Archive for December 21st, 2006

Dec 21 2006

Thursday 13 #26 - Christmas Growing Up

Published by AmandaF under Holidalies, Thursday Thirteen, Family, Everyday Living


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Thirteen Christmas Traditions growing up

  1. We always went to midnight mass.
  2. After midnight mass, we wished each other and friends and then came home to eat some treats and drink some wine before turning in.
  3. We always displayed a nativity scene. As we grew older, the setting grew to be more hand- made by us using foamboard, paints, cellophane, hay, “grass” and anything else we thought of.
  4. We had a lighted star displayed outside our house. The star was hand-made by my dad from bamboo and decorated by us every year using cellophane and other types of paper.
  5. Making Christmas treats was a family affair with all of us pitching in, sometimes even dad.
  6. Baby Jesus did not go into the crib display until after mass. My dad put Him in just before we left but we never could figure out when until we were much older!
  7. People who were in mourning (a period of one year after a loved one dies) do not make Christmas sweets. So, we’d distribute sweets to them.
  8. We’d distribute sweets to our non Christian friends, too.
  9. We always had a Christmas tree and as we grew up it got filled with home made ornaments.
  10. Wishing neighbors and friends is an integral part. Every stops by and you in turn visit friends to taste their Christmas sweets and treats, drink some wine and wish them “Merry Christmas”.
  11. Christmas lunch was always elaborate with the traditional sorpotel, pulao, and salad. Maybe even a chicken xacuti, fish mayonnaise, fried shrimp and other dishes.
  12. Christmas Carolers came door to door with a guitar, a badly dressed Santa and cheap candy. You tipped them for singing for you and got some candy.
  13. The decorations stayed up and festivities continued until January 6 (the feast of the Magi).

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