Our Christmas Traditions | Whitney Beth Photography
 

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with good food and family. It was so good to spend time with loved ones and be reminded of all we have to be thankful for. And it has made me so excited for Christmas! Christmas was always big at our house growing up. We love a good tradition and I love getting to share them with my own kids. My family and I have always loved celebrating traditions from around the world, and I thought you might like to hear about them so you can join in on the fun!

December 6th is St. Nick‘s birthday. So on the night of the 5th, everyone writes out their Christmas list and places them in a shoe by the fireplace. St Nick visits in the night, takes the lists and leaves a sweet treat in it’s place. 

Danny and I’s first married Christmas together and our makeshift fireplace 

Bare with me on these next two - I didn’t realize how strange they were until I had to explain just exactly what we were doing to Danny.

So I looked it up, and it’s a Serbian tradition that symbolizes unity and tying generations together. 

This takes place the Sunday before and two Sundays before Christmas - Mother’s and Father’s Day. Depending on which day it is you either take your mom or dad and tie them up in a chair. We usually use Christmas lights or ribbon. Then all the kids walk around in a circle and sing, “It’s Mother’s Day (or Father’s Day) It’s Mother’s Day, what do you pay to get away?” And then we untie our parents and they give us a treat. 

One of my earliest memories are of me crying, watching my aunts, uncles and parents wrap my grandma up in shrink wrap for Mother’s Day. Haha! Luckily the years to follow were less traumatizing, but the awareness of how strange it was only grew with time. 

2 1/2 year old Jones getting a kick out of tying up Grandpa - luckily it was not traumatizing for him lol

The last on my list is one my siblings and I started all on our own. Back when I was around 8 years old I thought it would be fun to have a sleepover with my siblings in my room on Christmas Eve. We gathered blankets and bedding and stayed up wayyyy too late waiting to hear Santa. We loved it so much we did it the next year, and the next, until we outgrew bedrooms and moved to the playroom in the basement. We have continued that tradition now, going on 21 years. My siblings and I all come home for Christmas Eve, kids and dog in tow and make mattress city out of the basement. We stay up wayyy too late watching Christmas movies and answering the kids’ calls of, “Is it morning yet?!” When it finally is morning we all wake up, open stockings, have breakfast and dive into Christmas! 

Christmas Eve circa 2017 - Julie is on her mission

I love all our traditions and I love seeing my boys experience Christmas through them. So tell me what traditions you have? Are any as crazy as tying up your parents?