Do You Have Family Holiday Traditions?

Holiday traditions come in all shapes and sizes. Parents, grandparents and family friends create traditions that involve children and adults of all ages. It’s fun to carry-on traditions throughout the generations.

Most every family has a tradition or two that they enjoy sharing and now Richmondmom.com is looking for your favorite traditions. We’ve included some from our readers, but we want to add to the list. So email us with your Holiday Traditions so we can all enjoy them. You may be surprised at what you learn and you may find some new traditions to add to your list.

Traditions From Richmondmom.com Readers

• It’s off to a homeless shelter for one Richmond family. What better way to celebrate Christmas morning than serving the needy and providing them with a warm meal and a warmer smile!
• As grandparents, my husband and I know how challenging it is to be ‘everywhere’ on Christmas Day. We’ve carried on a tradition that started with my own grandparents decades ago by having a Christmas celebration and gift opening on Christmas Eve. This allows the grandchildren to be home for Christmas morning to enjoy all that Santa brings — and it gives us an opportunity to visit them on Christmas Day for a delicious brunch and enjoy more time with our children and grandchildren.
• Dana and her family enjoy celebrating the Christmas holiday by remembering the very first Christmas. Each Christmas Eve, they have a birthday party for Baby Jesus complete with a birthday cake and candles. The kids love it and can’t wait for the party!
• Karen’s kids have always loved the Christmas morning tradition of hot chocolate. But this is not just any hot chocolate! It’s specially prepared by Santa himself using gourmet cocoa, sugar and fresh milk – and when the kids come running into the kitchen on Christmas morning, there’s a delicious array of ‘goodies’ for the chocolate that were left behind by Santa. Thick, rich hot chocolate is the base – but peppermint candy slivers, chocolate chips, cinnamon and sugar, nutmeg, homemade marshmallows, caramel, whipped cream, and even ice cream are all choices to make a very special holiday beverage. Sounds like it’s for the kids? Not really – the kids are grown and now in college — and they look forward to this treat when they’re home for the holidays so Santa doesn’t disappoint!
• When it comes to holidays, there’s nothing like a big crowd to stir up some fun. Samantha packs her family into the SUV and heads to the Jefferson Hotel for the official Christmas tree lighting and party. Sure – it’s a massive crowd and it’s crazy – but it’s fun. Complete with an array of holiday friends and characters, it’s the best way to kick off the holiday for her family. When they return home, they have their very own Christmas tree illumination party complete with s’mores by the outdoor fire pit.
• Nothing can beat the reverence of a true Bethlehem walk, and families come from near and far for this tradition. It’s a reverent look at Christmas in Goochland that has taken place since 2003, and it’s a tradition for Katherine and her family. She finds it the perfect way to set the mood for the holiday and remember the reason for the holiday.
• Rachel’s family loves the holiday elf who soars from place to place throughout December, delighting children as they search for the elf each morning. “Elf on a Shelf” is a tradition in many families and this elf keeps watch over the children to make sure they’re good all month long, reporting to Santa each evening. One morning s/he’s on the window sill, the next s/he’s in the chandelier, and one morning you might just find this little elf peeking from beneath the sofa. But don’t touch the elf or the magic is gone!

Do you have some fun family traditions to share about the holidays? Let us hear from you! Email us at [email protected] and let us know so we can add them to our post for others to see. And if you don’t have holiday traditions, maybe you’ll find one you like here!

Rock on everybody – ’tis the season!