As we are now in the month of December, we would like to hear what your holiday traditions are! Maybe you're making new traditions due to COVID this year, or if you're not doing anything this year, what have your holiday traditions been in the past? As for myself, we do pretty typical Christmas traditions, such as setting up the Christmas tree and exchange gifts. However, this year due to COVID, we're not having anyone visit, and all the gifts that we bought others have been shipped to them.
My family is pretty boring, we just do the tree/stockings and a small gift exchange. My mom's side is Ukrainian, and we have started making a bigger deal out of Ukrainian/Orthodox Xmas the last few years. We make a ton of food the day (or a couple of days) beforehand. Since my mom's side is very small, we invite our partners and even work friends, family friends etc. It's something I enjoy more than the 25th.
It really depends on work. Even though much of the Christmas story is conflated and somewhat lacking in perspective, I do like to observe many of the advent and Christmas traditions of my faith. I find that it adds to magic and mystery of the season. In a normal year I try to make an effort to go to nine lessons and carols and attend midnight mass, but none of that will be possible this year due to Covid. Decoratiing the tree is a joint effort with my husband and dressing up the dog is compulsory because he's silly enough to let us and we're silly enough to do it. Christmas is the season to be camp and jolly!
Pretty typical holiday gatherings. My niece's birthday is the week after Christmas, so we usually celebrate that at the same time. My dad always likes to watch A Christmas Story. He grew up in the same time period as the movie takes place, plus my dad's originally from Cleveland which is wear much of the outside shots of the movie are filmed.
As kids we did the usual stuff you do when you believe in Santa. We left out milk and cookies and a carrot for Rudolph. I stopped believing around age 8 but as the oldest child I didn’t mind playing along. Now that my siblings and I are adults things are different. My sister is bound and determined to get on a plane back home this year. For the last few years I’ve been the presents person. I never really want anything for Christmas and I love giving presents. I buy actual gifts that I wrap with ribbon and all and then put in gift bags. I have a bag of presents for all my family members. I don’t think my sister would bother to drag us out of bed if I did the same as my parents and gave cash. Or did the same thing as my brother with a gift card sometime in January. My siblings have started cooking the turkey the last few years. We never eat turkey the rest of the year. I still miss the Christmas of my childhood. My parents actually making an effort, the excitement of Christmas morning. Though admittedly I was exited enough to throw up three Christmas mornings in a row.
We put a Christmas tree (an artificial one) with lights and Christmas ornaments. Apart from that, we decorate the house with other ornaments (Christmas-related, of course; for example Santa Claus’ figures). As Spain is mainly a catholic country there is also a tradition which consists in recreating Christ’s nativity scene with small figures. We used to do that at home when I was a kid / teenager, but we don’t do it anymore. In addition, my parents and I have a special dinner at home on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve. Then, as the meals are abundant, we take the leftovers on Christmas Day and on New Year’s Day. When I was younger, and even not so long ago, we gathered with some uncles, aunts and cousins, too. Moreover, when the New Year begins (at twelve o’clock), there is another tradition in Spain which consists in taking twelve grapes (one grape a second, which might be difficult). It’s supposed to give you good luck for the New Year. I take the twelve grapes (and most people in Spain do so), but I can’t never take them in time, lol. As for the presents, we exchange gifts two days. The first time is on Christmas Day. The second one is on the 6th of January (Epiphany, a catholic Holiday).
We used to go to our grandmother's house to open presents, then with our mother, attend midnight mass. In recent years, my parents haven't bothered putting up a tree, lighting the house, etc.