Are Christmas traditions dying out in your house?

Are all the old Christmas traditions dying out or do you still keep to old ways of celebrating this time of year?
Do you still put a tree up, decorate outside, cook traditional fare, send cards, buy presents, or have you adapted the way you spend Christmas to a more modern lifestyle?













https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/christmas-traditions-like-pudding-pennies-13619174

Christmas is for children.  It's quite natural that as the children grow up and move away, the festive colors, lights, trees, decorations and traditions have less meaning.  

However, the gifts for mommy and daddy often get bigger.  Lol.

I'm less arsed with it these days but I like fairy lights.

My self, I would not bother, But the Wife does the whole lot !

Christmas is definitely more magical when it's shared with children, then grandchildren, but I still do all the usual stuff even if no kids are coming round.
This year there will be two extra young ones on Christmas day, so it's a good incentive to do all the stuff we did when our own son was little.

My sons birthday is 10 days before Christmas, every year since he was born OH decorates a huge tree in the front garden and lights it up on his birthday, thats when the house gets decorated too. Obviously the big tree outside has  grown since son was small so OH seems to buy extra lights every other year so it'll still look full.
It's his pride and joy...and he does decorate it beautifully with thousands of tiny lights, then he spoils the whole effect by putting a great big star on the top.

We should take a photo of our Christmas decorations when they are put up in a few weeks and post it .
We did this once before on a forum ...it's nice to see how other people decorate their houses.

I hate Christmas cards, I neither send them nor want to receive them.

But I do like gifts...

eddie wrote:I hate Christmas cards, I neither send them nor want to receive them.

But I do like gifts...

I can smuggle you in my suitcase if you like...we are off for some sun in a few days.

I still send and receive cards, sometimes it's the only contact I have with people....a yearly Christmas card.

There are so many things I no longer do:
Collecting nuts
Picking and making wine and cordial for Christmas with elderberries
Going out to cut holly and mistletoe - always remembering to leave mistletoe berries in a crack in the bark for next year's growth, don't know if it worked but there always was mistletoe in the woods.
Make puddings or cakes.
Go to church.
Put up Advent candles
Have a real tree.
About the only things we do is have an artificial tree and lights.
Send cards because we don't see people much these days.
Presents and a dinner.

Vintage wrote:There are so many things I no longer do:
Collecting nuts
Picking and making wine and cordial for Christmas with elderberries
Going out to cut holly and mistletoe - always remembering to leave mistletoe berries in a crack in the bark for next year's growth, don't know if it worked but there always was mistletoe in the woods.
Make puddings or cakes.
Go to church.
Put up Advent candles
Have a real tree.
About the only things we do is have an artificial tree and lights.
Send cards because we don't see people much these days.
Presents and a dinner.

We dont have a real tree now Vintage. Lovely though they are, it was a big job buying it, getting it in, decorating it, then forever hoovering up the pines.
We did go on to plant a couple of the trees after Christmas. One is now about 40ft high in the back garden, the other we managed to dig out after a couple of years and donate to the local school.

My mom still puts up a tree, decorates and cooks a traditional Christmas dinner of tamales and enchiladas, and we still exchange gifts. We have the traditional "getting shitfaced on Christmas Eve" and the traditional "deciding against going to church for the 15th year running" as well.

Syl wrote:Christmas is definitely more magical when it's shared with children, then grandchildren, but I still do all the usual stuff even if no kids are coming round.
This year there will be two extra young ones on Christmas day, so it's a good incentive to do all the stuff we did when our own son was little.

My sons birthday is 10 days before Christmas, every year since he was born OH decorates a huge tree in the front garden and lights it up on his birthday, thats when the house gets decorated too. Obviously the big tree outside has  grown since son was small so OH seems to buy extra lights every other year so it'll still look full.
It's his pride and joy...and he does decorate it beautifully with thousands of tiny lights, then he spoils the whole effect by putting a great big star on the top.

I think Christmas has been killed by commercialism. There's no anticipation any more. Year ago it only started in December now it starts in fucking August. I remember watching the Blue Peter advent coat hangar candles being lit twice a week two weeks before Christmas day and being all excited as a kid. Now, you have fake snow and Xmas trees while it's still hot weather, and the build up goes on for so long you're sick to death of it by December.

HoratioTarr wrote:

Syl wrote:Christmas is definitely more magical when it's shared with children, then grandchildren, but I still do all the usual stuff even if no kids are coming round.
This year there will be two extra young ones on Christmas day, so it's a good incentive to do all the stuff we did when our own son was little.

My sons birthday is 10 days before Christmas, every year since he was born OH decorates a huge tree in the front garden and lights it up on his birthday, thats when the house gets decorated too. Obviously the big tree outside has  grown since son was small so OH seems to buy extra lights every other year so it'll still look full.
It's his pride and joy...and he does decorate it beautifully with thousands of tiny lights, then he spoils the whole effect by putting a great big star on the top.

