The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Denison chapter.
With finals week upon us and winter break right around the corner, I want to share some of my family’s Christmas quirks that I cherish so dearly. The holidays look different in every home, and I love learning about the uniqueness of family and the diversity of tradition, so here are some of my favorite (and rather specific) quirks of my family’s Christmas.
- A Tree of Sentiment: Our family tree isn’t covered with sets of coordinating ornaments that exemplify the Christmas aesthetic, but rather years worth of nostalgic sentiments of our family, topped with a tree topper of an ethereal, dancing Mother Nature. Some home-made, some collected from our travels, some symbolizing a tribute to a family member or a pet. Decorating our tree is one of my favorite annual events; it gives me the chance to reminisce on our family.
- New year, New Nutcracker: One of my favorite traditions is the placement of the new nutcrackers that my sister and I receive each year. We have quite the collection now, which is displayed on the staircase leading down from our front door. Each step is adorned with various nutcrackers that we have been gifted over the years, both traditional and nontraditional. We have ballerinas, gingerbread men, snowmen, chefs, toymakers, angry mice, musicians, and more.
- Dinner out on Christmas Eve: Every year, we spend Christmas Eve at a restaurant, a tradition that I didn’t know was unique to some until I spoke to some friends about their home-cooked Christmas Eve dinners… We have always enjoyed the process of getting fancy, driving to either a new or beloved restaurant, relishing in our meals, and returning home to get back into comfortable clothes.
- Pajama Opening on Christmas Eve: Every year, my older sister and I want to give in to temptation and peek into a bag on Christmas Eve, but luckily, we tide ourselves over with the annual Christmas Eve Pajamas. No, the pajamas are not matching, nor necessarily festive for the holiday season, but they are always worn on the next day.
- Present Rounds: My family loves the gift-giving just as much as the gift-opening, so each year, we take turns opening our gifts. As much as I enjoy the idea of children running downstairs to the tree and ripping open the wrapped presents in a frenzy of Christmas chaos, the four of us have always taken our time opening gifts. We determine the order before we begin, and once we start, we continue with the rotation until we feel like we need a break for food. If you’re wondering… Yes, present opening is an all-day affair in our house. We all gaze at the present-opener as they unwrap, display their gift to the rest of the family, and add it to their present pile.
- A Jewish American Christmas Brunch: To honor my family’s Jewish roots, our Christmas brunch features lox (the Yiddish word for salmon) and white fish to put atop our assorted bagels. Both staples of Jewish cuisine, lox and white fish allow us to blend cultures, cherishing the complexity of family history.
- Trash and Recycling Away, IMMEDIATELY! We love so many aspects of the holiday spirit that comes with opening gifts, but one thing my parents have remained very strict about has been the trash and recycling bags. Once the present-opener has unwrapped and shown off their gift to the family, with proper enthusiasm of course, they gather their wrappings, separate them accordingly, and add them to the large trash bags. In recent years, we have also gotten into the habit of reusing most of our wrapping materials, setting all ribbons aside for the next year, along with bags and boxes.
- VERY Full Stockings: We take our stockings very seriously in our home, stuffing them with trinkets and small gifts, some that are even individually wrapped in tissue paper and tied with small bows. We like to take a break after all the presents have been opened, but once we’re ready to finish the day’s festivities before dinner, we keep the same process as we do with the presents. One by one, we pull out the goodies from our stocking until it’s empty, and we move on to the next person.