Places helping with storm damage: Helping Hands & Deep River Farm Hurricane Relief: centralasheboro.org/events-opportunities/hurricane-relief/ Samaritan’s Purse: www.samaritanspurse.org/ NC Baptists: ncbaptist.org/hurricane-helene-response/ 8 Days of Hope: eightdaysofhope.com/ Cajun Navy Relief: www.cajunnavyrelief.com/ Please add any other organizations in the comments. Thank you!!
Hey Tipper I sent a Christmas gift to you all. It’s a book of Christmas stories written by a local author Bob Bridge. Please feel free to talk about or read stories from the book so it gets more exposure. He is not taking any money from book. It is all going to charity and Eli Lilly is matching funds from the book. The book is $20 and Eli Lilly is matching with $40. So $60 dollars will go to charity from each purchase. He is super nice man and knows many legends of sports such as Bob Knight former (IU Basketball coach) and Larry Bird former Boston Celtic NBA player. Many Thanks from me…Shawn.
Every Christmas morning as a kid I would wake up with soot on my nose, my dad would say it was from Santa checking to see if I was really asleep. One Christmas Eve we lost power so I slept in the bed with my muma and deddy to stay warm. When I woke up I didn’t have any soot on my nose and was heartbroken thinking Santa hadn’t come, until I looked at my Deddy and saw that he had soot all over his nose. He explained that Santa must have missed me and got him by mistake. I am in my late 50s and will never forget that.
My precious mother always played Christmas Eve Gift. No gift giving but a contest of sorts to be the very first one to say it! On Christmas Eve morning. I was thinking of this and wanted to ask you if you knew about this tradition. I so miss my mother! She’s been gone since fall 2013. My entire family are gone except one older sister. My husband of 41 years passed in 2022. It’s getting harder not easier as time goes by. Spend all the quality time you can with your mom and Matt. You are so blessed to have your family and have them so close by! Keep making all the precious memories! And thank you for sharing many of them with us. May God abundantly bless you all this Christmas!
Dear Gaye, I just had to comment to you. I choked up when you wrote about missing your loved ones and about it being harder, not easier, as time goes by. I so agree! My mother died in 2022 at the age of 102, so I was blessed to have her for such a long time, but I find myself missing her more and more each year. I wish you a heart full of Peace, Joy and Contentment during this beautiful season of Christmas! Love, Jackie
That's just how my grandmother played it with her sisters. They'd call one another on Christmas Eve morning and try to be the first one to say it. It was a lot of answering the phone "Christmas Eve Gift!". No actual gifts were exchanged. They all lived in Oklahoma, but their father was born in Arkansas. His grandparents were from TN, so I imagine it might have come down the line from some of them. Where was your mother from?
I'm of German (and Irish) heritage and Christmas Eve was our gift giving and family gathering. Not a big dinner...usually cold buffet...lovely tea sandwiches, punch. (Midnight Mass for our Catholic side...everybody welcome!) Then, in our family at least, on Christmas day, the Protestant side attended their services and then we all gathered for a dressy sort of dinner at the "matriarchal home" (my Irish mom). It was a grand blend of beautiful beliefs and traditions. I don't want this to sound like it was something out of The Waltons...it wasn't. We had our moments. Looking back, even those "tricky" times were good. My advice to all your viewers: LOVE a LOT!! It all passes quickly. Laugh off anything you find annoying or upsetting. Tell all your nearest and dearest that you love them. Say it a lot.❤
Brooks MaMaw was born and raised in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and she would always wake everyone up on Christmas morning with ringing a bell and yelling out "Christmas Gift Christmas Gift!" This brought back good memories for him. Our little 200 year old Mountain congregation in the Glades of Gatlinburg still gives the paper bags with a candy cane, orange, nuts and candy in it.
Growing up we got a Christmas poke at church every year. The bag had lots of peanuts in the shell, an orange, some hard candy and a bit of chocolate. My grandparents also gave them to us. There were over 30 grandchildren when I was a youngster and they were quite poor. The bag had a little toy in it as well. I remember getting a little plastic cup and saucer, all the girls did and the boys got a little car.
Your grandparents sound like they had heartfelt love for their beautiful family and 30 grandchildren. How wonderful those Christmas gifts were. I would have loved a big family like yours. 🎄🎁
I remember the last Christmas I had with my Dad he knew he wasn't going to be here long but he made me feel the happiest I felt by him smiling and having fun with us thanks for the great video Tipper 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I remember "Christmas Gift" from the 1950s in North Texas, which means it had started decades earlier. It was just a greeting. My small community had a community center, an old schoolhouse, and valued events that brought people together. Although we never used the term "Christmas poke," there were a Christmas tree and bags of fruit, Christmas candy and pecans and walnuts for everybody. I associate those gatherings with the scent of peeled oranges and Delicious apples. This Saturday we are meeting in the cemetery to place wreaths on the graves of our veteran family members. There will be a little reading and the pronouncement of the name of each person honored.
We get the Christmas pokes at church here in Central Kentucky. I loved hearing this. I never knew they were called pokes, we called them treats. Always had an apple, orange, and those delicious pink, white, and yellow coconut bon bons. Our church stopped giving them a few years ago. I remember as a child loving getting that little brown bag.
We had Christmas on Christmas morning. Our gifts from Santa were not wrapped when sis and I woke on Christmas morning our Santa Claus was in the front room my pile was on one side my sisters on the other side of the room. We grew up in 40s and 50s.. some how our parents always gave us a good Christmas. I don’t remember when we exchanged gifts. I do remember when daddy gave us money to buy gifts and Revelon nail polish was new on shelf. My mother was beautiful and such a lady so I bought her the nail polish it was red her color. I remember mom cooked wonderful Christmas dinners until she was too old. That’s all I remember, having a wonderful Christmas. We lived in another state from family so it was just our family. Mom dad sis and me.
