Break with Tradition for a Fun Christmas!

Christmastime is full of traditions... the tree is decorated just so, everyone goes to Christmas Eve service at church and then caroling together, the whole family comes over for a turkey dinner, and then everybody bundles into their cars to see the Christmas lights. Tradition is great - but sometimes it's fun to break with tradition and do something new. Your family might have so much fun that you create a new tradition!

This year, instead of cooking a turkey or ham for Christmas, try a completely different Christmas dinner. Seafood, pork tenderloin, or an extravagant pasta dish would all be delicious. Some fire departments and churches roast pork shoulders as fundraisers - get barbecue for Christmas instead of turkey. Better yet, sign up to serve at your local homeless shelter on Christmas day.

Don't get a cut evergreen as your Christmas tree... and don't drag that dusty green artificial tree out of its box in the attic, either. There are plenty of lovely alternatives! If you still want a "five foot tall pine", go for tinsel, with a color-changing light; or perhaps a shocking pink or neon yellow tree. If that's not your thing, consider a small live tree that you can plant in your yard (or donate to be planted on public land). Some people choose ceramic or glass trees as an environmentally-conscious alternative. If you're short on space, try a tiny table-top tree, or even a gorgeous tree, drawn on paper (or perhaps even framed) that can be hung on a wall and used from year to year. (That is also a wonderful alternative if you lack a fireplace!)

Give presents to each other - but also remember someone in need this year. Your family might adopt an orphan, a foster child, or a needy child overseas. Several agencies sponsor soldiers. Bake some extra Christmas goodies and take them to elderly people in your neighborhood. If you don't know any, call your local churches and social service agencies. They can supply you with names. Call a nursing home and bring a small present for each resident - you'd be amazed how much joy a homemade cookie or playdough Christmas ornament will mean to someone who doesn't get many visitors.

Instead of driving to see Christmas lights, bundle up warm and go to a park for the afternoon. If you go to a state park, you might find a place where you can light a campfire, make a pot of wassail, and sing Christmas carols and silly songs while the kids make snow angels and have a great time.

If it's too cold to be outside, watch a family movie instead. Most theaters are open on Christmas, or you can rent some videos instead. Make sure you have lots of popcorn and candy! You could choose from holiday favorites or old, sappy movies... or you could get the latest action film or chop-of-the-head zombie movie.

If you're really adventurous, don't stay home for Christmas! Book a suite at a hotel in a fun or off-beat location like the beach. Set up a little Christmas tree in the corner and celebrate in the sand and sun! Many restaurants are open on Christmas day, but in resort towns there are plenty to choose from - many of which have special menus. It's wise to call ahead and see if reservations are needed and what the price will be.

If you've never researched your family's origins and traditions, now is a great time to do so - and share your findings! Whether you're Irish, Polish, African, Peruvian, or a mix of a dozen ethnicities, your family history is rich with traditions of Christmas past. What did your ancestors two, six, and ten generations ago do for Christmas? What did they eat? How did they decorate their homes? If they didn't celebrate Christmas, what did they celebrate and why? How did your family come to be Christian? These are fascinating discoveries - and can be even more fun if you make a place for these traditions at Christmastime.

Instead of wrapping presents, do something different (the wrapping paper is just going to get thrown out, anyways) - try hiding them and giving people clues, like a scavenger hunt! Or give small gifts and play Dirty Santa. Wrap one gift in another (for example, a box could be wrapped in a tablecloth and tied with a ribbon - no waste!) You could even agree that everyone gets a pre-set spending limit and type of purchase and go to the mall on December 26th to purchase your own gifts. This works well with teenagers who need new clothes!

As you can see, you don't have to be tied into a "Traditional Christmas" - not that there's anything wrong with it! Be willing to try something new this year. A bright pink Christmas tree... wassail in the park... Christmas dinner in a shelter... it might spark a brand new tradition for your family!