Family Christmas traditions create memories that seem to last the longest for most of us. We care about them because they define our culture and give us a sense of belonging. Christmas is a magical time of year filled with traditions like no other holiday!
Although many Christmas traditions are common to the entire Christian world, each and every family has its own selection of customs that gives them a sense of bonding and family identity. Here are some of our family’s favorite Christmas traditions.
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Family Christmas Traditions That Will Make Our Holiday Special
I love everything about Christmas: the lights, the decorations, the parties, the music in the stores. From mid November until after New Year’s Day it is one big shuffle.
But no matter how hectic this time is, I’m still looking forward to fall under the Christmas spell each year and enjoy our family Christmas traditions. Some of these we grew up with. Others we acquired after we moved to California, but they became our own and we love them just as much.
Decorating the Christmas Tree
For us, decorating the tree is at the top of our Christmas bucket list because it’s a ritual meant to bring the family together. All family members participate in picking up the tree and decorating it.
Christmas ornaments have their own stories that are being remembered as they get hanged on the tree. Some have been purchased in far away places and bring back good old memories. Others have been hand-made by the kids when they were small. Those are the most precious ones.
Singing Christmas Carols
Caroling has always been our favorite family Christmas tradition. Ever since we were children, friends and family used to gather around the tree in the days preceding Christmas and singing carols. Sometimes friends would just drop by unexpectedly and began singing in front of our door, instead of ringing the door bell. It was so much fun!
We still love to sing carols, but since we moved to California we also have another beloved tradition: attend the Messiah Sing-Along every year, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. With an orchestra and soloists on stage, the Music Director Grant Gershon conducts an audience of 2200 people in this joyful sing-along. You just bring your own score or buy one in the lobby and join the chorus. I think everyone should experience Messiah Sing-Along at least once in their lifetime. Hearing the Hallelujah Chorus sung by over 2000 people (who sound like professionals) is quite an uplifting experience!
Picking Mistletoe
One of our most beloved family Christmas traditions is picking up mistletoe. It makes a great outing for the family. We usually choose a sunny, warm day (not hard to find in California!) and head for the San Gabriel Mountains, right in our own backyard.
Kissing under sprigs of mistletoe is a well-known holiday tradition, dating back hundreds of years. The custom originated in England and it is practiced by a number of countries all over the world.
Hanging the Christmas Lights
Decorating the house for Christmas is always a big deal in our family. We start by pulling the lights out of storage and checking them. Then the job gets divided: I take care of the lower parts of the house, while my husbands climbs up on the roof (a dangerous enterprise that he won’t be able to do much longer).
It’s a lot of work, but the result is awesome. We love coming home in the evening and seeing our house dressed up in glittery lights!
Sending Christmas Cards to Our Friends and Family
In this age of cyber-communication, sending out greeting cards may sound a little obsolete. Yet, an email or an e-card can’t replace the warming effect of an old fashioned greeting card. We love the personal touch of a handwritten Christmas Card, with a red or green envelope and a real stamp. So, in the spirit of this old family Christmas tradition, we still send out greeting cards in December to all our friends and family.
Interestingly enough, exchanging holiday greetings via mail is a relatively recent tradition. The first formal card was designed in the 19th century by an Englishman named J.C. Horsley.
Attend the Christmas Parade in Your Our Town
California may not have a wintery atmosphere, but it’s not short of Christmas parades. Every year at the beginning of December, Santa Claus parades down the Main Street of every town, big or small in the state.
We love joining the crowd for this fun event, while sipping some hot cider. People in the neighborhood line up the street, snuggling to warm each other up. Some bring chairs and blankets, others just stroll up and down the street enjoying some window shopping.
Watch a Christmas Movie
The movie-night family Christmas tradition is something we wait for the entire year. For us watching Christmas–themed movies is just as much a part of Christmas as decorating the tree. Snuggling around the television in our PJs warms our hearts and puts us in the holiday spirit.
Some of these movies are classics that we can’t seem to stop watching. Like Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story, Elf, A Charlie Brown Christmas, or Home Alone.
Christmas Eve Dining
Every family celebrates Christmas differently. Some have a big Christmas Eve dinner, others do a brunch with family on Christmas Day, and some just order food from a nearby restaurant.
My food-obsessed family falls into the first category, celebrating Christmas with a rich, decadent dinner, filled with a four-five courses meal and deserts. After that we hang around the tree and open the presents.