Growing up we would get a Christmas bag with an orange, an apple, a candy bar and a pack of gum at church and when it was the last day of school before Christmas our bus driver would also give us one.
Hi Tipper, I remember the Christmas bags at church. We got an apple, an orange, some nuts in the shells, some old fashioned hard candy and sometimes a tract with the Christmas story out of Luke chapter 2. Wonderful Memories.
plum foolish. Grandma and grandaddy made it special for us all (both sets) and we got citrus and apples that one time a year in abundance. We made little gift bags for everyone at Sunday school with a stick of peppermint, an orange and apple-sometimes a tangerine. It is like magic when I think of those days. Thanks for your gentle loving energy.
One of my sweetest memories of Christmas morning was how our parents had us five kids line up down the hallway according to our ages, youngest first. When they had pulled down the bedsheet that was temporarily taped up between the hallway and the living room, then we could run straight ro the Christmas tree with all the presents gathered there around its base. We all yelled, "Merry Christmas," They had Christmas music playing in the background and there were gasps of delightful laughter heard all around. ❤️
I have my old stocking Gramma knitted in the 60's its got ribbon candy stuck in it, and it still smells like ribbon candy. The smells make the memories of those old 60's Christmas's come right back. I think that was the best Christmas era there was. Big lights, tinseled tree's and very cool toys. We would open our presents Christmas Eve and then go to church. Christmas morning was still super exciting because Santa Clause came. His presents were never wrapped but put together ready to play with. I would sneak out about 4a.m. and peak around look down the stairs. The lights were much dimmer then and I could vaguely make out a few things. I would go back to bed so excited that Santa came and actually doze back off in this magical land. The Christmas story got that magical music perfect! This was the only night the Christmas tree was lit up all night and my parents played Christmas music softly all night. So magical and we passed those same traditions to our kids & they to theirs. Its also great because it reduces the wrapping considerably and everything is all put together ready to go, no losing parts in the christmas mess or frustrated kids waiting for help putting a toy together. We would always play with the toys the night before so we knew exactly how the worked. I loved hearing the traditions you shared.
My favorite Christmas memory is going to a local fruit and vegetable stand one cold night before Christmas. It was very festive with a fire in a barrel and Christmas lights strung on the rafters of the stand. The smell of the oranges, tangerines and apples was so wonderful. My Nanny bought her coconuts for her cakes, pies and ambrosia! They also had the huge peppermint sticks there. That made a big impression on me as a little girl.
I’ve not heard of Christmas gift until last year when you called Granny. I enjoyed this video tonight. I’m so excited for your family this year for Christmas. Having Ira and Woody this year will be such a special blessing I
Good memories. Here, and I'm sure other areas, a part of Christmas was helping make fruit baskets at church to take to the elderly and shut ins in the area.
That’s a sweet tradition to say Christmas gift. On Thanksgiving I would try to get up early and be the first one to call my friends and sing 🎶 “Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble like to run away…..Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble I don’t like Thanksgiving Day“🎶 I am down to only one friend I can Gobble Gobble with. She got me this year! I’m slacking. 🤣
When I was little I remember every year when we had our Christmas program at church we would get Christmas bag,orange apple tangerine nuts and hard candy.one of my favorite memories
Growing up as a German Lutheran. We always had Christmas Eve service where the children will receive a sack of fruit and orange and apple and ribbon candy.. The church service was beautiful. Silent night was always my favorite. And as we leave the church on a cold evening, and Wish everybody merry christmas.
We would get a brown paper bag with an apple an orange and some hard candy every year at church after the Christmas play or program. Always given out at the door by the preacher
My family has always got together on Christmas Eve, ate dinner and opened gifts. We still do that now, but on Christmas morning, now I go to my son's and watch my Granddaughter open her gifts. She is 2. It's always best with children....Ya'll will surely have a time this Christmas!!
In our family, my mom and her 3 sisters were called the Golden girls, when they got into their senior years. Each of them represented one of the Golden Girls that they were the most like, Now our Golden Girls are all together in heaven. We miss all of them and their different personalities. 🙏🏻
As children, we would open a gift on Christmas Eve, and we continued that tradition when our children were young it was always so hard to fall asleep Christmas Eve.
All the old folks in my family used to do the "Christmas Gift" greeting. I don't know why we let it pass on out of the family. It died with my daddy. Thanks for helping me remember. ❤
I cant believe how memory has failed me,but When you read about the brown bag the image came rushing back. Huge boxes positioned by the door, filled with little brown bags, each containing a big orange, a Red Delicious apple, ia few nuts and some old fashioned candy. I remember the excitement every year, even though we knew what would be inside. What I cant remember is whether it was school or church! Maybe it was both? I didnt know it was called a poke, but when I was a little girl ( i'm 60) it was exactly as you described. ❤
We opened Christmas gifts on Christmas morning. Kids being kids, we sometimes would try to find where mom and dad hid our presents. They got wise to this. Kept presents in the car trunk. Hid presents at a neighbor's house. One Christmas, mother wrapped up a chicken wishbone as a gag gift for my older brother. We lived on a farm and raised chickens. There was plenty of good fried chicken. Breaking the wishbone and securing the winning piece was a great honor. My older brother must have complained a lot that year about losing. My contribution, later, as a stepdad was to disguise presents. Socks or small garments were packed in cardboard tubes, or other unusual boxes. Jars of small pebbles added to the mystery when presents were shaken.
Love the story about Matt and his daddy. Butch’s grandpa always bought his grandma a case of shotgun shells for Christmas. Reason being…when she would say that she couldn’t use that, he’d say that he would just keep them for himself. He was a big quail hunter.