I think Christmas has been killed by commercialism.   There's no anticipation any more.   Year ago it only started in December now it starts in fucking August.   I remember watching the Blue Peter advent coat hangar candles being lit twice a week two weeks before Christmas day and being all excited as a kid.   Now, you have fake snow and Xmas trees while it's still hot weather, and the build up goes on for so long you're sick to death of it by December.

I know it's ridiculous. They were putting Christmas decorations up in a couple of garden centres when I was still looking for flowering pants to fill the borders.
I think Dec 15th is a good date to do the tree and put the decorations up...less time for them to get dusty too.
Christmas songs have been playing in some of the big supermarkets for weeks too....it's a form of brain washing I think.

*THE Ben Reilly* wrote:My mom still puts up a tree, decorates and cooks a traditional Christmas dinner of tamales and enchiladas, and we still exchange gifts. We have the traditional "getting shitfaced on Christmas Eve" and the traditional "deciding against going to church for the 15th year running" as well.

It's good to keep up with the old traditions...whatever they are.

Some Christmas traditions are dying out because the Christmas break is essentially just ONE day now.  The very next day there is pressure from all directions to get straight back to normal. Driven mainly by commerce.


Funnily enough sentimental traditionalists who love to make a huge fuss and go the whole 9 yards - were often scolded and told "oh fgs why all this fuss, it's just one day, really". Now it really IS just one day.

If its traditional it should be 12 days, from Christmas Day to Epiphany.
Although I don't go to church anymore I still get a bit uppity when I hear the 'its only one day' thing.
Even commercially its not one day but about 4 months of the run up.
I used to enjoy the run up in the last couple of weeks now as been said you are fed up and stressed out by the time Christmas actually comes around. It's all about spending now, it used to be about family getting together whatever the presents.

Ya it's all about commerce now. Officially it remains a 2 day public holiday. But the pressure from commerce makes it feel like just a one day break, even if you don't directly participate in any boxing day sales.    In fact some shops remain open even on Christmas day, jeeez.

It used to be so peaceful, possibly boring for some, when nothing was open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and of course Bank Holidays.
Now I suppose its Christmas with the pc or laptop.

Jules wrote:Ya it's all about commerce now. Officially it remains a 2 day public holiday. But the pressure from commerce makes it feel like just a one day break, even if you don't directly participate in any boxing day sales.    In fact some shops remain open even on Christmas day, jeeez.

Jules...evertime you answer a thread with a 'Ya' I feel you are morphing into ..you know who.

Vintage wrote:It used to be so peaceful, possibly boring for some, when nothing was open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and of course Bank Holidays.
Now I suppose its Christmas with the pc or laptop.

Christmas day, after all the preperations and shopping building up to it, should be a time for peace and tranquility....and it probably is for the everyone apart from the poor sod (that would be me in our house) who slaves over the stove cooking for everyone else.

Ah, yes that'll be me.

I love all things Xmas. Our tree will be going up on Ist December. I write cards, neither of my daughter's do cards anymore. They hate them, says their a clutter. I still give them one though.

Shame I think cards are dying out now, been taken over with phones, emails etc.

My Wife keeps a xmas card that I gave her many years ago,  and I keep one she gave me. Every xmas we get both out and hang 'em up !

My Daughter never sends cards for anything, she say's she's saving a tree !

Lol Nicko, she's probably right tbh. My daughter isn't sending birthday cards either anymore, prob for the same reason as your daughter.

It's a bit scrooge like imo to not send cards, Christmas is only once a year and it shows people you are thinking of them.
I like the idea of giving each other the same card every year, you could add an extra kiss x each year....very romantic.

I agree Syl, I'm still doing cards for them regardless. It's my bit of tradition aswell as I bake mince pies, wear silly earrings and tinsel in my hair or a silly hat, and love everything about Xmas.

magica wrote:I agree Syl, I'm still doing cards for them regardless. It's my bit of tradition aswell as  I bake mince pies, wear silly earrings and tinsel in my hair or a silly hat, and love everything about Xmas.

Me too...minus the baking of the mince pies...I dont want to give everyone belly ache on Christmas day.

I remember though when my son was in primary school, they were selling mince pies, I bought some along with every other mum. we were proudly told by the teacher that every child in reception class had had a go and kneading the pastry.

Ewwww Syl

It's just another day.

I've never really had any Christmas traditions in my own house anyway. I always went elsewhere. I might get the tree out this year - if I can be bothered.

Lurker wrote:It's just another day.

Bit more than that surely.

Syl wrote:

Jules wrote:Ya it's all about commerce now. Officially it remains a 2 day public holiday. But the pressure from commerce makes it feel like just a one day break, even if you don't directly participate in any boxing day sales.    In fact some shops remain open even on Christmas day, jeeez.

Jules...evertime you answer a thread with a 'Ya' I feel you are morphing into ..you know who.  

Who ??????

I have used 'ya' for years and years! Bit of an Americanism, I guess.
I'm just as likely to start my sentences with 'yea, yeah or yep' - or even the odd 'yup' occasionally.
Makes a change from repetitively using  'yes'.

One thing I hate with a passion is the ellipisis cos it's all the rage. It's everywhere! Some people use them all the time.

