Holiday Traditions

[jemz]

I've been reading an interesting post on Christmas morning traditions of wrapping or not wrapping presents from Santa.

As I am looking forward to seeing my daughter's eyes light up with excitement when she is old enough, I'm seriously thinking about the traditions the hubby and I want to start with our little family.

When you were growing up, did Santa (if you celebrated Christmas) wrap presents or left them unwrapped? Did you get to open your presents all at once or one at a time? Did everyone take turns unwrapping a present at a time? Is there someone who is designated as the present-passing-out-person? Did you open gifts on Christmas morning or Christmas Eve?

There are lot of different ways to celebrate and I'm contemplating traditions I want to start just for us or traditions that I want to keep. Like a new tradition that we give her 4 presents (1 she wants, 1 she needs, 1 book, 1 to wear) for Christmas and all other presents are from family & friends. Or maybe something different like a stocking full of goodies.

What do you guys think?

Comments

[tinyangl]

Oooh, Christmas. My family never really did the Santa thing, but that's only because our Christmas Eve was always spent at another person's house for a party--and we would always get gifts there (someone would hand them out to each person/family at the party) and open them there. Then we'd go home and divide the gifts that our family gave each other and open the rest! So we didn't have that waking up Christmas morning in anticipation for gifts because all the excitement was in reaching midnight and getting the gifts then. Although, because of this, rather than Christmas being the day to look forward to, mine was always Christmas Eve. Which I'm okay with, honestly. ♥♥

I like the idea of making new traditions though--ones that are just your own. :D

[racerxmachina]

I'm a big believer in stockings. (to wear, as well as to hang up) There's something about the fun of reaching inside and feeling for that one last candy or trinket in the toe. :3 Maybe the 4 presents idea (which is very nice) and a stocking?
Since you are a makeup girl, and you'll be having a little girl, I thought I'd pass along a hint: they still sell the Bonne Bell Lipsmacker gift sets I loved as a kid. Even my tomboyish self could not resist peppermint or Dr. Pepper-flavored lip balm!
(quick check online reveals they make Starburst and Skittles flavors OMG!)

[gimmick_game]

At our house, my mom always wrapped everything unless it was large and or awkward. Any presents from "Santa" were written in different handwriting (though still my mom's, but she'd change it up) and wrapped in different paper. Usually anything big from Santa was left unwrapped, like a baby crib for my doll when I was little, or my power wheels barbie car corvette. That kind of stuff usually just had a bow.

Christmas Eve was always spent with my Mom's family and we'd open all of the presents from the aunts and uncles and such, then go home and I'd get to open one present before I went to bed - which was always PJ's to wear that night. This year is the first time I DIDN'T open the PJ's Christmas Eve, because my mom wanted to give me my birthstone baby necklace instead. I passed that one down to Amelia this year even though the sleeper I bought her for Christmas was too big (I bought it 0-3 thinking she'd fit in it easy .... noooo).

Christmas morning was opening presents from Mom, Dad and Santa (and the animals). I never had a set number of gifts, just what my mom could afford and what she wanted to give me. Even though we weren't well off, Mom would do anything she could to make sure I always had a TON of presents to open. I usually got one or two 'big' gifts (nothing outrageous but things like a Furby or a Walkman or something like that), clothes, and then a bunch of smaller things. I usually got at least one board game a year. My stocking would always be chocked full of candy and small presents (hair accessories, key chains, jewelry, etc) which my mom made sure to wrap and I always opened it last.

You'll be lucky the first Christmas with your little one she'll be big enough to participate. It was fairly lackluster with Amelia thanks to the fact she was only 10 days old at the time, but we still made sure she had presents to 'open' regardless. Not too many but things she needed anyway (and cute things like hair bows and such). I can't wait until next Christmas when I can really start the traditions up again like the PJ's and making sure the Santa presents are all wrapped differently and with different handwriting. :)