In our family collection of ornaments there was one that my parents had on their first Christmas tree in 1950. It was pear shaped, kind of shimmery dark blue, with some bands of metal squiggles. As the years went by it started looking worn out. But my three sisters and I always wanted it to be front and center on the tree. My mom would say "that old thing" but we considered it the most cherished ornament. 🎄❤
Christmas eve our family went to our church play. Deacons handed out small boxes of candy at the end. Afterwards dad drove us around to look at lights. Then it was home to enjoy Christmas snacks and open our gifts. Mom sent us kids upstairs while she and dad got things ready. We could hear the sounds coming up through the heating vent. Exciting! for us three kids. Hubby and I celebrate Christmas eve with a baked ham. Then, we open our gifts to each other. Merry Christmas! everyone.
Every Christmas we had a wooden reindeer and we would put a vanilla wafer on it for Christmas morning for my dog. She had 13 years of vanilla wafers on that Reindeer and we still leave one out for her. I miss my little best friend but I know she’s having tons of vanilla wafers in doggie Heaven. ❤️💚
Here in Germany, it is traditional to celebrate Christmas Eve with the family, presents and good food. In our family, we go to church in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, after which the candles are lit on our tree for the first time, Christmas carols are sung and then the presents are unwrapped. Afterwards we have roasted goose, red cabbage and „Semmelknödel“. Christmas is simply a wonderful time for us. We wish you all a peaceful and blessed Christmas season from Hamburg in northern Germany ✨
This was one of the most heart warming videos. My younger brother Bud used to give me tricks every year. One year it came in a refrigerator box. My gift was in the bottom of the box. It was a ceramic that he had made in school. He included other things like old shoes, a busted inner tube from his bicycle, a small stocking that included what was supposed to be reindeer poop... The next year I gave him back the reindeer poop. I put it in the sleeve of the sweater that I gave him. We traded that back and forth until the stocking fell apart. It was one of those little net stockings.
My husband’s grandmother began this tradition in his family here in Arkansas. We always said “Christmas Eve Gift”. I’d never heard of it until we were married 40 years ago. It is carried on still today with our son. One of our fondest traditions. Ty for sharing
Ive never heard of Christmas Gift. When I was growing up, we were allowed to open one gift Christmas Eve. We were not allowed up Christmas morning until 6:30. We always had dinner at my grandparents...they lived across the road from us. All that family lived close by and were there. Great memories now.
I had never heard of saying Christmas gift or saying Christmas Eve gift. The children all got to open one gift, new pajamas to wear before Christmas. On Christmas morning, we ate breakfast before we opened gifts. I learn a lot when you read this book.
We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. We would eat a big meal in the evening and the opened presents. After we cleaned everything up, we would go to candlelight service at 11:00pm. By the time the service was over, it would be Christmas day, at 12:00am. Always enjoyed that service, and singing all the Christmas hymns. Thanks once again for sharing!
We did Christmas Eve too when I was growing up. No late service though, too many small children for that to work. Besides I expect mom was exhausted from all the cooking and baking and gift wrapping.
This is the first time I've heard of Christmas tricks. We just never did this where I grew up. (The uninteresting northern state of Massachusetts, :-)) I love the stories and the tradition. Thanks for sharing Tipper.
This was so interesting and fun to hear Tipper. I hadn’t ever heard about (Christmas Gift) until you talked about it. We grew up getting treat bags at church also. Even though we always had fruit and nuts at Christmas time, it was still special to get one at Church. 😍 I just love special traditions no matter how simple they may be.
When I was in about third grade in school we made ornaments from toilet paper tubes. Well of course mom put mine on the tree, that year and every year after for a good 30 or 40 years. It's a miracle it survived that long. I would always try to hide it towards the back of the tree and it became a game with my sister's two girls to find where it was hidden. The poor little ornament finally began to fall apart and was discarded. But it provided years of entertainment for my nieces. 😊
My family did not do Christmas Gift, but we had a neighbor lady from down the road who did, she was always walking, unless she had a ride, and she often stopped at our house for a rest on the way home. During the holiday she would walk in the door and hollar,Christmas Gift! Now give it here! We kids would always stare at her in amazement and smile, while she and our mom shared a laugh!🙏❤️🙂
I remember a video you did a couple years ago collecting greenery to bring in the home. I’ve been doing it ever since. Collect clippings from pine, cedar, holly etc and fill a few vases.
Hey Tipper, I like your family's Christmas traditions and hearing of others too. In my family, sometimes we may do what we call a white elephant Christmas. Presents consist of things people already have in their home that we wrap up. The presents can be nice or silly or just plain ridiculous. So everybody can choose a wrapped gift or steal a previous gift somebody else already opened if they want to. It's always fun and a lot of laughter. Love you all! 😊
I always remember Christmas day was celebrated, or recognized by us because that was when we would look under the tree to see what presents where there, was early early morning about the time the sun was about to rise. Or at least about 6:00 in the morning. A little later when we were older it was maybe mid morning. I think the older we got the later it was when gathered by the tree to exchange gifts. Usually one person would be Santa and picked out the presents that were for each person there and gift them that way. Once that was all done we would clean up all the wrapping paper and start playing with or wearing the gifts we got. After that it was preparing all the food we had ready to cook and serve for us and for family soon to arrive. Cherished memories.
When I was growing up we celebrated on Christmas Eve. Mom made a huge dinner and after all the dishes were done (by hand) we gathered around the tree and opened our gifts. On Christmas Day we had a holiday breakfast with mom’s delicious waffles, several kinds of syrups and whipped cream. Of course Santa had come and we had our filled stockings. Then we went to church. I married a man who had always celebrated Christmas Day. His family did not go to church. He insisted we had to open gifts on Christmas Day. Our girls were allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve in deference to my traditions.
if we got to open 1 present on Christmas eve (we didn't get to pick it), we knew it was going to be new PJs to wear that night for pictures of the next morning's festivities...and sometimes a book, maybe in the hopes we'd read later and let folks sleep in? We didn't have the phrase game part of it for either, though.
I had never heard "Christmas gift" until you told us about it. Most smallish churches that I know of still give treat bags at the service closest to Christmas Day.
