Sarah’s Christmas Corner: Favorite Family Traditions!

My favorite thing about the holidays are the traditions that come with it. I’m pretty sure that’s where my Christmas fanaticism comes from. My family has quite a few holiday traditions that I still participate in every year, and have inspired me to create a few of my own.

Because half of my family is Italian, we partake in the feast of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve. It’s also known as the “Festa dei sette pesci.” The meal consists of seven different seafood dishes! Now, over the years we have added a few other non-fish features for family members who can’t take SO MUCH fish. But I have many fond memories of my older cousins grossing us younger kids out, by making tentacles stick out of their mouths from the squid soup.

The German half of my family has a tradition where they hide a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree. On Christmas Day, all the grand-kids try to be the first one to find the pickle on the tree. The winner would get an extra present or stocking!

As for my immediate family, my favorite traditions are decorating the tree, the advent calendar, and everyone curling up together to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special. We would usually decorate the tree and watch Charlie Brown on the same night. We’d also pop a bunch of popcorn, and snack on it all throughout the night together.

Now that I’m older and finding my way in the world, I’m starting new ones! This year, I’m having my first Christmas party, where I’m inviting all of my friends to help decorate my house with me. Afterwards we are going to play board games and watch Christmas movies.

Traditions always have, and always will be important to me. Those warm fuzzy feelings are what make the holidays so special and exciting to me. Making new memories, and cherishing the old ones, is what Christmas is about.