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What is your favorite holiday tradition?

(27 posts)

Started 3 years ago by Jules
Latest reply from rvhthelod

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christmas

Jules

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I'd like to hear the one thing (not your entire season) that says "Christmas" to you.
Midnight mass? Hallalujah Chorus? A certain food? A particular decoration? Driving through the Olympic Manor or Candy Cane Lane to see the lights?
(alas, I can no longer go to Frederick & Nelson's, so mine's sadly a fond but faint memory)

Posted 3 years ago #
doug11

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Eating cats. Family tradition.

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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Aren;t they just a BIT fluffy? Not much meat on My Precious, I can tell you.

Posted 3 years ago #
doug11

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Jules you are the best. Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Posted 3 years ago #
BriarRose

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What makes it Christmas to me is the religious aspect. Also family of course but I have had wonderful Christmases when away from family. It helped that when I was away I was in a place where the religious issue is very celebrated. The lovely religious traditions in New Mexico made Christmas a magical time.

Posted 3 years ago #
WinerGirl

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Handing a new toy to a Marine during a Toys for Tots drive.

Posted 3 years ago #
Alonzo Neighbor

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Ditto on the Frederick & Nelson. I have pictures of my brother and I on Santas lap back in the 1950's. We had to take an old Greyhound bus to get downtown from Richmond Beach, so it was an all day excursion. Now, I just like to walk around the neighborhood and check out the lights.

Posted 3 years ago #
sunset

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All my traditions, except one, have gone out the door since my family - all my local family have passed on. I used to love Christmas but now that my brother, his daughter, etc gone it's just not the same. But there is one thing I started several years ago - and it will sound lame to most of you - on Christmas Eve I take my dog down to Golden Garden, we go for a long walk and then head over to the little hamburger place by the boat ramp and I have hot chocolate and she has a treat. But last year it was so darn cold neither one of us could stand it. But this year, that's where I'll be - just me and my best friend.

Posted 3 years ago #
Nora Bell

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That's not lame at all, Sunset. In fact, it makes me wish I had a dog to walk Christmas Eve. Cat's aren't much for tradition. :-)

To me, it's not Christmas until I plug in the Christmas music. Especially, Andrea Bocelli (who has a new Christmas CD out, btw).

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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I miss F & N like crazy- We used to go downtown with our Mom, go shopping, when we were little she would leave us in the daycare (remember the stand-up sandbox, and the little necklaces you made out of straws and wrapping paper?), have lunch at the Paul Bunyon room or the Tearoom, go see Santa, and sometimes my Dad would meet us later for dinner at the Grill. We spent a whole day at it. When I was an adult, I would go downtown with a friend, do pretty much the same thing (sans daycare) and add a champagne cocktail at the Tea Room. One stop shopping, and very festive.
My friend has written a wonderful nostalgic book about F & N: http://www.annwendellbooks.com/nelson.html

My fave traditions are : going to church on Christmas Eve (Northminster Presbyterian or occasionally Ballard First Lutheran), driving through the Olympic Manor to see the lights, and making cookies. We used to also always go to a movie on Christmas night-after all the festivities were over, a good way to unwind.

Sunset- great tradition.

Posted 3 years ago #
sunset

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Thanks - I was so afraid someone would diss me big time and this time of the year I'm kinda sensitive because I miss having family. I did the Olympic Manor the other night & there's quite a few homes lit up.
Funny story about F&N - I discovered absolutely no pictures of me with Santa Claus. So I decided to go have my picture taken (I was like late 20's, very early 30's). It was an impulse thing & I remember I was wearing a sweater w/"keyhole" opening in front. So the picture comes back and Santa Claus is not looking at the calendar - nope - he was looking down my sweater at my boobs! Shame, shame on you Santa. Jules - your Christmas sounds wonderful - what great memories.
And I love Xmas music too - except - I'll be home for Christmas. Tears every single time. Bring on more Stan Boreson - "I yust go nuts at Christmas"
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all of you out there. May it be filled with lots of happy memories, that you are with family or good friends. God Jul to you all!

Posted 3 years ago #
BBO

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I love the songs........

"Deck the cylclists on Burke-Gilman Trail; Fa La La La Laaaaaaa - La La La Laaaaaaa"

In honor of the return of Dougie!!! Merry Xmas! :)

Posted 3 years ago #
Bamber

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Baking and decorating sugar cookies with the kids starts of the season for me. Something I remember fondly doing with my mom and brother growing up. And now my kids get to make the mess and get so excited about colored frosting and sprinkles!

We always have family over at our house on Christmas and I love having a full house with loved ones...chatting, snuggling, eating! The holidays tend to be stressful, but I always love that we can all get together on one day and be happy and love each other.

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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Funny F & N Santa story- I was in fact the editor for this book, and I got an email from a guy who was SURE that the picture of a little girl on Santa's lap was his sister, even though the year was wrong. His reasoning: it was the SAME Santa. And he wanted credit in the book and some money or free books. Hah! That man was the Santa at F & N for some unimagible amount of years, like 30 or something...and the little girl in the photo was in fact a model they used for their ads. (and contrary to popular belief, many children under 5 look remarkably alike.)

I just recently found a F & N Santa Photo of myself, my brother and sister when we were 4 & 5, and had copies made and framed.

