Let's get in the Christmas spirit! Any of you gals have any funny or unique Christmas traditions in your household that you are willing to share? At our house....after returning home from Christmas eve service we all get into our pj's, watch "The Christmas Story" (the one with Ralphie and the Red Rider B-B Gun!) and eat our traditional take-out Chinese food Christmas Eve meal in front of the tv on the coffee table (it's amazing how many Chinese restaurants are open on Christmas Eve!). If you know anything about the movie, the family winds up at a Chinese restaurant on Christmas day, hence the Chinese food. We always have such a blast and laugh hysterically at the SAME thing year after year (ESPECIALLY when the one boy gets "triple dog dared" to stick his tongue on the lamp pole!). After the movie, each of the kids gets to open ONE Christmas present which has been visually picked out by Christmas Eve morning. Gosh....can't wait for my son to get home to start the Christmas festivities!

We also watch The Christmas Story in our household, though not on Christmas Eve. Since I was blessed with distant relatives who sewed, I have particular empathy for Ralphie when he has to try on his aunt's gift (I won't be a spoiler here in case anyone has missed this gem of a film). Our particular ritual involves opening one gift on Christmas Eve, which is always new PJs/nightie, then the grampa or designated paternal elder reads "The Night Before Christmas" while the wimin get into the cooking sherrry--'er, get Santa's cookies and milk ready. The it's off to bed, followed by frantic wrapping of gifts which should have been finished two weeks ago but never are. Santa usually gets to bed around 2 a.m.

"I am thankful for my mom, my dad, my brother, my sister, my dog, my house, and most of the furniture."

I go around and collect trinkets from the HotMama Fan Club and drop hints about what I want for my birthday, which is 6 weeks later.

Actually, our Christmas tradition has changed in the past few years since people have moved away. Back in the day almost my whole block...217th St would go to church on Christmas Eve. The church was 3 blocks away and we would stroll down 116th Ave about 30 strong sing(rapping) Christmas songs. I was in the choir and I always loved the candlight ceremony we used to have, it was the same ceremony every year but I really miss it. My best friend's Mom always hosted the after party, which would last into Christmas morning. One tradition we had was whoever fell asleep first on the couch, was photographed with a Santa hat and a bottle of Mad Dog 20-20.

GO NAVY!!!BEAT army!!!!!

luv

We watch "Its a Wonderful Life"
I love it more and more each year.
Our food tradition alternates every 4 years...
This year it will be my daughter's turn to
set the menu for the evening...

Beepers

Years ago I would wrap late into the night.
I'm either much older and wiser, or so much older I know that that would be way past my bedtime.

______________________________
By the time you learn how to play the game...
You can't play it anymore ~ Frank Howard

HotMama - Sounds like you've got a lot of great memories - and great pictures . Bet the food was awesome, too.

We used to go around the neighborhood singing Christmas carols every year -- my Dad was (and is still) a church choir director and he'd drag all us kids (6)with him. He had a big, booming singing voice, and I remember as a young teen being quite embarrassed to be out there with my family when I could have been out with my friends... Of course, he is now much smarter than he was when I was younger...

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Has spring training started yet?

How has the mistletoe factored in to your Christmas Holiday????

______________________________
By the time you learn how to play the game...
You can't play it anymore ~ Frank Howard