Christmas Holiday Traditions
As we wrap up the 12 Days of Holiday Fun, I thought I’d put crafts, tutorials, printables, and recipes on the back burner and talk a little more about family, memories, and Christmas holiday traditions. For myself, the real reason for the season is the birth of Christ. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I also {love} the gifts, sweets, and holiday traditions. All of these pieces combined to form some of my fondest childhood memories.
Do you have Christmas traditions that have been passed down through the generations? Maybe you’ve even started a few of your own. Well, today I thought I’d share a few of my family’s Christmas holiday traditions with you.
Stringing Popcorn
Remember the days leading up to Christmas as a child? The decorating? The baking? When we were younger, my mom had my sister and I help string popcorn for the tree each year. I remember the oversized bowls of air-popped popcorn. Honestly, we kinda hated it (I know, sorry Mom).
We’d string ten pieces of popcorn then two cranberries, ten more pieces of popcorn, then two more cranberries. We did this for strands and strands, tying them together to make larger strands that would later wrap around the tree. It was tedious and boring, but it sure did add that perfect ‘handmade’ touch to our tree each year.
As many of you already know, I was raised in a pastor’s home. Every Christmas Eve I attended church, sang solos or duets, passed out boxes of candy, and anxiously awaited getting home. We would light ALL the candles in the house, toast egg nog, and my Dad would read the Christmas story from Luke chapter two. We always got to open ONE gift, usually from a friend of the family or from our Grandmas.
Life was good. As I type this, I’m overwhelmed with emotion… I often wish I could go back in time and enjoy a few more of those Christmases. Precious memories, friends!
Time so quickly passes us by and I can honestly say that I probably took those moments for granted. As I get older, I miss being together with all of my family each year. I understand it’s all a part of growing up, so I hold very tight to these memories and carry them in my heart.
Pictures
So, we’ve covered Christmas Eve and preparations… now it’s time to share one of our Christmas morning traditions. Prepare to LAUGH OUT LOUD! For years… I think we even did it into our college years, my parents always took a picture of the three kiddos in their bed before we could go out and start opening gifts.
I called my mom and asked if she could hunt a couple down for me. However, if I’m being honest, I think it might have been one of the best traditions to merely capture the hairdos throughout the years. BE NICE!
The German Pickle
With the old, comes the new. We’re not together as a family every year — but when we are, we started a new Christmas holiday tradition a few years ago. The German Christmas Pickle. My maiden name is Kuert, which is German. Are you familiar with the German Christmas Pickle story? It goes something like this,
“A very old Christmas eve tradition in Germany was to hide a pickle [ornament] deep in the branches of the family Christmas Tree. The parents hung the pickle last after all the other ornaments were in place. In the morning they knew the most observant child would receive an extra gift from St. Nicholas. The first adult who finds the pickle traditionally gets good luck for the whole year.”
So, now when we’re all together, my parents hide the silly pickle ornament, and the first of the siblings to find it gets an extra gift — usually a fabulous gift card to Starbucks (being that we’re all addicts). The funniest part about this is that we’re all so stinking competitive, the spouses won’t play along. The three siblings battle out and we’re typically never happy for the winner. HaHa!
Changes
I don’t have children, so traditions have changed. I still love to light all the candles in my home on Christmas Eve and toast to egg nog. The hubby and I usually open the gifts from his mom and step-dad (shhh, don’t tell), but other than that… well, it’s a quiet day. This year we might go see Les Miserable.
Traditions may change, but the love for family and those sweet memories will always make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
I’m blessed to be able to look back and remember the good times we shared the laughter that filled the room, and the sweets that filled our bellies! I hope that those of you with children are filling their hearts with love and memories each year… beyond the gifts.
What holiday traditions do you and your family have? Have they been passed down through the generations? Please do share them with me, I would {love} to hear!
If you were here, I’d say that we should toast to the end of this series with some egg nog -or- maybe a sparkling cocktail or two! Anywho, here’s to the end of my holiday series… will it become a yearly tradition? I’ll have to get back to you on that {hee-hee}. I do hope that you enjoyed it. May your days be merry and bright… hugs all around, friends!
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Winnie says
I enjoyed your post. My late hubby was of German heritage, and he and I hid a glass pickle ornament that we hid. I am celebrating my 2nd anniversary with my new hubby and last year when I mentiioned the pickle hidding, he thought I went off my rocker. So funny, so when the nieces/nephews visit, I let them search for it and have some kind of treat for the winner. I bake cookies as gifts,l see my hubby perform as Scrooge in plays, set up my manager, and then rearrange the animals after my sister leaves as for some reason she always hates how my annimals are, and I redo it. This has been our sister thing for 20+ years. Have a blessed holiday.
