3.5k
Daycare and childcare providers in Winnipeg, Toronto, Vancouver, Ontario etc. in CanadaGarderies à Montréal ou au QuébecFind daycare or childcare providers in the USA
Forum control
+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18
  1. #1
    Euphoric ! bright sparks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    2,074
    Thanked
    807 Times in 564 Posts

    Christmas Traditions......Outs ide of Daycare.

    As soon as December comes along, I call CHRISTMAS!! I just love this time of year and love to hear what other people do to celebrate. Regardless of a person's faith, how do you celebrate this season and what are some of the traditions you did as a child and carry on with your family?

    I'll go first

    Being a Brit, I try to seek out a Panto each year. There's lots of imitations but unless it's put on by Brits, its just not the same. This year it's Aladdin and I can't wait. I've been going to Panto's for as long as I can remember.

    I always put my decorations up with my family the first weekend of December unless it was the 6th of Dec. I think I would explode from excitement if I had to wait that long...yes I'm a big kid at heart lol. We (hubby and 2 kids), go and cut a tree which is a fun but challenging task as I am so extremely anal about these kind of things haha so my kids tend to play hide and seek while my husband tries very hard ot convince me on a tree that I just can't make a decision about

    Lots of social get togethers throughout the month and then it is my son's birthday on Xmas Eve OMG!! That day is officially "NO CHRISTMAS ALLOWED"

    On Christmas Day it's just the 4 of us. We keep all the curtains closed, pj's on and unplug the phone after 30 minutes of calling around the relatives overseas. Xmas dinner starts with "prawn cocktail" followed by the traditional Turkey, pigs in blankets and trimmings then finally a Xmas pudding with brandy sauce...... yummy.

    Finally Turkey brain and Zzzzzzz.......


  2. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to bright sparks For This Useful Post:


  3. #2
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario
    Posts
    4,499
    Thanked
    1,469 Times in 1,125 Posts
    This is going to be a year of new traditions and modified traditions since it will be the first one that all of the kids won't be home. Only one missing but still not the same - he will bein Calgary actually although I think they are going to Edmonton to visit with some friends they know from school at some point over the holidays - weather permitting of course.

    Christmas Eve is very busy here because hubby and oldest daughter sing in church choir which sings at the church services that night - and we do all three of them because of it - 7pm, 9pm, 11pm. It means a late home, big snacktime, late to bed, and then we start the day far later than other families do but it worked well for us when kids were teens. We do a brunch kind of meal which sort of ends up being an afternoon of snacking. Afternoon is spent mostly calling the grandparents and checking out the gifts more indepth. The last couple of years we have actually done our turkeky dinner on boxing day because that is when son's girlfriend could be here too. I liked that it didn't get in the way of enjoying the family on Christmas day too and spread outs the fun more. Besides by boxing day we have stopped snacking on brunch and have room for supper.

  4. #3
    Starting to feel at home...
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    244
    Thanked
    59 Times in 49 Posts
    My ds went to a pantomime in Toronto (Snow White). He said that it was fantastic!! I was debating on going to see Alladin too... hummm brite sparks I am guessing we are close.

  5. #4
    Euphoric ! mimi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    1,482
    Thanked
    555 Times in 413 Posts
    My parents are Dutch immigrants so we celebrate Christmas starting on Christmas Eve. Our whole family comes together and we have a buffet and we open our Christmas gifts. We do this one at a time so the giver can enjoy the receipients happy reaction (we hope LOL) and the receipient can give thanks. This usually takes a few hours so at the half way mark we return to the buffet and refresh our drinks.
    As a child we never did open gifts Christmas morning, but since I had my daughter, I didn't want her to feel Santa excluded her so there were always Santa's gifts for her to wake up to. We still do this tradition and she is 17. Do you think she still believes or is this her way of getting some extra gifts? Anyway, Christmas Eve always and still does feel magical with the family around.

  6. #5
    Starting to feel at home...
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    182
    Thanked
    109 Times in 84 Posts
    LOL mimi!! I would def be doing it for the extra gifts

    bright sparks, growing up we always went and cut down our tree too!! Every year my mom would decorate the inside of the house like crazy starting the beginning of December usually, and my dad would put tons of lights outside!!! We'd have lights on almost every tree on our property!! lights on the roof and lights in all the windows!! LOL My mom is good at drawing/painting cartoons/characters so she would have my dad cut the shape she wanted for "santa in his sleigh" from plywood and then she would paint it as santa and his sleigh full of toys. My parents then made the reindeer out of logs and tree branches and set it all up on the front lawn with a red spot light shining on it.

