Christmas Guest Post... Featuring Sara!

Sara From In Small Thoughts

Christmas and Tradition

Christmas has accumulated so many traditions by now, drawing on religious ceremonies, regional traditions, and on pagan symbols, not to mention a certain drinks company and their influence on Father Christmas. Yet some of the most important Christmas traditions are the ones that your family do, the ones that make Christmas that little bit more special. Some people have certain foods, others go to a late night mass, some play favourite games, and lots of people go for a wintry walk. The tradition in my family is all about how we decorate and always remind me of how Christmas, while being an increasingly commercialised holiday, is all about being with people you love and making a special day for them. So here's to making your own traditions and a sneak peek into the traditions (all quite untraditional) that matter to me.

Our main tradition is that Christmas is not a time for being tasteful, co-ordinated or restrained.
The first rule is that you cannot try to make the Christmas tree look understated and pretty. Instead, as many lights, tinsel strands, baubles, and Christmas tree chocolates must go on as possible (we have to use an artificial tree to support the weight and provide enough branches; it also survives being climbed by the cat better than real trees). Of course, much effort goes into ensuring no two matching baubles  are next to one and another but who doesn't do that? Our tree may not look classy, yet it is fun, individual and keeps the stress of decorating to a minimum.

We always bring out all those old decorations, you know, the ones you made in primary school and are only admired by your closest relatives. Every year this involves me untangling a box of cotton wool balls on string to hang in the window, even if there is snow outside already. Sure, shop decorations look nicer, but ours remind us of time spent with family and fond memories, which is surely one of the best parts of Christmas.

Using old decorations reminds you of Christmas's past as well as saving on buying new stuff every year. My Mum and I went to the Geffrye Museum in London, where they show rooms throughout the ages and at for December they are done up with period style Christmas decorations, as in the picture below.

Give the Geffrye Museum a quick visit if in London.

It was really interesting to see where some of the traditions began and my Mum got nostalgic looking back on the style of decorations from when she was a child. Funnily enough I also recognised these decorations, as they are the kind my Mum insists on always using for our Christmases, even if they are a bit out of fashion now. We have multicoloured paper chains, Chinese lanterns, foil stars a-plenty, and oddly enough, balloons. I've never met anyone else who puts up balloons for Christmas but its great fun even if everyone who visits thinks you're weird. It's not what it means to others, it's what it means to you.


This year I'm going to be bringing in some holly, fircones and maybe even a touch of ivy to get a very traditional feel to the decorations. I may have to do it all myself if no one else likes the idea. All good traditions get added to and tweaked, with care and a good sense of humour. Another change coming this year is that I am hiding our usual Christmas CD and making a new one of my own; having heard the same songs for several years I think it is time for a breath of fresh air, for everyone's sanity. Our traditions might be slightly unusual but what matters is that they are special traditions that come with a great deal of meaning and not to much effort at a stressful time of the year. And our decorating can be done best after a little mulled wine!

What are your Christmas traditions, the ones that no-one else really understands but mean so much to you? Did you come by them by a funny chance or were they handed down through the family? Anyone else put up balloons?