Creating Christmas Traditions
In this article, you will find:
Honoring your heritage
Some of the strongest traditions are associated with cultures and have been passed on for generations. Research your family's history and country of origin in order to find traditions to revive. For instance, if your family claims French descent, try making a Bûche de Noel. This Yule log-shaped cake is eaten as part of Réveillon, a celebration after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Your kids will love trying to make the cake look as much like a log as possible -- and the chocolate's not bad, either!
For another fun and challenging way to celebrate your heritage, find the lyrics to Christmas carols in the language of your ancestors. If you choose songs that you already know in English, you'll have the tune down pat, and your kids will pick up more quickly on the meaning of the foreign phrases. If you're German, for example, look up the words to "O Tannenbaum," or if you're Italian, for "Buon Natale." Are you unsure what your heritage is? Start by finding the origin of your family name.