    Usually 2-3 weeks before Christmas we would go on our "Tree Hunt" hehe....sometimes my father made us wait until only one week before Christmas....that SUCKED!!!!!!!! LOL We would go out to the tree farm, get a wagon ride back to the trees....it would take what felt like FOREVER for my mom to pick a tree...(like bright sparks LOL)....and usually it was the first tree she said she liked lmao....we helped by giving our opinions on the trees Then we'd put our tree on the wagon and head back to the farm house. Outside we would gather around the bon fire drinking hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows/hotdogs! Then we would put the tree on top of the car or in the back of our truck and head home (many many many "now funny" stories about the tree hunts AND the drive to and from the farm....not knowing if the truck would make it up the icy hill road!) Once home we would laugh as my dad and uncle would bring the tree in. Then they would sit on their butts having a drink...or two...or three etc lmao while us kids and my mom would decorate the Christmas tree while listening to Christmas music and we would have chilli for dinner and Christmas cookies for dessert! (lots of lovely arguing amongst us three sisters as we decorated of course )

    And of course we would do lots of Christmas cookie baking through out December. Christmas eve we would watch Christmas movies/shows and go to bed early. When we were teenagers we would get to open a one gift on Christmas eve. Christmas morning my dad would get up really early...like 5-5:30 and put the turkey on if our family dinner was at our place and not a relatives. I of course was the one child who would be up all night excited for Santa and then fall asleep just a half hour before my sisters would wake me up! We would walk down the dark hallway into the living room where my dad would be sitting in the dark with the Christmas tree all lit up, the window lights on and "the burning Christmas log" on the television. Sooooo exciting!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

    Christmas morning as kids we'd all just rip through our gifts....my dad always hated that because he missed out on seeing exactly what everyone got since my mom did the shopping...lol As we got older we would all open one at the same time and then we would take time to see them or we would open one by one. We would usually have a late brunch and then either we'd head out to our relatives for Christmas dinner or our relatives would come to our place which we preferred so we could spend time with our gifts!! (one year we would have Christmas with my mom's side of the family and the following year my dad's)

    Growing up my dad would always dress as Santa for our Christmas dinner with relatives because he really did/does look like Santa Big belly....big white beard haha So many young relatives really thought he was Santa! When we were a bit older we would dress as his elves And we'd pass out the gifts!

    One of the most exciting things for me was at school when we would have a Christmas assembly and sing Christmas songs!!! It always got me sooooo excited for Christmas!!

    Now: Yes...there IS more haha....

    As adults we were still going to my parents place first thing Christmas morning to open gifts followed by getting together with our relatives.

    Last year my daughter was 3mths old so we had Christmas dinner with the relatives at our place. My husband, daughter and I had our own gift opening and then my husband got things ready for the dinner while baby and I went to my parents for gift opening (brought hubby's gifts back with me).

    Since I left home my hubby and I have gotten a small real tree the first year and artificial trees ever since.

    So this year, I put our tree up mid-November (wanted to do it at the start LOL), we put a few lights outside and I put Christmas stickers on the window (which my daughter LOVES). I put Christmas music on every day and my daughter and I dance to it, play musical instruments to it, play with it on and do crafts with it on too! We are taking my daughter this weekend with my parents and one of my sisters to go get my sister a real Christmas tree (we may start getting a real one next year). I can't wait to see her reaction when we go for the wagon ride around the farm with the horses pulling the wagon!!! I hope the weather is nice and we have some snow!!!!!

    Christmas eve we will put Christmas movies/shows on as usual. This will be the first Christmas that I won't be going to my parent's place to open gifts in the morning. I am a bit sad to be breaking the tradition but I told my family it is time for my hubby, daughter and I to start our own tradition! Christmas morning we will open our own gifts and then my parents and sisters will come to our place to exchange gifts and spend the day together and have a nice Christmas dinner. We aren't getting together with relatives on Christmas day this year, my dad just wants to have a small get together with my family. It's too bad because I really love and look forward to Christmas because of the time we get to spend with family (relatives included). We will try to see them at some point over the holidays though.

