What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?
Submitted by sami711.

I think my favorite tradition is going over to my grandmother’s house on Christmas eve. This is the gathering for my mom’s side of the family which, honestly, I enjoy more than my dad’s simply because it’s smaller and I know everybody who’s there. Makes me feel more welcome to be there. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with some members of my dad’s family, but there’s way too many people there that I don’t know or aren’t related or something. I prefer a smaller gathering of immediate family. Anyway…

We get there around 2 or 3 and then we have dinner once everyone arrives and my grandmother fusses over everybody, asking if we’ve had enough to eat. Over and over and over again. If we’re lucky the one fight for the day has broken out and died down by this point. They’re usually not bad, but generally one happens every year or so. We also try to avoid talking to my Uncle who’s…odd. He’s a nice guy, but he really has trouble in situations where he has to talk with people.

The little kids open their presents much to the amusement of the adults gathered to watch the flying wrapping paper. That used to be my favorite part when I was a kid, for obvious reasons, but now it’s the traditional game of Pitch after the present opening that I really enjoy. We play teams, girls vs. the guys. Last year the girls cleaned house, but we’re looking for revenge this year!

Last year we went back to my parents and did the whole gift-exchange thing then since on Christmas morning my sister went over to her fiance’s parents for their rituals. I believe we’re doing that again this year. That’s also kinda a tradition for us. We rarely, if ever did the gift exchange part on Christmas, moving it sooner usually.

And then there’s the mandatory cinnamon buns on Christmas. That tradition has gone back for as long as I can remember.

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