Your little tree looks lovely. At church, We used to get a Christmas poke filled with an orange, ribbon candy, and chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. What fun memories.
My Grandma Ola always gave us underwear for Christmas when I was younger. After I was married she switched it to a blanket. I guess she was uncomfortable buying my husband underwear.
Christmas Eve Gift was the saying passed down from my mom, who grew up in AR. We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Day but enjoyed the prank of saying this before other family members and getting an early Christmas present from that person. I still play it with my adult children. It is challenging since they are out of the house, but texting just after midnight on Christmas Eve has been our latest tradition.
We didn't practice the Christmas gift tradition in Northern NY. I first heard it in your video when you called granny and explained it. I love learning about different Christmas traditions. Your little tree looks beautiful in the kitchen and your large one is also beautiful!
I had never heard of Christmas Gift until you talked about it on your channel. Our church still does the little treat bags. I remember getting those when I was little. Mom and daddy would get oranges, tangerines, apples, bananas, grapes, walnuts, and stick peppermint candy at Christmas time each year. We didn’t have a nutcracker. We mashed two walnuts together in our hands to crack them. It was a skill that took some perfecting to learn. Lol
I spent one Christmas in Spain when I was younger. The tradition there was to have the gift exchange on the last day of Christmas, aka the 12th Day of Christmas, aka the Epiphany. It's the day the three wise men found baby Jesus and presented their gifts to Him. It seemed logical to exchange gifts on that day. They celebrated the birth of Jesus on the Dec. 25 too by going to Mass, but they didn't exchange gifts until the Epiphany.
Some of my favorite memories was at church! You were right, always the night of the Christmas play all of us. Kids always looked forward to the end of the service where we got to come and pick up our brown bag with an apple orange banana handful of nuts and a candy cane for some reason all of that always tasted so good to me🥰♥️♥️🫶
Our Christmas poke was through school and church. All the kids received a Christmas poke from the county school system. My church never did this but a lot of the smaller, more family based churches, did that as well.
Tipper, I don't recall anyone saying Christmas gift when I was growing up. I do remember always getting a paper bag with an orange, apple, ribbon candy, nuts, and chocolate coin candy in it.😊 I guess different areas would do or say different things. I love the story about the girls giving you gifts from Travis Tritt and other people. Also, the story about Matt's dad's hat, too. 💕 Thank you so much for reading all about the different traditions. I enjoy your stories so much! 🤗 Sending blessings to you and all your family. 💗🙏
We didnt get pokes at school. We got those mesh stockings full of candy , coloring book and crayons plus a Santa Claus mug. We get the pokes at church. I love it then and now.
My great-grandmother from Alabama lived here in Texas and we would meet at her house to spread Santa Claus. All the family came on Christmas Eve and everyone brought apples oranges all kinds of nuts and of course an old dried out coconut. On Christmas Eve morning Aunt Ethel would come through buttering everybody's nose and hollering Christmas Eve gift what do you give me. Someone would always holler out I'll give you a whipping when I get up for buttering my nose. We never understood but always remembered. Good memories
❤😊love these stories. We have a Christmas trick with our immediate family! They wrap up an ugly sweatshirt the same one every time and bring it back every christmas!!! It is quite hilarious!❤ 🎉😊❤
Tipper, My family never used the phrase, "Christmas Gift." I first heard that term used in a diary written by a young woman in northern Virginia in 1860s. Christmas morning me and my siblings received paper sacks with an apple, orange, nuts, candy (hard and chocolate). We are from easyern Ky.
We would always get a sticking on St. Nicks night..Dec. 5. Filled with oranges, apples, nuts and some candy. Not many people do St. Nicks night anymore.
Hi Tipper...What a wonderful history lesson on old Appalachian Xmas traditions...so very interesting...I went to a small country Baptist Church in Southern Ontario Canada and on the evening of the Xmas Concert, Santa would come and give each child a treat bag as we called them with an orange, candy cane and some foil wrapped chocolates and nuts...Such good memories from those days...God Bless you and your family and Merry Christmas and all the Best for 2025...One year my husband got a gift from his brother labeled "Shaker" and he had to guess what it was, it turned out to be a box of navy beans.😅
My brother, Don, who was 7 at the time (I was 6 mths) opened all the presents carefully to see what they were then he sealed them back up. My Momma asked him who did opened the presents (as the tape was not holding the wrapping) and he told her I did it. Of course, she didn't believe him! (this took place in December 1960)
We don't have that game in our family, but I do love hearing about the traditions of others. With our first grandbaby being born this year, maybe it's time to introduce new traditions into the family! On a side note, I would love to see you offer "Plum foolish about Christmas" shirts in your shop ❤
My italian family celebrates xmas eve with what is called the feast of 7 fishes. Midnight mass and gifts opened among extended family. Xmas morning was reserved for the gifts santa left during the night.
We always got a Christmas bag at church after the Christmas program when I was a child. We got an apple, orange, candy and some nuts. It was an exciting time. ❤
(From eastern Ohio originally) A Christmas trick was also a trip, like "I'm goin on a trick (trip) to Granma's house for Christmas this year." We also sometimes give gifts that are listed from fictional characters, like last year my mom gave my boys a gift "From Mr. Tumnus" from Narnia.
I miss those church-related Christmas traditions. Pageants, caroling, gift bags, pot luck dinners, cantatas, etc. I dearly love the spark plug ornament. I need to find one to put on my tree in memory of my dad, who was a mechanic. I have specific ornaments on my tree, in remembrance of so many loved ones, as well as items on the ledge above my kitchen cabinets. Seems like every item of decor in my house is tied to the memory of a love one or a specific event in my life. It's what makes it home for me. Love your reading from the "big book."
