December 15th, 2012

    CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS....WHAT ARE YOURS???

One of the most popular Broadway shows ever produced has had many revivals both on Broadway and off Broadway, and one of the main themes behind the entire musical is "tradition".  Check it:

Round the world, there are many "traditions" that are celebrated in honor of the Christmas Season. Before we look at ours, let's look at a few of these:

Okay, how about you?  What things are special to you in the way of traditions that you look forward to each year for the holidays.  Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Morning or do you not open presents at all?  Or does your present giving come at a different time or for a different reason?

In our house, we saved one or two presents for Christmas Morning as Santa Claus Dropoffs, but Christmas Eve was our time to celebrate giving of gifts for each member of the family.  These were always very special to us, but the ones on Christmas morning were the real highlights.  Because of that, we kids had to be in bed no later than 9:30 on Christmas Eve because it was a "rule" that we could not be up and awake when Santa came, or he would leave nothing!  Or worse, stockings full of coal. (Yes, I got a few of those some years.) But I had a savvy mother.  After every one else opened their presents and I was looking at my bag of coal, she would always come to me with a very special present that made it all okay.

And how about Advent Calendars?  Some people tick off the days before Christmas by using these devices or some other tool to keep track of how many days before the Big Day Arrives. I have seen these, and I know they are very popular in some homes, but we never had one. Other family traditions involve nativity scenes both in houses and churches where the "christ child" does not actually become part of the scene until December 25th. I also have some friends who bake a special white pound cake for the holiday.

Then there is the perennial Christmas tree. Do you have one? Is it real or fake? And either way, do you have to string the lights each year, or do you cheat with a pre-lit tree? And when do you decorate it? Or does Santa do that while you are sleeping? How about those of you who still have live trees? Is it a big event when you go shopping for the tree?  Does it have to have a special look or smell?

Even before that, we have the writing and sending of Christmas Cards. I have a friend who very religiously writes her cards every year, but guess what?  Even though they are written and addressed and ready to go, she ALWAYS forgets to mail them on time. So, we can always expect a holiday card from her to arrive anytime after the holiday. Another of my friends spends days and days making her own cards, and we anxiously await to see them every year. And do you, like me, send "special" cards to your friends who do not celebrate Christmas? Instead, the cards just say "Have a Happy Holiday". It is just that we like to share the joy of the season with others.  And although they may not celebrate the season with us, I am certain that they share in the joyous feelings.

How about cookies and candy?  Do you and your family make a big deal about making these goodies every year?  In some families, these two activities also become annual "events".  And in many cases, the cookies and candies become expected christmas presents by both family and friends.

And when Christmas Eve arrives, what other traditions do you celebrate?  Do you light a Yule Log?  Do you attend a service in a local church (denomination does not matter; most of them have a service in the evening, and many do it at midnight.) And for those who do, what do you do when you get back home?

And are there are any special traditions for Christmas Day itself? It is said that "Thanksgiving Day" is spent traversing over the river and through the woods to "grandmother's house".  How about Christmas Day?  At our house, it was a time for the whole family to gather, generally at one house, and everyone came.  As a kid, I remember that we ALWAYS had lots of snow, and part of the day was spent clearing places for visitors to park. I can't remember the last time we  had  real snow for a truly White Christmas, even though we may hear Bing sing the song a lot on the radio.

And then, after dinner, what did everyone do after the kids were tired of playing with the toys?  In our house, it was often a family sing-along (yeah, I know, old fashioned). We had a small baldwin organ in the living room, and our next-door neighbor, Joe, was a musician and played a mean organ. He and his wife celebrated the holiday with us because we considered them part of the family. We stayed up very late that night because it was the one night of the year when there was no enforced bed time.

What about the day after, once every one got out of bed. Was it still a time of celebration?  It was for us because all of the family was still there (somehow we found beds for everyone, and they all spent the night). And that morning, Mom would be up early in order to prepare and serve the "Day After Christmas Breakfast": eggs, bacon, home made rolls with gravy, grits, jellies and hot chocolate. We looked forward to that as well.

Of course, as we grow older, times change. In my family, Mom and Dad have been gone over 20 years. There is no longer a big family gathering.  But I spend the day going from sister to sister to sister because they still have all of their families for the day; it is just not the same celebration it was when I was a kid. You know how that is...it doesn't mean I don't miss it still.

So...what did I omit? Tell us about some of your traditions.