We put little messages in our stockings before we put them away, wheather its kind words or a goal to work towards then when we pull them out the next year we can see them!!!
In my family for Christmas Eve we have pierogies. My grandfather was polish and it was something he would make, all by himself, every year for us. He always made them in advance then froze them. Pierogies are a noodle type dough that is rolled out and cut in circles. It is then filled with meat, cheese or a veggie, we use sauerkraut. You fold it in half, pinch to seal the goodies in side, then boil. To serve them we fry them in butter. We would eat them every Christmas Eve before opening our presents.
My grandpa passed away almost 15 years ago. The Christmas after he passed my grandma was considering not making them, because it is a pretty big undertaking for just her to do. Instead of letting her do that, we offered to make a evening of it, where the family comes over and helps her.
So now every year we get together the week before Christmas and have a Pierogi making night. Since we started doing it more and more of the family comes over to help. Instead of letting a tradition die out, we found a way to carry it on, and in the process give the great grand kids in the family a chance to share in the tradition of a man they didn't get the fortune of meeting.
I wrap Christmas books for every day of Christmas. We put them in a basket under the tree, and the kids pick one each night to read. We end on Christmas Eve and Daddy reads the Night Before Christmas. I bought a bunch at Garage sales or the salvation army, and then I add some brand new ones each year. The kids love it.
At the Christmas table we toast our departed family members, in memory of all of the Christmas dinners we once all shared. It is always a bit of a tear jerker, haha, I am shedding a few as I write this. My husband always makes a toast to my mother with her favourite drink, rye. It always makes my sister and I cry because in many ways, Christmas centred around my mother. My brother-in-laws parents had brought all of us together at Christmas time, so we shared all of our Christmasses together until they passed away, one by one. Ironically, my brother-in-law's mother was raised in the Jewish faith and celebrated all Jewish and Christian holidays and traditions. So in her honour, my brother-in-law prepares a Jewish brunch at his house.
My mother had wonderful Christmasses as a child but not so wonderful ones with my father. Until my sister met and married my brother-in-law, Christmasses were not happy for my mother. But my brother-in-law's mother and father had the magic of Christmas in them and were able to awaken it again in sharing Christmasses with my mother and all of us. And we in turn, try to preserve the magic of these Christmasses shared with our children and with friends, family and strangers that have nowhere to go for Christmas dinner.
But the magic of Christmas and sharing this magic with others is something that is our biggest part of tradition and we continue it to honour my mother and my brother-in-law's late parents.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
I wrap Christmas books for every day of Christmas. We put them in a basket under the tree, and the kids pick one each night to read. We end on Christmas Eve and Daddy reads the Night Before Christmas. I bought a bunch at Garage sales or the salvation army, and then I add some brand new ones each year. The kids love it.
This is a lovely tradition and not only that, you are passing on a love of reading, what a wonderful gift!
Hugs SQuirrelly
We put little messages in our stockings before we put them away, wheather its kind words or a goal to work towards then when we pull them out the next year we can see them!!!
This is wonderful kiddo!
May I share? I never knew my grandmother on my mother's side but from all accounts this lady was a saint. She was never in good health but I guess she knew her days were numbered, so on her last Christmas, when she wrapped up the tree ornaments, she put a letter in the box wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas for the next year and saying she knew she wouldn't be around to join her family, but she loved them and would be watching from heaven, she hoped. Well you can just imagine the tears when they opened up the tree ornament box the following year. My mother always repeated this story at Christmas time and it always made me cry, but when you think of it, what a nice way of making a memory.
Hugs SQuirrelly
In my family for Christmas Eve we have pierogies. My grandfather was polish and it was something he would make, all by himself, every year for us. He always made them in advance then froze them. Pierogies are a noodle type dough that is rolled out and cut in circles. It is then filled with meat, cheese or a veggie, we use sauerkraut. You fold it in half, pinch to seal the goodies in side, then boil. To serve them we fry them in butter. We would eat them every Christmas Eve before opening our presents.
My grandpa passed away almost 15 years ago. The Christmas after he passed my grandma was considering not making them, because it is a pretty big undertaking for just her to do. Instead of letting her do that, we offered to make a evening of it, where the family comes over and helps her.
So now every year we get together the week before Christmas and have a Pierogi making night. Since we started doing it more and more of the family comes over to help. Instead of letting a tradition die out, we found a way to carry it on, and in the process give the great grand kids in the family a chance to share in the tradition of a man they didn't get the fortune of meeting.
That is really lovely! And such a wonderful way of passing on heritage and memories and keeping those who are no longer here, in our memories!
Hugs SQuirrelly
Thats awesome Squrrielly!! It is so neat to share these, maybe I'll start a few more traditions...
Thanks for sharing guys!!
I don't have one single good memory of my childhood christmas' that was good. Reading all of the wonderful stories in this thread makes me want to start traditions for me and my kids. Every christmas I had was different...the people and the scenery changed every year, my Mom had several boyfriends while I was growing up and they were always more important than us kids...so we never got any real family traditions. Since I had my kids I have made sure that they are secure and my DH never have any harsh words in front of the kids so they never have to worry about their parents splitting up......enough of that sob story 
.....but Christmas at our house has been new pajamas/slippers and robes on christmas eve with hot chocolate..... I need to find something more meaningful like you guys all did.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Our tradition is similar to Randas. Every Christmas Eve we all get a present to open. It's always new pajamas which we wear for bed. Then when we come down on Christmas morning we all have to be wearing our new nightwear to open our presents.
