Family Holiday Traditions

The ones my kids make up, or that get started out of the blue are my favorite. For example. The first new years that we let the kids stay up, just us and the 3 kids, watching the ball drop. Well the kids were little3, 5,6 maybe and we tried to explain to my oldest the whole toast and kiss at midnight. So midnight rolls around and he asks when I'm making him some toast and where the Hershey kisses are. We now have peanut butter toast and hershey kisses every new years with the kids and they are almost 12, 10 and 8

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Air conditioning. At night we blow up the back yard until we run out or the police tell us to stop.

Why oh why didn't I check out such laws before I built this house?!:p

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Let's see...my family travels to see my mom's family for Thanksgiving, but we spend Christmas at home, generally with my in-laws, who are local. My dad's family gathers once a year in June for a very late "Cinco de Mayo" celebration (we're all mostly educators, so May is a tough time to get away). July 4th is "go to the movies" day because it's usually blazing hot and the cool theater is welcome, and fall/winter three day weekend holidays are at home movie days. For Nevada Day (a Friday-off holiday), Veteran's Day and President's Day we usually watch close-to-the-theme movies (Donner Party, Saving Private Ryan, 1776). My husband usually works Memorial Day and Labor Day, so I usually take the time to be at school to get work done, too. My sons love the "break from parents" time!

The one thing I can say about holidays is that you need to stay open to changing the tradition if they become a burden to your family. Travelling with an infant at Christmas became a problem, so we stopped doing it. Taking a three or four day weekend in May to travel 9-10 hours for a five hour party wasn't worth it, so the date was changed. Some family members are very flexible; some are not. Make extra time to see those who are flexible and wish those who don't like your traditions well as they celebrate without you. Holidays should be free of guilt and drama.

This is what my grandmothers told me nearly 16 years ago when my eldest was 9 months old. I took their wisdom to heart and never looked back.

Good luck!

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When i was younger, the Saturday after thanksgiving no matter what type of weather, we would go get our xmas tree. my dad would drive us at least an hour away. i remember walking through snow and rain until we found the fattest tree out there. my cousins and some friends of my parents also went. my counsins, sisters, mom, aunt and uncle wuld ride in a van and my dad and his friend wuld drive the truck. Then the following weekend we would put on xmas music, make a snack and decorate the tree.

Hi A.,

I posted a question similar to this back in March. Here's the link in case you want to read the responses to get some more ideas:
http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/12264207235990814721

Every 4th of July we go to our parade in town. Then, we usually go to a carnival in town. (That's where the parade ends.) In the evening we go to see the fireworks. We found a parking lot where 20 cars can fit. My twins are now old enough to do what the other kids do in their mini vans and that's to sit on top of the van, snack on food and watch the fireworks. Sometimes the strangers that park near us turn out to be friendly and we talk with them until the fireworks start. Two years ago some friendly people let my kids throw some noise cracking things with them and they gave us some sparklers. I take pictures of my kids sitting on top of the van with the fireworks being reflected in the windows. (I'm so glad we happened to find this spot a few years ago. I love not having to carry blankets, snacks, chairs and walk several blocks to set up an area to watch the fireworks.)

Hubby's in the liquor business, so holiday's are difficult for family time.

New Year's Eve - party at my girlfriends house
Memorial Day - hubby goes to the parade in a neighboring town, sometimes he takes the kids and picnic with friends
Columbus Day weekend - the kids have Friday off school, so each year it's a long weekend get away

I'll start with the fourth since this is the most recent holiday!!! For the 4th, my hubby and his best friend buy fireworks and we set them off at our house (day before). We also go with his best friends' wife and two kids to see fireworks locally. We've done this several years in a row.

For Halloween, we take the kids to my parents neighborhood to go Trick or Treating. They just moved so not sure what we'll do in the future - probably continue to go to their old neighborhood!

For Christmas - we spend Christmas Eve with my hubby's family and Christmas morning at home and the afternoon/evening with my parents. We make and then put out a plate of cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. We also sprinkle oatmeal in the front yard so the reindeer have something to snack on outside!

In January, we celebrate Bufana - the good witch (from Italy). The kids put out their shoes and we will them with candy or a toy (similar to St. Nick's).

Labor Day is a friend's party (they have it every year).

On Memorial Day one of our friends hosts the party. This year it was at my girlfriends house and last year it was at a different girlfriends house. Luckily most of our friends hang out together so we just go to one place!

The 4th tradition I'm starting is fireworks, BBQ, and going to the parade and face painting and little kids rides.
With my daughter, I am starting more and more holiday traditions b/c my parents were anti-holiday but I'm a holiday-holic (don't know where that came from).

Just spending time with our kids and Grandkids and family is a tradition we like. As long as we are all together that is all that counts. This 4th 3 out of our 5 kids and their families will be here for a cook out and my yearly handed down recipe from my Grandma for Oatmeal Cake along with my famous Baked Beans and Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes. Make your own traditions. We usally all go to my Daughter's house to watch the fireworks too. Happy 4th