Children’s Christmas Traditions

“Santa Claus is coming to Town” is one the main Christmas songs that most children know. My children are no different. That song always made them remember to be on their best behavior or else Santa might just pass by their house on Christmas Eve. There are many ways to convince children to settle down and behave, but none quite as convincing as hearing part of a song, “He knows when you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake”.

My children are like most when it comes to dreaming and wishing for the big day and all the magic that Christmas brings. They want to decorate the house with lights and figurines, and each one always had their favorites. The first thing that my son wanted to display was the Nativity scene that he had made at school when he was 7 years old. His teacher at church had given 20 Popsicle sticks to each child, but 5 had been cut in half. His class glued the sticks together in the shape of a house, with the cut sticks being the sides. It was made much like Lincoln logs were designed, and a small Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus glued on the bottom sticks. It made a pretty centerpiece on the television with a few red candle votives on each side.

Our family had started collecting small ceramic houses. A new one was added for each child. One wanted the toy store, another one wanted a church, and the last one wanted a big Victorian manner house. Putting up the miniature village was our oldest daughter’s choice as the second Christmas decoration to be displayed. We always had it on a quilted red cloth and it was beautiful with all the little indoor lights in the miniatures turned on at night.

The next decoration to put up was the Christmas candles in the windows, with an animated Santa and Mrs. Claus. A new tradition that started with our youngest son by adding lighted wreaths in each window. Of course, my favorite decoration was a large door wreath with a gold angel in the middle and gold leaves and berries around the outside.

Our greatest family tradition was going to their aunt and uncle’s for dinner and gift exchange. As they grew up, they became part of the planning and carrying out the details of entertainment. One of the kids would play Christmas carols and they would lead the adults with their singing. Another cousin would check online to see exactly where Santa was showing up on the radar and which way he was heading. The younger children would get so excited hearing those details.

Opening presents, after sharing a Christmas Eve feast with family, was the ultimate end to our family get together. The children always delighted in receiving a personalized ornament and something unique for their talents or interests. By the time we were finished opening gifts, the radar showed Santa was getting close, which meant it was time to go home and get ready for bed.

The final tradition we followed on Christmas Eve was reading the “Night before Christmas”. The children would get into their pajamas and go to bed, waiting to hear the sound of reindeers on the roof. They would get so excited when they heard the jingle bells ring outside. That always was their clue to shut their eyes and begin to dream of what was to come. Traditions are wonderful because they let children know what to expect. Our children now have their own families and traditions, but many that they grew up are still alive today in their homes. Angels, lights, family and Santa are part of the traditions that many families celebrate and are what makes the holidays so much fun.

Christmas Traditions for the 21st Century

I love Christmas! Like many people, it is my favorite time of year. I start planning for it in July, usually in planning for my home-made Christmas cards and what changes I may make to my decorations.

When we first got married, my husband and I used to visit the Christmas tree farms the week after Thanksgiving in search of that perfect tree.  On the way up the hill I would play this John Denver Christmas tape and sing along.  My husband hated the album, mostly because of the song “Daddy, Please Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas,” but I played it anyway and it became part of the tradition.  We would go from lot to lot looking for that elusive perfect tree: not too tall, perfectly round with no gaping holes without limbs, straight trunk, etc. Usually the day ended in the late afternoon with me getting tired, cold, cranky, and telling him to cut down the next darn tree he found.

Once we got the tree home, the process of getting it up and secured began. For many years the tree required wires connecting the tree to the wall to maintain stability and to make sure the cat didn’t knock it over.  Try as we might to keep it watered, by January there were needles all over the carpet. One year we inadvertently became hosts for a huge family of bugs that came along for the ride.  What a mess! Plus the post holiday cleanup seemed to get more and more laborious as the years progressed.

Finally, we got smart and purchased an artificial tree. I didn’t think I would be as happy with an artificial tree as I had been with a “real” tree. Much to my surprise, I loved it! The limbs are hinged and pre-lit. Set-up is a breeze and we can start decorating in no time. In January, there is no mess on the carpet to clean up after the tree is gone. Our home is not host to a bunch of creepy bugs.

Sometimes I miss the old tradition of our “annual Christmas tree fight” as it had become called. But we have replaced it with new traditions. When the tree is being set up, we play Christmas music, and I bake cookies with dough that I had prepared and frozen ahead of time in ready to bake portions. A kettle of hot spiced cider is on the stove and the house has wonderful smells of Christmas as we decorate the tree. My John Denver tape has long since disappeared but that is ok. We have a new tradition that doesn’t require it anymore.

In addition to our lovely tree, we purchased pre-lit garland for the fireplace mantle and a wreath for the front door that matches our tree. With a few pine scented fragrance diffusers place about the house, we have all of the good and none of the bad features of live Christmas trees. 

I know that you will be able to establish new traditions to accompany the benefits of having an artificial tree. Merry Christmas!

