I remember growing up think that the most exciting time of the holiday season was actually Christmas Eve. As a child of German heritage, Christmas Eve was our actual day to celebrate. In the evening, we would have a German meal of brats, Mom’s potato salad, and cold cuts, keeping it light and easy. We would then head for church and come home to open gifts. Christmas Day was spent with family and friends enjoying a lovely meal with all of the trimmings.
Today, I still keep those same traditions alive in my home, all the way down to preparing the same Christmas Eve dinner. We look forward to the delicious food from my moms recipe box and I am quite pleased that I am able to almost perfect her recipe for warm German potato salad! The smells remind me so much of home. My only disappointment is that I have not tried to perfect her Lebkuchen or other cookie recipes. Some day! Some day!
What are your traditions on Christmas Eve? It is time for family and friends, or a quiet time with immediate family? I know some people decorate the tree on Christmas Eve. I love to hear about other holiday traditions as everyone has a unique twist on the holiday festivities. Share yours with us! Merry Christmas!
Our 2 Daughters live within a few blocks from us. We like to go by each one of them and exchange our gifts with them and the Grandchildren. Then on Christmas Day we all go to my Sisters for a big Family Dinner and Celebration. We have a Wonderful time..
I remember one of our special holiday foods was baked artichokes with bread stuffing. My family had that every Christmas Eve. I think it was my grandmothers recipe.
Thanks for sharing your stories. I love reading them!
When I was a child, my family didn’t have much money. My father used to go to the Christmas tree lot after it closed on Christmas Eve and take an unsold tree, which we then decorated. Of course, back then I didn’t know why we put up our tree so late in the season; it was just our tradition.
WE decorate our tree on Christmas Eve and have a lighter meal. When the kids were young we didn’t open gifts until Christmas morning. Now we often are up together until after midnight and then open the gifts.
Being from Kentucky, we tend more toward ham than turkey, lol. (I think that might be a Southern thing?) My grandma’s Cornbread Sausage Dressing/Stuffing was always my favorite food, & I guess I get to make it this year. (She passed away over 20 years ago, but it wouldn’t seem right to not have that dressing!)
Going to Christmas Eve service, coming home to hot chocolate and opening one present.
When our children were young, we read Christmas stories and watched Christmas movies. If I had been busy working (ER – no normal work schedule!) and had not had time to get the gifts wrapped, my husband would take them out in the car to see the Christmas lights in the neighborhood. Now I usually spend the evening prepping the food for Christmas day.
We enjoyed a movie together along with popcorn and hot chocolate. When the kids are here we also read the Night Before Christmas book to them and all of the kids get a little gift to unwrap on Christmas Eve.