Holiday Traditions if you are not Christian, Jewish or celebrate Kwanza??

[Florida Cindy]

I hope I do not offend anyone by this post.
I am aware of holiday celebrations for those who are Christian, Jewish and those who celebrate Kwanza. In my house, we are not Christian, Jewish and do not celebrate Kwanza. These beliefs evolved through upbringing and personal experience. To me, peace and love are about life-not just a holiday season. We enjoy the family time and comradship at work during the holiday season. However, I would like to begin holiday traditions. My DS is 16 and we have a few years left. It seems as if we stopped holiday activities when he stopped believing in Santa and he became a teen.

Can you share holiday traditions you and/or your family engage in during the month of December?

[LindsaysMom]

Originally Posted by DigitalArtiCin

In my house, we are not Christian, Jewish and do not celebrate Kwanza. These beliefs evolved through upbringing and personal experience. To me, peace and love are about life-not just a holiday season. We enjoy the family time and comradship at work during the holiday season.

It's the same in my house. We don't do Christmas in the traditional way. I grew up more or less celebrating pegan holidays and traditions. We do have an evergreen tree that symbolizes the eternal life (of nature) and the lights celebrate the coming of the season of light (days are getting longer now.)

The kids get gifts because we don't want them to feel left out with all the Christmas circus. They are old enough to understand that we celebrate differently but are still kids in that they want their presents. We let the kids open some presents on Christmas Eve (tradition in Germany and I am German) and some presents on Christmas Day (American Tradition from my husband.)

Our big thing this time of the year is entertaining. We love to have friends in our house and during this season we pull out all stops. It has become a tradition among our friends to gather in our house the Saturday after Thanksgiving (today!) and the Saturday after Christmas for a big meal and to enjoy eachother's friendship.

[Kim2002]

How about taking a day (or more) and volunteering somewhere? Nursing home, food pantry, women's shelter, etc. are all in need year-round, but most especially in the winter when less people brave the weather to go to visit or help.

[Stacey42]

we celebrate Yule and the birth/rebirth of the Sun/Son on the Winter Solstice. We celebrate the spirit of giving on Dec 25th by exchanging gifts. We celebrate it during the month by donating time, money & goods to various charities, usually sponsoring a child and an elderly person from the local giving trees (the local nursing home gives names of people there that never or rarely get visitors or gifts)

[Florida Cindy]

Originally Posted by Kim2002

but most especially in the winter when less people brave the weather to go to visit or help.

ROFL! Kim,
I live in Florida!

[Florida Cindy]

Originally Posted by LindsaysMom

the Saturday after Christmas for a big meal and to enjoy eachother's friendship.

We are going to my Mom's in Leesburg for Christmas. Thought we stop by on the way back...........LOL! Just kidding!

[LindsaysMom]

Originally Posted by DigitalArtiCin

We are going to my Mom's in Leesburg for Christmas. Thought we stop by on the way back...........LOL! Just kidding!

My house is open.