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Post by drawkcab on Nov 23, 2014 1:36:23 GMT
Do you or anyone you know celebrate Little Christmas?
I'm trying to think of a way we can see all of our kids and their families, all at the same time, without imposing on their other plans.
How would you feel if it was suggest to you that the family gets together the first weekend in January to celebrate Christmas?
Would you do anything to make it feel special other than presents?
Would you still do stockings or is that too far away from when Santa would have dropped them off?
I'm not saying that we couldn't be together on Christmas, just trying to be more flexible for everyones schedules while creating a tradition.
Thanks!
UPDATE:
If this update wasn't so sad, it would be comical!
I didn't get a chance to make the suggestion of a Little Christmas celebration, before my SOs sister told me I had to host on Christmas Eve. She didn't let explain why that wouldn't work for us - we both have to work that day and none of our kids are available. I suggested Christmas Day, she said no, it wouldn't work for her daughter and she had her in-laws coming so we had to go on their schedule. I suggested the 26th, no, that wasn't what the family had always done and I was really pissing everyone off. To her "the family" is only the ones that cater to her. Her brother wasn't living close by until recently so she just discounted his and the kids part. That she was pissing me off was of no consideration, it was her way and she was telling everyone what to do.
We've stuck to our plan of Dec 26. If anyone is available, great, if not, we'll have a wonderful meal.
I don't think anyone has ever told her no before. I've been working on getting a thicker skin and even though this had me in tears a lot, I stood up for myself and I'm taking that as a step in the right direction.
I keep reminding myself it's about Christmas and celebrating Christmas. I'm really thinking I may go to Midnight Mass this year and that will make me happy!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 1:38:37 GMT
All my life we have been flexible with the date we celebrate. It has happened as early as Thanksgiving and as late as mid January. Who says Santa only travels on December 24/25?
eta: our traditions are pretty simple. We like lots of yummies and to play games. We open gifts with whoever is there (the more the merrier but some years there are multiple gatherings of just a few people) The biggest hurtle to get passed is the idea that Christmas can only be magical and happen on December 25. So not true unless you make it true.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Nov 23, 2014 1:46:01 GMT
One side of my family always traditionally got together on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's... and then some years after the new year. It was in recognition of the fact that pretty much everyone had other families to celebrate with (because, you know, the kids and grandkids grow up and get married), and there was no sense fighting about it, so let's just pick an alternate date.
My grandmother always kept the tree up, and we always had the same meal. The gift situation changed from year to year; do whatever sounds like a fun holiday!!
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Post by laureljean on Nov 23, 2014 1:50:18 GMT
We are getting together with DD and her family on New Year's day to celebrate Christmas this year. They have decided that since the baby came that they will celebrate Christmas Day with just the three of them. They will go to her DH's parents' house on Christmas Eve. It is fine with me.
I love Christmas, and I think it's great to spread the celebrations out.
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Kerri W
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Post by Kerri W on Nov 23, 2014 2:09:07 GMT
I've never heard it called Little Christmas, but ever since I can remember my mom and dad have had the Christmas with my siblings, nieces and nephews and now great nieces and great nephews the Saturday after Christmas. It's celebrated the same way it would be if we held it on Christmas day. We don't do stockings, but do some type of fun present exchange and there's a big meal.
My parents have a blended family which is what started the tradition but it has been very much appreciated as everybody has gotten older and married and juggling several other family get togethers. They have always been so flexible and accommodating over ALL of the holidays...I can't tell you how much that means to all of us.
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Post by hennybutton on Nov 23, 2014 2:11:08 GMT
What about celebrating Epiphany (January 6) instead? The Orthodox church considers this to be "Christmas" because it's about the Gentiles coming to visit baby Jesus. The twelfth day of Christmas in the song is Epiphany and Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night" was written for a performance on the twelfth day of Christmas.
Work schedules may make it hard to actually start a tradition of Twelfth Day celebration, so you could do the weekend before instead.
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Post by drawkcab on Nov 23, 2014 2:13:53 GMT
I'm sorry if it came across as though I wanted only Dec 25. It's quite the opposite!
We try to juggle our time too. We've got elderly parents that don't travel so doing this might help with our being able to see them at the holidays too.
