I’m starting something. New family traditions. Since I do feel like you guys are a 2nd family to me (yes even you Irk): I wanted to share something I came across today, given the sad news from earlier in the year… here just watch.
@thismyusername that’s what it’s supposed to do. I can smell it if I’m standing right next to it, but that’s about it. We used to wrap a ribbon around it before using the cloves, so we could hang them around the house.
Looking online, supposedly some people have managed to keep theirs for years. I’m not sure what kind of oranges they’ve used… But I haven’t had much luck. I’m a little hopeful that it’ll at least last through Christmas.
@thismyusername that’s what it’s supposed to do. I can smell it if I’m standing right next to it, but that’s about it. We used to wrap a ribbon around it before using the cloves, so we could hang them around the house.
Looking online, supposedly some people have managed to keep theirs for years. I’m not sure what kind of oranges they’ve used… But I haven’t had much luck. I’m a little hopeful that it’ll at least last through Christmas.
For most of my childhood we went to Midnight Mass (nothing says Christmas like a “high” Episcopal Christmas mass). My mother would make sandwiches, then she, my dad, and my kid sister sat in front of the tree so Sis and I could choose one gift – from a small selection carefully curated by my mom – to open. Shortly after that my parents headed off to bed. By the time I was 16 and Sis was 12, we’d managed to talk the grown-ups into opening our presents all our gifts. They’d figured out by then that that meant they could sleep past 5:30am.
Christmas Eve was a quieter, less frenzied time for opening gifts, and once we were past believing in Santa (although some presents still come from him, even now) in was an easy transition to make.
It was traditional for our family (Mom & Dad & 6 kids) to get and put up the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve. The trees were always special. And I mean Charlie Brown special. It almost seemed Dad took pride in outdoing himself every year with the ugliest, twisted, lopsided, hide the hole against the wall tree he could find. He would be beaming when he brought it home. Mom would fuss over the “beautiful tree” while we tried to hide our laughter.
While decorating the tree we would sing Christmas carols and eat Christmas cookies and Mom’s fudge. Like @magic_cave we opened one present (Mom’s choice) just before going to Midnight Mass.
What I didn’t realize until many years later was why Dad always came home with the tree on Christmas Eve. Because we were a large family money was a bit tight. Cops didn’t make that much back then. Still don’t for what they do IMHO. But Dad was determined that his children would have a tree for Christmas. He would find a tree lot with a couple scraggly looking trees left and would take one off their hands for a dollar or two. He usually got it free.
Dad is gone and so are the Ugly Trees. But I wouldn’t trade a single one of Dad’s trees, or the memories they invoke, for all the tea in China.
My family tradition (My kids & grandkids) is now into its 2nd year. We were finding it too expensive to get everyone a present so we constructed a Fuku bag for each family. Per the videos they sent they seemed to enjoy them.
When we had kids, my wife and I decided that we wanted to enjoy Christmas Day at home so that the kids could enjoy their presents without having to rush around to relatives.
We always told the grandparents that they were more than welcome to come stop by.
This morphed almost immediately into “kevlar51’s family hosts Christmas dinner with Mrs. kevlar51’s side every year.” Kind of defeats the idea of a nice quiet stress-free day at home. But that argument falls on deaf ears…
I moved out of state several years ago - all the rest of the family is back home (Mom, Dad, kids) so I’m the only one out of the area.
I decided that rather than try to take 2 vacations and fly home at the worst travel times of the year - meaning both Thanksgiving and Christmas, I would instead do one trip right in the middle and knock them both out at once.
So now our family celebrates what I dubbed ‘Thanksmas’ and have a tree up and open presents one morning and then turn around and eat Thanksgiving dinner that afternoon. Usually happens around the 2nd week of December.
Seems to be a hit all around and something everyone looks forward to.
Every Christmas we’ve been together, @Humper and I get a new Christmas ornament for the tree. If we add members to the family (pets/kid) they get their own ornament that year.
This past Thanksgiving, we had the meal at our place for the first time. So we got a white tablecloth and everyone signed it, @PuppyCat had her hand traced, I’ll embroider the signatures and we’ll keep signing every year with a new color. (Thank you, internet, for this idea!)
@Thumperchick That’s an awesome Idea. the wife and I did the ornament thing for a few years… we started not doing it, but I should start it back up again… we now do it for @stitch, but not as much for eachother.
Post traditions new or old you share or want to share with your family or your mediocre family (you pick which family is which )
May have seemed cheesy when it was done, but I’ve always thought this is really good work. A great Christmas ‘mash-up’.
