Christmas Traditions – Part One

I love Christmas! When you are small it is all about the magic of Santa, flying reindeer, parents secretive whispering and packages under the Christmas tree. As I have gotten older I still find Christmas magical. The scent of pine, feeding the christmas cake, watching Christmas films (Love Actually, at least once!).. the list goes on. But, there are a few new things that I love about the festive season. One of my new favourite things about Christmas is finding out what other people do. What traditions they have and follow each year, or reminisce about. We asked a few people their favourite Christmas traditions. All people we asked have worked with us in some form over the last year. Here are a few of their Christmas traditions:

Marshmallow by the Mallow Maid

Mallow Maid – Sarah:

I love the build up to Christmas. When I was a child I remember being so excited that I couldn’t sleep. I must say that I enjoy Christmas Eve far more than Christmas Day, for me it has a more magical feel to it. I love shopping for gifts especially when the shops are open late. I take time choosing the right presents and really have a good browse around. I also think the wrapping of a gift is just as important as the gift itself. And so I have lots of fun choosing the paper, ribbon or string. I’m always on the lookout for unusual gift tags although this year I think I may create my own!

I feel very blessed to be able to live and work in the heart of the Lake District. I do enjoy being all cosy by the fire on Christmas day and those chilly winter nights in general. I think I must be one of the few people that enjoy wearing cosy knits and curling up in front of a roaring fire with a pair of oversized woolen socks and a big mug of hot chocolate (topped with homemade marshmallows of course!)

Wedding Shed – Rebecca:

Stockings – we don’t think anyone is truly ‘too old’ for a Christmas stocking!

Animalesque owl mask

Animalesque – Sara Lowe:

Our family Christmas tradition is always a walk on the beach, rain or shine 🙂

Ethical Market – Raquel:

So we have a few traditions, the first weekend of December for example, is officially the start of Christmas for us. We put up the tree and house decor accompanied with homemade canapés and freshly made mulled wine (with a shot of Cointreau). Then we settle down in the evening to watch a fun Christmas movie, with the curtains drawn and the fairly lights on!

The second tradition that stands out is Christmas Eve. My mum is Spanish and so the 24th has always been a big celebration growing up, without fail every year we have a selection of Spanish tapas to “snack on” during the day but the main meal is a selection of seafood dishes. It’s really lovely and definitely feels like Christmas, well worth the venture to the fish markets at the crack of dawn 🙂

Wild and Wool – Susie:

As a family we have quite a few little Christmas traditions that we like to do every year. My favourites are the children helping me to decorate the Christmas tree, pulling out the many handmade decorations from over the years which hold great sentimental value and also pressing Autumn leaves which we then cover with glue and sprinkle with glitter. The leaves are then strung and hung in our kitchen. A creative, fun and slightly competitive arty activity which brightens our home over Christmas 🙂

Ovobloom – Helen:

Christmas tradition – buying the tree, I love it. Dad & I would go to the local forest shop & spend hours trekking round holding up trees trying to find the perfect one when I was at little. It was always too big & we had to saw the top off to fit it in the house.

BBCT bumblebee charity – Laura:

I think personally my favourite Christmas tradition by far is putting up the Christmas tree. Always with a Christmas film on or Christmas music playing, mulled wine freshly made and warm mince pies with cream J

My mum also used to read ‘The Night Before Christmas’ to us every Christmas Eve night up until we left home haha.

Pod and Pip Christmas Wreath

Pod & Pip – Sarah: 

Church in Christmas morning and going to the pantomime in Cheltenham, it’s brilliant!

Heiter Magazine – Katharine:

Decorating the tree with my husband and baking gingerbread at my parents house in Austria.

Home is a Cottage – Jessica:

I have family in Australia and New Zealand…family who I miss. Since going to university I have sent them a little Christmas decoration each year and have bought one for myself, and my Mum. I love the thought of our Christmas trees, separated by so very many miles, having the same decorations somewhere on them. Although, with my lovely Mum, this tradition has grown a little further. Every December 1st we give each other a little something, to open and really start the festive season. And this year her gift actually comes from La Juniper…and I loved it so much I bought my two girls one each too.

My favourite Christmas tradition has always been on Christmas Eve. It was always when Christmas started, we would spread out a picnic blanket under the Christmas tree and talk and eat.

We hope you have enjoyed reading these traditions as much as we did when they came through to us. We have had so many lovely answers we are releasing a second post in December with more on. Do you have a favourite Christmas Tradition? Have you followed it since you were small, or is it a new one you have introduced to the festive season?