Our Family's Christmas Traditions

These are some old Pictures of Christmases past. (2004 to 2007) This is my house. We always have a Christmas Eve party for family and close friends. Christmas dinner can be at my house or my mother-in-laws. When I was growing up we always had waffles on Christmas Eve before attending midnight mass in the Episcopal church. When hubby and I were first married we lived in a small apartment and could not really have the large extended family over for Christmas or Thanksgiving Dinner, so we decided to have a Christmas Eve open house. We didn't have a lot of money so that first Christmas Eve when we were married we used what we had in the fridge. We served cheese, crackers, deli ham, rolls, deviled eggs and home made potato salad and homemade cookies. The tradition stuck and every year we have a Christmas Eve open house. The buffet has gotten larger with many more appetizers, but we always have the ham (usually a Honey Baked Ham now), deviled eggs and homemade potato salad. We always have a nativity set up. Baby Jesus does not get put in the scene until after Midnight Mass. We sing Christmas carols at the piano and anyone who plays an instrument joins in. When I fix Christmas dinner it is always a feast of prime rib (since turkey is traditional at Thanksgiving, I don't like to do another turkey for Christmas) pan roasted potatoes and carrots, Yorkshire pudding, popovers, a green vegetable and don't forget and Christmas Trifle. The table must also be set with tradtioanl Brittish Chritmas crackers (the kind that have the little paper crown and gifts inside) for the guests. We also always have lights outside but I don't have any pictures yet.

Our Christmas Tree.
There is only one way to decorate a Christmas tree in our family. No theme or specialty trees. The tree must have multi color lights, gold garland, an eclectic mix of old and new, homemade and store bought, ornaments that have sentimental meaning and silver tinsel. It must have an angel on top and one or two new dated ornaments are bought or made every year.

In the above picture is baby Samuel.

Here is some info about him and his website.