Surf and Ski in the Same Day
One of our Christmas traditions is skiing in the morning and surfing in the afternoon on Christmas Day. There are not many places in the world where you can play in the snow and lie on beach during the same day, but in Los Angeles that’s entirely possible.
The closest beach to downtown Los Angeles is Malibu, an easy 40 minutes drive. December is usually pretty warm in Southern California, so having temperatures in the high 70ºs (F) is not unusual.
But while days are warm, nights are cold up in the mountains in December, so the ski resorts open sometimes as early as Thanksgiving.
The closest ski slope from Downtown L.A. is Mount Baldy, an easy 55 minute drive (46.9 mi) via CA-60 E. So every year on Christmas Day we make it a point to see both the snow and the sunny beach in the same day.
Call Your Loved Ones
Since many of our friends and family live in other parts of the world, we make it a point to call each one of them on Christmas Day and wish them Merry Christmas. It a great time to catch up with those we love and miss.
All these family Christmas traditions make the season really great and are one the reasons we don’t like to be far away from home at this time of year. No matter how beautiful December may be in other parts of the world, there’s no Christmas like a home Christmas!
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Rhonda Albom
I’ve never thought of picking mistletoe. I always wondered where it came from when I saw it hanging at Christmas time. Great photo of hanging the Christmas lights. I’ll show it to hubby and see what he thinks. And I love the big holiday eve dinners (my family’s holiday was Thanksgiving).
Anda Galffy
I think my husband is pushing his luck by going up on the roof to hang the Christmas lights. I keep telling him he needs to stop, but so far I couldn’t convince him.
Lydia C. Lee
It’s funny how personalised our traditions are. Have a lovely Christmas.
Anda Galffy
Thank you, Lydia. Merry Christmas to you too.
Linda Bibb
Dan and I no longer celebrate Christmas, and while I may sound like the Grinch, we don’t regret it. If nothing else, I’m happy not to have to deal with putting the decorations away (I once did it in March). 🙂
Of course, it helps that we live on the other side of the planet from our families. Plus, we have more energy and money for other important December events. Two family members have birthdays just before Christmas, and our anniversary is on December 27th!
Anda Galffy
I hear you, Linda. I hate the “putting away” part of Christmas. Especially when it comes to the lights on the house.
Jill
It’s always fun to see and hear about others’ Christmas traditions. Our family has a few of the same – lights on the house, decorating the tree – and a few that are different. It’s such a magical time of the year!
Emese
Such lovely traditions, Anda. You reminded me of the caroling when we were kids; to me it was always the most fun, and it’s what I miss the most. I mean when friends and neighbors came together, stopped by; it was always so much fun to hear the caroling before we opened the door and guess who it was, then join our friends to go to others. We didn’t keep that tradition here; but made new ones.
Your house looks beautiful this time of the year. I can’t believe your husband climbs up on the roof to put up the lights. Thanks for sharing your traditions; and wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas!
Anda Galffy
My husband will soon be banned from going up on the roof to put the Christmas lights. He is long past the age of “adventure,” so he needs to be more careful, lol!
Mary {The World Is A Book}
These are such wonderful Christmas traditions for your family. I will have to look into the Messiah Sing-Along now. We spend most of our holidays in LA so this may be doable. For us. it is a lot of eating too. And I still love sending out Christmas cards. One of these days, I will need to try the ski and surf on the same day 🙂
Ada
I remember when I was younger Ive always watched american movies and I always wanted to spend Christmas in USA. My dream came true few years ago it was just like yours Christmas and Christmas on TV! Sending cards, putting lights around the house, baking cookies and attending a parade. The rest in similar to my country ( Poland). We decorating a Christmas tree, we sing carols, we have dinner on the 24th and we watch movies with whole family on TV! Christmas is a magical time and I wish you Merry Christmas for this year!
Rishabh
A merry Christmas in advance to you and your family. It is nice to hear about family traditions as each one has their own quirky twist to it. Festivals like Christmas are meant to be spent with family and these traditions only highlight how much fun those gatherings are. Hope you have a wonderful one this year.
Ami Bhat
Some of these X’mas traditions I knew of but a few are a revelation. I did not know that you can go mistletoe hunting. Always assumed it was bought in the markets. And it is a great idea to collect X’mas decor for the trees from various places you have been to. Remembering the good times every year through them would be lovely. Merry X’mas to you ! Cheers
Anda Galffy
Merry Christmas to you too, Ami.
