Xmas eve traditions

[EarlyBird]

I know that in some cultures xmas even isnt even celebrated and in some xmas eve is the big celebration night. Do you and your family celebrate any traditions? (cultural or just with your family) On xmas eve?

[ChibiAiChan]

We all go over our family's house (as of late it has been aunt Julies, it used to be out house but we don't have a house anymore...) and have dinner, spend time with eachother, and give eachother gifts =D We used to draw names for gifts (my family is HUGE, counting my sister and I my grandma had 5 kids, 13 grandkids, and 7 great grandkids, yeah.) but now since not everyone comes we really just get gifts for the kids, since we have so many now... 3 in one year! Anyways, thats ours. Than on Christmas day we go to Aunt Neicy's (again, used to be our house) and eat together. We are really close.

[WebLady]

We always spend Christmas Eve with my family (decorting cookies, dinner, presents) and Christmas Day with DH's family.

When I was younger we would always open gifts from the family on Christmas Eve and then "Santa" gifts would be on Christmas morning.

[Whitewater]

When my brother and I were kids we would drive the hour and a half or so to meet the rest of the extended family, and stay with either my Nana or my aunt and uncle. Then we'd have a big Christmas party on Christmas Eve and another uncle would sneak out of the party while we kids were downstairs in the game room. We would hear thumping and footsteps and so on and one of the adults would rush to the basement steps, fling open the door, and shout "Santa is here! Come quickly so you can see him before he goes away!" Of course, by the time we *got* upstairs to the living room where the fireplace was, all that was left of Santa was some sooty footprints and some melting snow! And the presents, of course.

We got to open one (and ONLY one) present on Christmas Eve, the rest we opened on Christmas Day, after dinner.

Now, my brother and I and all the cousins are adults (well, mostly) and the Santa playing uncle is dead -- and my family is scattered all over the US, so we don't do that anymore, but oh, it was fun while it lasted.

Before I met my FH I would meet my family for dinner on Christmas Eve and the tradition of opening one present still held true. Then, we'd all meet again on Christmas day and open presents after dinner.

Now, my FH and I go to his family's home (along with his brother and sister in law, and their 2 year old, and occasionally other relatives) for Christmas Eve, because they celebrate then. We have dinner and visit, and we open presents, though because of the kid's age nobody stays for very long.

On Christmas Day myself and my FH will go to my parent's home and we'll spend most of the day there, visiting and playing with the dogs (we have a standard poodle, my folks have a standard poodle, and my brother has a cheasapeake bay/border collie mix), then we'll eat dinner and open gifts before my brother and I and the FH go back home.

Christmas dinner is an important tradition in my family! On Boxing Day (the 26th) since I'm not working at the moment I'll be making a ham and some other stuff so that we can have our own celebration.


Whitewater

[lizardbnorton]

We don't have any traditions. Things are different every year for me. Sometimes I go up and visit my family, sometimes I stay here and go to Robert's family. Both last year and this year, I have gone with Robert's dad and some friends to a candle church service at a church in Santa Cruz. It's really pretty. After that we go back to the friend's house and eat dinner and open presents. On Christmas morning I will open presents with my family and then probably go with Robert to his family's house. I am currently debating, because this is going to be my last Christmas at home. My mom is already starting to feel the empty nest syndrome, so I may stay home instead of going. I don't know how Robert and I are going to do holidays starting next year.

[WBandMe]

When I was younger my mom's brother's family and our family would go to my grandparents' house for Christmas Eve, then we'd open gifts just the 3 of us Christmas Day. When I was 8 my grandparents moved away and my mom and my aunt decided it's too much money to buy presents for each others kids. Now, sometime around Christmas we go to my aunt's for dinner...usually it's Mom's birthday, the 23rd, but not this year... then Christmas Eve we make a nice dinner and do gifts at my house, and Christmas Day my brother and I go to my dad's. We never used to do presents Christmas Eve...when we were little we talked mom into letting us do one, maybe..but one year when she was going to have to work the 25th we did everything the 24th, and I guess it stuck.

