The Nutcracker Ballet & Other Holiday Traditions

[monarch64]

Hello all. We have threads on holiday music and baking and decor, but I can't think of a particular thread in which we've discussed some of our holiday traditions. (If there have been such threads, feel free to link and I will shut the heck up!)

My mother used to take me, and oftentimes a friend (or date, as I got older) to see The Nutcracker ballet every year. It was a big deal to dress up in some frilly, plaid taffeta number and attend the ballet on a weekend afternoon. Afterwards, we'd go out to dinner and it was just a very fancy occasion for me, growing up in a rural area. This year will be the second year we've taken my daughter (she's 5.5) and my niece (9 years old) and my mother and I are so excited!

Also happening in our city: Krampus! I think my daughter is too young and would be frightened, so we won't go this year, but Saturday evening will hold lots of goings-on here: a bazaar; a parade; and the Krampus spectacle!

I am thinking of taking my daughter Saturday afternoon to a local ice rink to do a little ice skating, although neither she nor I have ever learned the skill. How difficult is it to learn? Is it like roller skating where you kind of find your "legs" after a bit? Or am I just asking for a sore booty and sad little girl?

Next weekend I'm going to an adults only/girls night cookie decorating party. Kinda can't wait...there will be sprinkles, and wine!

What do you all consider holiday traditions, and what are you looking forward to this season?

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Oh, I love my holiday traditions!
The season starts
on St. Martin's day (11/11) with a lantern parade (kids make their own lanterns before, often at school). There's usually someone riding a horse , dressed up as St. Martin in front of the parade and some sort of small marching band and the children sing songs.
At the end everyone gathers around the St. Martin's fire. They get special little bread figures ("Weckmänner"), adults mulled wine.I love this, because this reminds all of us that the season is about SHARING.

This is about the time when we start making holiday cookies also and we prepare the Christstollen.It has to settle /cure for quite a while to be extra yummy.

On December 1st the kids get their advent calendar and on the first Sunday of advent we light the first candle on the advent wreath.
There are nice artisanal Christmas markets in our region a different one each weekend. We try to go to about 2 ...

The theaters do Christmas Tales with their regular cast members, so we try to go to one theater play and one ballet (Nutcracker ). I just have to be careful that it's a traditional rendition, because one year they went extremely modern and my girls cried from disppointment...

On dec. 6th St. Nicolas comes and fills the kids' shoes with nuts, oranges and small gifts...
Our traditional christmas dish is roast goose.... lots of preparation needed and traditionally eaten ob dec 25, whereas santa comes on Christmas eve.
I'm sure I forgot some...All this was so magical when I was a kid and I love seeing my kids' eyes sparkle during all the events.

 

[missy]

Lovely thread Monnie!

My dh and I go see the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center every year and check out the window decorations too. So much eye candy and I won't lie. I also check out all the beautiful jewelry stores too. Cartier, Harry Winston to name just 2. Drool drool drool.

Last year's tree pics.





We also go to the Bryant Park Winter Village which is on right now till beginning of next year. So much fun and some great gift buying opportunities.

We happen to be going to The Nutcracker as well in 2 weeks but haven't done that for a while so not exactly a yearly tradition but maybe we will make it one again as it was in the past.

We also go through Central park as that was the scene of the crime (haha so to speak) of our very first date.

And lastly (though I am pretty sure I have left out a few things) we spend the last 2 weeks of the year at the Jersey Shore beach house just enjoying each day together without a lot of fuss and muss.

No sorry, lastly we spend every NYE with my parents and sister and her dh and my nieces. That is a family tradition that we have been partaking in for half a century. Cannot miss the W family NYE or we would be in BIG trouble. LOL.
And on that last day of the year that we always go to my sister's house to celebrate NYE we spend the afternoon shopping at the Tanger Outlets a few hours away from her so we are very busy every December 31st from morning to evening.

I'm exhausted just thinking about NYE.

Love hearing what everyone does during this time of year. Thanks for sharing.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Growing up my mom would drive around the neighborhood and we would look at the houses all decorated with lights, one of my favorite things. Now they have a couple of parks that have Christmas light displays so we will drive through them, they do a fantastic job and the money for admittance goes to charity.

