12 Days Of Christmas Challenge- Day 1

Today starts the 12 days of Christmas blog challenge hosted by these lovely ladies...

Here's the rundown of the topics...

Day 1: Christmas/Holiday traditions

Day 2: Black Friday/General Shopping Tips & Tricks

Day 3: Most meaningful gift/best gift you've received

Day 4: Tips/Tricks to a Budget Friendly holiday season

Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Show Special

Day 6: Gift ideas (what do YOU want? We all have family/friends reading our blogs...so let them know!)

Day 7: Holiday Craft/DIY (If you don't make anything, what do you WISH you could make?)

Day 8: Least favorite thing about the Holidays

Day 9: Favorite Holiday recipe

Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs/Caroles

Day 11: New Year Resolutions

Day 12: Show us your decorations (indoor/outdoor)

Day 13: Favorite Cookie Recipe

Day 14: Oprah's Favorite Things: What item(s) would you want if you were in the audience?

So, onto today's topic- Christmas/holiday traditions...My family's traditions have changed over the years, but generally this is what happens.

Christmas Eve- My mom puts our a fantastic spread of appetizer type food- pizza dip, meatballs, mini-sandwiches, pickles, chocolate covered pretzels, peanut butter balls, you get the picture.  We usually eat (all day long), go to a Christmas Eve service, then come home, open one present (and it is almost always a pair of pajamas or a robe or a nice blanket), and then watch tv or a movie.  Also, when my sister and I were really little (like 6 or 7) I started spending the night in her room on Christmas Eve.  I'm not sure why it started, we have just always slept in her bed on Christmas Eve.  It's sweet, because we did not get along in middle school or high school, but Christmas Eve would roll around and we'd share a bed and be nice to each other.  I am 25 and she is 23 and we still do this!

Christmas morning- This is where traditions have changed some.  We used to get up ridiculously early and open presents, but thankfully, all of us kids are in our twenties and we sleep in now.  My mom still gets up early, though, and makes monkey bread and pigs in a blanket for breakfast.  Once presents are opened, we just hang around the house for awhile and usually watch a movie.  When we were in high school, we would get up early to open presents, then shower and head down to Savannah (four hours away) and have Christmas dinner with either my mom's side of the family or my dad's side of the family.

I am SUPER excited about a tradition I have started with my college friends.  The first Christmas after we all graduated, we got together for a dinner party.  We all dress up and bring a dish and catch up and celebrate the holidays with each other.  Each year, new friends we have made are invited, so it's still the core group of friends from college, but new ones as well. 

What are YOUR Christmas traditions?