Holiday Traditions

**Hephaestus** · 12-23-2013, 07:39 AM

Do you have any holiday traditions you keep or try to keep? I don't mean getting drunk and having it out with your passive aggressive relatives--everyone does that. I mean something that is a bit more unique to you or your family. Maybe you like advent calendars, maybe you run up a huge debt it takes all year to work off just running your Christmas lights. I'm curious.

When I was growing up, one of the most frustrating holiday traditions was the mandatory viewing of "Miracle on 34th Street"--the old one in black and white, not any of the shitty remakes--and the mandatory viewing of "It's a Wonderful Life". This tradition was more firmly enforced when we got a VCR.

When I say mandatory, I mean mandatory--presents were held ransom. One small present could be opened on Christmas Eve. Another on Christmas morning. But the next round of presents couldn't be opened until after watching one of the aforementioned movies. After that, no presents could be opened until after watching whichever one remained to be watched. This was true regardless of whether or not one or both had been watched earlier in the month.

Recently, I've developed my own Christmas tradition: I build, then burn down a gingerbread house. This year I'm seeing gingerbread family cookies, and I am very very sorely tempted to go full on "terrible person" with this. Maybe I'll keep it slightly reasonable and just have the gingerbread family posed outside, watching their house burn down.

**jigglypuff** · 12-23-2013, 07:40 AM

my family eats dinner or lunch. that's it. we don't even exchange presents.

**Hephaestus** · 12-23-2013, 07:43 AM

Now I know how little kids feel when I tell them I don't like cake.

**Fitz** · 12-23-2013, 07:45 AM

We make tamales every Christmas Eve but that's kind of normal for 'my people'. It's basically so we have something to unwrap on Christmas.

**Polemarch** · 12-23-2013, 07:52 AM

Just like all Jewish boys and girls everywhere, my holiday routine revolves around movies and Chinese food. Over the last several years though, I've spent the holidays with my significant others. A Ukrainian Catholic, then a Lutheran. I refer to this as blow out my brains season.

**Roger Mexico** · 12-23-2013, 07:53 AM

Had this idea with my ex that we never got around to (it was right at the end, when shit was falling apart) where instead of using a cut tree, we'd get a potted start and then go plant it somewhere when we were done with it.

I liked that idea. Still do. Inverts one of the Bacchanalian sacrificial elements of the whole Saturnalia ritual without being pretentious about it or requiring much work; amidst all the other detritus of the gorging, at least I'm ringing in the new year with one little Apollonian gesture that symbolizes preparation, investment, and a tangible future. (The sowing of new seeds after feasting on the last harvest... dramatic unity of the cycle being repeated... kind of thing.) I should start doing that.

Maybe next year.

**gator** · 12-23-2013, 07:56 AM

Every year my mom gets me a chocolate advent calendar. Usually a decent one, like Lindt, because I'm allergic to the cheap chocolate ones.

We usually have the largest tree we can possibly fit into the livingroom, which is usually not large enough to display all of the ornaments my parents have. They've got maybe 600+ Austrian glass ornaments. This year there's no tree though because of SHOULDERCAT.

My mom really likes the Alistair Sim version of A Christmas Carol. As far as I'm concerned though, it's just not Christmas if I don't get to see A Christmas Story because you'll shoot yer eye out, kid!

Also, I get my photo taken with Santa.

**jigglypuff** · 12-23-2013, 08:01 AM

i'm looking forward to chinese new year since it usually involves a really amazing dinner. i've been away from my fam for the past 5 new years, but this year i'm not planning on being away, so yeah.

**sandwitch** · 12-23-2013, 08:07 AM

When my brothers and I go to our hometown for holidays, we wait for my parents to go to bed before we go to the bar. Obviously they're aware we're sneaking out, but neither party wishes to break the silence on the topic. This year we're visiting more family, and not going home, so the parents will probably just pretend they don't see us drinking.

If we're home for Christmas Eve, we have to go to the church service and make small talk with people, many of whom are racist. Attempt to leave early.

I'd say that's our family's strongest tradition.