Every year a church downtown has their annual "Snowflake Fair" and you can get a picture with Santa so we take the kids, usually buy some of their baked treats. It's much better than dealing with the huge lines at the mall.

Our town has "Holiday on Main" that runs from small business Saturday through the month. They have Santa and horse carriage rides down Main Street, we go every year and buy something from the local toy shop.

One definite tradition we have is we go to Hallmark the day after Christmas and we each pick a Christmas ornament.

Monarch I don't know if Krampus is a regional thing but I had never heard of this until a few years ago. As for ice skating, I can't skate but my ten year old went to an ice rink for a birthday party and he picked it up really quickly and thoroughly enjoyed himself. He was probably eight at the time, so definitely worth trying with your daughter.

Sharing my favorite pic, this was their first with Santa, my little one was scared so the older one held his hand

 

[Gussie]

Lovely thread Monnie!

My dh and I go see the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center every year and check out the window decorations too. So much eye candy and I won't lie. I also check out all the beautiful jewelry stores too. Cartier, Harry Winston to name just 2. Drool drool drool.

Last year's tree pics.





We also go to the Bryant Park Winter Village which is on right now till beginning of next year. So much fun and some great gift buying opportunities.

We happen to be going to The Nutcracker as well in 2 weeks but haven't done that for a while so not exactly a yearly tradition but maybe we will make it one again as it was in the past.

We also go through Central park as that was the scene of the crime (haha so to speak) of our very first date.

And lastly (though I am pretty sure I have left out a few things) we spend the last 2 weeks of the year at the Jersey Shore beach house just enjoying each day together without a lot of fuss and muss.

No sorry, lastly we spend every NYE with my parents and sister and her dh and my nieces. That is a family tradition that we have been partaking in for half a century. Cannot miss the W family NYE or we would be in BIG trouble. LOL.
And on that last day of the year that we always go to my sister's house to celebrate NYE we spend the afternoon shopping at the Tanger Outlets a few hours away from her so we are very busy every December 31st from morning to evening.

I'm exhausted just thinking about NYE.

Love hearing what everyone does during this time of year. Thanks for sharing.

Sorry for any threadjack but I am soooooooo excited I can't even stand it. My husband and I are coming to NYC next week!!!!! I have only been once and it wasn't at Christmas. This Texas girl is ready to be cold and see it all! I am a Christmas obsessed person and have always wanted to see it! DH will have to work during the day so I am free to do as I please! Going to see the Rockettes Friday night!!!!

 

[missy]

Stephanie-Lynn I love that sweet photo of your children with Santa!

I forgot another holiday tradition in our household. Baking Christmas cookies!!!



Though this just might be the first year we skip since the 90s. We have a lot on our to do list and priority one is packing up the kitchen at the beach house as we have kitchen reno beginning January 2nd 2018 so we might have to skip the christmas baking marathon this year. Only so much time and energy to spare with the kitchen reno happening so soon.

 

[missy]

Sorry for any threadjack but I am soooooooo excited I can't even stand it. My husband and I are coming to NYC next week!!!!! I have only been once and it wasn't at Christmas. This Texas girl is ready to be cold and see it all! I am a Christmas obsessed person and have always wanted to see it! DH will have to work during the day so I am free to do as I please! Going to see the Rockettes Friday night!!!!

YAY!!!!! I am so excited for you Ceg! I hope you will have a fantastic visit!!!!

 

[Gussie]

One of my favorite traditions in our family is the kids opening one gift on Christmas Eve. After dinner on Christmas Eve, they get to open a single gift and it is always Christmas pjs to wear that night and for seeing what Santa brought on Christmas day. I started it when my son was born and plan to do it... I don't know...forever!

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Everyone was so excited tonight because tomorrow's the first and we get to open the first gift in the calendar.
I have to bake A LOT of cookies this weekend, b/c I agreed to host a.cookie decorating workshop st dds school with 15-4year olds... sprinkles and frostig will be EVERYWHERE ...

I also forgot our annual gingerbread house... we decorate it with lots of sweets before Christmas and it gets officially eaten on jan. 6th ( because inofficially, kids keep taking off swets , thinking no one notices... I still remember thinking it was s big secret when I was little and now my dds are exactly like this... so cute)