Christmas Traditions

Over the 11 years that my husband and I have been dating and married, we have celebrated the Christmas holiday with old and new traditions.  I think it is important to adopt new traditions as you start your own family or move to a new home with your family.  I wanted to take this opportunity to share with all of you the old and new traditions that we have withing our family (immediate and extended).

Let's Start With the OLD 

Start decorating the house and put up the tree the day/weekend after Thanksgiving.

The Sunday before Christmas, we celebrate with Jason's extended family from his mom's side and Santa brings gifts for the little ones (Santa remembers everyone's name and speaks often of the gifts that he's brought family members over the years - approximately 32 years with the same Santa).

Take a family picture in front of the tree on Christmas day.

Pack everybody up and head off to spend Christmas afternoon/evening with Jason's family.

On New Year's day, the Christmas decorations start to come down.

Now On With the NEW

Bake cookies and make candies to deliver to the neighbors.

Last minute shopping on Christmas Eve (we are notorious for this).

Christmas Eve with Grandma or Grandpa Hansmeyer (we switch off each year).

Logan and Jillianne each get a new Hallmark ornament from mommy and daddy (we are going to need to start buying a new ornament for us, or our tree will be bare when the kids grow up and head out on their own).

Wake up way too early on Christmas morning to see what Santa has left and open gifts from

mommy and daddy.

Depending upon the year we will get together with either Grandma or Grandpa Hansmeyer a couple days after or the weekend after Christmas.

Those are our traditions. Sometimes they are altered a little bit depending on the year and the weather.  Last year, 2009, we were stuck at home and unable to go anywhere due to a really bad snow storm that closed the interstate.  It was nice to have the day to ourselves, but there was a sense of loneliness without being able to spend time with Jason's family.  It all worked out thought and we just relaxed the day away while the kids got to play with all of their new gifts.

What kinds of traditions do you have?  Have you adopted new traditions over the years?  I'd love to hear about yours.