Our family tradition was, we hung a pillow case (not a sock) on the end of the bed for Santa to fill. We would wake up find a full sack and we would open straight away. then we would go jump on mum and dads bed. Mum would sort breakfast, we would go visit the neighbours, have a big lunch then we would go home relax and either play long ball or baseball or watch a Christmas movie.
As we got older we started to put the gifts under the tree (we had learnt that Santa only delivers to little kids), we would wait till after breakfast to open them. Then we had guests (mostly my dad’s clients) would come and drink mum’s(alcoholic) punch. Lunch would be about 2.
As adults we have splintered. We all have our own homes and for the morning we do our own thing till it was time to get together for a big family lunch, usually at my parents but lately at a brothers house. Not as much fun as when we were growing up but it seems the only time our family actually all get together.
As kids my mum prepared all the food, now we bring a plate. Mum used to always cook as if she had an army to feed, there was enough to have left overs for a week. She would cook the ham herself, a turkey, a couple of chickens, home grown spuds, peas, lettuce, tomatoes. We ate rather well. Her Pavlov as were great but her trifles were to die for. I miss those meals lol. We cheat and buy the pavlovas now.
Our family has extended to 4 generations now and all at mixed ages and cultures. Our traditions have had to adapt to suit everyone and that in itself makes Christmas more interesting and more worth looking forward to.
How Christmas has changed
Written by Susan D.
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Hi I'm Susan, I run SJD Enterprises - I sell items that I have found to be brilliant and are normally only available at home shows. All the products I sell I have tried and tested myself to make sure that they do do what they are meant too.
Visit me over at http://www.sjdenterprises.co.nz/