[NJFemmie]

Mare and I have a holiday-kick off tradition (right after T-day). We set up a date, and when we wake up, we put on Christmas music, make a special breakfast, and put up our Christmas tree.

Growing up, Christmas Eve (Wigilia) was a more important day in the Polish tradition. It was the one night where all (or most) of the family got together, (of course, with our own slight variations to the custom).

We would have a mix of American and Polish foods - and would engage in the custom of breaking oplatki, which was usually sent to us from family in Poland. After dinner, we would open Christmas presents and was later followed by midnight Mass (usually Polish or Latin).

Mare enjoys "spreading out" Her Christmas presents throughout the day... so, we might open a couple of them on C-Eve, but the rest are spread out during C-Day. I have (obviously) adopted this tradition, as painful as it can be at times. *smirk* (It really isn't that painful, I just make it sound as if it is... lol). This way, the entire day has that Christmas-present feel, as opposed to opening everything at once and *gasp* it's over.




Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia!