Traditions of Christmas

Pixie Land--a tradition that dates back to when we children were little.

        Everyone should have some Christmas traditions; things that you do that are are special and unique to Christmas time.  Anyone can have traditions whether you have a family of your own or are single.  If your family dynamics have changed, create new traditions to fit that change.  "Empty nesters" will only find themselves frustrated and disappointed when there children are no longer home if they don't create new traditions, just for the two of them.  And how would I have any clue about that?  Well, suffice it to say that we have had to create new traditions since my Mom passed away. However, the photo above shows one of her traditions that we have held onto.  Mom created Pixie Land for us children when we were small and as we got older she tried to phase it out because we really were past that stage; but we wouldn't allow her to stop it completely. 
   In our family, one of the traditions is that everyone meets at the "home place" for Christmas breakfast which is always a special recipe for a nut filled yeast roll and is served with sausage.

Christmas Roll--another long time tradition

  

The "Retro" Tree

    One of the things that we have started doing was making a "Retro" tree.  It is a tree with multicolored lights, on which we put many of the old ornaments that were on the tree when we were growing up.  There are some newer pieces on the tree just to help fill it out, but those pieces are ones that fit the rest of the style.
    Traditions can be simple or elaborate; but they lend a sense of fun and security to the Christmas season and can also eliminate the need for frantic planning.  What shall we do for . . . ?  Simple. What has been the tradition?  For example, the Christmas breakfast does not even need a second thought at our house because we all just know what the plan is.
    Here are just a few ideas for Christmas traditions; but be creative.  Let your imagination work.
          * Have a standard program for opening gifts; even if it is the program of sheer chaos.
          * Go out on Christmas Eve day, get coffee, and do some "just for fun" shopping.
          * Have a special movie that you watch as a family to "kick off" the Christmas season.
          * Have a special Christmas movie that you watch as a family a few days before Christmas.    
             Add a special meal and make it an evening.

          *  Share stockings sometime in the evening of Christmas Day.  This helps with Christmas
              evening anti-climax.  Fill the stockings with lots inexpensive items like candy, chocolate,
              snacks, gum, body washes, body sprays, lotions, pretty nail files, bath puffs, note papers,

              cool or really nice pens, chap sticks, gloves or mittens, neck scarves, any kind of small 

              gifts or practical things. Wrap each one separately so that everyone has the fun of 

             unwrapping them. Also, fun to do, is to fill out name tags for each gift from a famous 

             person. Or fill out the name tags with fictional characters, for example: To Janet, from Tiny 

             Tim.Make them all different.

          *  Read a special Christmas book or story together.
          *  Go out some evening to look at Christmas lights.
But above all create wonderful memories and fun times.