Christmas Eve Traditions

Christmas Eve is finally here and that means Santa is coming! While most of us have similar Christmas day traditions, everyone does something different for Christmas Eve. We here at Eco18 decided to share with you our unique Christmas Eve traditions and would love to hear yours in return!

“Christmas is a big deal in England and I have many traditions that I love to keep going. From baking the sausage rolls and mince pies to steaming the Christmas puddings. But the thing I love the most is Christmas cards–the real ones that is–giving and receiving! I just love opening the mailbox and finding them, it’s a special treat and makes me feel so much closer to friends and family scattered all over the world. It doesn’t matter that I keep up with their lives on Facebook, I still treasure the annual end of year roundup letter that many tuck into their handwritten Christmas cards. I spend an inordinate amount of time looking for the exact right card for each person on my list and like to have bought them all by Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving weekend is my Christmas card writing weekend. I put on my favorite holiday CD’s, open a bottle of wine and spend the afternoons writing the perfect message in the perfect card. I have to admit, I no longer address them by hand, but given my handwriting it’s probably a very good thing! I do include a computer generated letter complete with photos but take the time to add a handwritten salutation on each one. It’s a tradition I will continue as long as they continue to sell Christmas cards.”

– Sue Taggart

“Since my brother and I have grown up and moved away from home we don’t always get to spend Christmas Eve at home anymore, but when we do it’s all about homemade food, spending time with family and Christmas movies. Ever year on Christmas Eve my dad makes homemade shrimp scampi and to this day its the best shrimp scampi I’ve ever had, hands down! After dinner we each get to choose one Christmas present to open then we spend the evening watching a “A Christmas Story” on repeat and sometimes “It’s a Wonderful Life” while stuffing our faces with homemade Christmas cookies my mom made. ”

– Lauren Verini

“Growing up, Christmas Eve was always my favorite part of the holidays. Every year, my sister, cousin, and I would put on a short “Christmas Play” in which we would play various musical instruments and read poems that we had written. There were a couple of years when I even designed a program to hand out to everyone! After the play, we each received presents from my Aunt and our good family friends who joined us for the evening. We would then change into our jammies and my dad would sit us down by the fire and read us The Night Before Christmas. Our Christmas Eve traditions have changed over the years as we have gotten older, but we still always come together to eat good food, drink good wine, and spend the night with the ones we love most. ”

– Julie Yeagley

“My family is pretty small, just me and my mom and sister (and of course our two dogs which are just as much a part of the family too!) but there are a few things that we always do every year when Christmas comes around and I go to Michigan to visit. We typically start out by always each opening one present on Christmas Eve after that we typically watch some kind of a Christmas movie together-it the past it has ALWAYS been a classic such as A Christmas Story or It’s A Wonderful Life, but I personally like to mix things up and watch a scary movie. Ever since I changed that tradition myself last year, I’m pretty sure it is going to stick because all three of us are huge fans of scary movie…even on Christmas! Besides that we don’t have many traditions, just enjoying each other’s company since I don’t get to see them often , drinking lots of champagne, baking delicious treats and lots of shopping!!”

– April Donelson

“Christmas Eve usually starts off with the majority of the 8 of us running out to stores to buy last-minute presents. Shopping for a big family can be difficult! Then at 5:30, well much earlier in order to get a seat—whenever all of us manage to get into the car, we go to Church because my mom lectors this particular mass each year. We always sit front row and somehow manage to make her laugh when she is the Eucharistic Minister because my older brother in particular likes to give her a tough time. The music at this mass is always so beautiful and despite our talents (or lack of) we all sing along. Then we go out to a restaurant, typically Italian, because my mom remains firm in not having to cook family dinners two days in a row! Once we are home we each pick out a small present we want to open because even though we are all grown we can’t wait till Christmas morning. Then we make cookies because YUM and for Santa of course.”

 – Kayla Pantano

“Ever since I was little, I was always in the Christmas Eve play at my church. Every year my costume would change; I was an angel several times and once I was one of the Three Kings.  I was even chosen to read in front of the entire congregation for a few years and I was the typical 8 year old: terrified of the microphone and worrying about if my halo was on right. Years later, I still attend Christmas Eve mass, although I leave the halo at home. After church, my family usually heads home and just spends time together. It is a rarity that the 4 of us are all home, so watching a Christmas movie or playing Scrabble with them is something I really enjoy.”

– Julia Schwartz

Enjoy your Christmas Eve and have a very merry and green Christmas!