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Not being nosy, but I have a 'traditions' question for you.

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Twister Frost

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Was discussing a story with the kids today, and talking about traditions around the holidays, specifically Christmas (since it seems to be easier for them to think about right now!), and I was slightly amazed by the lack of traditions being carried down today. I am not judging, mind you, I was just thinking about all the different traditions (or maybe I just thought/think they were traditions!) that we grew up following. The kids didn't think any of the traditions I brought up--picking out a tree in the buttes, cutting it down, decorating as a family, stockings for life, making lefse, having lutefisk (yuck, yuck, yuck (pukey emoticon)!), Nativity re-enactment at church, hayrides, sledding behind the horse, Christmas Eve for gifts--and dressing up for family pictures, Christmas Day for Santa, Elf 33, Oyster stew on New Year's Eve---were traditions or anything that was that big of a deal.
So, I am looking for some ideas to bring up as far as traditions go---and to be quite honest, maybe it is a tradition from childhood that you might no longer carry on--like the lutefisk nightmare for me! I would be deeply indebted for some ideas, and I will gladly give credit as someone else's, not my own. It's tough to not be able to make a current connection with them, as playing videogames on Christmas Eve has never been done as a yearly event for me!
Thanks again.
 
As kids, we'd always end up at my Uncle and Aunt's home or them over to ours, on Christmas eve and we'd break out the guitar and sing cowboy and Christmas songs. We'd have home made eggnog too, and somehow my wonderful uncle would always manage to have a little something extra in his. :D Always made for some great times as he'd sing old cowboy songs and some he just made up. I've shed a tear or two since he's gone but some were from laughing. We always put hay out for the reindeer and I was (and my kids still are), amazed at the deer tracks in the snow if we have any. :shock: Our family picks a family or two and we do secret Santa for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Just little gifts and anonymous, but helps us remember giving is way better than getting. We always go cut a tree too. Thanks for the memories of Christmas's past! Your thread sure brought me a smile! :D
 
leanin' H said:
As kids, we'd always end up at my Uncle and Aunt's home or them over to ours, on Christmas eve and we'd break out the guitar and sing cowboy and Christmas songs. We'd have home made eggnog too, and somehow my wonderful uncle would always manage to have a little something extra in his. :D Always made for some great times as he'd sing old cowboy songs and some he just made up. I've shed a tear or two since he's gone but some were from laughing. We always put hay out for the reindeer and I was (and my kids still are), amazed at the deer tracks in the snow if we have any. :shock: Our family picks a family or two and we do secret Santa for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Just little gifts and anonymous, but helps us remember giving is way better than getting. We always go cut a tree too. Thanks for the memories of Christmas's past! Your thread sure brought me a smile! :D
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"FH",
It sounds like you had a great time growing up with the traditions you've described above. I agree with you, there is nothing more beautiful than giving rather than receiving, especially when you give 'little gifts...'
 
Twister you pretty much covered it for me except the lutefisk.

My wife and kids make the Lefse. Witches brew(tang and Ice tea)Hot.
Some of us like smoked oysters. :D
Church Christmas eve.
Eat to much. :shock:
When we have a team we do some sleigh rides.
Merry Christmas
 
One crazy tradition I did with my sister-in-law (now deceased :cry2: ) is that we never bought each other anything new. We always gave something we didn't want, didn't wear any more, etc. We did it up right, we'd always wrap it in nice Christmas paper. Sometimes the next year we might get back what we gave the year before. :p

We had so much fun with this. She passed away at 54, darn, I miss her. We had a lot of fun.
 
Thank you, Leaning H, Big Muddy, and Faster for the ideas. Spent some time today talking about it again, even brought it up to an older class and had a few really neat ones. I guess time marches on---although, like all three of you, have a spent a good part of my day thinking back on my growing-up years and yearning to go back! I also have to admit that I myself have let some of the traditions that I held dearest in my younger years slip and change because of thinking I am too busy. I now have a great nephew who is into Christmas, so I see Elf 33 making a comeback this year--it's been 9 years--I hope I remember the voice! Wishing all a blessed Christmas season and a very Happy New Year full of health and happiness.

PS--Faster, I love your story. I am really thinking about seeing my siblings would like to do this this year, instead of the White Donkey exchange. A brother and I already do this with a birthday card. We tend to lean towards the humorous side, as it is, and I can imagine some pretty good gifts. Thank you for the idea!
 
Might have started a new tradition, :D Last year I bought my grandson a pair of PJ's with steer skulls on them. (He says their spiders). But when they got home for Christmas the had forgot to bring his suitcase so had no clothes with him. He got to open Grandpa's gift early so he had something to wear to bed.

This year he's getting a red pair with pinto ponies on them. :D
 
Twister Frost said:
Thank you, Leaning H, Big Muddy, and Faster for the ideas. Spent some time today talking about it again, even brought it up to an older class and had a few really neat ones. I guess time marches on---although, like all three of you, have a spent a good part of my day thinking back on my growing-up years and yearning to go back! I also have to admit that I myself have let some of the traditions that I held dearest in my younger years slip and change because of thinking I am too busy. I now have a great nephew who is into Christmas, so I see Elf 33 making a comeback this year--it's been 9 years--I hope I remember the voice! Wishing all a blessed Christmas season and a very Happy New Year full of health and happiness.

PS--Faster, I love your story. I am really thinking about seeing my siblings would like to do this this year, instead of the White Donkey exchange. A brother and I already do this with a birthday card. We tend to lean towards the humorous side, as it is, and I can imagine some pretty good gifts. Thank you for the idea!
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Glad you liked the idea. The fun thing is, you don't have to stop with just one present. You can get rid of a lot of stuff if you want. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Sometimes they really like something you didn't like....it turns out to be really interesting and a lot of fun. Good luck with it!
 

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