have more than one Christmas tree?
put mostly presents in the kids’ stockings or mostly candy?
give Santa credit for the most awesome present your child receives or do you bask in the glory?
have your big dinner on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
give your children Christmas pajamas?
open any presents on Christmas Eve?
give money to the Salvation Army bell-ringers?
make children take turns opening presents or is it a big free-for-all?
go to church at Christmas if it’s not normally something you do?
feel relieved when Christmas is over?
(OK, all you readers who never comment, this one is for you!)
My answers:
One tree. So far it’s been a mish mash of all sorts of ornaments but I think I’m going to try to phase into sort of a red and white Scandanavian theme.
Our stockings are mostly candy. We used to do the orange but nobody ever at it and it makes the stockings really heavy so I just got rid of it. I’m pragmatic that way.
Santa doesn’t visit our house. I make sure my kids know that I am responsible for every wonderful thing that happens on Christmas; not some fictional character.
My husband grew up with the big Christmas Eve dinner and I grew up with a big dinner on Christmas Day. I’m fine with either one but I kind of like it better on Christmas since I’m swamped with last minute things on Christmas Eve. If we’re spending holidays with his family we’ll do it his way. My family=my way. Not a big deal.
DOn’t care much about the PJs but my mother in law sends them quite often. I like new pajamas but I’m not crazy about Chirstmas-themed ones because then they are wearing Christmas stuff all year round which is just WRONG!
We do open one present the night before. If we know Grandma bought pajamas then they’ll open those. Otherwise they can just pick one item.
I always give a dollar to the Bell ringers.
Super strict about taking turns opening presents. I like to stretch Christmas morning out as long as possible.
We always go to church.
I’m so relieved when Christmas is over.
Only one tree for us, although this year I wish it was taller!
Our stocking are pretty lame!
Santa brings what Santa brings. The rest come from mom and dad.
All of the above!
Christmas pajamas are one of my favorite things! Even I get a set!
Because we are always at someone else's house on Christmas morning, we have done some presents on Christmas Eve before, but it isn't really a tradition thing for us.
I love the bell ringers!! And I give them change when I remember to have some!
Free for all! Taking turns is for the birds!
We go to our regular Sunday service and we also go to a Christmas Eve service with my husbands Grandparents at their church.
I am always sad when Christmas is over. The only thing that gets me through is having New Years/my birthday the next week!
I really don't like when any holiday is over. What is fun about putting AWAY decorations!
One tree only. Usually it looks very homely because my little ones love to decorate it will all sorts of homemade ornaments and I love it.
Mostly presents in the stockings. A bit of candy in the bottom.
Santa only does the stockings. Mom and Dad do everything else.
Big dinner on Christmas day. Fondue or Chinese on Christmas Eve.
My mom makes all the kids Christmas P.J.s
Open Christmas p.j.'s on Christmas Eve.
Give all change to Salvation bell-ringers.
Take turns. I hate free-for-alls.
Always go to church year round.
Yes, it is a huge relief when it is over.
Usually we only have one. Although the first year we moved into this house, we had our standard fake tree along with a beautiful, huge real tree. Growing up our tree was always fake, so the real tree was a treat for me. I loved it and plan to have them more often!
Our stockings are mostly tiny toys at the moment. Hardly any candy, and always an Orange in the toe.
Santa has always given the biggest and best in the past. This year, I have changed that. Why should he get all the credit?
Big dinner Christmas Eve. Mom takes Christmas off from cooking and leftovers are a beautiful thing.
Yes to Christmas pj's. That's the one and only present the kids are allowed to open on Christmas Eve.
Sometimes I give money to the bell-ringers.
We take turns. That way we can drag it out as long as possible. Anticipation is all the fun when it comes to presents.
Church year round.
I'm usually sad when Christmas is over. I enjoy having everyone home together and hubby totally free from work.
have more than one Christmas tree?
Just one. Our house is too small for more than one, and I'm definitely too lazy to decorate more than one.
put mostly presents in the kids' stockings or mostly candy?
An about equal mix of small presents, candy, and fruit.
give Santa credit for the most awesome present your child receives or do you bask in the glory?
Definitely take all the credit. 🙂
have your big dinner on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Shepherds' dinner on Christmas Day. I'm usually too busy on Christmas Eve to cook anything! I think last year we had ramen noodles on Christmas Eve. :-/
give your children Christmas pajamas?
Nope. My boys don't get excited about PJ's for some weird reason. 🙂
open any presents on Christmas Eve?
Sometimes we do a small present– last year it was stuffed animals.
give money to the Salvation Army bell-ringers?