I’m willing to have a tradition where a living David Bowie and Bing Crosby duet at my place each year.
Had not seen. Thx.
@f00l Well said.
First one that comes to mind from my childhood was oranges being studded with cloves.
@RiotDemon Neat.
@RiotDemon what does it do? is it an air freshener?
edit: I guessed correctly… pomander.
@thismyusername that’s what it’s supposed to do. I can smell it if I’m standing right next to it, but that’s about it. We used to wrap a ribbon around it before using the cloves, so we could hang them around the house.
Looking online, supposedly some people have managed to keep theirs for years. I’m not sure what kind of oranges they’ve used… But I haven’t had much luck. I’m a little hopeful that it’ll at least last through Christmas.
@thismyusername that’s what it’s supposed to do. I can smell it if I’m standing right next to it, but that’s about it. We used to wrap a ribbon around it before using the cloves, so we could hang them around the house.
Looking online, supposedly some people have managed to keep theirs for years. I’m not sure what kind of oranges they’ve used… But I haven’t had much luck. I’m a little hopeful that it’ll at least last through Christmas.
For most of my childhood we went to Midnight Mass (nothing says Christmas like a “high” Episcopal Christmas mass). My mother would make sandwiches, then she, my dad, and my kid sister sat in front of the tree so Sis and I could choose one gift – from a small selection carefully curated by my mom – to open. Shortly after that my parents headed off to bed. By the time I was 16 and Sis was 12, we’d managed to talk the grown-ups into opening our presents all our gifts. They’d figured out by then that that meant they could sleep past 5:30am.
Christmas Eve was a quieter, less frenzied time for opening gifts, and once we were past believing in Santa (although some presents still come from him, even now) in was an easy transition to make.
It was traditional for our family (Mom & Dad & 6 kids) to get and put up the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve. The trees were always special. And I mean Charlie Brown special. It almost seemed Dad took pride in outdoing himself every year with the ugliest, twisted, lopsided, hide the hole against the wall tree he could find. He would be beaming when he brought it home. Mom would fuss over the “beautiful tree” while we tried to hide our laughter.
While decorating the tree we would sing Christmas carols and eat Christmas cookies and Mom’s fudge. Like @magic_cave we opened one present (Mom’s choice) just before going to Midnight Mass.
What I didn’t realize until many years later was why Dad always came home with the tree on Christmas Eve. Because we were a large family money was a bit tight. Cops didn’t make that much back then. Still don’t for what they do IMHO. But Dad was determined that his children would have a tree for Christmas. He would find a tree lot with a couple scraggly looking trees left and would take one off their hands for a dollar or two. He usually got it free.
Dad is gone and so are the Ugly Trees. But I wouldn’t trade a single one of Dad’s trees, or the memories they invoke, for all the tea in China.
My family tradition (My kids & grandkids) is now into its 2nd year. We were finding it too expensive to get everyone a present so we constructed a Fuku bag for each family. Per the videos they sent they seemed to enjoy them.
When we had kids, my wife and I decided that we wanted to enjoy Christmas Day at home so that the kids could enjoy their presents without having to rush around to relatives.
We always told the grandparents that they were more than welcome to come stop by.
This morphed almost immediately into “kevlar51’s family hosts Christmas dinner with Mrs. kevlar51’s side every year.” Kind of defeats the idea of a nice quiet stress-free day at home. But that argument falls on deaf ears…
I moved out of state several years ago - all the rest of the family is back home (Mom, Dad, kids) so I’m the only one out of the area.
I decided that rather than try to take 2 vacations and fly home at the worst travel times of the year - meaning both Thanksgiving and Christmas, I would instead do one trip right in the middle and knock them both out at once.
So now our family celebrates what I dubbed ‘Thanksmas’ and have a tree up and open presents one morning and then turn around and eat Thanksgiving dinner that afternoon. Usually happens around the 2nd week of December.
Seems to be a hit all around and something everyone looks forward to.
@Bingo I love this compromise!
Every Christmas we’ve been together, @Humper and I get a new Christmas ornament for the tree. If we add members to the family (pets/kid) they get their own ornament that year.
This past Thanksgiving, we had the meal at our place for the first time. So we got a white tablecloth and everyone signed it, @PuppyCat had her hand traced, I’ll embroider the signatures and we’ll keep signing every year with a new color. (Thank you, internet, for this idea!)
@Thumperchick That’s an awesome Idea. the wife and I did the ornament thing for a few years… we started not doing it, but I should start it back up again… we now do it for @stitch, but not as much for eachother.