What really prompted me to think of this is the grandkids. They were asking why they don't get to come to our house on Christmas. They have lots of grandparents, thanks to a few blending. My thought was if we could tell them "hey we have Christmas with you on ~this specific day~ and we can't wait to see you" it might help them. They are in elementary school and ask lots of questions, some are harder to answer and I'm looking for an easy, fun answer.
Their ages is what made me wonder about the stockings. They will get older and new grandkids will come along so traditions will be fun to create.
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Post by mikklynn on Nov 23, 2014 2:14:01 GMT
My parents, siblings, etc have chosen to gather around New Year's Day for our Christmas. We don't exchange gifts, but do play the dice "bingo" game for $5 items. We have a potluck and tons of Christmas cookies. This way we can all do Christmas Eve with our in-laws if we choose and have Christmas day with our own families.
God bless my parents for making this easy for us. They do often spend Christmas Eve overnight with us, now that we are empty nesters.
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Post by drawkcab on Nov 23, 2014 2:18:53 GMT
hennybutton - that's it exactly! I've usually heard it referred to as Little Christmas, and sometimes Epiphany.
Since it' could be during the week, that's why I was thinking the first weekend of the new year.
I really want to be respectful of everyone's other commitments and try to make it possible for us all to get together at some point.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, any others I'd love to hear too.
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Post by hennybutton on Nov 23, 2014 2:21:10 GMT
I've never heard it called Little Christmas.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 2:37:19 GMT
I'm sorry if it came across as though I wanted only Dec 25. It's quite the opposite! We try to juggle our time too. We've got elderly parents that don't travel so doing this might help with our being able to see them at the holidays too. What really prompted me to think of this is the grandkids. They were asking why they don't get to come to our house on Christmas. They have lots of grandparents, thanks to a few blending. My thought was if we could tell them "hey we have Christmas with you on ~this specific day~ and we can't wait to see you" it might help them. They are in elementary school and ask lots of questions, some are harder to answer and I'm looking for an easy, fun answer. Their ages is what made me wonder about the stockings. They will get older and new grandkids will come along so traditions will be fun to create. I do realize you are wanting a different date but at the same time you come across as though the previous traditions only have meaning if they happen on Dec 25th. You can explain to the kids that Christmas is a season, not a single day. It starts on Dec 25th and goes to Jan 6th (Epiphany) Ask your kids how they want to bend the santa myths. My parents were in control of when santa came (and where) that includes santa gifts and stockings. I think it is a discussion with your kids as their parental right to decide..not grandma or peas. Some years santa showed up at my maternal grandparents, one year at my paternal grandparents and other years he arrived at our house while we were gone. I understand you wanting to be part of the santa mystique but it may be easier on your adultkids if you let them lead the way. Set up new traditions involving cookie baking, game playing, experience outings, camp-outs under the christmas tree, build gingerbread houses or decorate gingerbread people. There are so many fun traditional activities that don't have to get into explaining anything about santa. |
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luvnlifelady
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Post by luvnlifelady on Nov 23, 2014 3:13:19 GMT
I am definitely flexible on when we will celebrate with the kids when they grow older (now older teens) and have job commitments or other places to be.
My immediate family used to celebrate with my oldest sister after Christmas. I didn't like it but not necessarily because it was afterwards. It was because it was the only time of year she ever made time for any of (there are 5 kids). It was always her DH's side for all holidays and it felt like we were an after-thought. It was like we were just one more chore for her that she felt obligated to do when my dad was still alive.
This could potentially be 17 yo DD's last Thanksgiving with us as she's seriously contemplating going to college in a mountain resort town and could easily be working next year. I will be happy to see her whenever she can make it down.
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Post by imkat on Nov 23, 2014 3:16:41 GMT
We celebrated Christmas with my aunt and her family a week or two before Christmas. We always called it Little Christmas. Then on Christmas Day, we spent the day with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins.
We always did it before Christmas, and it was great to get an early Christmas present.
