Growing up my family had lots of different Christmas traditions. Depending on whose turn it was to have Christmas would depend on what all we would do. If we were at our house for Christmas, we would go to a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at church, have dinner, look at lights around town, open up one gift before bedtime (always Christmas pj’s!!!) and watch Christmas movies.
If we were at my mom’s parents house for Christmas, we would have a very similar experience as if we were at home.
If we were at my dad’s parents house for Christmas, we would watch Christmas movies, have dinner and open up one gift before bedtime (Christmas pj’s!!).
Since being married and merging my traditions in with my hubby’s traditions, my traditions have fallen by the wayside. My hubby’s family has zero traditions. My hubby and I have been married for 7 years. We’ve been together nearly 12 years. I feel like my Christmas traditions, which were so important to me, have taken a back seat. And I really don’t know how to resurrect them. And I find it hard to understand why his family doesn’t have any.
I’ve tried setting up our own traditions but my hubby isn’t a traditions person. Sometimes, I think he lacks the spirit of Christmas.
I would love to try again but I really have no clue where to start. We don’t have any kids so it’s hard to bring in traditions that we can grow into and with. Any suggestions??
Do you have Christmas traditions? Did you merge any Christmas traditions? Do you struggle with Christmas traditions?
We both have always watched A Christmas Story on Christmas Day. Growing up, I always had a fake tree. While he grew up, he always had a real tree. Ever since we started dating, we got a real tree. On Christmas Day, I would always have turkey (a dinner similar to Thanksgiving). He is from California and would always have homemade tacos (including the tacos being homemade). So, that’s what we eat. I miss having a turkey twice a year. So, this year we are going to eat his traditional meal with his family and make my traditional meal for just the two of us. Also, ever since we began dating, we go to the Southern Lights (which is basically a festival of lights that you drive through).
My family christmas traditions before I got divorced was so much simpler. But now its a hassle. I have my boys on Christmas Eve and their dad has them on Christmas Day. It’s hard.
But when I was younger I remember having the family all gather at my grandparents house and we would have dinner and open presents and just spend that day with our loved ones. I guess as you get older things change.
My fiancé and I have been pretty good about splitting the traditions. For us I think the most important thing is that we have fun with them…those are the ones that seem to stick. Every year we get a real tree and have a party where our friends help us decorate the house, make cookies, listen to Christmas music and eat/drink way too much. This is something neither of us did before we met, but we had so much fun the first time that it continues to this day. Maybe try making new traditions that you both can enjoy! 🙂
When we got married we carried on some of each families traditions, but also made a point to start so w of our own. And a lot of our traditions revolve around food. We go out to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant on Christmas Eve. We eat lasagna for Christmas dinner (his family) and we have chocolate pies for dessert (my family recipe). We drive around and look at Christmas lights.
We have lots of Christmas traditions. Unfortunately, this year is going to be a change for us because we aren’t traveling, but having my family all together is the most important thing! One thing we will probably still do is my sister and I get to open 1 present on Christmas eve after church. 🙂
-AJ
You’ve given me a post idea Ms. Taylor! Thanks! 🙂 I do think it is easier to start traditions once a child is in the mix but I bet you have traditions now that you aren’t aware of like a certain breakfast for Christmas morning or late night last minute shopping on Christmas Eve. We have kind of merged our Christmas traditions and created new ones.
We had loads of Christmas traditions growing up. David’s family really doesn’t have ANY set traditions. I definitely have kept a few of the traditions my family did growing up: opening jammies on Christmas Eve, getting Robbie a new ornament every year (that represents something that happened that previous year) are a couple of them. The last few years I have made the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, so that has become our own little tradition.