What Unusual Christmas Tradition Do You Partake In?

Fred19Flintstone

Chritmas trees are pretty standard, but what unusual tradition do you and your family do? We stick with standard stuff. Every year a church in a neighboring town has a program for one weekend in December. You walk a trail around the property and stop at stations where part of the story of The birth of Jesus is told. It's called "Jesus Walk" and it's this weekend. We go with our adopted grandparents. Usually we freeze our tails, but it's going to be mild weather this weekend.

What to you do?

NPHuskerFL

I think we're pretty traditional. Our Son & I decorate outside about a week or two before Thanksgiving and help HuskerMaMa decorate inside too. We also decorate our neighbors home across the street (been doing that for around 15 yrs now). We like to go to St Augustine for the Night of Lights Trolley Tour. And another favorite is the Walk Through Bethleham at Lake Asbury Church in Green Cove Springs. & certainly we're always cooking and baking throughout the holiday season. Opening presents as a family at the Christmas tree outside on the lanai. These are just a few of our traditions.

Acn

We don't do anything really crazy, although we always go to 34th Street and enjoy the people who do:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RzJjEYE8Vvg

 

 

Tackman

We take boxes, put things in them. Then we cover those boxes with paper, folding the edges neatly, and secure them with tape, and or ribbon. We then place them under an evergreen tree that was chopped down, decorated with lights and ornaments, and placed where? In the living room. A tree indoors--I know, mind, blown. Right? Then, on Christmas morning we remove the paper from the boxes, and open them. Great fun.

GATraveller

We participate in the "Feats of strength" right after the "Airing of Grievances".

lousubcap

Roll Pulp Fiction Christmas Day (early afternoon) as a calming influence!

Eggcelsior

@ACN I love that place. I used to walk across the Hopkins campus to that block and walk up and down when I worked at Union Memorial. Great way to decompress after work.

Oh Boy! What a block!

Acn

@Eggcelsior‌ - it is amazing. We stopped going for a few years, while our daughter was really little, but I remember the first time we brought her when she was 4, the look of sheer awe on her face was amazing.

BREWnQ

When I was younger the family would go to grandma and grandpas house and for pretty traditional stuff but grandma would lay out a big felt 'pond' and put a bunch of little stocking suffers on it.  Then we'd all take turns with a stick and line with a hook and 'fish' for gifts.  The gifts we're allways BS but it was so much fun picking your gift then trying to snag it then opening it up to see what it is.  Family is older and changed now so we dont even get together anymore but I sure loved doing it. 

Zmokin

Our town has Santa riding around in a sleigh on a flat bed trailer handing out candy and collecting cans of food.  He is escorted by police and fire trucks honking their horns and blurping their sirens while on the move.  He used to drive right in front of my house for years, but 2 years ago they changed the route and now we have to go find him.

My neighborhood also does a luminary on Xmas Eve, the coolest was a long time ago, it got real foggy one Xmas Eve and the glow from the candles was real pretty looking.  It's neat without the fog, but I think it's a 1000 times better with the fog.

and we have a family tradition of opening one present on Xmas Eve and then the rest Xmas morning as normal.

NervousDad

GATraveller said:

We participate in the "Feats of strength" right after the "Airing of Grievances".

D'oh beat me to it, I was just typing that we we air our grievances  

fishlessman

we try an avoid the feuding, but since mom ran away its been pretty peaceful. xmas used to start with it being cancelled

RRP

Though I am not Catholic my wife is and for years I would join her at midnight Mass. There was always something special about that time and that service. Then several years ago at parishioners requests it was moved from midnight to 4 pm and it lost the special glow besides it was packed and standing room only. She still goes with her sister but I don't.

Eggcelsior

RRP said:

Though I am not Catholic my wife is and for years I would join her at midnight Mass. There was always something special about that time and that service. Then several years ago at parishioners requests it was moved from midnight to 4 pm and it lost the special glow besides it was packed and standing room only. She still goes with her sister but I don't.

So now it's "Early Bird Special" Mass?

SpartanPride

White Russians while my wife and I decorate the tree. Do it every year! "I've got a beverage here man"

Fred19Flintstone

SpartanPride said:

White Russians while my wife and I decorate the tree. Do it every year! "I've got a beverage here man"

I like that! Wilma doesn't drink so I'll have to drink her share.

badinfluence

I eat peanut brittle

Doc_Eggerton

It has been a "tradition" for only a few years, but I make pulled pork for the Christmas dinner.  Cooking for 16 on Dec 20th.  Nice thing about pulled pork is you can make it ahead of time.

RRP

Eggcelsior said:

Though I am not Catholic my wife is and for years I would join her at midnight Mass. There was always something special about that time and that service. Then several years ago at parishioners requests it was moved from midnight to 4 pm and it lost the special glow besides it was packed and standing room only. She still goes with her sister but I don't.

So now it's "Early Bird Special" Mass?

yes - I'm told that if you don't get there by 3pm you will be standing!

DaveRichardson

Traditional stuff with the kids.  Eldest daughter's ballet company goes around to all the old folks homes and dances fro them.  That's kinda fun.

I've got a biker buddy that's built like Ole St. Nick with the beard and all who will make house calls on his red Harley to bad boys and girls.....  Now THAT's a sight to see....  Santa on his Hog rolling down the street!!!

Jeremiah

This year were loading up my family (me wife and 4yr old daughter) and my mother and her dog and driving up to PA for the weekend following Christmas. I figure about halfway through VA my mother will be relocated to the roof. 8-} b-( :-@

fishlessman

one tradition that went away for whatever reason was red pistachios, why is there no red ones anymore, we always had red at xmas

RRP

fishlessman said:

one tradition that went away for whatever reason was red pistachios, why is there no red ones anymore, we always had red at xmas

now that you mention it - it has been years since they have been dyed red hasn't it?

Eggcelsior

fishlessman said:

one tradition that went away for whatever reason was red pistachios, why is there no red ones anymore, we always had red at xmas

I have never seen a red pistachio. Granted, you have a few years on me.

fishlessman

Eggcelsior said:

fishlessman said:

one tradition that went away for whatever reason was red pistachios, why is there no red ones anymore, we always had red at xmas

I have never seen a red pistachio. Granted, you have a few years on me.

boy did you miss out
)

fishlessman

RRP said:

fishlessman said:

one tradition that went away for whatever reason was red pistachios, why is there no red ones anymore, we always had red at xmas

now that you mention it - it has been years since they have been dyed red hasn't it?

i just asked today and they had no idea what i was talking about, bought the salt and pepper ones
i dont know when they stopped making them, used to love them as a kid, they were probably poisonous
)

Zmokin

google red pistachios, you will find the answer

GATraveller

Heard they caused E.D. 

Fred19Flintstone

GATraveller said:

Heard they caused E.D. 

That's hard to get excited about. Or maybe it's not so hard.

DaveRichardson

New meaning to getting caught red handed!

Little Steven

Fred19Flintstone said:

Chritmas trees are pretty standard, but what unusual tradition do you and your family do? We stick with standard stuff. Every year a church in a neighboring town has a program for one weekend in December. You walk a trail around the property and stop at stations where part of the story of The birth of Jesus is told. It's called "Jesus Walk" and it's this weekend. We go with our adopted grandparents. Usually we freeze our tails, but it's going to be mild weather this weekend. What to you do?

The family gift exchange. One gift per person provided. Everybody gets a number. First person picks a gift from the pile. When your number comes up you can pick an open gift somebody picked or go to the pile. It's over when it's over and it's bedlam. It's full contact for sure.