yule log

[bandelero]

Today is the day that myself and my SO, along with our dog, will go off for a long walk in a small ancient wood near where we live.
A lot of the walk will just involve sheer enjoyment of all the wildlife and scenery in the wood, but a VERY important part of it will be to find our Yule Log for this year.
It needs to be small enough for me to carry back home, but large enough so that it will burn for at least 12 hours. Then after we get home, part of the day will be spent in writing out a list of anything that has troubled us during the past year. I drill a small hole right to the centre of the log which I have cut to fit neatly into our fireplace, then the list of all our troubles, small or large, is placed right into the log and the hole plugged.

This evening, that log will be placed in the centre of the fire and as Christmas Eve gives way to Christmas Day tomorrow, all of our troubles will have burned away with the log leaving us to enjoy the whole of Christmas Day without a trouble from the past to bother us!

Sadly our tradition doesn't REALLY evaporate such things as yet to be paid bills, but the catharsis involved in jotting down the problems, then seeing them swirl up the chimney truly does feel good and adds to the whole experience of Christmas for us. A little wine, some fresh chestnuts to roast, and carols in the background help too

Anyone else got little traditions they want to share that make Christmas a bit more special for them?

 

[ecstaticsub]

Being a military family we move every 2-3 years so traditions that aren't tied into where we live become very important. My 10 yr son is assionate about certain traditions.

One of our favorites is what goes into their Christmas stockings--always in order--an orange at the toe, an apple next then a new pair of socks. Then one small but much wanted present. Then at the top there is always a sm stuffed animal peeking out and candy.

ANother tradition that I started was diferent wrapping paper for different purposes. Each child's gifts from Santa are in a different kind of wrapping paper. (this makes it easier to sort out the gifts at 3am after drinking champagne, too) The presents from within the immediate family are done with another kind of wrapping paper. And then anything sent from extended family unwrapped that needed to be wrapped is done in another kind.

Christmas day is always spent at home. We move around enough. ANy family member can come and stay with us but on Christmas Day we stay at home.

I love traditions...thanks for the thread.

 

[Millificent]

We traditionally stay up until 1 or 2 am wrapping gifts and watching A Christmas Story. However, since I have to play handbells tonight and won't get home until almost midnight, I don't think that's going to happen. We will probably snuggle and watch some of the movie though!

 

[Millificent]

ANother tradition that I started was diferent wrapping paper for different purposes. Each child's gifts from Santa are in a different kind of wrapping paper.

Our Santa tradition is to leave those gifts unwrapped (they each get one...four kids after all). They are out of boxes, put together, batteries in, ready to go.

 

[myinnerslut]

i go to the movies and eat chineese food. its the jewish christmas tradition, mostly becuase those are the only places open on christmas

 

[Mazuri]

i go to the movies and eat chineese food. its the jewish christmas tradition, mostly becuase those are the only places open on christmas

You could go shop at Walgreens. Hubby's out of the country, so I'm working xmas eve, xmas day, and the day after. Hurrah for never-closing 24-hour stores

Being we're also military and generally are having our stuff packed up in December, xmas gifts are given whenever it's convenient to give them out around the movers. Our child always gets a small portion the first day of xmas break from school so that she has something to occupy herself while she's home. The rest can be given any time in the week surrounding xmas.

When he's here, we go to a friend's house on either xmas eve or day to exchange those gifts and my sister and her family come up one day to exchange theirs.

We've never been big on traditions or doing something just because we've always done it that way. *shrugs* Once the child is grown and gone, we'll probably stop doing anything at all, in fact.