Christmas Geneameme
Pauleen from Family history across the seas blog has put out the challenge to create a Christmas Geneameme that focuses on our experiences of Christmas. This Geneameme does not have a religious focus. The main idea is to show how important the celebration of Christmas is to our family.
- Do you have any special Xmas traditions in your family? Not now that my family are adults with their own families.
- Is church attendance an important part of your Christmas celebrations and do you go the evening before or on Xmas Day? No it doesn’t feature in my Christmas Day
- Did/do you or your children/grandchildren believe in Santa? My grandchildren are aged 3 & 5 and definitely do believe in Santa
- Do you go carolling in your neighbourhood? No there is no carolling in my neightbourhood
- What’s your favourite Christmas music? I like all the schmaltzy Christmas carols
- What’s your favourite Christmas carol? favourite carol is Silent Night. My favourite Christmas song is Happy Xmas/The War is Over by John Lennon
- Do you have a special Xmas movie/book you like to watch/read? I watch Love Actually every Christmas
- Does your family do individual gifts, gifts for littlies only, Secret Santa (aka Kris Kringle)? We buy separate presents
- Is your main Christmas meal indoors or outdoors, at home or away? We usually eat a cold Xmas dinner outdoors. We all bring food and take turns having it at our house
- What do you eat as your main course for the Christmas meal? I’m vegetarian so only have veges & salads. But we have all the traditional foods, ham, pork, etc on the table
- Do you have a special recipe you use for Xmas? Nothing special. But my mother has a special recipe for the Christmas cake
- Does Christmas pudding feature on the Xmas menu? Is it your recipe or one you inherited? We have Christmas pudding cooked by my mother, who is guarding her recipe
- Do you have any other special Christmas foods? What are they? All the traditional foods of Christmas
- Do you give home-made food/craft for gifts at Christmas? In years past I would make biscuits, chocolate & other sweets for gifts. But haven’t done this for a few years
- Do you return to your family for Xmas or vice versa? I return to my hometown for Xmas Day
- Is your Christmas celebrated differently from your childhood ones? If yes, how does it differ? It is still very similar. Nothing much has changed
- How do you celebrate Xmas with your friends? Lunch? Pre-Xmas outings? Drop-ins? Lunches & coffees with friends. Also with my fitness friends we meet for walks before having lunch
- Do you decorate your house with lights? A little or a lot? I don’t do Christmas decorations or a tree any more.
- Is your neighbourhood a “Xmas lights” tour venue? We have many Xmas lights in our area, and a prize is given for the house with the most votes
- Does your family attend Carols by Candlelight singalongs/concerts? Where? There are Carols by Candlelight in our area but I don’t attend
- Have any of your Christmases been spent camping (unlikely for our northern-hemisphere friends)? Have never been camping over Xmas
- Is Christmas spent at your home, with family or at a holiday venue? I spend Xmas at home, after catching up with family on Xmas Day
- Do you have snow for Christmas where you live? No snow, we have high temperatures. Xmas is summer for us
- Do you have a Christmas tree every year? We did when my children were small. .
- Is your Christmas tree a live tree (potted/harvested) or an imitation? I don’t ever have a tree now
- Do you have special Xmas tree decorations? I have many special Xmas decorations, some made by my children when they were small. They are packed away in the garage
- Which is more important to your family, Christmas or Thanksgiving? Living in Australia, Christmas is the important celebration for us
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Tracking Down The Family 
I enjoyed reading about your Christmasses Jennifer. Who is going to eventually become “the keeper” of your mum’s Christmas Pudding and Cake recipes, I wonder? … 😀 Thanks sharing. Regards, Catherine
Catherine I think it’s going to fall to me. I have two sisters who I think are probably not really interested. It’s a big responsibility, and I’d have to get my act together a bit
Hmmm… know exactly what your mean Jennifer. Maybe there is another person, male or female, in the family whom you may be able to pass these onto is what I’m thinking? Occurred to me because it seems I’ve become something of a conduit and passing quite a lot of the responsibility, and treasures, onto only those of the younger generation whom are showing a particular interest.
Also meant to say that “Silent Night” is a glorious carol which takes me right back to the memories of singing carols, along with my mum, every Christmas Eve.
Thanks for replying to my comment, Jennifer. It’s very much appreciated. Cheerio for now 🙂
I was wondering much the same thing about the cake & pudding as Catherine….succession planning is needed but achieving it might be a challenge 😉 I’ve been intrigued by how popular Love Actually has been in everyone’s responses (especially since it’s not a movie I like myself…I’m obviously off-song with this)
It sounds like your communal Christmas lunch is a good gathering with lots of good food. I’ll bet the grandchildren had a great time with Santa’s visit and all the family gifts.
Thanks for joining in the geneameme and sharing your family’s Christmas story.