Every family has holiday traditions that span the year, whether it’s coloring eggs at Easter, frosting and decorating birthday cakes, beach picnics at Fourth of July, “pumpkin everything” when fall winds blow, spiking homemade eggnog with rum or stringing up thousands of twinkle lights just so, creating elaborate designs and inviting onlookers to enjoy visual holiday cheer. It seems the December holidays have the most traditions. We can’t forget popcorn and cranberry garlands, mulled wine or spiced cider, pies, and decorated sugar cookies, either. Sometimes our personal traditions are a bit off-beat or rooted in something that’s hard to explain to others, but we cherish them all the same. Some of our staff members would like to share some of their their fave traditions:
Melissa Thompson Maher, Editor-in-Chief
fave tradition: “When my sisters and I were younger, my favorite thing was to catch the last performance of a local church’s Living Nativity, after our own church’s service. It was usually freezing cold, and you could see the frozen breath of the animals and the cast. I just loved the mystery and seeing the Christmas story played out in ‘real life.’
“Now, my favorite personal traditions are probably reading Jim Bishop’s The Day Christ Was Born, and our Advent wreath. And sewing stuff for gifts.”
fave non-traditional OR traditional holiday song: “The Christmas Rose (Boy, do I sound boring and traditional!).”
fave thing to do on the holiday itself: “Playing board games, if I can drag the family away from their technology.”
“It would be easier to discuss favorite holiday foods. Growing up, our family always had the same Christmas brunch. My mom called it Eggs Benedict, but no hollandaise crossed the plate. It was poached eggs on English muffins with ham and a sherried mushroom sauce. So we now call this Eggs Thompson. And we have it pretty much every year.
“Christmas Dinner was usually oven-barbecued brisket, and this year, I decided to do that here for our bunch.
“I also make at least 12 dozen gingersnaps, handmade cordial cherries and this year, I finally got a handle on my mom’s white chocolate cranberry pecan fudge.”
Leslie Chisum, Associate Editor
fave tradition: “Making popcorn balls with my whole family. My grandfather used to make these every Christmas. He passed away 30 years ago, but about 10 years ago we started having a pre-Christmas day where all my brothers and sisters get together with our families and make popcorn balls using his recipe.”
song: “Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses.”
holiday itself: “I LOVE to see people opening their presents. I also like hanging out in pajamas all day. I always get the family a set of pajamas that we open on Christmas Eve, and if I’m hosting dinner (like this year), it’s “clothing optional” for our guests. (Which means wear your pajamas. I’ll be wearing mine!).”
Jake Finch, Publisher
fave tradition: “When Samantha was born, we started building traditions. Neither of us came from families rooted in the holidays but we wanted to create that for our family. One of the things we do is read all of our Christmas cards on Christmas day, as we’re lounging around recovering from food comas. (I love to cook!) I also collect Christmas photos of the kids in our family and frame new ones each year in silver. I love having the pretty frames all over the house.”
song: “Little Drummer Boy with Bing Crosby and David Bowie and almost ANY version of O’ Holy Night. Makes me cry every time I hear it.
holiday itself: “I love that my husband goes out of his way to give many gifts, each carefully thought over. He claims to not like Christmas, but I don’t believe him at all! He’s always the first to put decorations out and the first to finish his shopping.”
Scott Hansen, Community Editor
fave tradition: “At our house, my favorite tradition is the Christmas Eve meal. It’s plain rice with cold cuts, cheese slices, and bread/rolls of some kind. We always did it as a family when I was a kid, and we have done it every time we have had Christmas Eve at home.”
song: “I have a lot to say on holiday songs; I love them year-round. I think this is actually such an old winter song, that it is not really a traditional song anymore, but I love the haunting melody of In the Bleak Mid Winter. My two favorite versions are by James Taylor and Jars of Clay.”
“Then I also love Eartha Kitt’s Santa Baby. Madonna’s version is awful. Taylor Swift does a pretty good job with it, but Eartha does it best.
“And then there’s Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You. And the new Maccabeats The Latke Recipe is pretty awesome as well!”
holiday itself: “On Christmas Day, my favorite thing is opening presents with the kids. I love giving gifts, and I hope each year that they will love them and realize how much we love them. It’s all about the love. Of course, French Breakfast Muffins and Breakfast Sausages are pretty sweet as well.”
Beverly Mabry, Marketing & Outreach
fave tradition: “Decorating the inside of my RV. Because we are usually gone to see family out of state, it’s important to my hubby and I to make our RV as festive as our home. We decorate every inch, and the inside ends up looking like the Christmas Vacation movie.”
song: “Anything on the Brian Setzer Christmas album, especially Gettin In The Mood For Christmas.”
holiday itself: “Other than being with family, going to Candlelight Service at church, and giving out gifts to the children of incarcerated parents. I am always so blessed by this.”
Debi Knight, Creative Director
fave tradition: “Going out to see the twinkling holiday lights, driving around to the awesome house displays and usually hitting at least one of the paid-for commercial light venues like Zoolights on the long dark nights of December.”
song:“Though it seems to have become fairly traditional over the years, it’s My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music. I grew up with musician parents and my mother spent evenings playing the piano and singing torch and Broadway musical songs. This song reminds me of her each Christmas.
“We also love to go out sledding on Christmas if we have enough snow. (I’m in the mountains of Colorado at 8500 ft, so we often have enough snow.)”
“Happy, happy to everyone and may the joy of the season be in your heart!”
Melissa Kanovsky, Advertising Manager
fave tradition: “Christmas Eve dinner with the family at Ruth’s Chris after the early evening Mass.”
song: “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.”
holiday itself: “Sleep in, make cinnamon rolls and coffee, turn on the big tree and have breakfast. Of course you also have to eat the chocolate snowman from your stocking, too!”
Tracy Mooney, Senior Editor
fave tradition: “Driving around looking at lights. Making gingerbread cookies or houses. Watching White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life.”
song: “Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses! It’s my fave. Followed by Fairytale of New York by The Pogues.”
holiday itself: “Wake up early to open gifts. Stay in pj’s all day. I usually cook dinner. It’s an exhausting day, but the meal is always great and it is so nice to be surrounded by family and friends.”
Teri Lucas, Associate Editor
fave tradition: “Eggnog. Wassail.”
Song: “Grandma got run Over by a Reindeer, ’cause it’s the one that makes me snort/laugh.”
holiday itself: “Quilt. I get to quilt.”
Linda Hamlin, Stashed! Editor
fave tradition: “Drinking a big mug of hot chocolate before opening presents. In my house, hot chocolate is served only on Christmas morning.”
song: “Blue Skies by Irving Berlin. It’s not a true holiday song, but the only time I ever hear it is when I watch the movie White Christmas where it makes a short cameo. It’s an instant ear worm.”
holiday itself: “I love to make Christmas dinner. My husband and I agreed a long time ago that he would cook and I would do laundry, but on Christmas, I generally make the big meal and love every minute of it.”
What are your favorite holiday traditions? Quilt. Sew. Live. Breathe.
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