Clarice
I am happy to know more about your Christmas traditions. I am from the Philippines and I realized that we have a lot of common practices. It brings me much joy to listen to Christmas carols and decorate our home.
MEENAKSHI J
These beautiful traditions are what make festivals lively and endearing. Though we do not celebrate Christmas in our family, I love watching the Christmas parade and often go on a Christmas trail in our city. I loved that beautifully decorated Christmas tree of yours and wow, 2000 people singing together would be such a splendid sight! Glad I got to know about the tradition of collecting the mistletoe. Shall look up for further info on this as I have never ever read about this anywhere else. And, yes, the charm of greeting cards is irreplaceable by these e-cards of the digital age. Merry Christmas!
Elaine Masters
How wonderful your Christmas traditions are. They are very much like mine as I was growing up. Today though the family is scattered and I put decorations together by myself. We cobble together a meal or two when family can come to town but this year will be minimal. It’s wonderful to see your pictures and family traditions.
Anda Galffy
Thank you, Elaine. Hope you’ll have a wonderful Christmas.
Sara
The ability to ski and surf in the same day blew my mind when I was moved to California for college. (Texas is just so big, lol.) When I was a kid, our Christmas tradition was to put up the tree together on my birthday (12/6), so that’s always one of my favorite ways to start and celebrate the season. My husband’s family loves to carol, but I do not have a good singing voice… so it’s my least favorite tradition, lol.
Anda Galffy
It’s nice when your birthday is December. You have a double celebration.
Sandra
Wonderful memories and traditions 🙂 I love how you decorate your house! Picking mistletoe is a great idea. I might start doing that -thanks for the idea! My favorite tradition is watching Christmas movies, Home Alone is my all time favorite.
Anda Galffy
Picking mistletoe is not difficult, but you need to know where to find it. Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on trees and can usually be find in the forest. Sometimes it grows up very high, but here in California we also find it on shorter trees, so can easily reach it.
Cynthia | Adventuring Woman
Unique traditions, especially the skiing and surfing on the same day! I didn’t even know that was possible. Your Christmas lights are fabulous. I admire your industry with all the beautiful decorating! 🙂 I love Christmas Eve dinner as well; it was traditional in the Scandinavian side of my family. I don’t do that many courses, but one year I made fondue, and that was really fun!
Anda Galffy
Fondue is great for the cold winters. We usually eat fondue when we travel to Lake Tahoe for skiing.
Annick
What great family Christmas traditions. As we’ve all moved away from each other, we’ve stopped doing so many of these but they really reinforce the sense of family. We shared in many of the same. The Christmas carols at the Walt Disney Concern Hall sound amazing. And what a unique tradition to both go to the ski slopes and beach on Christmas day!
Rhiannon
This was such a lovely post! I’m sure your Christmas traditions will give your whole family some great memories as they grow up. I had a few similar traditions (decorating the tree, carols etc.) with my parents growing up and I always look back and smile on them now 🙂
It’s crazy how you can ski and snow in the same day!!! And their real ski slopes, not artificial?!
Anda Galffy
Many of these traditions are common to the entire Christian world, like singing carols, decorating the Christmas Tree, or putting up Christmas lights.
courtney
I like how you pick your own mistletoe, I had never heard of people doing this before! It sounds like your family really does Christmas right, especially how you surf and ski on the same day. I grew up in Ventura and used to do this sometimes, but not as a Christmas tradition. Very cool.
Anda Galffy
Picking mistletoe is the a good reason for a trip in the mountains, so we love this tradition.
Anisa
Your house looks amazing, great job with the decorations! We have a tree but that is about it. Here in England, I am learning about Boxing Day which is basically a second day of eating and spending time with family. This year I have decided to try and make some tamales for Christmas Eve.
Anda Galffy
I love tamales, Anisa. We make them for Christmas as well.
California Globetrotter
Anda, I’m sad to admit that I actually didn’t know you could pick mistletoe! I actually bought a fake piece to hang in my house!
Anda Galffy
I can’t believe that, Lolo! You can find so much mistletoe in Germany. You should go pick your own.
Shreya Saha
Great to know how you celebrate Christmas with your family. It is great to know so many different culture and tradition. It is certainly a big festival this month, and I guess the best part is to decorate for the big evening and have dinner with the family. I really loved your pictures.