[s_r_d3]

When I was growing up we would spend Christmas eve as a family. We were aloud to open 1 gift any gift we wanted. Then on Christmas day we would open all gifts and do dinner.

When I moved out I would go to my parents house then my inlaws house. Thats where I would do dinner. After we moved out of the state where our parents lived on Christmas eve we didnt do anything but on Christmas day it was just my ex, myself and our children.

Now I dont plan anything whatever my future inlaws plan is what goes since i have no family around here. Last year and this year we are celebrating Christmas on Christmas eve because people have to work on Christmas. So that leaves Christmas open for us to do whatever. Fh and I plan to exchange gifts on Christmas day together and we'll probaly sit around and watch movies and eat left overs.

[frenchie]

We have a small dinner with salmon, foie gras, little hot-dogs and mini-pizzas, with pop and eggnog (this year was the first time I tried it with rhum - soooooo good!!!!)

And after that we open the gifts that are under the tree :)

[StJohnBride]

DH and I have Christmas Eve at our house. Both sets of parents, siblings, and sometimes his aunt, uncle, and cousins, or mine. It's always a full house with 15-20 people. We always have ham. Blech. I hate pork.

This year, since it's just 10 (parents and siblings), I'm making beef tenderloin. Holy cow was it expensive -- $25 per lb! Plus all the sides. But -- I love it.

We don't open any gifts, it's just a day to gorge.

[Nekochanpurr]

We all go over our family's house (as of late it has been aunt Julies, it used to be out house but we don't have a house anymore...) and have dinner, spend time with eachother, and give eachother gifts =D We used to draw names for gifts (my family is HUGE, counting my sister and I my grandma had 5 kids, 13 grandkids, and 7 great grandkids, yeah.) but now since not everyone comes we really just get gifts for the kids, since we have so many now... 3 in one year! Anyways, thats ours. Than on Christmas day we go to Aunt Neicy's (again, used to be our house) and eat together. We are really close.

What she said! Its getting really confusing though, we'll be all over the place on Christmas this year, between Steves family and mine.. It'll be fun, though! :heart:

[RevMatty]

Varies with us year to year. Just depends on who plans what and when it was planned.
This year home alone with wife :hug:
Last year my parents, Year before that, hers.
Varies each year.

[ger]

When my kids were little, we used to go to the ex's side on Christmas Eve, then have Christmas morning at our house, the supper with my family. I loved the Christmas morning at our house. We had a big breakfast...and both sets of Grandparents could watch the kids open their presents. They also got to play with them for most of the day without having to go somewhere else. It was a good thing!!

Now, it kind of depends on my work schedule. This year, all the family came over after church. We ate chili, opened our presents, and then decorated gingerbread houses. We had sooo much fun.

Today, the kids went to their Dad's side of the family for lunch and will be at our house for supper. We are having prime rib (wow, was that expensive!!) mashed potatoes and homegrown corn!

[EarlyBird]

My xmas eve is a bit crazy- we follow family and cultural tradition. 7 fish and xmas eve being the "big" holiday are the cultural things and then things like coming early to bake cookies, "chinese gift giving" (i know this is what its called and for the life of me cant find the actual write up on it explaining it. its a fun "game") B/c there is 40 of us and we cant get for everyone, and then the 6 "kids" (and spouses and fiances) (in our 20's and 30's but none of us have kids yet so we still are the kids) get gifts from our aunts and uncles
Then we go to midnight mass.

Xmas day is at my mom's house and its also a crazy day - My tradition is the rice balls. We open gifts early, set the table and start cooking. Its an earlier day- dinner at around 3:30 and the night wraps up around 9pm. My in laws join us and its always nice cuz my MIL's bday is today :)

[TangoWedding]

This is my first year living with FH, so we decided to start our own tradition that we're already excitedly planning for next year. LOL

First, every weekend in December, we open one gift each. Then on Christmas eve, we make hot cocoa and open the rest of the gifts together. Then Christmas morning, we do the stockings.

Then the rest of the day is for family.

It was absolutely fantastic!! I'm gonna love this tradition! :frogg: