Christmas Tree/ Holiday Traditions

Gloria09

For those who celebrate Christmas ... tell us what kind of tree you have and any family traditions you have.

Those who do not celebrate Christmas ... tell us what you do celebrate and how.

Tree - Today we went to get our Christmas tree. A little later than in the past but growing up my parents usually waited for my birthday to get our tree so this feels like the good ole' times. I love the real trees, how the pine smell fills the house. However I'm really liking the tall narrow artificial trees too. So when the time, the price and a storage place all line up I will get three tall trees (different heights) to place together in a corner and maybe get a baby table top Charlie Brown tree for the fresh pine scent.

Tradition - when my daughter was growing up each year I would buy her a special ornament that would signify something she did that year, example ... ice skater the year she started ice skating lessons, the number 5 for the year she turned five, a sleigh for the first year she went sledding etc. Once we put the tree up and lights on I would give her the new ornament to unwrap and it would be the first one to go on the tree. When she moved out and had a Christmas tree in her own place I gave her those ornaments for her to keep. She was so happy to receive them.

Merry Christmas!

fauxma

Because my sister was born
Because my sister was born on the 13th of December, we always got our tree then and decorated. For years, she thought it was a birthday tree and she wondered why my brother and I didn't have one. Then when we were in our teens we wanted an aluminum tree. They were all the rage. With one color glass balls and a spotlight that rotated different colors on it. Mom got rid of all of the other ornaments (big sad tears now). When the fad faded she went back to real trees and had to start collecting ornaments all over. But eventually (20 plus years later) there was a new bunch full of memories on her tree. My trees have been fake and real and sometimes two. One was usually a fairy tree, very Victorian with a ribbon, flower garland and the other a big old tree with all the ornaments I have collected over the years. I have now passed nearly all on to Denise and have just a small tree with a few of my favs including my new shoe. I don't do much else in decorating and what I had for that, I have to Denise. My mom and sister did the whole house thing. A big tree, the huge Dickens village with train, these caroler dolls (over 40), mechanicals, and yard stuff. So pretty. The funniest Christmas memory I have is of my grandma. She was such a character and did things her own way. She also had an aluminum tree in the 60s but continued to use it year afer year. In the 80s just before she moved in with my mom, we went down to pick her up for Christmas. In the window was just one half of that tree with a few care worn bulbs on it. That alone wouldn't have been so funny or unusual but she put put the bottom half cause she needed the stand. We stood outside and howled with laughter and then went in and told Grandma how nice it looked. She looked at us and said It looks terrible but I didn't want anyone to think I was senile and forgot it was Christmas. And we howled with laughter again. She was the best grandma in the whole world. The sneak you a treat, hug you when you were naughty, teach you to play jacks, and loved you beyond reason grandma. And that's who I am going to be. Thanks for this topic. It was fun sharing.
Stef

Gloria09

fauxma said:

Because my sister was born
Because my sister was born on the 13th of December, we always got our tree then and decorated. For years, she thought it was a birthday tree and she wondered why my brother and I didn't have one. Then when we were in our teens we wanted an aluminum tree. They were all the rage. With one color glass balls and a spotlight that rotated different colors on it. Mom got rid of all of the other ornaments (big sad tears now). When the fad faded she went back to real trees and had to start collecting ornaments all over. But eventually (20 plus years later) there was a new bunch full of memories on her tree. My trees have been fake and real and sometimes two. One was usually a fairy tree, very Victorian with a ribbon, flower garland and the other a big old tree with all the ornaments I have collected over the years. I have now passed nearly all on to Denise and have just a small tree with a few of my favs including my new shoe. I don't do much else in decorating and what I had for that, I have to Denise. My mom and sister did the whole house thing. A big tree, the huge Dickens village with train, these caroler dolls (over 40), mechanicals, and yard stuff. So pretty. The funniest Christmas memory I have is of my grandma. She was such a character and did things her own way. She also had an aluminum tree in the 60s but continued to use it year afer year. In the 80s just before she moved in with my mom, we went down to pick her up for Christmas. In the window was just one half of that tree with a few care worn bulbs on it. That alone wouldn't have been so funny or unusual but she put put the bottom half cause she needed the stand. We stood outside and howled with laughter and then went in and told Grandma how nice it looked. She looked at us and said It looks terrible but I didn't want anyone to think I was senile and forgot it was Christmas. And we howled with laughter again. She was the best grandma in the whole world. The sneak you a treat, hug you when you were naughty, teach you to play jacks, and loved you beyond reason grandma. And that's who I am going to be. Thanks for this topic. It was fun sharing.
Stef