Sunset- "I'll Be Home For Christmas" is one of the saddest songs, ever. It was written in 1943 and performed by Bing Crosby- my mom can't stand it, because it was written during WWII, and many men didn't make it home for Christmas, including her brothers- and it always makes her cry. (me too.) I LOVE the Stan Boreson Christmas songs- every time I hear "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" I cannot help but sing "Walking in My Winter Underwear." I also love "Oh Holy Night" and "Lo, How a Rose Er Blooming."

Sunset- this is a hard season for many people, because they miss family. I miss my dad like crazy this time of year, because it was also his birthday. We used to have a huge family smorgasbord on Christmas Day, but the relatives who did it for 50 years have died, and the family kind of scattered. Consider, please, coming to some of the events at the Sons of Norway or the Swedish Cultural Center, if not this Christmas, next Christmas. They are having a Julebord this Friday at the Swedish Club, http://www.swedishculturalcenter.org/ as well as a New Year's Eve dinner/party. We just had a fun Luciabal at the Swedish Club and a Julebord at the Sons of Norway- I think you'll find people are very warm and welcoming, and you can reconnect with your Scandinavian roots- and eat all your childhood favorite foods, sing your favorite Scandinavian Christmas carols, and dance around the Christmas tree. You don't have to be alone. If you want, I'll be happy to carpool with you, (I remember you live on Sunset Hill) and introduce you around. (I can't make this Friday, however.)

I think I'll go out now and get some julekake!
God Jul!

Posted 3 years ago #
sunset

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Thanks Jules. I'm shy around people (quite contrary to what people who know me think) but I will definitely think about it. And julekake - yum.

Posted 3 years ago #
DDF

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Mmmmmmmm....fresh cracked crab on Christmas Eve.

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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Sunset- sometime you should come to the Swedish Club- they have lunch, dinner and Happy Hour every Friday, and it's pretty fun...and I'd happily introduce you around.

Oooooh, crab for Christmas....what a good idea. IF I am cooking dinner, I think that's what we'll have. I may be Swedish/Norwegian, but we do NOT eat lutefisk.

Posted 3 years ago #
joannaL

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Laying on the floor with my mother next to the lit Christmas tree.

Also, when we were young we'd go out for Chinese food then hop into the car and drive around and see all the lights.

Posted 3 years ago #
wildernessbarbie

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Drawing names and making something for that person. It was always the last gift opened, and the most cherished.

Going with my Dad on Santa Claus gigs to retirement homes/hospitals and community centers. Best volunteer gig ever.

Christmas Eve candlelit service at Wayfafer's Chapel in California. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, beautiful little glass and river rock church.

Birthday dinner for my Sister on Christmas Eve, makes things a bit more hectic, but worth it.

And Sunset, I think your ritual sounds lovely. I hope it's not too cold for you to do it again this year!

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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Going to church for the Midnight Service on Christmas Eve is also special- we used to do it all by candlelight at Northminster Presbyterian.

Briar Rose, this neighborhood has more churches per square foot than anyplace in Seattle...are you going to go to church Christmas Eve? I'd say we have our fair share of religious activities here in Ballard as well.

Posted 3 years ago #
BriarRose

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I find most Ballard churches to be social and not spiritual. I remember back in the 60s when we moved here we must have gone to 30 churches. In at least 15 no one even had a bible. It's just a preference and to each his own. Even my mother, truly the one person I know still alive who lives her beliefs everyday, has given up on finding a church here.

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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Well, there's something like 30 churches, there SHOULD be something for everyone. Come to Northminster Presbyterian with us on Christmas Eve...my mom and sister will be "greeters." I love the candlelight service- and it's the "Lessons and Carols" service, which is the story of the Nativity interpersed with carols. It's really quite moving. Hey, my mom lives her beliefs, and she goes to church every Sunday. (and 87, she and another woman clean the church every Tuesday!)

Posted 3 years ago #
Ghoul

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putting metal washers in the salvation army buckets. taunting santa. telling kids that santa does not exist, etc...

Posted 3 years ago #
BriarRose

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I don’t think so Jules. You know we all have that odd Appalachian approach to religion. Sort of a simple pine board way you might say. It’s strange I know that I was so drawn to the spirituality in NM since I am certainly not catholic. I think it was the simplicity of a church like St Michele in Santa Fe, the oldest church in the US. Mud, ox blood floors and pine logs. Or maybe the soaring nave at Acoma with its dirt floor and tragic story. Maybe the way the natives converted but secretly kept their own ways and combined them with what the priests were selling.

I love the northwest and Seattle and am so glad to be back but this is the one time of year I terribly miss NM. I didn’t expect that.

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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Hey, here in the NW, many of us Norksis are Lutherans, but keep the old pagan ways in certain ways...for example, the Jule Nisse or Tomte, which predate Christianity in the Scandinavian countries by 1000 years, or the straw goats. Scratch a Lutheran, you'll find a Viking.

Posted 3 years ago #
BriarRose

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You really need to keep it real.

Posted 3 years ago #
rvhthelod

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Hiding a pickle ornament on the tree for the next door neighbour's little kids to try and find. Whoever finds it first gets a piece of candy. :) Didn't get to do that this year, but that's okay.

Also, another favourite is lying with my head underneath the Christmas tree and falling asleep looking at the Christmas lights.

Posted 3 years ago #