What Are Your Holiday Traditions? - Augusta,GA

Tree goes up the first Sunday in Advent. During advent we attend a Festival of Trees and Lights, go on a sleigh ride, attend several concerts and parties, and the Santa Claus Parade. We attend an evening Carol service on the last Sunday in Advent and a Christmas Eve church service. We open stockings on Christmas morning, eat a big breakfast, then open presents and we have dinner at home. On Boxing Day we go to my brothers for dinner. Through the week we go toboganning, to the museum, the zoo, the planetarium etc. On New Years Eve I cook a big dinner, then we go to the drive-thru Christmas lights display. On New Years Day we attend the Lt. Governors Levee at the Legislative Building, and we pick up Chinese food on the way home for dinner. I cook another big dinner on Epiphany. We celebrate all twelve days of Christmas, so the tree stays up until the day after Epiphany.

Tree & trains go up the day after Thanksgiving (sometimes Thanksgiving Day!).
Church together Christmas Eve & dinner with my mom.
Visiting both families after we exchange out own gifts here Christmas morning.
Toys For Tots shopping trip.
Usually we do an Angel Tree & adopt a needy family to bless.
Christmas movies throughout the weeks leading to Christmas.
Hosting a get together at our house between Christmas & New Year's Day.

I make a Christmas breakfast and actually have started a new tradition to where my daughter, 9, decorates the entire tree herself. My children are in elementary school and for the past four years I decorate the mirror that overlooks my fireplace with all of their beautiful artwork.

I put up the tree 12 days before Christmas and take it down the 13th day.