I HATE those 3 dots at the end of a sentence - hence why I deliberately add several more dots if I need to use an 'ellipsis' at all - never just three !

We all have our quirkisms, I guess.

Hmmmm. I am betting most of them do.

Did you just make that yourself?

eddie wrote:Hmmmm. I am betting most of them do.

Did you just make that yourself?

Yes I did. Yes, I did.

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

Here is my house.

That's lovely Andy. Must have taken you ages.

Here comes old Father Christmas, pop into your cosy bed
All aboard for dreamland, cover your curly head
Daddy will blow the light out so hand up your tiny sock
And when you're asleep, down the chimney he'll creep
and we'll all have a Christmas box


my ma used to sing that to us when we were kids

and this one

When Santa got stuck up the chimney, he began to shout
'You girls and boys won't get any toys if you don't help me out.
My beard is black, there's soot in my sack, my nose is tickling too'
When Santa got stuck up the chimney 'Achoo Achoo Achoo'

That's not Andy's House, he has a cardboard box back of MARKS@ SPENCERS !

Low-budget nativity scene.

My personal Christmas tradition, dating back more years than I care to remember, is to buy in advance twelve different bottles of classic ale and drink one on each of the traditional twelve days of Christmas, saving the best for Twelfth Night.

My family's tradition is for us to have Christmas dinner together at the house that is now mine, and for many years my late wife presided, sitting at the head of the table as did her father and grandfather before her.

For the past few years my daughter has taken on that role, at my request, as the senior direct descendant of her family, and the oldest grandchild has the job of proposing the family toast to a large oil painting of my wife that now occupies the central position on the wall.

As simply a "married into" member of a family with a tree going back to the 1400's I just do the paying...and the washing up!!!!!!!

But long may both traditions continue.

Fred M. wrote:My personal Christmas tradition, dating back more years than I care to remember, is to buy in advance twelve different bottles of classic ale and drink one on each of the traditional twelve days of Christmas, saving the best for Twelfth Night.

I vaguely remember that tradition. Only, we drank all twelve bottles, each night, and passed out before the dinner.

This answers the stupidest American controversy of the day. Somebody was offended by the wonderful song, "Baby It's Cold Outside." This is the stupidest butt-hurt idiocy yet!!

Since several radio stations decided to pull “Baby it’s Cold Outside” from playlists because someone was offended, I feel that these other holiday songs must also be removed as they are potentially offensive as well.

Since several radio stations decided to pull “Baby it’s Cold Outside” from playlists because someone was offended, I feel that these other holiday songs must also be removed as they are potentially offensive as well.

Since several radio stations decided to pull “Baby it’s Cold Outside” from playlists because someone was offended, I feel that these other holiday songs must also be removed as they are potentially offensive as well.
1. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus: subjecting minors to softcore porn
2. The Christmas Song: Open fire? Pollution. Folks dressed up like Eskimos? Cultural appropriation
3. Holly Jolly Christmas: Kiss her once for me? Unwanted advances
4. White Christmas? Racist
5. Santa Claus is Coming to Town: Sees you when you’re sleeping? Knows when you’re awake? Peeping Tom stalker
6. Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Everyone telling you be of good cheer? Forced to hide depression
7. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Bullying
8. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: Forced gender-specific gifts: dolls for Janice and Jen and boots and pistols (GUNS!) for Barney and Ben
9. Santa Baby: Gold digger, blackmail
10. Frosty the Snowman: Sexist; not a snow woman
11. Do You Hear What I Hear: blatant disregard for the hearing impaired
12. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Make the yuletide GAY? Wow, just wow
13. Jingle Bell Rock: Giddy up jingle horse, pick up your feet: animal abuse
14. Mistletoe and Holly: Overeating, folks stealing a kiss or two? How did this song ever see the light of day?
15. Winter Wonderland: Parson Brown demanding they get married…forced partnership
16. Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer: Elder abuse, traumatic for children
See how ridiculous everything can be twisted? Everyone gets so offended these days that it is impossible to even communicate anymore. We as a society can’t have any music, interact with others, build anything, believe in anything because someone else will be offended. Just stop the madness.

Lurker wrote:This answers the stupidest American controversy of the day. Somebody was offended by the wonderful song, "Baby It's Cold Outside." This is the stupidest butt-hurt idiocy yet!!

Since several radio stations decided to pull “Baby it’s Cold Outside” from playlists because someone was offended, I feel that these other holiday songs must also be removed as they are potentially offensive as well.

Since several radio stations decided to pull “Baby it’s Cold Outside” from playlists because someone was offended, I feel that these other holiday songs must also be removed as they are potentially offensive as well.

?

I think you forgot to list the other songs Lurker??

Anyway, hope one and all have a great day

Laters

Yeah, the list had a weird uni-code problem and I had to edit it.

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer is indeed about bullying. The other reindeer only liked Rudolph when he became famous.

Raggamuffin wrote:Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer is indeed about bullying. The other reindeer only liked Rudolph when he became famous.

It's a workplace that promotes that sort of attitude.  Isn't a lump of coal just a way of shaming?