Our Family Christmas Traditions

Our family joins in with A LOT of Christmas traditions. We enjoy so many that I created a piece of word art featuring them all a few years ago. We hang this on our wall every year now and it's a lovely reminder of our special Christmas traditions that we will hopefully enjoy for years to come and pass along to future generations.

Image courtesy of A Piece of Heart

Our Top 10 Family Christmas Traditions

  • New Christmas PJ's on Christmas Eve
  • Bucks Fizz and Bacon Sandwiches for breakfast on Christmas Day
  • Sprinking reindeer dust on our lawn
  • Making our own Mulled Wine
  • Visiting Fenwicks Window display in Newcastle
  • Watch a Pantomime
  • Watch a family Christmas movie together
  • Buy Roasted Chestnuts from our local Christmas market
  • Enjoy a bottle of Champagne and chocolates on Christmas Eve (Grown ups only!)
  • Buy one new tree decoration every year

These are our core traditions that I don't think will ever change. Some of them were started during my own childhood - for example I remember Christmas day being the only time we would be allowed bacon sandwiches and a special drink of orange juice and lemonade and it was such a treat being taken into town after school to view Fenwicks window. The excitement I would feel walking along holding hands with my mum in the dark and trying to guess the window's theme for the year is something I still feel when I visit Fenwick's window now as an adult. I really hope my own children have fond memories of our Christmas traditions when they grow up too.


Starting New Traditions


I realise that a lot of our traditions are quite materialistic and this isn't how I want to raise our children. Whilst I doubt I will start any of these unusual Christmas traditions from around the world or stop the traditions we already have, I do think it's important to encourage traditions that promote the true meaning of Christmas and more specifically promote kindness and think of those less fortunate than us. 


This year we have decided to start a couple of new traditions and will be helping our community instead of sending Christmas cards. We will be providing an extra gift for a child in need, donating to a food bank and spending time with the elderly in our community. Another idea we have been thinking about is to carry out a daily random act of kindness throughout advent. I have been inspired by this video from Christmas 24 and in the last 12 days of advent our family will endeavour to complete a random act of kindness every day. Whether this be helping our neighbour with their shopping or asking our friends if they need a babysitter for the night, it really is the thought that counts.


Isn't the sentiment in the video lovely? I think it definitely captures the true meaning of Christmas well.

Do you have any Christmas traditions that have continued from your own childhood or have you started your own traditions? Perhaps like us, it's a mix of both. Either way, I'd love to hear what they are in the comments below, especially if they are slightly unusual or quirky. 
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22 comments

  1. I'm so excited about this Christmas as its our first Christmas just the two of us and as its our last Christmas before we tie the knot I feel like it's the perfect time to start our own traditions! I already have a few exciting ideas in mind but at the moment they're top secret!

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  2. We share some of the same traditions, a bacon sarnie, panto, fenwicks window, xmas market and a new xmas tree dec! This yr i got an engraved heart like my wedding favours which says "first xmas as mr & mrs". I have donated to charity instead of Xmas cards at work for years now. It's such as easy way to give something back...and cuts down your pre Xmas jobs list! I have done hampers for the elderly for a while too but the last two years I changed that to donating to a food Bank instead!
    I just said to Louise last night do u fancy coming with me to a homeless shelter to give ruck sacks packed with winter clothing. She agreed!!!!

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    1. The Rickelton-Smiths have all the best traditions :-) This is the first year we haven't given cards - Steve has been trying to get me to do it for years. I've finally realised I would rather spend my £ on someone who really needs it though x

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  3. My favorite Christmas tradition is bundling up with the family on Christmas Eve and taking loads of food and gifts up to Brysons Animal Shelter. They have a little Christmas fair going on and are always so grateful for any donations. This year I've been collecting for a few weeks and got myself a canny haul to take up, I can't wait. I always think about the poor homeless animals this time of year, it's so cold :(

    Katie xoxo

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  4. Sounds like a beautiful tradition .I love the kids photo its so lovely and beautifully captured.

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  5. We always had new pjs on christmas eve, I still continue that tradition every year :) x

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  6. I don't have any Christmas traditions from my childhood so I'm starting my own with my kids. We haven't done Christmas cards this year and donated the money to charity instead x

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  7. I am looking forward to Christmas this year. No traditions as such, we just go with the flow.

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  8. Love your Christmas Word picture, a lovely thing to hang up at Christmas:-)

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  9. New Christmas PJ's on Christmas Eve is a must for me and I still havent bought mine x

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  10. I love our traditions every Christmas, but also love new ones too. Lovely post and traditions. Kaz x

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  11. I like new PJs rule :-) I must implement it too.

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  12. Loving your traditions Sam! We started a new tradition this year by going into Northumberland and cutting down our own Christmas tree at Meldon Park then enjoying a slap-up pub lunch at the supremely cosy Dyke Neuk. It was properly magical and it felt amazing bringing home the tree we'd cut down ourselves and then put up and decorated. Certainly beats buying it outside the local Tube station in London which is what we've done in the past!!!!

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  13. New PJs on Christmas Eve is a must. My husband and I make each other a huge Christmas Eve hamper.

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  14. I create new Christmas traditions almost every year. Its tricky for me because I have spent Christmas day with different people for the last four years so I pick up new habits. Great post x

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  15. Charlie Brown Christmas is our tradition, lol...we love it and the rest of the night my husband and kids sing the song over and over, they think it is hilarious.

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  16. Reindeer dust was always a big tradition in my house when we were growing up! :)

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  17. You have the cutest children!! My family usually get our christmas hamper from F&M or Selfridges and sit by the fire as we exchange gifts.

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  18. We have a lot of traditions similar to yours. And since Oscar was born I've made the kids special Christmas Eve boxes full of things to keep them entertained while we wait for Santa. We also like to track his progress on the Norad Santa Tracker. It's so magical at this time of year :)

    Louise x

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  19. New pjs used to be one of my fave traditions but unfortunately as I've grown older, the tradition has been left behind :( If you add a new decoration to your tree each year, you're going to have a super decorated tree in 20 years time!! ;)

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  20. I love your Christmas traditions. New PJs and movies with mulled wine happen in our house too. I love this time of year. We just had our work Christmas party today and I asked for Christmas jumpers to be worn. It has to be done!

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  21. Wonderful Christmas traditions! The bottle of Champagne and chocolates would definitely be my favourite. I also love Christmas jumpers but I am in Germany at the moment and they don't get Christmas jumpers here.

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