So we've celebrated Christmas Eve with a few traditions: they include food, some light spiritual encounters, more food and the like. I looked forward to those things, and still do enjoy some of the same elements, although in different form. Upbringing traditions tended to be fairly hedonistic, and less spiritual, a direction that needed to change. Christmas Eve dinner was generally simple but good, followed by service at the church of my youth (LOTS of good singing, a hymn with candles at the end). Cookies and eggnog followed, with a single gift being opened by all. Stockings were stuffed, all the lights and the music (generally the Messiah (Handle) went all night. So, what are your Christmas Eve traditions, and if you care to share, how have they changed or will change? Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah SCA
Every year since we married my wife and I attend the candlelight service at our little church. Last year my son and his wife and my grandson joined us. They are planning on attending again tomorrow. Hopefully that will be part of the tradition. Last year my grandson (2 years old) fell asleep on my lap during the last song. Best present I received that year.
My parents have always hosted Christmas Eve. Dinner and opening of presents. Dad is long gone. Mom is 90 and we're still doing the same old same old. That keeps Christmas Day for in-laws.
That sir, is a Granddad's glory. I held my kiddo and sang when he was very young...like a peanut in a cloth kinda young. He remembers it. Voice is one thing not lost easily in memory. SCA
One christmas eve tradition that I keep up was watching The movie White Christmas with my dad it was my dads favorite time of year and he watched that movie every year and I still do since he passed away Merry Christmas Dad and Mom And Merry Christmas to All Hope you have a great day whatever you all do JB
When I was a kid we use to go to my grandparents. Entire family was there. Food, presents, and fun. They had a pool table and people would put a quarter at the rail and get a number from the pill bottle. Winner of that game got the quarters. That was a big deal when I was a kid, playing pool with my much older cousins, and my uncles. Once in awhile I would win. Once grandma ran the table on me. Couldn't believe it. My grandpa would have a little too many adult beverages and grab the old sleigh bells off the wall, dance around and sing "jingle balls." Later my sister took over Christmas Eve and I was married and we had to split time there and at my wife's aunt's house. Wasn't as fun. Got tired of running around. After my grandma died my sister started to have just our parents over, though we were invited. Still had to go to the other place. 2020 was our out since no one had Christmas Eve that year. No running around and stayed home. I loved it. New tradition was started. After church, I make venison backstrap and shrimp. Watch old Christmas movies. Also tradition for me was I wrap my gifts (which I still do) Christmas Eve and I use to put the toys together for the boys then. It was common for me to be up to 2-3 AM doing everything.
Man, that is a neat tradition shift. It's interesting too, the elements for change that happen (deaths, moving away, covid) that put some traditions to rest, and created others. I've resisted wishing we'd made those changes years ago, knowing that years ago they might not have fit well. Others we've kept as they're more portable, making eggnog for instance. Wrapping 8 gifts for each person here has turned gift wrapping into quite the activity here. More hours than I'd have thought, but a real chance at creativity. Sca