Our Own Christmas Morning Traditions

I settle most of my sensitive life in the North West. Almost all the time Christmas was without snow. The day following Christmas, if it wasn’t raining, we would go to our neighboring par 3 golf-course. So, all those dreamy pictures of snow on the soil at Christmas, was unknown to me.

We had our Christmas morning customs, which were distressing for us children. But I remember it with partiality. I even tried to initiate it to my very own family, and it was swiftly pinched in the bud as mean, and that kids shouldn’t have to undergo that deferred gratification.

Our Christmas tree in no way went up until Christmas eve. We would constantly bother our mother about setting up the tree, but we learned that this was really one of Santa’s and his elves responsibilities. They were believed to put up the Christmas tree and put the gifts beneath when they were done.

Several years later my sister and I, wondered at how our parents were capable to set up, and adorn the tree, and put the gifts beneath in one night.

Christmas morning for us was stern, our parents made certain that a stern procedure was It adhered to. The three of us children would be coming up for our Dad’s wake up call on Christmas morning. It didn’t get much to get us up and past the bed on Christmas morning. I was typically completely dressed and at the door, ready to spring back down the stairs, as soon as I hear my father calling. I was generally the first one downstairs, and would turn up at the living room door only to be blocked in my path by my mother whose hand was pointing to the kitchen.

My father had all set a big nourishing breakfast for all of us. It contained all the grand stuff that every Doctor will scoff at – the bacon, pancakes, eggs, and homemade hash browns. He also made an eggnog, which would horrify most dieticians or nutritionists – it was made from unpasteurized milk brought from a local farmer and eggs. I appreciated this homemade eggnog recipe, and one glass would regularly fill me up. We would gobble up our breakfast and slurp our eggnog as fast as possible, only to be informed that we can open up our gifts once the dishes were completed.

Talk about buzzing and howling – the eagerness of opening the gifts was killing us! After much gnashing of teeth- this was torment for us kids. We would proclaim that all of the dishes were finished. Our mother would enter and check and confirm that all was in order. If she found something not to her liking, we had to remedy the difficulty. If our parents were happy that everything was suitable, we were given permission into the cache room to open up our gifts.

It was frequently three hours before we were permitted to begin opening our gifts. I chuckle whenever I reflect about this immediate gratification generation coming up that long before they could unwrap their presents. My children start buzzing and complaining if they have to wait 15 minutes for some lethargic bones to get out of bed.

Spanish Christmas Traditions

The Christmas holiday season in Spain is a truly magical affair. Although it doesn’t get going until seemingly the last minute, the Spanish throw themselves whole heartedly into the spirit of things and the festivities finally culminate on the 6th January.

The true mark of the beginning of Christmas in Spain is the Spanish national lottery draw held on December 22nd. ‘El Gordo’ or the fat one, is so called because it is the largest national lottery in the world with the total prize fund running into billions and it also has the best odds of winning. The draw takes place throughout the whole morning and the whole nation tunes in to watch the very elaborate drawing of the numbers. The tickets can cost up to 200 euros so many people club together to buy a share, although there are those who put aside a saving fund, sometimes up to 1000 euros to buy a few tickets for the family. The lottery draw is the moment when Christmas comes to Spain, this symbolic tradition has been going for centuries and Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without it.

Once the lottery draw has been made, the festivities really begin, students and children break up for the holidays and lights, decorations and trees suddenly appear overnight. The traditional Christmas decoration for a true Spanish Christmas is the ‘belén’ or nativity scene. Just like other countries across the world, where Christmas trees take centre stage in town and village squares, each town and village has its own belen. Some of these scenes are breathtakingly beautiful and elaborate and can be visited in town halls and churches across the land. Even personal ones can take over whole rooms in the house and just with the Christmas tree it is a magical family time spent putting it together and adding all the little touches. As well as the traditional religious characters and popular local scenes, one special character is paramount to the Spanish belen. He is known as ‘el Cagón’ and to be polite, he is a figure in a squat position doing a poo! His presence symbolises the fertilisation of the land for the coming year but of course provides much amusement for the children. Although an important and historical figure in the belén, he has been banned from public nativity scenes in many towns by local governments so as not to cause offence…

Just like other Christmas celebrations, here in Spain it is a time to gather the family together and celebrate with a meal. The main Christmas meal in Spain is held on Christmas Eve or ‘Noche Buena’

The meal on the eve of the 24th is the most important meal in the Spanish calendar and is always held in the evening, many people won’t even start until after midnight as the old saying goes, “ Esta noche es Noche Buena, y no es de dormir” this night is the Good Night, and is not meant for sleeping”

Generally, the celebrations usually begin early evening when friends and family meet in bars for a drink before returning home for the main event. Like most Christmas meals, the Spanish one involves a lot of preparation, many courses, lots to drink and lasts all night.

