What are some traditions that you've tried to start but haven't worked out?

Pretty much anything that we had going before my Mom passed away. What I mean is, pretty much everything that we did during the holidays, when she was living, we no longer do anymore.

My family has changed so much and I won’t get that back.

I just have to start new traditions.

I tried to establish a tradition where the kids would get us presents on their birthdays. They made friends and were invited to the friends’ birthday parties before I could get them to understand the concept, and it was pretty much down the tubes after that.

I still think it was one of the best ideas I ever had.

lol @CyanoticWasp you’re wicked! :-)

My most recent tradition was trying to get my son put up the Christmas tree with me (he just led on the carpet playing he DS asking if I’d finished yet… and the other half of the tradition was putting up the tree whilst drinking lovely home-made mulled wine… it was a disaster… was far too strong, so decided to sweeten it…that didn’t work…still too strong so decided to add more wine (very expensive wine I might add!) then i forgot I’d left it on the hob whilst I got carried away with my artistic tendencies with Christmas lights and the whole bloody thing ended up like treacle…

better luck next year!

Ah yes, putting up the Christmas tree. I used to go on and on about how “this is the best tree we’ve ever had” every year when I put it up… out of the box, piece by piece. The kids got into the spirit. They called it our “recycled” tree, and exclaimed over “how much it looks like last year’s, only better”.

For the last three years, I have suggested to my MIL that instead of getting each other (MIL, FIL, BIL & SIL) lots of gifts, we donate that money to a charity. We could draw names, and the person could write their chosen charity on the slip. Whoever you pulled, that’s who you would give to. We’re all in enough accord on most of those kinds of things that we would be unlikely to get a charity that we disagreed with giving to. All of us have plenty of stuff and are able to buy most things that we want, so giving to a charity would be a good thing to do. She hemmed and hawwed and finally said she wouldn’t feel right not giving her kids presents. I may try again next year, but say that we could give part of the money to a charity.

@CyanoticWasp – I love that story about your tree!

I’d like to do the holidays as a catchall celebration drawing from winter holiday traditions from various religions and geographies. But I don’t see it happening with my Christian relatives. I’m still hoping I might be able to make it a tradition amongst friends though. I kinda have to wait until I’m in a position to host kick-ass parties.

The food traditions we’ve got down. We host, my wife cooks beautifully, good chit chat. All is well.

We failed miserably, however, in trying to include a physical activity. Touch football, frisbee, Christmas caroling, playing games, going for a walk? Nothing, nada…no interest.

They all just want to sit and talk, watch some TV, or sleep on my couch.

I thought we had a tradition of Christmas breakfast at my grandparents’ house. Turns out, I was the only one who gave a flip about it. WTH? I mean, this has been a cherished part of my holiday since childhood! I was crushed.

I put up a good fight for a few years, trying to drag people over to my side, but I got tired of the complaining. Apparently, that one day of the year, my family is only able to eat one meal. If they have breakfast at 8 or 9am they won’t be hungry for dinner at 3 or 4pm even after skipping lunch. Huh?

This year I finally stopped fighting for it and said we’ll just come by for dinner. I’ll make my own awesome breakfast. hmpff

One Christmas tradition that lasted in our family for over fifty years, with only a single break: no one gets to open wrapped presents under the tree until after breakfast (and we always had a full family breakfast every weekend at our house), and the dishes are washed, dried and put away.

Mom and Dad used to milk that for all it was worth with extra coffee and getting the whole kitchen cleaned (by us) ‘just so’ before they’d wander out to the living room with us. It’s a tradition that I imported to our kids when they were old enough to be walking.

Oh, and the one exception? My youngest sister who was, I think, around six years old at the time, and who was named for our maternal grandmother… opened a present meant for that Gramma, since they shared the name, after all. It was an expensive bottle of perfume, and she wasted most of it by spraying it around the room before either of the ‘rents was even awake that morning. Never. Again.

I am deeply disappointed that World Give ETpro a Buck day never seemed to catch on.