What old fashioned traditions do you have for Christmas???

[Blackjack]

Being that we live in the country, theres lots of farms that offer sleigh rides (if theres snow) thats first on my list...

 

[Foofoogal]

I know it is a bit corny but when our children were small we started singing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus at the manger and lighting candles. Passed this on now to our grandchildren.
We always open only one present Christmas Eve. The rest has to wait till morning.

 

[Charlie74]

I have several Christmas moives and cartoons that I re watch each year

 

[/|\]

I don't have any 'old fashioned' traditions for Christmas. For much of my life I've spent the holiday alone, so there's no reason for them. The one tradition I do follow is that I make roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for Christmas dinner. I can tell you, I really get tired of prime rib after a week! But I do it anyway. A couple of years ago I added glögi to the 'tradition', in remembrance of my mom's Finnish husband.

 

[Puzzicato]

This year is the first year my husband and I have had Christmas together, at home. I'm really looking forward to starting some new traditions!

 

[Geesie]

I suppose waiting until Christmas Eve to put up the tree and decorations would be considered "old fashioned".

 

[LizzieMaine]

We string popcorn at work for decorations. The job of making the popcorn strings is punishment I hand out to kids who get too mouthy.

 

[BoPeep]

My kids put out their shoes for St. Nick. St. Nick delivers the all important letter to Santa. We hang a pickle on our Christmas tree. Both are old world German traditions.

Also, we don't put Baby Jesus in the manger until after Midnight Mass. I hunted forever to find a Nativity scene that had baby separate from the manger!

 

[Blackjack]

I don't know if you were referring to a real pickle or an ornament. We've always had a pickle ornament on our tree, that and a spiderweb although I don't the meaning behind either I'm afraid.

 

[AmateisGal]

I know it is a bit corny but when our children were small we started singing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus at the manger and lighting candles. Passed this on now to our grandchildren.

I don't think it's corny at all.

 

[AmateisGal]

We always have butterball soup (a Germans from Russia dish that you can read about here) at my grandmother's house on Christmas Eve. All the grandkids and now great-grandkids gather at her house and open presents.

I also have a collection of Christmas records from my childhood that I listen to. In fact, I bought a record player/CD player combo just for that reason!

 

[flat-top]

Well there's the annual viewing of "It's A Wonderful Life". Another Lounger said a few years ago that they would feel "unclean" if they missed "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and I agree.
We try to attend at least one Christmas concert a year. In the past it's usually been The Brian Setzer Orchestra, but since they're not touring, I've convinced the wife to go to the Trans Siberian Orchestra show. I saw them 2 years ago and it was pretty great.
We also drive around to see neighborhood light displays. There are a few crazy ones around here: folks with their own radio stations with synchronized music/ light extravaganzas.
I guess not entirely old fashioned, but traditional for me nonetheless!

 

[dhermann1]

I've been sharing Christmas for the last couple of years with my neice and her husband's family up in Rochester. One of the neat traditional things that I've been enjoying as part of the experience is taking the train (a real one, not the one under the tree) up there. It's about a 5 or 6 hour train trip up the Hudson and across New York State, a very scenic and historic route. And even if there's no snow here in New York City, there's always plenty when you get up to Western New York State!

 

[AmateisGal]

I've been sharing Christmas for the last couple of years with my neice and her husband's family up in Rochester. One of the neat traditional things that I've been enjoying as part of the experience is taking the train (a real one, not the one under the tree) up there. It's about a 5 or 6 hour train trip up the Hudson and across New York State, a very scenic and historic route. And even if there's no snow here in New York City, there's always plenty when you get up to Western New York State!

Y'know, I'd rather take the train than drive any day! We always have a six hour drive home and it gets sooooo boring. But if I could be on the train, I could stretch my legs, get a snack, not have to worry about stopping for bathroom breaks, and not worry about running out of gas!

 

[BoPeep]

... a real pickle or an ornament.

That'd be an ornament. The first person to find the pickle will have good luck all year. Never heard of the spiderweb though.

 

[Foofoogal]

Oh yes. It is tradition to cry at It's a Wonderful Life every year.

This movie and Forrest Gump are gifts to mankind IMHO.

 

[in/y]

A neighbor where I grew up (Glenside, Pa.) would invite all of the school-aged folks who were in the band (and the couple of adults who played horns as well) to come play Christmas carols (Salvation Army-esque arrangements) with him on his porch Christmas Eve evening. It was never announced/publicized, we just went out and played.

This became a regular event that neighbors would listen for each year. If the weather was warm, folks would come out to listen. In the cold weather they'd just open their front door and let the sounds come in through the storm door.

My brother (on sax) & I (on trombone) were regulars at this event.

After moving to New Jersey & my dad sold the family homestead, I have continued the tradition. Each Christmas Eve, my brother and I play Christmas carols out on my porch, unannounced. My son who is learning the trumpet now joins in and this year my daughter who has started learning the trombone this fall (following in her dad's footsteps) is going to try to join us as well.

 

[Spitfire]

Since we got married - and that's more than 20 years ago - we´ve bought one new decoration for the christmastree somewhere abroad. Together with some old decorations from our parents home and our grandparents home it makes a very traditional and personal christmastree.
As some of you know christmas eve is the big thing here. Traditional dinner and gifts and what have you is at the 24th of december. 25th and 26th are hollidays - but not as big as the 24th.

The traditional dinner in Denmark is roasted pork or roasted duck - or both!!!! With red cabbage and sugarbrowned potatoes followed by riceporridge or Rice A'lamande. With one hole almond in. The one who gets the almond, gets a present.
After dinner the candels are lit at the christmastree, we sing and everybody gets presents.
Some goes to church in the afternoon - before dinner and some goes at midnight instead.

The next two days are normally spent with family and friends - and you eat too much. And drink too much.
Very viking like!

 

[Wally_Hood]

I suppose waiting until Christmas Eve to put up the tree and decorations would be considered "old fashioned".

My Mother and Dad, WWII era young marrieds, told me that the general practice when they were growing up was to put the tree up close to Christmas Eve. Nowadays I see decorations up around Halloween.

Could we say an old-fashioned tradition would include keeping Thanksgiving a stand-alone event?

 

[LordBest]

On Christmas Eve my mothers family have a supper and present giving session at my grandmothers house.

Then we have the full blown English Christmas Day luncheon. Roast turkey, stuffing, ham, roast vegetables, peas etc. Followed by Christmas pudding, the apotheosis of pudding, with brandy butter, custard and cream.