You can expect to find a large array of moth watering seasonal delights at the table during the meal. Popular foods for starters or appetisers are shellfish and cold cuts of meat which are usually followed by soup and then another fish dish. A traditional one is ‘besugo’ which is baked bream but you may also find lobster, crab, salmon, hake, sea bass or trout. Then for the main course the traditional roast is lamb or sucking pig although duck, or turkey served with truffles are becoming more popular. Dessert is traditionally a selection of sweets and cakes such as marzipan, ‘polvorones’ a sweet kind of bread or Spanish turrón which is nougat made with sweet toasted almonds and has been made in Spain for centuries. The only drink to accompany your meal is cava, the Spanish equivalent of champagne which many say is far better than its French counterpart.

Another must do for a true Spanish Christmas is midnight mass which people go to either before or after the meal, depending on the time they eat. Christmas midnight mass in Spain is known as ‘La Misa del Gallo’ or ‘Rooster Mass’ because the rooster was the first to announce the birth of Christ. Once the meal and mass is over, people return home to exchange gifts. Children will often only receive a small gift as ‘Papa Noel’ is less popular than the Three Kings who arrive on 5th January with presents for all the children. The evening, or morning, usually ends in a bar or disco where whole families gather to party and celebrate once the family festivities are over.

Christmas day is a quiet affair and the quietest in the Spanish calendar. People meet up for a walk or a drink and while many continue the celebrations with a meal in a restaurant, most people are still recovering from the evening before. In Catalonia, there is a wonderful Christmas day tradition which goes by the name of “El Tio.” Basically a decorated log or tree trunk is ‘fed’ with sweets and other goodies during the few days before Christmas and then on the day, Children sing the traditional catalan Christmas song and beat el tio with a stick when he produces sweets and other delights for all the family.

Shortly after Christmas day on December 28th there is another curious celebration unique to Spain called ‘The Day of the Innocents.’ Although the origins of this fiesta lie in murders of women and children committed by Herod in Judea, modern day celebrations are similar to those of April fools Day on a much larger scale. Newspapers print ridiculous stories and even prominent political figures get involved. Never believe anything you see or hear on this day and watch your step carefully!

New Year’s Eve or ‘Noche Vieja’ in Spain is celebrated much like everywhere else with a few unique exceptions. It is apparently tradition to wear red underwear which must be bought for you by someone else (although I’ve never been brave enough to check this one out for myself.) Another great and long standing tradition is ‘las doce uvas’ or the twelve grapes. At the stroke of midnight, one grape must be eaten with each chime of the bell or clock, anyone who manages all twelve are said to have good luck throughout the coming year. It is a tradition taken very seriously by many Spanish people and while some of us are still struggling at ten past twelve, there are lots of people well practiced in the art. Preparation is everything though, I remember helping to peel and deseed enough grapes for 10 people last year……. You can buy ready prepared grapes in tins but it is not the same somehow.

Once the grapes have been eaten and multiple kisses bestowed, the party really begins. Again, whole families from the young to the old can be seen in bars and discos celebrating the beginning of the New Year until the early hours.

For Spanish children, the best days of the festive season have to be the 5th and 6th of January. While the rest of us are packing away the trees and tired decorations, Spanish children everywhere are preparing for the arrival of the Three Kings. In Spain it is not Santa who brings the children their presents, but the Three Kings or ‘Los Reyes Magos’ On the 5th January, the eve of Epiphany children go to local parades which herald the arrival of the Three Kings. Each village parade consists of decorative floats with a variety of themes and sweets and streamers being thrown into the crowds. At the end of the parade, children get the opportunity to ask the Three Kings for their chosen gift and then leave their shoes out overnight in which their gift will be placed. In many villages though, the parade of the Three Kings culminates in a gathering at the local church or school hall where each child’s name is called out and they receive a small gift. The day of the 6th January is a national holiday, much like Christmas day and children wake up to presents left by the Three Kings. The typical dessert of the day is called “Rosca de los Reyes” and is a home baked ring style bread decorated with coloured jellies to symbolise the jewels worn by the three Kings. Inside is hidden a small surprise similar to what we find in Christmas crackers. Anyone lucky enough to find the hidden surprise may be crowned King or Queen for the day!

Christmas celebrations in Spain are fantastic and what I like is the way things are not commercialised as they are in the UK for example. Walking down the road at the beginning of December, you would hardly notice that Christmas is round the corner, there are very few Christmas adverts on TV and it seems ages before lights and decorations go up. However once the fever takes over, you are spoiled by the generosity of Christmas spirit bestowed on you by the locals, you get free gifts in the shops and free tipples in the town hall, lights and decorations appear as if by magic, there is music to be heard and people seem to suddenly take to the streets and squares just to wish you well and enjoy the atmosphere which goes on right until January.

The 6th January marks the end of the Christmas celebrations in Spain and then like everywhere else, it’s back to the same old. But don’t worry the next fiesta is just around the corner…