What is your most unusual Christmas tradition?

[Scrambled Egg]

We started about 4 years ago adding those crazy Christmas crackers to our packages and they are alot of fun!!They have to be opened before your present is and they make a loud pop and contain a small prize, a hat (have to wear it!) and a crazy saying you have to read out loud. We've made it a really fun part of our present opening --ya'll should try it, the kids loooovve it!!

What's ya'll's unusual tradition?

 

[jerryobaby]

The actual opening of gifts is referred to as "The Festival of Greed". As soon as all are opened, all of the torn wrapping paper is piled into a large mound in the center of the living room. The kids crawl into the pile of paper and we take the "Photo of Greed". Then all of the paper is removed to the back yard where we have... you guessed it... the "Bonfire of Greed".
Not to be without a chicken tradition, last year every one that came to visit had to have their picture taken with one of our chickens. My brother-in-law, the accountant from St. Louis, got a big kick out of that one.

 

[MissPrissy]

We go out for Chinese food on Christmas Eve. It's a restaurant that is frequented by celeb's, politicians and dignitairies from around the world. The peking duck is the best thing on the menu.

 

[schmoo]

I would hope that having 4 Christmas's is unusual. It is very tedious. We've been doing it for 10 years this way. My parents are divorced and so are my husbands. So we have one celebration with my Dad, stepmom and sisters family, one with my Mom and my sisters family, one on Christmas eve with my DHs whole family and one with just us on Christmas morning. Its nice to see everyone but I would sure love to space it out more. Its run run run.............

 

[palabeco]

WE have a large family, on my side. Each family brings a dated keepsake ornament to exchange like a grab bag. Saves from having to buy gifts for each person. Although some aunts and uncles and grandma give gifts to the children.

 

[katknapp]

We have a "pickle ornament" that Santa puts on the tree and whichever kid finds it in the morning gets an extra present.

 

[SeaChick]

We have paella on Chirstmas Eve. It started when I was a kid, my parents took our whole family out of school for a year and we sailed our sailboat to Europe. We had paella on Christmas Eve that year (although we were in greece!) and my mom continued that tradition when we got home. When I married and started my own family, I continued it. Even though we live in Maine, it is one of the only times we have lobster!

We also take FOR-EV-ER to open gifts. Again, from my parents tradition. I remember being SO jealous as akid of friends whose presents were all piled up, unwrapped, in indivdual piles for each kid, so the minute they ran down the stairs on Christmas morning, they could see what they got. Now, of course, I MUCH prefer the way we do it: we come down and open stockings first. Then have to WAIT while a big breakfast is prepared and served (it's funny to watch Olivia walking around the tree guessing what's in the boxes!) and then finally, about 2 hours after we have gotten out of bed, begin opening gifts. And everyone has to wait and watch the opening, one person at a time only.... so we are not done until early afternoon, depending on how many people there are. It's lovely because you get to see everyones gifts and everyones reactions and that makes each gift all the more special. It also makes it more about family togetherness than about consumerism, greed, STUFF........

Stacey

 

[SpottedCrow]

I make witch sugar cookies...

 

[lacyloo]

 

[FutureChickenMan]

we break out the "redneck teef" and regale the family with christmas carols that we change the words to...


"I have no money for you, you bum bum bum bum"
"Where's my rum"

etc etc you get the idea..

We don't do gift exchange at our house. We pool the money together of what we would have spent on each individual and send it to a member of the family that's having a hard time.

This year it will be my cousin who needs a new roof but cannot afford it.

Last year it was my uncle who was behind on his rent and utility bills.

The year before it was my aunt who is scraping by since my uncle died and needed a new computer.

I like this deal, because you can really help somebody by giving up some stupid thing you don't need anyway.