My dad always said 'Christmas gift!' when we went somewhere or someone came to visit---but he did not always limit it to Christmas time...he would from time to time throughout the year say it when visiting or being visite--he said it loud and with a grin on his face and happiness in his voice. I connect it with school and church---my grandfather was the one who gathered up all the candy fruit and nuts and brown paper sacks to fill for the church--he did it my entire life and then when he died, his daughter (my aunt who is a year younger than me) took over the tradition for many many years (her and her husband and kids) but a few years back a few new people in the church decided they were going to do it and just ignored the family tradition that was going on and now it is something that anyone in the church can participate in doing....yes, my aunt and myself both do not like it this way--to us its a total disregard to a family's lifetime tradition
Places helping with storm damage:
Helping Hands & Deep River Farm Hurricane Relief: centralasheboro.org/events-opportunities/hurricane-relief/
Samaritan’s Purse: www.samaritanspurse.org/
NC Baptists: ncbaptist.org/hurricane-helene-response/
8 Days of Hope: eightdaysofhope.com/
Cajun Navy Relief: www.cajunnavyrelief.com/
Please add any other organizations in the comments. Thank you!!
Hey Tipper I sent a Christmas gift to you all. It’s a book of Christmas stories written by a local author Bob Bridge. Please feel free to talk about or read stories from the book so it gets more exposure. He is not taking any money from book. It is all going to charity and Eli Lilly is matching funds from the book. The book is $20 and Eli Lilly is matching with $40. So $60 dollars will go to charity from each purchase. He is super nice man and knows many legends of sports such as Bob Knight former (IU Basketball coach) and Larry Bird former Boston Celtic NBA player. Many Thanks from me…Shawn.
Every Christmas morning as a kid I would wake up with soot on my nose, my dad would say it was from Santa checking to see if I was really asleep. One Christmas Eve we lost power so I slept in the bed with my muma
and deddy to stay warm. When I woke up I didn’t have any soot on my nose and was heartbroken thinking Santa hadn’t come, until I looked at my Deddy and saw that he had soot all over his nose. He explained that Santa must have missed me and got him by mistake. I am in my late 50s and will never forget that.
@@lisahartz9334 I love it!!!!!!🥰
My precious mother always played Christmas Eve Gift. No gift giving but a contest of sorts to be the very first one to say it! On Christmas Eve morning.
I was thinking of this and wanted to ask you if you knew about this tradition.
I so miss my mother! She’s been gone since fall 2013. My entire family are gone except one older sister. My husband of 41 years passed in 2022. It’s getting harder not easier as time goes by. Spend all the quality time you can with your mom and Matt. You are so blessed to have your family and have them so close by!
Keep making all the precious memories! And thank you for sharing many of them with us. May God abundantly bless you all this Christmas!
Dear Gaye,
I just had to comment to you. I choked up when you wrote about missing your loved ones and about it being harder, not easier, as time goes by. I so agree! My mother died in 2022 at the age of 102, so I was blessed to have her for such a long time, but I find myself missing her more and more each year. I wish you a heart full of Peace, Joy and Contentment during this beautiful season of Christmas!
Love, Jackie
I’m so sorry you’ve lost them! Wonderful advice for us to treasure every day.
That's just how my grandmother played it with her sisters. They'd call one another on Christmas Eve morning and try to be the first one to say it. It was a lot of answering the phone "Christmas Eve Gift!". No actual gifts were exchanged. They all lived in Oklahoma, but their father was born in Arkansas. His grandparents were from TN, so I imagine it might have come down the line from some of them. Where was your mother from?
I'm of German (and Irish) heritage and Christmas Eve was our gift giving and family gathering. Not a big dinner...usually cold buffet...lovely tea sandwiches, punch. (Midnight Mass for our Catholic side...everybody welcome!)
Then, in our family at least, on Christmas day, the Protestant side attended their services and then we all gathered for a dressy sort of dinner at the "matriarchal home" (my Irish mom).
It was a grand blend of beautiful beliefs and traditions.
I don't want this to sound like it was something out of The Waltons...it wasn't. We had our moments. Looking back, even those "tricky" times were good.
My advice to all your viewers: LOVE a LOT!! It all passes quickly. Laugh off anything you find annoying or upsetting. Tell all your nearest and dearest that you love them. Say it a lot.❤
Wonderful memories and advice!!
Brooks MaMaw was born and raised in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and she would always wake everyone up on Christmas morning with ringing a bell and yelling out "Christmas Gift Christmas Gift!" This brought back good memories for him. Our little 200 year old Mountain congregation in the Glades of Gatlinburg still gives the paper bags with a candy cane, orange, nuts and candy in it.
Love that so much! I would loved to have known her 😊 Merry Christmas!!
Our church still gives a treat poke ever year.
Growing up we got a Christmas poke at church every year. The bag had lots of peanuts in the shell, an orange, some hard candy and a bit of chocolate. My grandparents also gave them to us. There were over 30 grandchildren when I was a youngster and they were quite poor. The bag had a little toy in it as well. I remember getting a little plastic cup and saucer, all the girls did and the boys got a little car.
Your grandparents sound like they had heartfelt love for their beautiful family and 30 grandchildren. How wonderful those Christmas gifts were. I would have loved a big family like yours. 🎄🎁
I love celebrating the birth of my Savior! We always read from the Bible and sing happy birthday to Jesus! God bless y’all! 😀♥️🙏
I remember the last Christmas I had with my Dad he knew he wasn't going to be here long but he made me feel the happiest I felt by him smiling and having fun with us thanks for the great video Tipper 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
That is such a beautiful memory to hold on to.
I remember "Christmas Gift" from the 1950s in North Texas, which means it had started decades earlier. It was just a greeting. My small community had a community center, an old schoolhouse, and valued events that brought people together. Although we never used the term "Christmas poke," there were a Christmas tree and bags of fruit, Christmas candy and pecans and walnuts for everybody. I associate those gatherings with the scent of peeled oranges and Delicious apples. This Saturday we are meeting in the cemetery to place wreaths on the graves of our veteran family members. There will be a little reading and the pronouncement of the name of each person honored.
Wonderful memories and what a touching cemetery service that will be.