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mimima
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Post by mimima on Nov 23, 2014 4:41:28 GMT
What about celebrating Epiphany (January 6) instead? The Orthodox church considers this to be "Christmas" because it's about the Gentiles coming to visit baby Jesus. The twelfth day of Christmas in the song is Epiphany and Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night" was written for a performance on the twelfth day of Christmas. Work schedules may make it hard to actually start a tradition of Twelfth Day celebration, so you could do the weekend before instead. [br No, Orthodox celebrate Theophany on January 6, which is the commemoration of Christ's Baptism. Many Orthodox use the Julian calendar, which is currently 13 days behind the civil calendar, so Christmas - still the 25th of December - falls on January 7. Shakespeare is talking about the 12th Night - Epiphany in the West - which commemorates the arrival of the Magi. The Armenian Church celebrates all three - Nativity of Christ, Theophany, and the Magi on January 6th. Little Christmas is an Irish Tradition, IIRC. However, the 12 days of Christmas are the 12 days after 12/25 and doing your family celebration in there is a great idea |
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Post by hennybutton on Nov 23, 2014 5:09:18 GMT
Thanks, Mimima. I guess DH's family explained it wrong to me. I should have known because I'm the only one who can explain why Orthodox Easter is usually on a different date than Catholic (and Protestant) Easter.
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Post by apmom on Nov 23, 2014 7:57:58 GMT
Little Christmas is on January 6th, the day the Magi arrived with gifts. I'm in Ireland and our children never went back to school till after the 6th but last year and this they return on the 5th January.
It's also known as Nollaig na mBan (women's Christmas) where women, maybes adult sisters and their moms meet up and have dinner together. They're also not meant to do housework that day. I'm in Dublin so never had heard of this tradition until my neighbour, originally from the countryside, told me.
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BarbaraUK
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Post by BarbaraUK on Nov 23, 2014 13:25:25 GMT
In my part of England we get together with family any time from Christmas Eve to Epiphany/Twelfth Night/6th January (whatever one wants to call it  to celebrate Christmas with those we can't be with on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. It's nice because it means the Christmas season seems to last longer instead of being over in a day or so!  |
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Post by maryland on Nov 23, 2014 14:39:19 GMT
Do you or anyone you know celebrate Little Christmas? I'm trying to think of a way we can see all of our kids and their families, all at the same time, without imposing on their other plans. How would you feel if it was suggest to you that the family gets together the first weekend in January to celebrate Christmas? Would you do anything to make it feel special other than presents? Would you still do stockings or is that too far away from when Santa would have dropped them off? I'm not saying that we couldn't be together on Christmas, just trying to be more flexible for everyones schedules while creating a tradition. Thanks! How sweet of you to do this! I think it's a great idea. It's so hard when kids are married, and they have to alternate holidays between parents and inlaws (at least I hope so! ). I never heard of the term little Christmas. Does that mean celebrating on a different date? I say do exactly as you would on Christmas. That makes it fun for you and for the family!
In my husbands family, Thanksgiving is their big holiday. So every Thanksgiving we make a 5 hr. trip to spend it at his grandmothers house and stay 4 days. Then we celebrate Christmas the weekend before Christmas at my inlaws (4 hrs. away) and then for Christmas we go to my familys (5 hrs. away). So I don't enjoy the holiday season because it's so busy! But it makes everyone happy, so I figure it's my gift to everyone. And we just buy gift cards because it's too much to shop with all the trips! And we don't have room in the car with 3 kids, and a dog! haha!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 14:51:53 GMT
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Post by auntkelly on Nov 23, 2014 15:29:09 GMT
We were in Spain last year and were surprised to learn that January 6th (the Epiphany) is a bigger holiday than Dec. 25th. The Three Kings leave the presents for the kids on January 6th. I thought it was a lovely tradition and I'm going to start celebrating Jan. 6th in some small way every year.
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Post by drawkcab on Nov 23, 2014 21:55:24 GMT
Thank you all for helping me with this!
We are having dinner tonight, sort of a mini Thanksgiving, with most of our kids and now I feel more confident in bringing it up to them.
Having the history of it makes me happy, it's from my heritage!
I l
I'm grateful for this board and all of you!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 23, 2014 23:40:17 GMT
We do New Year's Eve with DH's sister and her family and exchange Christmas gifts with them then. They would always go out of state over the holidays every year, so we have established our own traditions. We haven't spent Christmas Eve/Christmas Day with his family for years.
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Post by deshacrafts on Nov 23, 2014 23:48:22 GMT
We are celebrating Christmas on Yule (Dec. 21) this year so my daughter and her hubby can celebrate Christmas with his family without having to rush home to celebrate with us. She was worried that we would be upset that we would be mad that we wouldn't get to see them until later on Christmas Day when my brothers family and my Mom would be over celebrating with us, this works out nicely.
