It’s Christmastime, the time of year where we all get wrapped up in various activities surrounding the festivities and celebration of the season. One of the things I love most about this time of year are the activities we do simply because we’ve done them for years. Most of the time, the reason behind our traditions is apparent. We go to church on Christmas Eve because, well, we are celebrating the birth of the Savior so it makes sense to show up at His house. We give gifts to remind us of the greatest gift we received, the Savior Jesus Christ, and to remember that it is more blessed to give than to receive. 

Some traditions, however, are head scratchers for us. Some people hide a pickle in their tree and the one to find it gets to open the first present. I’m still not sure how pickles are connected to Christmas. If you’re caught standing under mistletoe with someone, you are supposed to kiss them. (That never seemed like a good enough reason to lock lips for me. If I want to kiss my wife, I don’t need mistletoe for that.)

It reminds me of this quote from the famous movie Fiddler on the Roof. Tevye ponders, “You may ask, ‘How did this tradition get started?’ I’ll tell you! I don’t know. But it’s a tradition. And because of our traditions, every one of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do.”

Traditions help us enjoy the season. They add fun and uniqueness and without them the season feels a little less special. So in honor of the Christmas season, I’d like to share my Top 5 Christmas Traditions that my family and I partake in every December. The first two were traditions from my childhood and the last three are traditions my wife and I started once we had kids. 

5. Homemade Pizza and Christmas Vacation on Christmas Eve

The last thing our family did before going to bed on Christmas Eve was watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I’m not sure why this was the Christmas movie of choice. It just sort of happened. As there are a few risque scenes and crude jokes in there, I definitely watched this movie before I probably should have. But we all laughed through the movie and quoted it back to each other throughout the year. At some point, we added in the tradition of making homemade pizza to the mix. I haven’t actually watched this movie in several Christmases now, but I still have fond memories of my brothers and I lying on the floor in front of the tv laughing together. 

4. Singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus

I’ve heard of a couple other families doing this but more often whenever I mention this tradition I get a weird look from people. It may be strange to sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus seeing how He isn’t physically in the room with us, but my dad insisted on it. It was always a little awkward but we knew we wouldn’t get presents until this happened so we went along with it. I kind of chuckle thinking about singing “Happy Birthday” instead of “Joy to the World” or “O Come All Ye Faithful” on Christmas morning, but it was a great memory. Thanks, Dad. 

3. Putting up the Tree and Hanging the Ornaments

We try to always use a real tree. I insist on it. I begged for one as a kid and never got one so I was determined to have a real tree once I started my own family. Plus it’s difficult finding a tree that is not pre-lit and I also insist on stringing my own lights. (I’m a glutton for punishment, I know. But it’s my tree and I’ll do what I want.)

Anyway, since my wife and I got married, we’ve always gotten Hallmark ornaments: one for me, one for her, one for each child, and one for special events like the purchase of a new home. Anyone who purchases Hallmark ornaments knows that can add up to quite a bit of cheddar. There will be no need to write out a will for our kids. Their inheritance is tucked away in those red Hallmark boxes that aren’t stored with the other Christmas decorations because they have to be maintained in an air controlled environment rather than the attic. 

We hang these ornaments one at a time in succession of the year they were purchased. Our youngest gets antsy waiting for her year to come along because our oldest is a full five years ahead of her and thus has multiple ornaments on the tree before she is even allowed to begin. 

It’s fun to see the ornaments go up and be reminded of what they were into that year. We have everything on our Christmas tree from Tom and Jerry to Godzilla. Honestly, I don’t know how long we can keep this tradition up though. Eventually, we’ll need to get a second tree just to hold all of their ornaments.

2. Three Gifts

We made the decision awhile back that we were going to set a limit on the number of presents each child was going to receive from us. We’re celebrating Christmas on a budget and we didn’t want them to have so much that they didn’t enjoy each gift or even appreciate them appropriately. Since Jesus only got three gifts, we decided that three was enough. They don’t need more presents than Jesus. I mean, they’re good kids but none of them is the Messiah.

We also have them open one gift and then take some time to enjoy that gift before opening the next one. This actually works really well. They’ll play with that toy for an hour or so before we move on to the next gift. It has taken us hours to open presents before. It makes the fun last longer and it makes each gift seem more special. 

1. Obstacle Course to the Stocking

We started this one several years ago. Once the kids are asleep we loop a Christmas ornament onto a red string and tie it to the foot of their bed. When they wake up the next morning they will have to follow the ornament through the house until they reach their Christmas stocking. But it is never a straight route. They have had to stoop under tables and around furniture, exit the house one way and enter through another door, drop their ornament over second floor banisters, and even crawl through windows. This is a LONG piece of yarn. And every child has to take a different route. 

It’s probably more fun for me than for them since they are waking up to Christmas morning with a challenge and I’m just enjoying the struggle, but this tradition is definitely my favorite. And we always seem to be in a different location at Christmastime so this year will actually be our 6th house for this activity making it fun coming up with new pathways for the string every year. 

The first kid who frees their ornament from the yarn gets to dig into their stocking first and, of course, we wait until everybody’s made it before beginning. I hope they’ll still let us tie a red string to their bedpost even when they’re grown.

Traditions are meant to add to the fun and joy of Christmas. The best ones create lasting memories with our family and loved ones. 

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? Let me know in the comments.