Hi Stef
A birthday tree ... too cute! What great memories you and your family have to share. We had one of those popular aluminum trees too. I never liked them but everyone else in the house thought they were so neat. We also had a flocked tree and a blue tree throughout the years ... crazy!

Once I gave the ornaments to my daughter I couldn't decide what theme I wanted to go with so I have been using some of my moms decorations until I can figure that out. My husband and I are into hot air balloons so that may be what I go with but there are not a lot of tree decorations with that theme so I might have to find a way to make them myself. Let's see I could take a light bulb and turn it upside down and hmmmm.

m_azingrace

fauxma said:

Because my sister was born
Because my sister was born on the 13th of December, we always got our tree then and decorated. For years, she thought it was a birthday tree and she wondered why my brother and I didn't have one. Then when we were in our teens we wanted an aluminum tree. They were all the rage. With one color glass balls and a spotlight that rotated different colors on it. Mom got rid of all of the other ornaments (big sad tears now). When the fad faded she went back to real trees and had to start collecting ornaments all over. But eventually (20 plus years later) there was a new bunch full of memories on her tree. My trees have been fake and real and sometimes two. One was usually a fairy tree, very Victorian with a ribbon, flower garland and the other a big old tree with all the ornaments I have collected over the years. I have now passed nearly all on to Denise and have just a small tree with a few of my favs including my new shoe. I don't do much else in decorating and what I had for that, I have to Denise. My mom and sister did the whole house thing. A big tree, the huge Dickens village with train, these caroler dolls (over 40), mechanicals, and yard stuff. So pretty. The funniest Christmas memory I have is of my grandma. She was such a character and did things her own way. She also had an aluminum tree in the 60s but continued to use it year afer year. In the 80s just before she moved in with my mom, we went down to pick her up for Christmas. In the window was just one half of that tree with a few care worn bulbs on it. That alone wouldn't have been so funny or unusual but she put put the bottom half cause she needed the stand. We stood outside and howled with laughter and then went in and told Grandma how nice it looked. She looked at us and said It looks terrible but I didn't want anyone to think I was senile and forgot it was Christmas. And we howled with laughter again. She was the best grandma in the whole world. The sneak you a treat, hug you when you were naughty, teach you to play jacks, and loved you beyond reason grandma. And that's who I am going to be. Thanks for this topic. It was fun sharing.
Stef

Decembere 13th is our wedding anniversary
For many years, this was the day we trimmed the tree. When we moved to the mountains 15 years ago, we started going into the Forest Service cutting area to get a truly fresh tree. We continued that until HubbyDearest had knee replacement in 2005, and we (I, but he listened to me)decided it was too dangerous. There's always ice and snow in those areas. So he finally agreed to have an artificial tree. He misses the real ones, but I don't miss the mess. Today is our anniversary, and usually we would spend the day decorating the tree, followed by a nice supper of hot soup and crusty bread. But I've been sick with a cold, and he has a bum shoulder right now, so we decided it can wait another couple of days. Our ornaments are all special Our babies' first shoes or booties, ornaments they made in school or sunday school, gifts from dear friends, etc. I don't care for "theme" trees...ours is a "memory" tree, representing 46 Christmases. I hope you all enjoy the holidays. Peace on earth, good will toward men. Hugs and God bless. Gracie.

Gloria09

m_azingrace said:

Decembere 13th is our wedding anniversary
For many years, this was the day we trimmed the tree. When we moved to the mountains 15 years ago, we started going into the Forest Service cutting area to get a truly fresh tree. We continued that until HubbyDearest had knee replacement in 2005, and we (I, but he listened to me)decided it was too dangerous. There's always ice and snow in those areas. So he finally agreed to have an artificial tree. He misses the real ones, but I don't miss the mess. Today is our anniversary, and usually we would spend the day decorating the tree, followed by a nice supper of hot soup and crusty bread. But I've been sick with a cold, and he has a bum shoulder right now, so we decided it can wait another couple of days. Our ornaments are all special Our babies' first shoes or booties, ornaments they made in school or sunday school, gifts from dear friends, etc. I don't care for "theme" trees...ours is a "memory" tree, representing 46 Christmases. I hope you all enjoy the holidays. Peace on earth, good will toward men. Hugs and God bless. Gracie.