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Post by littlemama on Nov 24, 2014 0:13:05 GMT
We always celebrated Christmas with my father in law and d h's half siblings at the end of January. It was easier financially on everyone in that gifts could be spaced out. As for stockings, Santa brings those to the home where the children live. If grandma and grandpa want to also fill.stockings at their house, they can do so. No need for Santa to be involved there.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2014 0:24:44 GMT
I'm sorry if it came across as though I wanted only Dec 25. It's quite the opposite! We try to juggle our time too. We've got elderly parents that don't travel so doing this might help with our being able to see them at the holidays too. What really prompted me to think of this is the grandkids. They were asking why they don't get to come to our house on Christmas. They have lots of grandparents, thanks to a few blending. My thought was if we could tell them "hey we have Christmas with you on ~this specific day~ and we can't wait to see you" it might help them. They are in elementary school and ask lots of questions, some are harder to answer and I'm looking for an easy, fun answer. Their ages is what made me wonder about the stockings. They will get older and new grandkids will come along so traditions will be fun to create. I do realize you are wanting a different date but at the same time you come across as though the previous traditions only have meaning if they happen on Dec 25th. You can explain to the kids that Christmas is a season, not a single day. It starts on Dec 25th and goes to Jan 6th (Epiphany) I didn't read your post that way at all. In my family, every other year we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas on the actual day. The off years, for Christmas we try to find a day that works. One time we rented a school gym, played games, and ate. Most years it's casual food (soups in crock pots, lots of appetizers), watching sports, and playing games. We've never done stockings with the grandparents. It's usually just Santa that fills them on Christmas Eve. We also don't exchange presents because of how large our family has become. One thing we do is save money throughout the year, find a family in need, and give them a Christmas tree with money (done anonymously)attached. We are doing the tree on Thanksgiving this year since we will celebrating a "little Christmas". Donating to a food pantry is another idea. |
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Post by peasapie on Nov 24, 2014 0:38:34 GMT
I didn't read this whole thread so I apologize if I'm repeating, but there is also St. Nicholas Day, which is December 6. The tradition (like Little Christmas) is that children put their shoes out for treats.
We celebrate the Christmas season, from the week before Christmas until Little Christmas. You could have a cookie decorating party tradition, a silly sweater party tradition (and switch sweaters each year) a Christmas stocking party the week before Christmas Day, Boxing Day Party, or a White Elephant swap, where you all buy something ridiculous, wrap it up, and randomly give out the presents.
I love having reasons to extend the holiday outside December 25. This sounds like a great opportunity!!
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Post by coaliesquirrel on Nov 24, 2014 0:45:04 GMT
We've celebrated a weekend early with my family for the last 12 or so years, because DB/DSIL live in the same town as my family but her parents are several states away, so they travel to see them once school is out. It can be a bit of a crunch to get ready for it early, but it's so nice to have several whole days to see each family. After so many years, we've gotten used to showing up at Thanksgiving with our Christmas lists and accelerating things. Plus, we have all kinds of options for things to do, places to eat, etc. because everything is open! We have stockings for early Christmas, but it's always been clear to the kids that they're really from Grandma to avoid Santa confusion, and no gifts are labelled from Santa.
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Post by fuji on Nov 24, 2014 0:52:21 GMT
I'm curious about what you've done in the past?
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Post by myboysnme on Nov 24, 2014 1:12:54 GMT
I've never heard it called Little Christmas, but ever since I can remember my mom and dad have had the Christmas with my siblings, nieces and nephews and now great nieces and great nephews the Saturday after Christmas. It's celebrated the same way it would be if we held it on Christmas day. We don't do stockings, but do some type of fun present exchange and there's a big meal. Little Christmas is also called the Epiphany or Twelfth Night. It is the 12th day of Christmas from the song. What I did with my kids growing is I had them put their shoes by the door on Dec 5th, maybe with a carrot or hay in them, and on Dec 6th, St Nicholas Feast, they got candy in their shoes and their first gift of the season. Then on January 6th, the Epiphany, they woke up to find a gift at the Nativity scene and one of the wise men figures with the gifts. So when they made their lists, they got some gifts on the 6th of Dec and some on the 6th of January. We did our family visiting between Christmas and New Year, and of course we always have pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day! |
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Post by drawkcab on Dec 8, 2014 16:30:24 GMT
I just updated the original posting.
Whew....
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to celebrate Christmas with those we can't be with on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. It's nice because it means the Christmas season seems to last longer instead of being over in a day or so! 
