It's so important to me to set up and share family traditions! :party:
For us we celebrate Christmas, but I'm not Christian, so we don't do it in a religious way. I'm also thinking about setting up some kind of celebration or special tradition for winter solstice, but so far I'm drawing a blank.
We go to the lighting of the lights every year downtown at the big park, and also the Santa Claus parade, with hot chocolate. Setting up the Christmas tree is a big deal here too. What else... On Christmas Eve we drive or walk around with hot chocolate (the stuff is addictive, right?) and look at the lights and decorations. I'm thinking maybe now that DD's old enough to skate it might be fun to go to an outdoor rink on Christmas, because Christmas day always feels kind of anticlimactic to me, ya know.
I think I'm going to try making a nut roast this year.
I have a friend who last year bought a big bag of mini candy canes and went downtown with her kid and just handed them out to random strangers on Christmas Eve for fun. I love that idea, but on the other hand I wonder if that might be pushing my holiday too much on others. Or are candy canes secular? Hmm.
Have another friend who used to be homeless who sets up a few bags for homeless people and hands them out with her daughter on Christmas, I can't remember what she puts in it but I think like a pair of socks, maybe a hat and a $5 bill or something? I think that's a great tradition.
What do you do? :)
We celebrate Christmas-- also unreligious-- as well. We always make a special holiday oriented decoration for each of our animals to hang on the walls at our house. We always go to my dad's on xmas eve and he dresses up like Santa and gives Devin one present (he used to do it with us as kids too).
I always give money to bell ringers and I try to hit up "angel gifts" (a gift wish from someone typically a child whose family does not have a lot of money to spend on gifts) and I donate toys to different toy drives. This year I have been able to incorporate Devin into donating... we had a discussio nabout how there are people that do not have homes or food and some families do not have money to buy toys for their children. I asked him how we could help and he said "I have a great idea! Help Santa make toys" (of course in a less sophisticated 3 year old voice, haha) So the point got across a little and I told him he could help me pick out toys at the door and that there were drop off stations to put them.
There is also this awesome thing they do here in Rochester, NY where they turn an airplane hanger into Santa's workshop and invite all of the advocacy centers... every child leaves with a present. I donate toys right now, but I cannot wait until Devin and I can donate our time to this project. He is a little too... well bratty to do it now.
Can't wait to hear more traditions!
We celebrate Christmas as well.
I try to make time to voulunteer at j, or s school during the holiday sale ( we help the kids pick out presents for their parents).
I also have the family participate in the angel program locally. They help to provide toys to children who's parents do not have the money to purchase toys.
putside of those things we just do the normal family thing.
Cae and I celebrate Hanukkah together. We do little presents, one a night. Like a keychain, a toy bird, and silly bands.
But mostly we sit and cuddle and watch the candles slowly burn. Things have been hectic and difficult lately and taking a break with the candles has felt really, really good.
I'll write some more when I have more time, but wanted to say momnipotent: all candy is secular. ;) You can always hand out chocolate kisses and say happy holidays. They can choose whichever holiday they wish!