Christmas Traditions

Let's talk Christmas Traditions!!! I feel like Christmas is the most versatile holiday, there are so many different ways in which people celebrate some draw from their cultural traditions, some from their faith some come up with creative traditions all their own, but have you ever noticed that for christmas we all do something unique! Sure you have the typical family get together present opening but lets talk traditions today! What are your favorite christmas traditions?

One tradition in our family happened last weekend. We were just home last weekend spending time with my parents and grandma and we got together for our families traditional tamale making. Now growing up this was my least favorite tradition, my cousins and I would always try so hard to make plans the day we had to make tamales we tried every way possible to get out of making tamales, but somehow nana and my mom managed to force us into helping (and just to be clear we are talking about a full day of tamale making hands arms deep in masa as we make somewhere around 300 tamales yes 300).

As I got older and moved out of the house I found myself looking forward to going home and making tamales. My cousin Cora who lives on the other side of the country misses those tamale making days as well (come on Cora you know you do). I think it's something about being in a room with family laughing and gossiping about life and all the things going on with everyone. So I think that tradition has found it's way into my heart and will remain with me throughout the years. Even my white boy husband has become accustomed to the tradition of making tamales for Christmas.

Other family traditions include christmas cookie making which I have always taken vary serious from the time I was around 5 or 6.

Opening one christmas present the night before christmas (usually some christmas PJ's)

And of course my all time favorite traditions, my mom's Christmas parties. My mom has the most wonderful christmas parties she decorates the house like a christmas dreamland cottage! Every year she has her daycare families (who I may add are really just an extension of our own personal family, if you were ever in her daycare you know what I mean) come over for tamales and to enjoy christmas music as well as a big surprise from Santa who brings all the kiddos one early christmas present. Then of course our family christmas party where we love to just get together and spend time playing games and singing carols.

Over the years we have also incorporated new traditions as we added Tim to our family. His family has such beautiful Christmas traditions, they go to church on Christmas Eve then open christmas presents on Christmas Eve! (Tim's first christmas with us he was so excited to open Christmas presents on Christmas morning he woke all of us up at 5am Christmas morning to get Christmas started! haha it was like he was 27 going on 5 years old)

What are some of your  family traditions??? Do you do christmas presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morn? What is your families favorite Christmas past time? Are there any special family dishes that you make each year?

Tim and I added a new christmas tradition that we want to include every year, packaging an operation christmas child box (I used to do that all the time growing up and we did it again this year and it was so fun definitely an ongoing tradition for us) Are there any charitable traditions you have? What a wonderful time to spread love a peace to those in need!!!