    With my family (hubby, daughter and I) I plan on each year, celebrating Christmas as family time, spending time with friends and family, helping one another, doing things for our community and just really enjoying the time we have together and all of the little things in life

    Wow....I can't believe how long my novel is haha...but...bright sparks...YOU ASKED!!!!! hehe (If anyone even read this far!!!!!!!! LOLOLOL!!)

    P.S. Did you know you can only have 8 emoticons in a post??!! It was so hard for me to narrow them down LOL!
    "If we all could see the world through the eyes of a child, we would see the magic in everything!" - Chee Vai Tang

  7. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to BrightEyes For This Useful Post:


  8. #6
    Euphoric ! bright sparks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    2,074
    Thanked
    807 Times in 564 Posts
    Little Feet...You are too funny. I could literally see you bouncing up and down as you typed this with sheer excitement for Xmas. I love it too.

    I watched my first Xmas movie of the season on Sunday night with my kids. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I had never seen it before and it's like no other out there. Hillarious and completely insane and my kids were literally rolling on the floor with laughter.a

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to bright sparks For This Useful Post:


  10. #7
    Euphoric ! bright sparks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    2,074
    Thanked
    807 Times in 564 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by giraffe View Post
    My ds went to a pantomime in Toronto (Snow White). He said that it was fantastic!! I was debating on going to see Alladin too... hummm brite sparks I am guessing we are close.
    Aladdin is playing in Burlington and is put on by Brits so I am confident it will be good. Tickets aren't to expensive either.

  11. #8
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    2,008
    Thanked
    677 Times in 507 Posts
    My birthday is on Xmas day .... Nuff said !

  12. #9
    Euphoric ! kidlove's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    1,400
    Thanked
    347 Times in 258 Posts
    We always put up the tree and inside outside decorations on ThanksGiving Day! Then Christmas is official. On Christmas Day it's just the four of us ALL DAY! Grammas and Grampas Stop by and we get and give many phone calls to all the sibblings, and chat with the nieces and nephews. This year we have started a new tradition the kids and I are really excited about and helps to keep us grounded to the true meaning of Christmas. We are doing the advent, every night at dinner lighting the proper advent candle and reading scripture along with some interesting things the kids and us can take part in to help explain the scripture and meaning of the word, to the kids. The candle stays lit through dinner as a constant reminder of our Thankfulness for God's love and the coming of Christmas. The kids have taken part so nicely for the last couple nights and it really has brought a nice reality to our family of the true meaning of this season. So easily we all get caught up in the merchandizing and media of the season we can forget what we celebrate come Christmas, these candles in the middle of the dining table are a constant reminder of the Truth of the Season and the Depth. Makes me even more grateful for the beautiful tree and twinkling lights. I LOVE Christmas!

  13. #10
    Euphoric ! kidlove's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    1,400
    Thanked
    347 Times in 258 Posts
    bright sparks: I too love to put on the christmas music channel all day and sign along to the festive tunes, my daughter loves to sign with me.
    I also bake like a maniac during the season, one of my gifts to each day care family and close relatives is a large container of many delish cookies and bars I have baked over the month while listening to the Christmas tunes. That is def my love language, acts of kindness, and during Christmas time my "act" is baking for sure!!!!!

Similar Threads

  1. Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve Daycare Hours
    By pink in forum The day-to-day as a daycare provider
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 01-16-2020, 08:27 AM
  2. Christmas Gifts for Daycare Providers
    By mickyc in forum The day-to-day as a daycare provider
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 07-04-2019, 02:20 AM
  3. Daycare Christmas Celebrations
    By bright sparks in forum Daycare activities
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 11-30-2016, 06:03 PM
  4. Christmas presents for daycare kids?
    By tray in forum This and that
    Replies: 30
    Last Post: 12-20-2014, 11:50 AM
  5. Replies: 30
    Last Post: 11-03-2012, 10:17 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

A few tips...

Do not hesitate to refer to this article to help you choose a daycare provider, know which questions to ask, have an idea of what to look for...
Did you know?
DaycareBear is also available in Quebec (in French) and in the U.S!
Simply click on the corresponding flag in the upper-left corner.
Partner in your
search for a daycare provider