Do you have a Christmas tradition that started when you were young and continues today with your family?

My family started the tradition of opening some gifts on Christmas Eve. That evolved when we became adults into the family getting together on Christmas Eve, and then spending Christmas Day in our own homes.

I just called into the family celebration in Seattle. I talked to everyone from ym Mom to all my siblings and my nephews. It was the usual noisy craziness. It made me feel very happy to hear there was the traditional clam dip and fudge.

On Christmas Eve we have dinner, watch A Christmas Story, and then drive around town looking at all the lights. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

On Christmas Eve we all open and don our Christmas pajamas, which are always clothing but may or may not be actual pajamas.

On Christmas Day we eat dinner at about 2:30, but we always have plenty of saurkraut.

Yeah, mom hits the booze early, and starts throwing things. Uncle Larry trys to sleep with aunt Melissa(not related by blood) Aunt Mary throws herself at Melissa’s husband in retaliation, and someone ends up being beaten for being an INCREDIBLE (expletive deleted). In 2003 it was Jim for pulling a gun on cousin Chuck over who they were going to sit next to.

At the age of six, I memorized the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” and have recited it every Christmas since then, if only to myself..
“Twas the night before Christnas and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St.Nicholas soon would be there…”

For the past 45 years, my mother has always bought me a box of chocolate covered cherries. its something she started when i was 20 years old and has continued ever since. Under the Christmas tree would not be the same without my traditional box of chocolae covered cherries.

avoiding each other during chrsitmas (and all other times) works fine now that most of the family are adults and live far apart.

when we were together we would watch all the television specials on christmas while eating a feast.

My dad always hides a final present under my brother and my duvet before we go too bed because he likes to drag Christmas out for as long as possible. Traditionally my bed time present has always been a book.

Mine is almost exactly the same as @jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities. We don’t always watch A Christmas Story, but we did that this year. Then we had dinner and drove around and looked at nights. The last two things we’ve been doing on Christmas Eve since I was very little.