Welcome To Blogmas Day Fourteen Guys!
Last year, when I was reading a ton of Blogmas posts, and watching Vlogmas videos, I noticed that a lot of people included one post or video about their Christmas traditions, and I had already decided that if I was going to do Blogmas this year, that I would definitely love to include a post on my Christmas traditions, and today seemed like the perfect day to do so.
Christmas Eve: My family has always done Christmas a little different from most other families that I know of. When my mom was a young girl, her mother (my grandmother obviously lol), hated the fact that gifts were opened on Christmas day. She didn't like the fact that she was in the kitchen trying to get the turkey and such in the oven, and that she ended up missing the look on her kid's faces when they opened their gifts in the meantime. She was also not the type of person who liked opening gifts and such while in pajamas, and so from way before I was even born, our Christmas Eve tradition began.
Christmas Eve became the night we would all get dressed up fancily, and go to my grandparents house for what became my favorite dinner of the entire year. My Grandmother made Christmas Eve a night for appetizer's, and would prepare lots of delicious finger foods like ham and cheese balls, deviled eggs, chips and dip, and too many things too possibly list, which we would all feast on until we couldn't possibly eat any more. After dinner, we would gather in the living room to sing carols while my mom accompanied us on the piano, and then everyone would gather around my Grandmother for her to read us the Christmas story from her Bible. She would then say a prayer, and then it was time for gifts. Us kids were always so excited and happily ripped into the beautiful packages placed in front of us. One last thing my family insisted on though was that gifts were opened one by one. Everyone wanted to see everyone else's reaction to their gifts, and so we took turns opening our gifts.
Not only was the beautiful night an amazing time with my family, but it was also my Grandma's way of compromising with all her in laws families. She got Christmas Eve, and they could all continue to have Christmas day.
My beloved Grandmother unfortunately passed away in 1998, but my immediate family adapted this much loved tradition that she instilled in us for so many years, and so on Christmas Eve my hubby and I both get all dressed up and head over to my parent's house to spend the evening with my Mom and my Stepdad, my older sister, and my two younger brothers. We enjoy appetizers, caroling, reading the Christmas story, the Christmas prayer, and then exchanging our gifts. And sometimes, if it's not too late by the time we finish, we'll also enjoying playing a couple of board games.
Christmas Day: Christmas Day has really become dependent on each specific year since I got married. Our Christmas morning starts with Neil and I exchanging our stockings, and then we get dressed up and head over to my family's house for Christmas brunch. Ever since I got married and moved out, I enjoy getting to bring something with me as a contribution, and last year I made a yummy hashbrown casserole and homemade cinnamon buns. We gather at my moms for a delicious brunch which will include everyone from last night, as well as my stepbrother and his wife, and my nephew, and possibly a few other people depending on who's schedules will be available. After brunch, we enjoy exchanging gifts with the people that couldn't make it the night before, and then Neil and I generally head off to visit his family for the afternoon. Unfortunately, this year that won't be happening as both of his parent's have to work, and aren't able to come this year for Christmas, and so we will be getting together with his family in January instead. Christmas night Neil and I will have dinner just the two of us, and then exchange gifts just the two of us, and then possibly go back to my parent's house for more board games with my brothers.
Boxing Day: Boxing Day is when my mom started doing her Christmas dinner quite a few years ago, in order to let the other side of the families have Christmas Day night, and so after Neil and I finish working, we both head over to my parent's house. In previous years, Boxing Day was a day when my sibling's and I used to enjoy going shopping before dinner, but since we now all have jobs that are open that day, usually it's back to work instead.
December 27th: Lastly, it became tradition a lot of years ago that we would have Christmas with my Dad and Stepmom and my two younger step siblings on December 27th. Dad always orders catered trays from a deli, and we enjoy just getting to spend some time with him and his new family to close out our Christmas season.
As you can see, Christmas is always a super busy time for Neil and I, and tends to get busier every year, but we wouldn't have it any other way, and always take New Years as a quiet time for just the two of us.
I thank you guys so much for reading, and I'd love to hear about any of your Christmas traditions that you don't mind sharing. :)
I'll see you all back here tomorrow for Blogmas Day 15!
