When I was a child I remember our family having lots of homemade cookies and a tree. Not too many gifts. I guess we could not afford much of that. We were a family of 4 brothers and me and I was the middle child. Now that I am a grandmother and great GM also we have our own traditions. Ham and scallop potatoes for dinner with all the trimmings. Sometimes on xmas eve we have Italian meatballs and cheeses and crackers and food out for snacks as you can help yourself. We exchange gifts on Christmas eve. There is a White Christmas Pie my Mother and I have made for years and it is a homemade custard with coconut and whipped topping with more coconut. It is just to die for but takes several steps to make. My Mother made lots of date filled cookies that were old recipes. I made tamales once by myself and at the time I did not know it was supposed to be a family affair. I made so much beef filling that I myself made 13 dozen, and I was so tired I never did it again. The tamales turned out real good. The black olive in the center is to represent a present.