Gracie
Happy Anniversary! Hope you both are feeling better soon!

Rague

Have to treat the reindeers!
Everybody leaves something out for Santa, be it cookies and milk or a nice warming shot of Old Grandad(100 proof Bourbon) but most forget the ones who are doing the work of pulling the sleigh and all the presents - the reindeer. I/we always put "reindeer fuel" out for them. Daddy was sttioned in France when I was little (6 -9) and they have different traditions than we have. Pere Noel has a white horse that pulls his sleigh and the children (at least in the area we lived in) put their wooden shoes outside the door filled with hay/grass/goodies for the horse. So there has not been a Christmas since that we do not put hay/carrots out for the reindeer. When our sons were little they insisted that it had to go on the roof because of course the reindeer only land on roofs. Now we make a 'runway' marked with lights and signs saying "Reindeer Fuel" on the ground.

I also have a candle lit tree - goes back to my time as a child in France also. The most beautiful tree I've ever seen was completely candle lit and was in one of our neighbor's houses there. They thought our huge (11') electric lit tree was (early 1950's) spectacular but I thought it was bland compared to their glorius 4' candle lit tree. Yes, I do light it every year but it is always a small live tree and we carry it outside to light for a short time (with fire extinguishers within reach just in case but have never needed them). Never takes long til we have a crowd around it and carols being sung (always have hot coco and spiced cider ready too). (We have a large conventionally lit/decorated tree too.)

A lot of people make gingerbread houses - I make gingerbread Nativity scenes. I found the set/cutters to make them at a yard sale about 20 years ago.

About all the 'different' things I do that I can think of now.

Susan

Forgot to add - Dec. is a 'busy' month for us - our anniversary is the 6th, older son's birthday is the 13th and younger son's birthday is the 1st.

carkris

Rague said:

Have to treat the reindeers!
Everybody leaves something out for Santa, be it cookies and milk or a nice warming shot of Old Grandad(100 proof Bourbon) but most forget the ones who are doing the work of pulling the sleigh and all the presents - the reindeer. I/we always put "reindeer fuel" out for them. Daddy was sttioned in France when I was little (6 -9) and they have different traditions than we have. Pere Noel has a white horse that pulls his sleigh and the children (at least in the area we lived in) put their wooden shoes outside the door filled with hay/grass/goodies for the horse. So there has not been a Christmas since that we do not put hay/carrots out for the reindeer. When our sons were little they insisted that it had to go on the roof because of course the reindeer only land on roofs. Now we make a 'runway' marked with lights and signs saying "Reindeer Fuel" on the ground.

I also have a candle lit tree - goes back to my time as a child in France also. The most beautiful tree I've ever seen was completely candle lit and was in one of our neighbor's houses there. They thought our huge (11') electric lit tree was (early 1950's) spectacular but I thought it was bland compared to their glorius 4' candle lit tree. Yes, I do light it every year but it is always a small live tree and we carry it outside to light for a short time (with fire extinguishers within reach just in case but have never needed them). Never takes long til we have a crowd around it and carols being sung (always have hot coco and spiced cider ready too). (We have a large conventionally lit/decorated tree too.)

A lot of people make gingerbread houses - I make gingerbread Nativity scenes. I found the set/cutters to make them at a yard sale about 20 years ago.

About all the 'different' things I do that I can think of now.

Susan

Forgot to add - Dec. is a 'busy' month for us - our anniversary is the 6th, older son's birthday is the 13th and younger son's birthday is the 1st.

I love the ornament idea. My
I love the ornament idea. My kids are 19 and 16 so too late but I will pass it on. We always have the kids open one present Christmas eve. of course it is always Christmas PJ/s and a stuffed animal. that way they are photo ready.