So what do ya'll. . .

[Erinwilcox]

do for Christmas? Since Christmas is exactly a week away, I thought it'd be nice if we all shared some of our holiday traditions or favorite holiday memories! If you don't celebrate Christmas, how do you make the season special (New Years, etc)?

 

[McWilliams]

The tradition for my family all the years of my children growing up, marrying and still into the years as long as I had a 'big house' were for all to come home for Christmas and a big dinner with the family. Some married ones rotated their holiday home with going to the in-laws but even then we managed to be together on one holiday, either Thanksgiving or New Years. This being together was a very big thing of importance to me and my dh and we loved having everyone together!
Now this year I've moved into an apartment and one son and his family will go to the in-laws, one son and his family are going on a ski trip sooooo, I've no absolute plan at this moment but I figure the other son who is on a work project in WY and coming home tomorrow and is a chef will hopefully and with great mercy ask me to bring his favorite sweet potato casserole and he'll add the rest and we'll have a wonderful time together!
Christmas Eve we will go to church and also have the Lords Supper!
Long ago during my growing up we attended a 'watch night' service on New Years Eve and I miss that as its such a special way to begin a new year asking the Lord's guidance!

 

[Salamon]

Ello Christmas is my favorite time of year We as a family usually stay home and have Christmas but that was when we lived on opposite sides of the country(AZ v MD) we now live a lot closer to family and are having my Grandparents and possible my dads sisters family over(Christmas eve.) which would be a lot of fun after that I believe we are going to visit my moms side of the family for Christmas day! The best Christmas Dish I would have to say is the Stuffing fresh out of the turkey covered with gravy . My favorite thing to do during Christmas I would say is the singing (Aw no emoticon for that)the Carols and Hymns. And spending time with friends and family I find it very cool that Our God gave His Son so that we might live to worship Him.

 

[edie19]

I went to Cleveland yesterday to visit with my dad and his wife, my sister and brother-in-law. That was our Christmas time together as they will be spending time with other family members on Christmas day.

Christmas Eve we'll go to my son's house for dinner. Since their nieces and nephew will be there we probably won't stay too long (I don't like to intrude on the time they spend with Kellie's family).

Christmas day we'll get up and have a nice brunch. Sam, Kellie and the boys will come over in the afternoon for gift exchange and dinner.

This year I'm not doing a whole lot of shopping (mostly gift certificates and charitable donations in family members' names) rather I'm just planning on really appreciating the time I have with my family.

 

[Erinwilcox]

I will be spending Christmas Eve with my church family (since it is a Lord's Day), I believe. I wanted to go up to my grandparent's OPC church that day, but I don't think that my parents would like that too much. Besides, upon further reflection, how better to spend Christmas Eve than with the church family who has been so loving and supportive of me?

Christmas day will be spent in NJ at my grandparents home. Thanksgiving with my father's family is nice, but I love having an Italian Christmas! Traditional foods AND awesome Italian foods like lasagna, stuffed shells, ravioli, etc. escarole soup (my favorite!), and such foods make Christmas soo special! We'll probably sing Christmas carols and dance in the kitchen while we prepare and later clean up. I believe that my favorite Christmas memory was the first time that my grandfather prayed over the food (I think most of you have heard this before so I'll not go into details)--that meant the world to me and I'll never forget it and the blessing that it was to me.

McWilliams and Edie--enjoy your time with your family this Christmas. I plan on sending you both Christmas cards as soon as we take the photo that's supposed to go in them (which is why we joke in our family that our Christmas cards are more like New Year's cards!)--I'm trying to rush the photo cause I have people in the Baptist forum to send cards out to as well!

 

[Knight]

My wife and I find a local church that offers a Christmas Eve candlelight service (with child care) and attend that. Our church does not typically do much for Christmas Eve so we have to find somewhere else to worship in theis manner.

Christmas morning we like to have some special time with our immediate family (Me, my wife, and the girls) to exchange presents and read the Christmas story. However, this is often supplanted by other family plans...