Quirky Christmas/Holiday Traditions?

[sprytel]

Christmas Eve pizza.

It is right up there with the family reading of "'Twas Night Before Christmas" for me.

One Christmas Eve, when I was very young, my mother slaved away at making a fancy Christmas dinner... just for my brothers and I to go "yuck!" Every year since, we have had pizza on Christmas Eve.

The eldest son goes out with his father to hunt the wild pizza, and after an epic struggle, bring back a good one from the hunting grounds. Telling the story of the hunt is part of the fun: "You should have seen the size of that 'za! It came charging right at me! I barely made it back with all my limbs!" I know it sounds ridiculous... and it is... but my brothers and I have been doing it for over 40 years.

[Confessional]

With family relocating across the country and death, our family traditions have all be lost. My mom used to make incredible kolache with nuts, third generation from her Italian/Slovak side of the family. Time has passed, she's a one-in-a-million case study brain tumor survivor but and can no longer take on such laborious cooking. I can still taste it, and miss it, along with a glorious Italian feast on Xmas eve with 30 crazy people in an early 70's-era basement of my grandparents. Formative experiences to be celebrated.

In the 21st C, we brought back the Shiny Brite silver tree, and this time of year is a good excuse to add wonderful things to my wife's stop mo animation collection/library… it's fun to unexpectedly spoil her on Christmas morn.

[ODBJBG]

I usually hit a bazaar in October to kick things off with a bake sale & raffle tix. In Dec we go to Winterfair (art show) on the first weekend, and maybe the concert at Ohio State. Then I'll hit 3 cookie sales (2 churches and an animal shelter) on the 2nd weekend, plus a bazaar at the Masonic lodge. Great potato soup. In addition, I need my Tastykake Xmas cookies, Hostess fruit cakes, Entenmann's fruit stollens, and a specific Kroger Fruit cake. Oh, and then there's a buffet at this banquet hall...all homemade Italian food; runs most of Dec. Then for Xmas dinner, we do Chinese/Thai...usually 1 or 2 Thai curries plus whatev.

When I was much younger, we used to his a church bazaar every year around Christmas. They had some incredible bean soup! We'd buy oddball Christmas decorations like angels and candles that were made of cloth that fit over Pringles containers! So I can relate.

A very specific Kroger fruit cake? See these are the kind of little things I love.

I make a giant chili on X-mas.

Don’t really do the presents thing because I just buy stuff whenever I want, but maybe we just give little things like chocolates or whatever.

I dig the Xmas chili. That's unique, but I could see it being good.

Nut rolls

Excellent!

[Duncan]

I usually hit a bazaar in October to kick things off with a bake sale & raffle tix. In Dec we go to Winterfair (art show) on the first weekend, and maybe the concert at Ohio State. Then I'll hit 3 cookie sales (2 churches and an animal shelter) on the 2nd weekend, plus a bazaar at the Masonic lodge. Great potato soup. In addition, I need my Tastykake Xmas cookies, Hostess fruit cakes, Entenmann's fruit stollens, and a specific Kroger Fruit cake. Oh, and then there's a buffet at this banquet hall...all homemade Italian food; runs most of Dec. Then for Xmas dinner, we do Chinese/Thai...usually 1 or 2 Thai curries plus whatev.

[pennywise]

my kids and I watch Jingle All The Way and Christmas Vacation

[Myoldtoys]

Usually I take off work between Christmas Eve and New Years. So I shave on Christmas Eve and not again until I go back in January. But COVID has made that an every day occurrence. Have to come up with a new tradition.

We also drive to Oglebay in West Virginia to see their light display. On the way we always stop at the Kruger street toy museum. Also not doing that trip this year. Ugh.

[CrimsonGhost]

I make a giant chili on X-mas.
Don’t really do the presents thing because I just buy stuff whenever I want, but maybe we just give little things like chocolates or whatever.

I doubt those things are very quirky.

[PNGwynne]

We have brunch as our Christmas meal.

[B-Lister]

Nut rolls

[ODBJBG]

Anybody got anything unique they do each year for the holidays? I mean, like anything really. Ride around the neighborhood looking at lights? Put up a pink Xmas tree? Eat a particular food only during this season?

Let's hear what sort of traditions you do!