavior. They were much more 'lovey-dovey' than they'd ever been when we were younger. While at the end of high school and beginning of college, that sort of grossed us out, we realized fairly quickly, it was good.

At their 25 wedding anniversary at the Union Club of Chicago which my uncle hosted, my mom said, "25 Years? It seems so much longer..." A few years from these Christmas's at her 40th wedding anniversary my brother and I threw at an American Legion Post she said, "At 25 years it seemed a sentence, at 40 years it seems like yesterday." It was all the perspective on the effects of alcohol. My dad stopped drinking when I was 7, with a few glitches. By the time I was 14, no glitches. It changed their relationship. Forever.

More later.

[Kathianne]

Awwwwwww

http://aartestsite.production.townsquaresites.com/files/2010/12/pug-large-xmas.jpg

I can tolerate cats, with a few sneezes. I love dogs!

[jimnyc]

http://i45.tinypic.com/nnqs7d.png

I must have gained at least 3lbs staring at this in the past few minutes. That looks yummy!

[Kathianne]

I must have gained at least 3lbs staring at this in the past few minutes. That looks yummy!

It was so delish! Frango Mint Ice Cream Pie. To die for!

[Robert A Whit]

My teen year holidays were also extreme regarding family, gifts, and food. I mean we all know that 'traditions' hang in there.

While my folks stopped drinking in my early years, not so the relatives. I was old enough now to realize Aunt Helen repeated her 'stories' 20 times, minimum, though they varied as the Manhattans kept flowing.

Still the holidays were grand. Favorite foods and as I got older my mom would let me seek out new appetizers to impress. It certainly helped I now know in retrospect, that items like crab, shrimp, and lobster didn't cause her a problem with costs. It's sort of funny in reflection, that the 'poor child' as an adult could afford 'extreme holidays' while the 'privileged child' finds basic holidays extreme. Irony abounds.

Anyways, my teens found myself working at Kroch's & Brentano's, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroch%27s_and_Brentano%27s) now defunct. A first rate bookstore and stationary store. They carried Christmas Cards and gift wraps in themes. 20% discount! LOL! We did just that. My folks around my 18 birthday, bought a huge artificial tree, which could be be put up at Thanksgiving and not be a fire hazard or cause of carpeting issues. For the first 3 years or so, Dicken's was the theme.

By the 4th, I was engaged and weddings was the new one. My brother managed to get engaged and married in between.

Anyways, not much really changed, other than my mom chilled out some, my dad wasn't as stressed or unpredictable in behavior. They were much more 'lovey-dovey' than they'd ever been when we were younger. While at the end of high school and beginning of college, that sort of grossed us out, we realized fairly quickly, it was good.

At their 25 wedding anniversary at the Union Club of Chicago which my uncle hosted, my mom said, "25 Years? It seems so much longer..." A few years from these Christmas's at her 40th wedding anniversary my brother and I threw at an American Legion Post she said, "At 25 years it seemed a sentence, at 40 years it seems like yesterday." It was all the perspective on the effects of alcohol. My dad stopped drinking when I was 7, with a few glitches. By the time I was 14, no glitches. It changed their relationship. Forever.

More later.

Speaking only for myself, keep those stories coming.

Dad liked beer. mom liked mixed drinks. But unless something special was going on, Mom did not drink and Dad had a few beers in the evening. When Dad hired me to work at the company he worked for, a ritual when we drove a hour through an area of heavy traffic, we often stopped for a few beers. Some bosses broke out booze at the end of the jobs.

I had a guy who we called Uncle Bob since at one time my dad had worked with him and ran around with him. Bob would tell stories lasting a long time. No sooner would he finish one, than he had the next and I admit most were funny. The tenth time they got old. And every year he broke out the same stories.

[Robert A Whit]

I must have gained at least 3lbs staring at this in the past few minutes. That looks yummy!

A perfect combination for a pie.

[Kathianne]

The first 'couple years' were interesting. My ex is Jewish. I was cool with saying, 'Thanksgiving with your family, along with Hanukkah, Christmas with mine. Our first year, Thanksgiving with his family meant a restaurant. No games, no grab bag, no politics.

We left the restaurant and went to my aunt's. Were there in time for a second dessert and the games. Even got late into the grab bag.

2nd year, invited his parents to my aunt's. His mother was rude, really no surprise and my aunt expected it. My MIL was all about appearances, didn't seem to get nuance. Spoke of things like Spode China and high line lamps. Never noticing that my aunt had Waterford and real Tiffany. It was a disaster.

By 3rd year, we invited all to our home for Christmas and his folks for Hanukkah. We left his folks to fend for themselves for Thanksgiving.

After that, we had our traditions.

My folks came for Christmas Eve, my mom's traditional menu held. Christmas Day, same as my mom's without they craziness of cleaning obsession. Worked well for all of us.

I didn't have their living room and dining room, but my brother's daughter and mine, later joined by their brothers, fit in living room at Little Tyke's picnic table just fine.

When the crowd grew, a few years later, it got a bit crazier, we moved it back to my mom's but with me cooking. Those were some crazy years, with kids still 'santa mode' and trying to get dinner for 25, and trying to keep up to mom's standards.

