Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’
We see the very first Christmas presents being given far back in history. In ancient Rome, during the feast of Kalends, it was tradition for the high-ranking officials to give gifts to the Roman Emperor. This wasnâ??t technically a Christian holiday (it was actually pagan) but it does coincide with the time of year and the gift-giving tradition.
A person who jump-started the gift-giving traditions at Christmas was good old Saint Nicholas. He was known for giving gifts.
Christmas presents as we know them today actually started in America. Itâ??s been a longtime tradition to give little gifts to friends and family, but the massive giving that goes on nowadays is a creation all our own.
In the early 1800s stores and companies started advertising Christmas gifts. By the 1840s, the tradition of lavish giving was fully ingrained into American society.
Giving gifts to those we love is in sync with the true spirit of Christmas. So let the Christmas presents roll – itâ??s a wonderful time of year.
Youâ??ve probably gotten at least one Christmas letter in your life. Some people love them, others hate them. When did the tradition begin?
The first actual Christmas letter was probably written hundreds of years ago. The tradition of sending â??greetingsâ? to family members over the holidays has been around longer than the actual â??greeting cardâ? so itâ??s safe to say that Christmas letters were the original â??Christmas greetingâ? of choice. Read the rest of this entry »
Family Christmas Holiday Tradition gives us freedom and guidance in a time that is otherwise hectic and stressful, and often unorganized. Tradition gives us a blueprint of how our family anticipates and loves the holiday season, what they expect, how they love to celebrate.
This is Part II of our Family Christmas Holiday Tradition. (Read Part I also for great holiday ideas.)
7. When the holiday draws nearer, we children got more and more excited. When we were high-spirited and tempestuous, mom just needed to say. “Look, an angle’s hair!” And we would look in awe and see really a golden hair. Little did we know that mom must have made some gift packages and the golden threat must have fallen on the floor. But for us children this was a sure sign that Christmas was near. Mom left signs of the coming holy night everywhere for us, so we would remember to be good, and patient, and kind. This made it easier for us children, who yearned for that long awaited Christmas Day!
8. Then, one day the wait was over – the 24th of December dawned. We children had to take a little afternoon nap – I am sure mom needed the time to make last adjustments to the Christmas tree and the arrangement of our Christmas presents. In Europe the Christmas tree is the highlight of the 24th. The tree is hidden from view for children, and for the first time seen in the holy night when the door to the Christmas room magically opens. The room is locked already the night before Christmas. We children were especially attentive – maybe we would hear a movement in the Christmas room – maybe an angle came by – or the Christkind personally – to bring presents! Read the rest of this entry »
christmas recipes, Christmas Traditions, family tradition, holiday recipe, holiday traditions, homemade candy Making new Christmas traditions is a valuable way to cope with the first Christmas after the death of a loved one, or yif ouâ??ve just married into a new family. Creating new family traditions is also a good way to stay healthy at Christmas.
New Christmas Traditions: Christmas Volunteering
Volunteering at Christmas is an excellent new family tradition at Christmas. Investigate the â??traditionalâ? Christmas volunteering ideas: food banks, Meals on Wheels, Christmas hampers, etc. Consider making Christmas volunteering a less traditional holiday tradition, such as making simple Christmas stockings with your family and delivering them to street kids or a youth shelter. A new Christmas family tradition could include visiting sick kids in the hospital or donating toys, books or needed items to the Ronald McDonald House or a womenâ??s shelter. Always call first. Christmas volunteering makes you feel good about yourself and your family â?? even if youâ??re grieving a death at Christmas.
New Christmas Traditions: Christmas Recipes
Creating Christmas traditions should ways involve food! Spend time with your kids, partner, parents or loved ones in the kitchen, baking Christmas cookies or decorating gingerbread houses. Pick a holiday recipe that you only make at Christmas â?? perhaps homemade candy canes will be your new holiday tradition â?? and invite friends and family to help make them.
New Christmas Traditions: Christmas Ornaments
New family traditions include making different Christmas ornaments from scratch every year, such as popsicle stick picture frames or popcorn wreaths. Christmas ornaments can become holiday traditions even if you add a new variation each year. For instance, put new family photos in Christmasy picture frames; every year, line them up on the mantle or bookcase. If you donâ??t have time to make Christmas ornaments but like this idea of creating new Christmas traditions, consider purchasing instead of making a new ornament every year.
New Christmas Traditions: Christmas Stories
Make your family story a new tradition at Christmas. Keep copies of your annual family Christmas card or letter, and read them out loud each Christmas. Or, read squo;Twas the Night Before Christmas or e Best Christmas Pageant Ever out loud to your kids the night or week before Christmas. Holiday traditions are about you as a unique family, warts and all. Sometimes new Christmas traditions start by accident and continue unattended; other times, you have to deliberately implement your new Christmas traditions. Either way, holiday traditions are a reassuring, fun, and healthy way to celebrate Christmas.