Yep, I give my kids spare change to give to the bell ringers. An easy way to spread the Christmas spirit.
make children take turns opening presents or is it a big free-for-all?
Take turns. We're boring and strict that way.
go to church at Christmas if it's not normally something you do?
I actually wish our church had a traditional Christmas service… I would definitely go.
feel relieved when Christmas is over?
Um, yes. Although I also love it. 🙂
have more than one Christmas tree?
I don't have a Christmas tree, I have a very naughty cat who seems wildly fascinated by round shiny objects hanging off a tree, so… no go… 😛
put mostly presents in the kids' stockings or mostly candy?
stockings are not really a tradition around here…
give Santa credit for the most awesome present your child receives or do you bask in the glory?
from the kid's point of view (I don't yet have kids of my own), my parent usually took the credit… 😉
have your big dinner on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Eve
give your children Christmas pajamas?
we never got them… maybe I'll start a new tradition when I have kids…
open any presents on Christmas Eve?
all of them… I'm impatient like that…
give money to the Salvation Army bell-ringers?
Salvation Army doesn't really come around here… 🙂
make children take turns opening presents or is it a big free-for-all?
we all open 'em at once… 🙂
go to church at Christmas if it's not normally something you do?
I used to… then I stopped going to church altogether… then I tried going just for the holidays, but the emptiness of it all was a bit too much for me, so… no.
feel relieved when Christmas is over?
I'm relieved when December is over… too many things happening…
Okay, you guilted me into commenting.
Do you . . .
have more than one Christmas tree?
We started with one. 10 years ago we got a second, then a couple of years ago one for my daughter's bedroom. This year we're simplifying and only doing the big one.
put mostly presents in the kids' stockings or mostly candy? half and half, although the presents are just trinkets, but no toothbrushes allowed, and an orange goes in the toe.
give Santa credit for the most awesome present your child receives or do you bask in the glory? Santa brings the "big" present, Mom and Dad everything else
have your big dinner on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Christmas Eve, so we can relax with leftovers on Christmas Day (It might be different if we had other family nearby, but we don't, and we don't travel at Christmas.)
give your children Christmas pajamas? no
open any presents on Christmas Eve?
no
give money to the Salvation Army bell-ringers? not normally
make children take turns opening presents or is it a big free-for-all? one at a time
go to church at Christmas if it's not normally something you do?
go every Sunday
feel relieved when Christmas is over? no
just one tree. a pathetic looking one, but it's a tree!
candy, underwear, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and maybe a small present or two in the stockings. it's mostly things that the kids need for hygeine!! santa loves good hygeine.
both, santa usually gives one big gift that is a fun gift, but we do like to take credit for some other gifts.
christmas eve dinner. less stressful. i don't cook on christmas.
they got pj's last year for Christmas presents – but they weren't christmas pjs.
we don't open any presents on christmas eve. that's a communist thing to do. my husbands family, on the other hand, opens all their gifts on christmas eve. lame.
i let my kids put the money. i think it helps them learn a good lesson.
one at a time. it lasts longer and we get to see everyone's reaction to everything and what everyone got.
go to church – although i would love to attend a midnight mass sometime.
feel relieved when Christmas is over? no. sad when it's over.
One tree
mostly candy! and a small gift
sometimes Santa…but Austin has pretty much figured it all out!
Neither…I boycott cooking at Christmas
PJ's on Christmas Eve
See above
not usually.
One at a time! We need to ooh and ah over them all
go to chruch, but I usually do that! 🙂
YES! and no!
Only one tree here…we've had two but one is more than enough, I keep scaling back each year.
Mostly food/candy, they always get and apple and orange (tradition from both families) and granola bars, mini oreo cookies and other favorite snack foods.
No Santa at our house, I get all the glory.
Both, usually my parents Christmas Eve and his Grandparents Christmas Day, it's getting rough so it might be changing soon.
Pajamas, I lik eot but don't always.
Only if they get pajamas
give money to the Salvation Army bell-ringers? Nope never
make children take turns opening We take turns, but we only give each child 3 presents and read a story that goes along with Jesus only getting 3 gifts.
We go to church on Sundays like normal, though I will admit I didn't care too much when Christmas fell on a Sunday.
Relieved, no, usually a bit disappointed, I never feel like I enjoy the holidays and my kids as much as I should.
We only have one Christmas tree. Real tree and is large and beautiful but too expensive to have two. 🙂
Only put toothbrush, one candy and an orange. Why an orange…my mom always did that for us as well as her mom for her, so the tradition but carry on.
We only do three presents anyway we just randomly choose one from Santa.