When we always opened 1 gift on Christmas Eve when I was younger.
Love that tradition 😊
The British Royal Family open their gifts on Christmas Eve. I think that’s a German tradition.
@@Catherinecb24 Scandinavias also celebrate on Christmas Eve.
@@Catherinecb24My family always opened our presents Christmas Eve. Then when I married that's what we did also.
We get the Christmas pokes at church here in Central Kentucky. I loved hearing this. I never knew they were called pokes, we called them treats. Always had an apple, orange, and those delicious pink, white, and yellow coconut bon bons. Our church stopped giving them a few years ago. I remember as a child loving getting that little brown bag.
We had Christmas on Christmas morning. Our gifts from Santa were not wrapped when sis and I woke on Christmas morning our Santa Claus was in the front room my pile was on one side my sisters on the other side of the room. We grew up in 40s and 50s.. some how our parents always gave us a good Christmas. I don’t remember when we exchanged gifts. I do remember when daddy gave us money to buy gifts and Revelon nail polish was new on shelf. My mother was beautiful and such a lady so I bought her the nail polish it was red her color. I remember mom cooked wonderful Christmas dinners until she was too old. That’s all I remember, having a wonderful Christmas. We lived in another state from family so it was just our family. Mom dad sis and me.
I love those memories!
Growing up we would get a Christmas bag with an orange, an apple, a candy bar and a pack of gum at church and when it was the last day of school before Christmas our bus driver would also give us one.
Hi Tipper, I remember the Christmas bags at church. We got an apple, an orange, some nuts in the shells, some old fashioned hard candy and sometimes a tract with the Christmas story out of Luke chapter 2. Wonderful Memories.
I love that tradition! 😊
plum foolish. Grandma and grandaddy made it special for us all (both sets) and we got citrus and apples that one time a year in abundance. We made little gift bags for everyone at Sunday school with a stick of peppermint, an orange and apple-sometimes a tangerine. It is like magic when I think of those days. Thanks for your gentle loving energy.
One of my sweetest memories of Christmas morning was how our parents had us five kids line up down the hallway according to our ages, youngest first. When they had pulled down the bedsheet that was temporarily taped up between the hallway and the living room, then we could run straight ro the Christmas tree with all the presents gathered there around its base. We all yelled, "Merry Christmas," They had Christmas music playing in the background and there were gasps of delightful laughter heard all around. ❤️
Love that!
I have my old stocking Gramma knitted in the 60's its got ribbon candy stuck in it, and it still smells like ribbon candy. The smells make the memories of those old 60's Christmas's come right back. I think that was the best Christmas era there was. Big lights, tinseled tree's and very cool toys.
We would open our presents Christmas Eve and then go to church. Christmas morning was still super exciting because Santa Clause came. His presents were never wrapped but put together ready to play with. I would sneak out about 4a.m. and peak around look down the stairs. The lights were much dimmer then and I could vaguely make out a few things. I would go back to bed so excited that Santa came and actually doze back off in this magical land. The Christmas story got that magical music perfect!
This was the only night the Christmas tree was lit up all night and my parents played Christmas music softly all night.
So magical and we passed those same traditions to our kids & they to theirs.
Its also great because it reduces the wrapping considerably and everything is all put together ready to go, no losing parts in the christmas mess or frustrated kids waiting for help putting a toy together. We would always play with the toys the night before so we knew exactly how the worked.
I loved hearing the traditions you shared.
Wonderful memories!!
My favorite Christmas memory is going to a local fruit and vegetable stand one cold night before Christmas. It was very festive with a fire in a barrel and Christmas lights strung on the rafters of the stand. The smell of the oranges, tangerines and apples was so wonderful. My Nanny bought her coconuts for her cakes, pies and ambrosia! They also had the huge peppermint sticks there. That made a big impression on me as a little girl.
Wonderful memory!
I’m Definitely Foolish for Christmas 🎄 😊
I’ve not heard of Christmas gift until last year when you called Granny. I enjoyed this video tonight. I’m so excited for your family this year for Christmas. Having Ira and Woody this year will be such a special blessing I
Thank you so much!
Good memories. Here, and I'm sure other areas, a part of Christmas was helping make fruit baskets at church to take to the elderly and shut ins in the area.
Love that tradition! 😊
That’s a sweet tradition to say Christmas gift. On Thanksgiving I would try to get up early and be the first one to call my friends and sing 🎶 “Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble like to run away…..Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble Gobble I don’t like Thanksgiving Day“🎶 I am down to only one friend I can Gobble Gobble with. She got me this year! I’m slacking. 🤣
Love that! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friend 😊
When I was little I remember every year when we had our Christmas program at church we would get Christmas bag,orange apple tangerine nuts and hard candy.one of my favorite memories
Growing up as a German Lutheran. We always had Christmas Eve service where the children will receive a sack of fruit and orange and apple and ribbon candy.. The church service was beautiful. Silent night was always my favorite. And as we leave the church on a cold evening, and Wish everybody merry christmas.
Thank you for sharing! 🙏
We would get a brown paper bag with an apple an orange and some hard candy every year at church after the Christmas play or program. Always given out at the door by the preacher
My family has always got together on Christmas Eve, ate dinner and opened gifts. We still do that now, but on Christmas morning, now I go to my son's and watch my Granddaughter open her gifts. She is 2. It's always best with children....Ya'll will surely have a time this Christmas!!
My husband proposed to me on Christmas 1979, we were married in 1982 and we have been married for 42 years this past September 17th.
That’s so sweet, Merry Christmas!
In our family, my mom and her 3 sisters were called the Golden girls, when they got into their senior years. Each of them represented one of the Golden Girls that they were the most like, Now our Golden Girls are all together in heaven. We miss all of them and their different personalities. 🙏🏻
I love this. We named our kittens after the Golden girls. My Grandma Theo loved that show.
I still do oranges in the stockings for my kids!