Last year, when I was reading a ton of Blogmas posts, and watching Vlogmas videos, I noticed that a lot of people included one post or video about their Christmas traditions, and I had already decided that if I was going to do Blogmas this year, that I would definitely love to include a post on my Christmas traditions, and today seemed like the perfect day to do so.
Christmas Eve: My family has always done Christmas a little different from most other families that I know of. When my mom was a young girl, her mother (my grandmother obviously lol), hated the fact that gifts were opened on Christmas day. She didn't like the fact that she was in the kitchen trying to get the turkey and such in the oven, and that she ended up missing the look on her kid's faces when they opened their gifts in the meantime. She was also not the type of person who liked opening gifts and such while in pajamas, and so from way before I was even born, our Christmas Eve tradition began.
Christmas Eve became the night we would all get dressed up fancily, and go to my grandparents house for what became my favorite dinner of the entire year. My Grandmother made Christmas Eve a night for appetizer's, and would prepare lots of delicious finger foods like ham and cheese balls, deviled eggs, chips and dip, and too many things too possibly list, which we would all feast on until we couldn't possibly eat any more. After dinner, we would gather in the living room to sing carols while my mom accompanied us on the piano, and then everyone would gather around my Grandmother for her to read us the Christmas story from her Bible. She would then say a prayer, and then it was time for gifts. Us kids were always so excited and happily ripped into the beautiful packages placed in front of us. One last thing my family insisted on though was that gifts were opened one by one. Everyone wanted to see everyone else's reaction to their gifts, and so we took turns opening our gifts.
Not only was the beautiful night an amazing time with my family, but it was also my Grandma's way of compromising with all her in laws families. She got Christmas Eve, and they could all continue to have Christmas day.
My beloved Grandmother unfortunately passed away in 1998, but my immediate family adapted this much loved tradition that she instilled in us for so many years, and so on Christmas Eve my hubby and I both get all dressed up and head over to my parent's house to spend the evening with my Mom and my Stepdad, my older sister, and my two younger brothers. We enjoy appetizers, caroling, reading the Christmas story, the Christmas prayer, and then exchanging our gifts. And sometimes, if it's not too late by the time we finish, we'll also enjoying playing a couple of board games.
Christmas Day: Christmas Day has really become dependent on each specific year since I got married. Our Christmas morning starts with Neil and I exchanging our stockings, and then we get dressed up and head over to my family's house for Christmas brunch. Ever since I got married and moved out, I enjoy getting to bring something with me as a contribution, and last year I made a yummy hashbrown casserole and homemade cinnamon buns. We gather at my moms for a delicious brunch which will include everyone from last night, as well as my stepbrother and his wife, and my nephew, and possibly a few other people depending on who's schedules will be available. After brunch, we enjoy exchanging gifts with the people that couldn't make it the night before, and then Neil and I generally head off to visit his family for the afternoon. Unfortunately, this year that won't be happening as both of his parent's have to work, and aren't able to come this year for Christmas, and so we will be getting together with his family in January instead. Christmas night Neil and I will have dinner just the two of us, and then exchange gifts just the two of us, and then possibly go back to my parent's house for more board games with my brothers.
Boxing Day: Boxing Day is when my mom started doing her Christmas dinner quite a few years ago, in order to let the other side of the families have Christmas Day night, and so after Neil and I finish working, we both head over to my parent's house. In previous years, Boxing Day was a day when my sibling's and I used to enjoy going shopping before dinner, but since we now all have jobs that are open that day, usually it's back to work instead.
December 27th: Lastly, it became tradition a lot of years ago that we would have Christmas with my Dad and Stepmom and my two younger step siblings on December 27th. Dad always orders catered trays from a deli, and we enjoy just getting to spend some time with him and his new family to close out our Christmas season.
As you can see, Christmas is always a super busy time for Neil and I, and tends to get busier every year, but we wouldn't have it any other way, and always take New Years as a quiet time for just the two of us.
I thank you guys so much for reading, and I'd love to hear about any of your Christmas traditions that you don't mind sharing. :)
I'll see you all back here tomorrow for Blogmas Day 15!
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