Big dinner on Christmas Eve! Big Christmas breakfast with the in laws.
New pjs? Yes! A must. I made them last year and then the PJ fairy leaves them on our front door step on Christmas eve.
Just the PJs.
I guess I am a weirdo…but we don't give money to the bell ringers…we try and adopt a family from our church to give a donation to instead of other charities or extended family gifts.
Take turns…I had to with 9 brothers and sisters…it was more fun so again the tradition continues.
Church every week…sometimes we take Christmas off. JK 🙂
Yes and no. I love the holiday…full of family time, memories, and our attention a little more focused toward Christ.
Now for your answers!:)
Hey there! Since you said this is for all the readers who never comment, I'm assuming you're onto me, haha. My answers may be a little different, since I'm a college student, but I enjoy reading your blog nonetheless!
There is one tree in each house: my house at school, my dad's, and my mom's
Our family mostly puts candy and small things in stockings, even clementines. Presents are for under the tree.
My best presents were always from Santa. I also address gifts from me as if they're from Santa Claus 🙂
We have two big dinners, Christmas Eve and Christmas day and we also have a big Christmas morning breakfast!
Our family normally gives the kids pajamas on Christmas Eve to wear that night.
We open one present Christmas Eve, but it always ends up being the pjs (surprise!)
I give the Salvation Army bells ringers a few dollars if I have some in my pocket, but give me a break, I'm a poor college student!
ne person is always assigned the job of being "Santa" and passing around gifts in an orderly fashion
We always go to Church on Christmas Eve (but hardly ever during the year..shhh)
I don't feel relieved when Christmas is over, more like a little sad. But then again I don't have children to manage.
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
-Emily
One tree. 3' tall.
Presents.
Oh, I bask. Screw Santa.
Both, but I think our Christmas Eve dinner is a bigger deal.
My mom gives us PJs on Christmas Eve. 😀
Yes. The pajamas.
Not as often anymore, since I never pay in cash, so I never have change. :/
Take turns! Free for all is LAME.
I think I have before, but I generally skip.
No, I feel sad. I love Christmas! You should see how well I decked out my cubicle.
not any more–trying to simplify
mostly presents
Santa gets the credit–even now that 5/6 know
Christmas Day dinner
No pjs
Yes to the bell ringers
We take turns opening
We always go to church; sometimes to other churches on Christmas eve, and I love when Christmas falls on a Sunday.
It's not over with Christmas… we're just ramping up for our big New Year's party
PS Are YOU going to answer the questions?
I'm feeling like I would be considered a reader that has not commented in a long time…I think that #3 has kicked my butt more than I thought it would, but I do still read your posts frequently so here we go.
I only have one, but I would love to do more. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is decorating the tree. I don't even let the kids help.
Small gifts in the stockings and a few treats.
We have had a large dinner on Christmas Day, but I have never made that dinner myself so if it were up to me I don't think that I would cook that day.
yes they get Jammies, but they are not always Christmas themed.
New jammies. Gotta look good in the Christmas morning photos.
If I have cash I do.
We do have the kids take turns, but there are only two of them so its not like it takes a really long time.
Church on Sundays even if it falls on Christmas.
Relieved not so much, dreading taking down all the decor is more like it.
Thanks Jennie that was fun, but now I kind of feel like a bit of a scrooge in some areas.
-We have one Christmas tree.
-Stockings have a few small gifts, nuts, an orange and some treats.
-Santa gets the credit, if there happens to be one big
-Neither, just a lot of snacking and treats.
-No Christmas PJ's, but it sounds like a fun tradition.
-one gift opened on Christmas Eve.
-I don't usually give to the bell ringers, but I also hardly ever carry cash.
-growing up we did both, free for all and take turns. I think I will make my kids take turns.
-We are a church going people.
-Yes I feel relieved, but I also miss the magical feeling when it is over.
I just have to make a comment about taking turns vs the free-for-all. I (obviously) grew up with taking turns, but when we do Christmas at the in-laws, it's a free-for-all. Kids, grandparents, aunts and uncles all opening simultaneously. And I HATE IT. Not only does it shorten the pleasure by about 90%, but you have no idea if the people who you bought for A) found their present from you B) liked their present from you C) said thank you and visa versa–it's hard to find them and tell them thank you. There is no oo-ing and ah-ing of gifts as their opened. No one has any idea what anyone else got. Personally it seems very selfish–like all you care about is your own gifts, and for me seeing people open the gifts I got them gives me way more pleasure.
And then you also have no idea what your kids got, what things on the floor around them are theirs and which are their cousins'. No, we will always take turns at our house. ALWAYS.