Memories Are Made of Christmas Traditions

By Pat Tate  |  

Christmas time is a wonderful festive season full of family traditions. Many of these traditions are passed down through the generations of a family. It gives everyone a warm fuzzy feeling and it particularly gives youngsters a feeling of connection.

The repeated acts of preparing for the Christmas celebrations enhance children's sense of anticipation and expectation. It is like having some fairy dust sprinkled on their world. The memories established during this holiday time will last a lifetime. It is marvelous to pick happy activities that will become part of everyone's Christmas tradition.

For many families this is a time to hand craft items like Christmas cards, Christmas letters, Christmas stockings, Christmas decorations and Christmas gifts. The creating of these will put your own personal stamp on them and they will be appreciated for the effort that you took. Another family tradition can be getting together to bake. Who doesn't love those Christmas goodies? One of our favorite traditions is the making and decorating of gingerbread boy and girl cookies. I started this with my children and now I do this with my five grandchildren.

Check your entertainment section of your local paper. At this time of year there are ballets, concerts, parades, caroling and breakfasts with Santa to be found. Here on the West Coast we have the caroling ships in the harbor several different evenings. You can book to get aboard the ships and sing with the carolers or you can find a suitable vantage point to watch them pass by. With the lights of the harbor and the Christmas lights of the ships mingling with the voices of the carolers it is a magical sight. A visit to retail shops that have Christmas displays can also add to the magic. Many of the sets in the windows go back years and were carefully crafted.

A visit to Santa is a must. Even if your youngster is too shy to go up and sit on Santa's knee they love the mystique surrounding him. Most places where Santa is presiding have a Santa letterbox and some areas even have Santa's elves to answer the children's letters.

Dragging out the treasured Christmas lights and decorations is an activity that children love. They delight to see what is in each box and are very willing to help unwrap the decorations. They remember where the decorations are put each year.

Many families have a tradition of putting up their Christmas tree on a set date each year. They have a tree decorating party where everyone can help to decorate the tree. Often this is done in combination with a carol sing along. If you don't have an artificial tree the trip to the tree farm to find that perfect tree can be part of your family's tradition. This is a time when children can make some of the decorations to hang on the tree. They can pop some popcorn and make strings to go on the tree. They love to hang candy canes on the tree.

For Christmas Eve a set menu can be a tradition. With the whole family gathered about a formal decorative table that is adorned with candles, special glassware and dishes, the feeling of Christmas magic is felt. The family singing of Christmas carols and songs on Christmas Eve is another tradition in many homes.

The going to a Christmas Eve church service or midnight mass is also a very important tradition. The candlelight of the church and the reading of the true meaning of the Christmas spirit fill everyone with a feeling of hope and peace.

To help the children deal with their excitement the opening of one gift on Christmas Eve is a much anticipated activity. Hanging stockings and putting out cookies and milk for Santa is so exciting. Nowadays tracking Santa on the computer is establishing a new tradition.

An old tradition is the reading of Clement C. Moore's "The Night Before Christmas". Written in 1823 it is arguably the best know Christmas poem. Our copy was published in 1965 and has been read many times every year since. When all the parcels are wrapped and put under the tree curling up with a little eggnog to watch a classic Christmas movie is an adult tradition.

For lasting Christmas memories establish some traditions that can be passed from generation to generation.

This article is written by Pat Tate who uses her site to talk Christmas. She has always loved toys and Christmas. She is using her blog Top Ten Christmas Ideas [http://toptenchristmasideas.com] to talk about Christmas food, Christmas carols, the popular toys and gifts on everyone's Christmas list. She invites parents, grandparents and Christmas lovers to join her and share their Christmas experiences. 

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