Kelly says
Hi Winnie! Thanks so much for sharing some of your holiday fun! I apologize for such a late response, I’m playing a little catch up. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year. HUGS.
Adventuresindinner says
We have the Christmas pickle too!
Kelly says
YAY for the Christmas Pickle!! It’s such a fun tradition…. Forgive me for such a late reply to your comment. I’m officially playing catch up. Have a very Merry Christmas. HUGS!
Cindy says
My childhood Christmas memories are precious, also. My mom’s birthday was Christmas Eve and both sides of the family would descend for a huge party. My sister and I were allowed to open the presents the aunts and uncles brought. It was loud and raucous and full of love. (I always tear up just thinking of those evenings.)My sister and I had a lot of Jewish friends, and as we got older they all joined us for the evening. Sme of those friends still contact me on Christmas Eve to reminisce. I am truly blessed to have those memories.
Kelly says
Hi Cindy! Thanks so much for sharing a couple of your sweet memories with me. I think I live in a state of nostalgia through these holidays. Have a blessed holiday! Hugs.
Jessica @ Dear Emmeline says
1. how did I miss that you are a twin?! so am I! I have a twin brother.
2. I think we have the exact same pickle ornament!
3. thanks for stopping over and commenting! I was going to reply through email but it came up no-reply 🙁
Kelly says
Hi Jessica! Two weeks later, I’m playing a little catch up. So, let’s see… how did you miss that I’m a twin? LOL. TWINS ROCK! How super fun that we have that in common.
YAY on the pickle ornament, such a fun tradition.
Sorry about the no-reply thing. I have gone in a couple different times and changed the settings and then someone else tells me I’m a no-reply commenter. I kinda give up… everyone just needs to migrate to WP (giggle).
Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, friend. HUGS.
shoprubyjean says
LOVE LOVE LOVE the pickle… Even though we have never done that 🙂 Oh my those pictures bring back so many wonderful memories of my own family photos.. You gotta LOVE the way we looked. I had no idea you were a twin.. Our tradition is making Tamales and staying up EXTREMELY late so we can eat the FIRST batch of them 🙂
Angelina
Kelly says
Angelina…. thanks so much for sharing your tradition — and you should definitely jump on the pickle tradition. It really is a fun tradition. Yes, looking at the pictures cracked me up. Thank goodness aging has played in my favor {hee-hee}. Please forgive me for such a late response. I’m playing a little catch up. HUGS to you!!
Lucy Beliveau says
A HUGE “THANK YOU” for such a delightful post! I get so many emails so often don’t get a chance to read all I receive. I am SO glad I read yours today! Yes, lots of memories are whirling in my head this year! With 62 Christmases of memories, it’s hard to not become somewhat obsessed with the happenings of so many years ago! Merry Christmas to you! I raise my glass of nog in a toast to you!
Kelly says
Lucy, while I’m super late in responding to your comment — please know that I was tickled silly to hear that you enjoyed taking a stroll down memory lane with me. MERRY CHRISTMAS! Here’s to memories of Christmases past and many more to come. HUGS!
Kristine says
What a FANTASTIC read!!! Overwhelmed with floods of memories from our childhood Christmas’s! Many smiles! Love you sis.
Kelly says
Love you too, Kristine!! Happy memory making 🙂
Melissa B says
I enjoyed reading your post, and your photos are so cute!
I can remember getting special dolls for Christmas when I was little. One of our traditions was celebrating Christmas with my cousins and grandparents, and I looked forward to it! =)
Kelly says
Hi Melissa! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your Christmas memories. Time with family is so precious… Have a very Merry Christmas., friend. HUGS.
Sarah says
We always got NEW Christmas pj’s!!!! on Christmas Eve, that’s one gift we got to open after our bath!!!
I’ve done this w/my boys and still try and make them wear them!!! But at 20 and 16 soon to be 17 they don’t like it very much!! But I do see them smile just a little bit! Then the FIRST thing we do Christmas morning is read the Christmas story (we also read Luke 2) We started this when the boys were little.
Loved the pic’s of you and Kris!!! and Danny too cute.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Sarah
Kelly says
Hi Sarah!! Thanks so much for sharing your Christmas PJ’s tradition. How fun!! Wishing you, Jeff and the boys a very MERRY CHRISTMAS. Hugs!
Gina says
Awesome- we do the pickle too. That made me smile! Hugs!!
Kelly says
YAY for the pickle tradition 🙂 Fun knowing we have a similar tradition. HUGS to you, friend.
Amanda {at} Royal Daughter Designs says
Oh my goodness! I love the photo in bed idea! What a unique tradition! 🙂
Kelly says
Thanks, Amanda 🙂 It’s uniquely hysterical… looking back all I can do is laugh and thank God that aging has played in my favor {giggle}. Have a very Merry Christmas! Hugs.