The other 'tradition' we have started about 5 years ago. Me and my mum always awake a lot earlier than the rest of the family. As it's usually still dark. we put the tree lights on but no proper lights. We have the radio on low in the background with Christmas music playing and we just sit and have a cup of tea whle waiting for the rest of the family to awake.
A tradition I have outside the home is my music. I play in a brass band, every christmas we go around our village playing carols, everyone comes out to listen. It's such a privelidge to be part of something that gives so much pleasure to so many people
Since over 20 years the hole family is having fondue the night before the 1. advent at my grand-oncle and it´s wonderful to start the christmas time together. At midnight we light the first candle together.
The next familiy "meeting" is on the 24th, as this is the "big" day in Germany, where you meet the family and give the presents. So before we go to church at 3pm, we have a come-together with all our friends and family in our garden (around 60 people), doing a little bit of BBQ, "Glühwein" drinking and Christmas songs singing . I love to see all the people, who are a part of our lifes, around us sharing that morning with us. After church we will have the christmas tree lights on for the first time and the presents will be unwrapped. For dinner we have carp, also a family tradition and very traditional in Germany. But the most important thing is that on this day is that all of the "christmas bustle" is over and everybody is just there to celebrate this day together.
"Glühwein"
\\
Ja! Ich verpasse das! kostlich!
(Yes! I miss that! delicious!)
TexasSugar--we also have pierogies (cabbage of course) on Christmas Eve. My dad (Polish) usually makes them and doles them out to the family.
Unfortunately, since my sisters and I are slowly getting married off and moving, some traditions are impossible to continue. You all are sharing great traditions that may become part of my family. amy
A family tradition for my family growing up was video taping our family decorating the tree. All of us. It always turned into a sarcastic, hilarious episode of Roseanne in some way. We wouldn't watch it until the next Christmas, in which we would laugh at ourselves and promise this year it would be different. I think if anything, it got worse LOL!! But it is so funny to look back and think "Goodness, we were awful!!"
We always have a Thanksgiving dinner Christmas Eve, play a family game of football in the backyard, and have a huge pancake breakfast Christmas morning. Gosh I hate being away from my family (this will be my 2nd Christmas with just us) DARN THE MILITARY, DARN THEM!!! 
A tradition I've started with my own children (which they're kind of too young to understand, but oh well) is for every 3 new toys they get for Christmas, they have to give 1 old toy in good condition to underpriviledged children in our community. I think it will teach them to be caring and understanding of everyone's situation.
@ Flayvurdfun: I will have one for you as well
Bitte! 
Well, when my children were little, every Christmas morning my hubby would wake the kids by playing the Hallalujah Chorus...
Then he's read the Christmas story from the bible.
Then he would pass the gifts out, they would open them up and everyone would get caught up in the excitement..
Then we'd have a big pancake and sausage breakfast...
The turkey would be in the oven roasting while everyone would be doing their own thing...like playing with their new toys...etc.
Now...we draw names ... and only buy for that person...but everyone still has to buy a gift for my youngest son (because he's still in school)..We get together either Christmas eve and have a little gathering or Christmas day for the big meal...
This will be the first Christmas we all won't be here...my next to the youngest son lives in Flordia and he can't make it home for Christmas...Tears will be shed I'm sure...
But that's what we did and do now...
What a lovely way to awaken the family! Yes, the changes make it different, don't they/
Hugs Squirrelly
I love traditions!!! A couple of other things we do is I always take my kiddos to the Dollar store and have them get something for their brother and sister. I think it is important for them to take care of one another & build that bond. They get to exchange those on Christmas eve after church. This also works as a bribe for my kids to behave during church 
We also go down to Union Station in Kansas City every year to see the Santa Train roll in..... it is lit in thousands of lights and Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves and all the reindeer. then we play down at Crown Center which is beautiful at Christmas time.
We do a cookie exchange every year too.
I Love Christmas!! My kids love to pick a childs name off of a tree and shop for them too.
Fun Fun Fun~
When I was small, my family and I would go visiting Christmas eve to exchange gifts with all the other family members. Then we would go to church for the candle lighting service. Then Christmas morning, we would get up and open our gifts, have a huge bacon and egg breakfest. The most favorite would be we would all get together for Christmas dinner (there were over 50 family members!) But since my aunt and grandfather passed away the same year 3 weeks apart we don't do that anymore. I don't understand it! You would think it would have brought us closer.
I don't live close to my family now so I've started some with my own family. We still go to church on Christmas eve and visit friends and family. I also read "Twas the night before Christmas" to my kids every year.
I also give cookies to my Aunt who lives near by and the childrens teachers. My aunt now really looks forward to getting a new platter filled with cookies. Their teachers seem to appriciate it alot too.
I better stop while I'm ahead or I'll be here all day
Krista
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