Do you guys have Christmas Day traditions, or things you like to do on Christmas day? I stopped making Christmas Dinner once my kids got to an age where they weren't getting up as soon as it was light out to see what Santa brought. Instead I make a huge Christmas breakfast...eggs, country ham, sausage, bacon, grits, red eye gravy and sausage gravy, fluffy biscuits with mounds of butter and jam, pancakes or french toast (sometimes both) and unlimited coffee and orange juice and hot spiced tea. Once the kids were grown with families of their own, we've started going to my daughter's house and gathering there. We usually go there for all the get togethers because she has the largest house. Her kids are still young enough that they're getting up at the crack of dawn to open their presents, so her personal Christmas morning is over by 7 or 8. Everyone straggles in sometime around 9 or 10, I get there early to start on breakfast. My gifts for everyone are already under the tree, and everyone else adds theirs as they arrive. Once everyone's eaten, we move to the room where the tree is. Paige finds gifts from under the tree and hands them to the various kids who take them to the recipient, and we take turns opening, ooh-ing and ahh-ing, or laughing, or getting emotional (me, usually ) over what's been gifted, with the kids having to be reigned in a bit from ripping into all their presents all at once, and instead impatiently waiting their turn. After the present opening, some of us head back to the kitchen to clean up while others hang with the kids and help them with whatever toys require adult supervision or putting together or instruction reading or whatever. After that, whoever can heads to a movie together! Some years it's pretty much everyone, some years it's just two or three of us, depending on who has other commitments that day (significant other family/relative/friend get together/volunteer work etc.) It's a fun day and I look forward to it most of all every year!!
Ahhh, some one else who takes turns opening gifts.. My Dad insisted on that so everyone could enjoy seeing how their gift was received. As we have added new family members over the years (hubbies, wives) the tradition has been explained to them and they have all enjoyed that way instead of the 'free for all' that they grew up with. With both my girls there was no early rising to see what Santa had brought them,...they both preferred to sleep as late as possible then come in when they were ready. Each being an only child at that age (they are 20 years apart) neither of them had a co-hort to wake them up anxious to see what goodies were under the tree.
My kids were always good, not getting up too early on Christmas. We take turns opening gifts as well.
We gather on Christmas Eve with my kids and Grands. Kids are 14,11, 6, 4, 3 and 18 months. We cooked the traditional roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Yum We drew names and took turns giving the gift we brought (even the kids) it was great to see the kids experience the giving, and see the recipient thank them. On Christmas Day, with Bob’s family, we gather for a big meal and then play games of all sorts. It’s so fun to sit all together and catch up with one another. It has been a busy, happy holiday. Happy 2020!