Love it!
As children, we would open a gift on Christmas Eve, and we continued that tradition when our children were young it was always so hard to fall asleep Christmas Eve.
Love your sweet little kitchen Christmas tree. ❤
Thank you! 🤗
All the old folks in my family used to do the "Christmas Gift" greeting. I don't know why we let it pass on out of the family. It died with my daddy. Thanks for helping me remember. ❤
I cant believe how memory has failed me,but When you read about the brown bag the image came rushing back. Huge boxes positioned by the door, filled with little brown bags, each containing a big orange, a Red Delicious apple, ia few nuts and some old fashioned candy. I remember the excitement every year, even though we knew what would be inside. What I cant remember is whether it was school or church! Maybe it was both? I didnt know it was called a poke, but when I was a little girl ( i'm 60) it was exactly as you described. ❤
Love hearing about your memories 😊
We opened Christmas gifts on Christmas morning. Kids being kids, we sometimes would try to find where mom and dad hid our presents. They got wise to this. Kept presents in the car trunk. Hid presents at a neighbor's house. One Christmas, mother wrapped up a chicken wishbone as a gag gift for my older brother. We lived on a farm and raised chickens. There was plenty of good fried chicken. Breaking the wishbone and securing the winning piece was a great honor. My older brother must have complained a lot that year about losing. My contribution, later, as a stepdad was to disguise presents. Socks or small garments were packed in cardboard tubes, or other unusual boxes. Jars of small pebbles added to the mystery when presents were shaken.
Love those memories!
Love the story about Matt and his daddy. Butch’s grandpa always bought his grandma a case of shotgun shells for Christmas. Reason being…when she would say that she couldn’t use that, he’d say that he would just keep them for himself. He was a big quail hunter.
Brings back memories. Growing up all the kids at church would be given a small brown bag with an orange and candy.
I've never heard of the greeting "Christmas gift" 🎄 Very sweet 😊
My family growing up my mom would always let us open one gift on Christmas Eve.
In our family collection of ornaments there was one that my parents had on their first Christmas tree in 1950. It was pear shaped, kind of shimmery dark blue, with some bands of metal squiggles. As the years went by it started looking worn out. But my three sisters and I always wanted it to be front and center on the tree. My mom would say "that old thing" but we considered it the most cherished ornament. 🎄❤
That’s such a heartwarming tradition!
The bags were always a Sunday school tradition the night of the program when I was growing up and even when I was teaching Sunday school.
Christmas eve our family went to our church play. Deacons handed out small boxes of candy at the end. Afterwards dad drove us around to look at lights. Then it was home to enjoy Christmas snacks and open our gifts. Mom sent us kids upstairs while she and dad got things ready. We could hear the sounds coming up through the heating vent. Exciting! for us three kids. Hubby and I celebrate Christmas eve with a baked ham. Then, we open our gifts to each other. Merry Christmas! everyone.
@@jukes243 Merry Christmas. ❤️🙏🕯️🎄 🇨🇷
Every Christmas we had a wooden reindeer and we would put a vanilla wafer on it for Christmas morning for my dog. She had 13 years of vanilla wafers on that Reindeer and we still leave one out for her. I miss my little best friend but I know she’s having tons of vanilla wafers in doggie Heaven. ❤️💚
Here in Germany, it is traditional to celebrate Christmas Eve with the family, presents and good food. In our family, we go to church in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, after which the candles are lit on our tree for the first time, Christmas carols are sung and then the presents are unwrapped. Afterwards we have roasted goose, red cabbage and „Semmelknödel“. Christmas is simply a wonderful time for us. We wish you all a peaceful and blessed Christmas season from Hamburg in northern Germany ✨
Merry Christmas to you from Texas, USA!
@@debbiemorgan6701Thank you so much 🌟
@@ullivonhejhanse1603 Blessed Christmas to you from Costa Rica. 🙏🕯️🇨🇷
@@mariadewey4369 Thanks a lot and all the best 🙏🏻
This was one of the most heart warming videos.
My younger brother Bud used to give me tricks every year. One year it came in a refrigerator box. My gift was in the bottom of the box. It was a ceramic that he had made in school. He included other things like old shoes, a busted inner tube from his bicycle, a small stocking that included what was supposed to be reindeer poop... The next year I gave him back the reindeer poop. I put it in the sleeve of the sweater that I gave him. We traded that back and forth until the stocking fell apart. It was one of those little net stockings.
Love that so much!
My husband’s grandmother began this tradition in his family here in Arkansas. We always said “Christmas Eve Gift”. I’d never heard of it until we were married 40 years ago. It is carried on still today with our son. One of our fondest traditions. Ty for sharing
Ive never heard of Christmas Gift. When I was growing up, we were allowed to open one gift Christmas Eve. We were not allowed up Christmas morning until 6:30. We always had dinner at my grandparents...they lived across the road from us. All that family lived close by and were there. Great memories now.
Our family puts the poke bags together for our church❤
Our church gives out Christmas pokes😊 every year after the Play.
Love that!
I had never heard of saying Christmas gift or saying Christmas Eve gift. The children all got to open one gift, new pajamas to wear before Christmas. On Christmas morning, we ate breakfast before we opened gifts. I learn a lot when you read this book.
We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. We would eat a big meal in the evening and the opened presents. After we cleaned everything up, we would go to candlelight service at 11:00pm. By the time the service was over, it would be Christmas day, at 12:00am. Always enjoyed that service, and singing all the Christmas hymns.
Thanks once again for sharing!
We did Christmas Eve too when I was growing up. No late service though, too many small children for that to work. Besides I expect mom was exhausted from all the cooking and baking and gift wrapping.
Love that! It sounds very special.
This is the first time I've heard of Christmas tricks. We just never did this where I grew up. (The uninteresting northern state of Massachusetts, :-)) I love the stories and the tradition. Thanks for sharing Tipper.
