Traditions and Christmas go together hand in hand; you really can’t have one without the other, and when you think about it, you probably already have some lovely – and much anticipated – Christmas traditions to enjoy, even if you hadn’t realized that’s quite what they were.
As time goes by and we make families of our own, it could be the ideal opportunity to create some new traditions as well as bring old ones into the arrangement. If you’re looking for some new ideas, here are some lovely Christmas traditions that many people enjoy.
Stirring the Christmas Pudding
Not every family makes its own Christmas pudding (if you don’t, this could become a tradition in itself), but if you do make one, it’s important to know that there is a very old tradition about stirring it. The idea is that every member of the family needs to take their turn stirring the pudding, and while they are doing so, they make a wish. After they eat the pudding, that wish is meant to come true.
A Special Family Activity
If you’re the kind of family that likes to do new and exciting things, Christmas could be the ideal chance. Have one day during the festive season, either before or after Christmas Day itself, when you go out as a family and try something new together. One idea that everyone is sure to love is chocolate tasting, and there are dozens more to try as well – you’ll certainly never run out of inspiration. Try to do something new every year but keep to the same date, as this makes it even more special and anticipated.
The First Gift
When the gifts are sitting under the tree, they are sure to look wonderful; wrapped presents always look great no matter what’s inside them. They can also look very tempting, and sometimes the excitement can be too much, particularly for younger members of the family. With this in mind, why not open the first gift on Christmas Eve?
If everyone chooses one gift to open the night before Christmas Day, this will give them something to enjoy and will calm some of the excitement. This idea is usually for the children who often have more gifts to open than the adults anyway, but there’s no reason why everyone couldn’t get involved if they wanted to.
Decorate the Table
If there is one time of the year when everyone eats together at the table, it’s Christmas. Even if the dining table isn’t used for anything other than homework or as a place to put things when you don’t know what else to do with them, at Christmas, it’s going to be used for at least the big main meal and possibly for plenty of others too.
Since this is a special occasion, a great family tradition would be to decorate the table together. This can be done on Christmas Eve or the morning of Christmas Day, depending on your preference. Make sure the table looks absolutely perfect and ensure there are place settings for everyone. You could even ask every family member to be responsible for one element, such as candles, cutlery, or the tablecloth. Whatever you do, having a gorgeous Christmas table really can make the difference when it comes to the food you enjoy.