Great memories, but whew!

Some memories of those years:

My first child, my daughter was born on 7/28. For Christmas her gift was the complete set of Great Books. This was the beginning of a theme. Trust me. Those that think I'm looking down on others, not so. Though I can see why they may think so. Yes, I'm smart enough, but born with severe hearing loss, it seems that I always went to books for 'reality.' Until nearly high school aged, I'd had one friend I trusted. I was and still am sort of a loner. I blame the hearing, but it may be just a natural predilection.

Luckily, she had my parents. At about 6 months old, they gave her a Hot Wheels and ice skates for a 2 year old. LOL! She had more gifts, these are the ones that sort of set the theme.

Her second Christmas found Chicago dealing with a 70+ temp! Pictures of her and my brother's 3 year old on hot wheels, in shorts! More books! Albeit, more aged appropriate. Also a tricycle, not yet so appropriate. I was also 'expecting' again, due in May. The niece got a trampoline! My parents were big on being outside!

The next year set a new tradition for the following 5 years. After dinner my niece said that she wanted to go 'caroling.' So the kids: Niece, my daughter, their two second cousins of same ages, and the two toddlers, my son and his cousin went with the 'men' to sing. They came home with $30! It seems that too many neighbors were shocked at the 3 year olds voice, my daughter! Ah yes, the beginnings of fame.

At 3 she could sing a decent rendition of not only "Joy to the World," but also, "Oh Holy Night." Funny thing, shortly thereafter, we found she could also play any and all on the piano!

Gifts abound.

[Kathianne]

Speaking only for myself, keep those stories coming.

Dad liked beer. mom liked mixed drinks. But unless something special was going on, Mom did not drink and Dad had a few beers in the evening. When Dad hired me to work at the company he worked for, a ritual when we drove a hour through an area of heavy traffic, we often stopped for a few beers. Some bosses broke out booze at the end of the jobs.

I had a guy who we called Uncle Bob since at one time my dad had worked with him and ran around with him. Bob would tell stories lasting a long time. No sooner would he finish one, than he had the next and I admit most were funny. The tenth time they got old. And every year he broke out the same stories.

Thank you! LOL! I didn't even tell about the Christmas that my dad made the martinis for my uncles. While the one just put his aside, (my aunt's husband), the uncle, the priest said, "Jim, do you know that you just gave us vermouth and water? My dad freaked and my brother died. LOL! My dad ran next door and got some vodka. I don't know that he ever lived that one down, but it certainly proved he wasn't drinking any longer!

Cool with me at the time, my brother died a thousand deaths!

[cadet]

What we do is pretty fun,
We put up the tree usually the Saturday after thanksgiving, and me and my siblings take turns each year putting up the "angle" (dad wrote it wrong on the box)
Everyone chips in and buys everyone a present, so i got one for each of my siblings, and one for mom, and one for dad, I usually buy my brothers a collective one for both of them too.
We set up all the ornaments, along with the dogs stocking.
We celebrate Christmas at memaw/pepaws (dad's parents), it grows every year, now there's a huge group that goes to that little house. (This includes memaw's AMAZING cooking, mom's can't compare)
We do another one at grandma's/grandpa's (mom's parents), it's not as big, but there's more little kids then there used to be.

Finally, we go home, and have a terrible time attempting to sleep, i sleep in front of the stairs to keep the boys from sneaking down (specially after the year we managed to ruin Christmas . the boys (And i'll throw em) jump on mom and dad, and we sprint downstairs, where my sister is going to be making coffee. (mmm)
Every year something screws up, last year the dog got into the beef jerky dad got. Something will go wrong, trust me.
Presents, breakfast, and then we go down to the big family reunion. Where i get to see great granddad and all his great grand kids (I believe he's in the 80's of great grand kids, and about 1 or 2 great great)
Don't really know how i'm kin to most of them, but so far as i can gather, it goes out to my 3rd or 4th cousin twice or thrice removed.

After this, it's not really christmas, but later in the month we celebrate dad and my little bro's birthdays, and count down the new year.

[Robert A Whit]

Hey Kath. I have the Great Books too. Actually I have owned 2 sets. Set #1 were won by me in a contest. I was amazed to learn I won the contest and until the books showed up at my apartment, it was hard to believe I won them. I had started reading them but a lot was going on and after my divorce from Wife 1, they ended up stored in my cousins garage. He tossed all of my library away. i was pissed to the max. A few years ago, I decided to look for them in the used book shop. And had my name on the list to call. I used to go into that book store weekly. I got no call. Suddenly up on the shelf, I spotted a set in very good condition. i immediately bought them and am reading them pretty often. Amazing books. Then I am reading other books too and posting. Dr. Adler had a contest and I entered it in 1964 and that is how I got my first set. If anybody wants a reference for those books, i sure will give it. They have a lot of the best knowledge one can get. I suppose those books amount to more than a college education.

[Abbey Marie]

...
While my folks stopped drinking in my early years, not so the relatives. I was old enough now to realize Aunt Helen repeated her 'stories' 20 times, minimum, though they varied as the Manhattans kept flowing.
...



Best. Cocktail. Ever.


http://www.cocktailtimes.com/original/top_chambord_manhattan.jpg