Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #32 . . . 13 Christmas / Holiday Traditions (Past & Present)

Baby Boy's 2nd Christmas
from Lori's Picture Collection

1) Shortly after Thanksgiving, I start listening to Christmas music and I don't typically stop until sometime in January. Yeah, not everybody in the fam is down with that, but what can I say? Some of my favorite Christmas cds include--Grover Washington's Breath of Heaven, Boney James' Funky Christmas, the Jackson 5 Christmas Album, Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration (by various artists) and The Best of Vanessa Williams: The Christmas Collection.

2) Putting something in the bell ringers' kettles. I feel guilty when I don't.

3) Participating in Advent ceremonies, festivities and observations.

4) Enlisting my son's help in putting up the Christmas tree.

5) Pulling out and plugging up the Black Santa who dances to Jingle Bell Rock.

6) Mailing Christmas cards.

7) Watching Christmas movies. Charlie Brown Christmas, "Polar Express" and Chevy Chase's "Christmas Vacation" are some of my favorites.

8) Listening to Grover Washington's "Breath of Heaven" at night, by candlelight. One year, while living in Cleveland, the hubby and I lit the candles, opened the curtains and watched it snow while listening to the music.

9) Before our son was born, the hubby and I spent Christmas Eve delivering gifts.
10) After our son was born and while we were living in Memphis, I'd cook a huge pot of chili on Christmas Eve and invite our relatives over for the exhange of gifts.
11) When I lived in Memphis, I'd make a couple of lemon meringue pies for my family's big Christmas dinner. Since my move from Memphis, I've managed to weasel out of this task (smile).

12) Driving around the city after nightfall on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and taking in all of the beautiful (and/or tacky) Christmas displays and lights.

13) Getting my grub on at my cousin Gertrude's house on Christmas Day.

Well, do we have any traditions in common? Feel free to mention a couple of your own Christmas / Holiday traditions.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I often get my grub on at your cousin Gertrude's house.

Well Ok, I don't :)

I'm delighted you have such fun traditions!

Unknown said...

We don't have many traditions, except the kids always get to open a gift on Christmas Eve, and it's always PJ's lol That way they look nice for pictures in the morning.
Nice traditions.
Happy Holidays!

SandyCarlson said...

Your post reminds me to work on those cards! God bless, Lori.

Carol said...

Oh yeah! #1!! Love you!!

But wait. #5? I'm thinking there's no black folk living on the north pole. No sane ones, anyway.

#10 sounds good to me!! I'll bring the beer.

Marina said...

Sounds like you have a lot of fun during the holiday season. My 13 is all about what I haven't accomplished yet:

http://texasbookwoman.blogspot.com/2008/12/t13-8-thirteen-things-i-havent-done-to.html

bernieg1 said...

I love Christmas and all that comes along with it.


My TT Forbidden Fruit is up.

sobeit said...

We open gifts on Christmas Eve and have a big Christmas dinner! Happy TT!

sobeit
http://sobeit89.squarespace.com

Lori said...

Great traditions...Dam, that reminds me. I need to send out my Christmas cards...UGH!!Happy TT:)

♥♥ Willa ♥♥ said...

i love meringue!
Thursday13

Anonymous said...

I love Handel's Messiah a Soulful Celebration!!!

I also love Charlie Brown's Xmas.

soleil said...

i love to watch elf every year. happy tt!

Geriatric Nursing said...

Excellent list. One of our traditions is to have homemade oyster stew on Christmas eve.
Happy TT

Anonymous said...

We don't have many Christmas traditions but I do mail Christmas cards at the start of December! :-)

Anonymous said...

This is a great list! Christmas music has been on at our house for a month and we always put out change in those little buckets!

Chili for Christmas Eve sounds delicious!

Happy TT......

NotJustAMom said...

Great list! Happy TT!

Debbie@Like a Rose said...

Great list. # 8 sounds like a perfect eway to spend a relaxing and meaningful evening.

Anonymous said...

Christmas cards and Advent things, definitely. I need to do some more Christmas baking as well.

Denise Patrick said...

Christmas cards, Advent wreath, looking at Christmas lights (displays) usually after Christmas Eve service while on our way home, oh, and the music. My favorite is The Temptations Christmas Card.

And, I have a Black Santa and Mrs. Claus on ice skates that skate around the tabletop. Wonderful to watch.

Happy TT!

Denise Patrick said...

Ooops, I forgot. Thanks for visiting my TT. We also lived in Germany when I was a kid. My Dad was military, then I married a military man and my oldest was born there, too. We love going back - it's our favorite place to travel.

Jean Bauhaus said...

Those all sound lovely. My husband and I are on our second year of marriage (no kids yet) and we're still trying to come up with our own traditions.

And that is one cute baby. Happy TT!

Anonymous said...

Great TT, I can relate to so many of these, I have read in the tub, I read more than one book at a time, I buy more than I borrow,best sellers don't always interest me but I never read the last page first.
Happy TT

Janet said...

1, 2, 6, 7 & 12, for sure!