Each one of us has a special little thing that we do each Christmas that makes it special...Ours is: sitting after the Christmas dinner is over and talk about Christmas past..when our parents and grandparents were alive and Santa was such an important part of our Christmas. Had an uncle that was Santa year after year...I remember his suit was so worn...he would pass out apples and oranges to us...special memories. Lets hear your stories.

opening overflowing stockings was allowed as soon as everyone woke up. they were filled with mostly trinkets, but so much fun. and there was always an orange or tangerine in the toe... a throwback to the depression era when fruit was not readily available. then there was a special family breakfast. everyone then retired to the living room for the opening of presents handed out one-by-one by santa's helper. everyone always watched each gift be opened and made nice comments about it. then it was time to dress in our matching outfits, lovingly created by mom and we piled in the car to the short ride to grandma's. she only had a tiny tree, but the dinner was always remarkable.

the tradition is somewhat the same now, except that i have to go to the DGKs house predawn to watch them open their stockings and gifts. there is always such a delight on their faces. they come to my house for dinner in the afternoon.

Not much tradition left to my Christmas since I've married and have a stepchild. We have him every other Christmas Eve thru Christmas day at 2:00 pm. The one thing I've tried to hold true each year is that we start our Christmas as a family (just the 3 of us) and open presents together. Then we go to DH's parents' house for the Christmas meal.

In my childhood, we had many. One tradition that developed when I was a teenager was to buy a 1000 or more piece jigsaw puzzle and work it on the coffee table in the living room at my parents house. Sometimes the puzzle was bigger than the table which was a challenge! Everyone in the family joined in and it was a big deal to see who would place the last piece. Some years it took weeks of Sunday afternoons together to finish. It prolonged the memories of Christmas day.

We got the tangerine in the toe, too. Sadly, my kids don't appreciate or care about it. I've taken to putting a chocolate orange in the toe, the symbolism works for me.

When I was a kid, we were given the option of opening one gift on Christmas Eve. Mom got to pick which present, and it took me a few years to realize that they were always pajamas! Her way of ensuring we all looked decent in the pictures, I guess.

I make Christmas Eve "jammies" now sleep pants and a tee shirt top for each of them. They are older now and don't like regular pj tops which sure works for me. Less work and less fabric. I always buy quilter's flannel because of the weight and quality. When the oldest-now 19-was little he also wanted bootie type slippers and a nightcap to match.

hmmmm, chocolate orange... good thought. love the pajamas story

When I was a kid, the one thing that I could count on receiving every year was the LifeSaver Book...a think that folded like a book and held 8 or 10 rolls for LifeSavers. When my own daughter was old enough, I got her one of those, but she doesn't like the candy...so I get her a PEZ dispenser every year. She loves the candy, and now has a collections of 27 different dispenser. This year will be extra special...I got a set of 7 dwarf collection at an after Christmas sale last year, so she'll get 8 this year...the dwarves and a Snow White :)

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at church, open one out of town gift Christmas Eve (took the edge off the little ones and got them to bed sooner), after opening gifts Christmas morning off to Mom's for lunch and more presents. After the cousins reached college age, my SIL started Christmas Eve at her house in Louisiana. Drive to Lafayette the day before and up very early Christmas morning to drive back to Houston for Christmas with my family. Elf on the Shelf is an old one at my house and leaving cookies and milk for Santa. Hopefully first grandchild (girl) will be born before Christmas this year and we start another round of traditions. I love the whole season from Thanksgiving thru the New Year...too many traditions to list. Chocolate orange is a favorite here as well.

I lived with my grandparents who didn't have much. I only got 1 xmas gift each year, tho there was lots of baked goods, nuts and fruits in shoes (that I had fun shining) on St. Nick's day earlier in Dec. Took me a long time to realize why my friends got sooooo many xmas gifts from Santa and I only got one.

Then when dh and I had 3 dd they got lots of gifts, as we could afford. Guess making up for what we thought we missed out on. DH came from a large family and didn't get lots of gifts either. Now in our senior years know that the gifts weren't all that important compared to being with family and celebrating a wonderful blessed day.

Sad thing now, our kids have married into families with divorced in-laws, (that in itself is not sad) and they have to go to so many different homes to celebrate, it is taxing. And we don't get to see them all day like we once did. 2 of my dd have an x and now their kids spend every other Christmas with the dad, one who is out of state and gone for 2 wks.. So Christmas doesn't have the continuity it once did.

Hopefully they will have good memories but wonder if they will have 'traditions' ?

fun for me, my husband and i crack the fireplace door a little and the kiddo's believe that this is proof that Santa did come to the house and used the fireplace!!! we also get the pleasure of eating cookies left for Santa and leave just a nibble so that they know he ate them!!!