In this post, I will go through some of my family’s Christmas Eve and Christmas traditions. I’m huge on traditions- I absolutely love them! Sometimes we add traditions, sometimes we do without- it just depends on the age of the kids, but most of these are ones we will do. These also ebb and flow depending on where we are living. Since right now we are living near family, our traditions may look a little differently than they might when we live far away!
Christmas eve
On Christmas Eve, we really try to stress to the children that Christmas is not about presents, but about Christ’s birthday. It is ALL about Jesus! So in honor of Jesus’s birthday, every Christmas Eve, we make Him a cake! All the kids join in together and it is super fun. We bake the cake and save it for and Christmas Day, when we eat it as Christmas dessert! This last year Bella and Zachary where asked to play Mary and Joseph and bring up the baby Jesus while the rest of us sang a Christmas song.
Throughout the day, I play Christmas music all day long! Then we get ready and head to Church for Christmas Eva Mass- which is usually the 5 oclock Mass. Last year Zachary and Bella where asked to play Mary and Joseph and walk the baby Jesus up to the Nativity sense, it was beyond cute!
For dinner, we always eat Chinese food! I grew up eating a big Lasagna Dinner with sparkling wine and all the fancy things- fancy table clothes, wine glasses, and candles. My husband’s family, however, always ate Chinese food- which is equally delicious and special since we don’t get it often! His family traditionally went out to eat after mid-night mass. So that is what we do too.
Then, the kids put on their matching pajamas that they are gifted very year, take pictures by the tree, and put out cookies for Santa!
We then watch The Nativity Story– not necessarily a Catholic film, but it’s still really well done. We do have to pause through some scenes as there are some pretty intense elements for the kids for example the beginning. Brother Francis has a kid’s movie that is excellent for younger children! The night is then followed by our family prayer and bedtime!
christmas day
First thing on Christmas morning, we go before the Nativity set and all sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and place little baby Jesus in the stable! Then we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus!
Next, we find the pickle! It’s a tradition I didn’t grow up doing, but it is so fun! Santa hides the pickle at night and then in the morning, whoever can find the pickle first, gets to open the first present! We pass out all the gifts to the children and then go one by one and let everyone enjoy opening a present.
Next is brunch! I like to make my Blueberry French Toast Casserole (video below) the night before so that I can stick it in the fridge and be done with it! Then in the morning, I’ll put it in the oven while we’re opening gifts. After all the presents are done, I’ll put together the rest of the breakfast!
Since we live near my in-laws, we will go over there after breakfast and spend the rest of the day with them! My mother in law goes all out for lunch and dinner at their house- the food is always delicious! We haven’t always traveled for Christmas- when we lived farther away, we used to stay home. It’s been really awesome living near family and being able to celebrate our Christmas traditions as well as theirs!
Thanks for letting me share our family’s Christmas traditions with you! Now tell me, what are your family’s traditions? Please share them with us in the comment section below!