I remember the Christmas pokes from church. Our church passed them out after the Christmas play. Really good memories.
I never knew thew were called pokes. Our church gave them out after the Christmas program.
This was so interesting and fun to hear Tipper. I hadn’t ever heard about (Christmas Gift) until you talked about it. We grew up getting treat bags at church also. Even though we always had fruit and nuts at Christmas time, it was still special to get one at Church. 😍 I just love special traditions no matter how simple they may be.
I loved hearing you read about that. Thank you.
My husband is Irish, and his family gave everyone a "Paddy Mcgurty" gift 😊 I got a can of smoked oysters 😂 I do love smoked oysters 😊
😊
When I was in about third grade in school we made ornaments from toilet paper tubes. Well of course mom put mine on the tree, that year and every year after for a good 30 or 40 years. It's a miracle it survived that long. I would always try to hide it towards the back of the tree and it became a game with my sister's two girls to find where it was hidden. The poor little ornament finally began to fall apart and was discarded. But it provided years of entertainment for my nieces. 😊
Love those memories 😊
My family did not do Christmas Gift, but we had a neighbor lady from down the road who did, she was always walking, unless she had a ride, and she often stopped at our house for a rest on the way home. During the holiday she would walk in the door and hollar,Christmas Gift! Now give it here! We kids would always stare at her in amazement and smile, while she and our mom shared a laugh!🙏❤️🙂
Love that memory!!
I remember a video you did a couple years ago collecting greenery to bring in the home. I’ve been doing it ever since. Collect clippings from pine, cedar, holly etc and fill a few vases.
Love that you are doing that! 😊 I hope to this year too
Our church does this. We call it Greening the church. The church smells so wonderful afterwards.
Hey Tipper, I like your family's Christmas traditions and hearing of others too. In my family, sometimes we may do what we call a white elephant Christmas. Presents consist of things people already have in their home that we wrap up. The presents can be nice or silly or just plain ridiculous. So everybody can choose a wrapped gift or steal a previous gift somebody else already opened if they want to. It's always fun and a lot of laughter. Love you all! 😊
Love that idea! Sounds like a lot of fun!
My Irish grandparents used the greeting “Christmas Eve gift” at church because Jesus is the Gift.
I always remember Christmas day was celebrated, or recognized by us because that was when we would look under the tree to see what presents where there, was early early morning about the time the sun was about to rise. Or at least about 6:00 in the morning. A little later when we were older it was maybe mid morning. I think the older we got the later it was when gathered by the tree to exchange gifts. Usually one person would be Santa and picked out the presents that were for each person there and gift them that way. Once that was all done we would clean up all the wrapping paper and start playing with or wearing the gifts we got. After that it was preparing all the food we had ready to cook and serve for us and for family soon to arrive. Cherished memories.
Thank you for sharing such wonderful memories!
Christmas poke at church , it make’s Christmas complete.
When I was growing up we celebrated on Christmas Eve. Mom made a huge dinner and after all the dishes were done (by hand) we gathered around the tree and opened our gifts. On Christmas Day we had a holiday breakfast with mom’s delicious waffles, several kinds of syrups and whipped cream. Of course Santa had come and we had our filled stockings. Then we went to church. I married a man who had always celebrated Christmas Day. His family did not go to church. He insisted we had to open gifts on Christmas Day. Our girls were allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve in deference to my traditions.
Those are some great Christmas memories! 🙏
if we got to open 1 present on Christmas eve (we didn't get to pick it), we knew it was going to be new PJs to wear that night for pictures of the next morning's festivities...and sometimes a book, maybe in the hopes we'd read later and let folks sleep in? We didn't have the phrase game part of it for either, though.
We got to open a gift on Christmas Eve also. It took me until I was grown to figure out it was ALWAYS matching pajamas along with my sister.😂❤
My last family Christmas was in 2014. That was my mother's last Christmas. I miss the traditions.
I’m sorry you lost her.
Thank you Tipper for sharing your lovely Christmas memories ❤.
I had never heard "Christmas gift" until you told us about it. Most smallish churches that I know of still give treat bags at the service closest to Christmas Day.
Your little tree looks lovely. At church, We used to get a Christmas poke filled with an orange, ribbon candy, and chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. What fun memories.
Who started the giving underwear and socks at Christmas? I'm 60 now and the tradition still goes on
Still happens in my household every year...I noticed my son wearing holy socks today and stated it's a good thing Santa is coming soon.😅
@@janicenichols7271 that is SO funny! My son even requested socks and underwear! I got so tickled.
Because it was more needs verses wants, most need underclothes and socks, along with shoes, boots or a warm jacket.
My Grandma Ola always gave us underwear for Christmas when I was younger. After I was married she switched it to a blanket. I guess she was uncomfortable buying my husband underwear.
Christmas Eve Gift was the saying passed down from my mom, who grew up in AR. We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Day but enjoyed the prank of saying this before other family members and getting an early Christmas present from that person. I still play it with my adult children. It is challenging since they are out of the house, but texting just after midnight on Christmas Eve has been our latest tradition.
We didn't practice the Christmas gift tradition in Northern NY. I first heard it in your video when you called granny and explained it. I love learning about different Christmas traditions. Your little tree looks beautiful in the kitchen and your large one is also beautiful!
Thank you!
I hadn't heard of Christmas gift until you mentioned it on your channel through the years,but that is such a fun tradition. Yall have a blessed night.
Thank you so much! It’s one of my favorites. 😊
I married into a Southern Family and yes they all did Christmas Eve Gift. As always Tipper, you bring great memories to us once again.
Love that! So glad you enjoyed it.
I had never heard of Christmas Gift until you talked about it on your channel. Our church still does the little treat bags. I remember getting those when I was little. Mom and daddy would get oranges, tangerines, apples, bananas, grapes, walnuts, and stick peppermint candy at Christmas time each year. We didn’t have a nutcracker. We mashed two walnuts together in our hands to crack them. It was a skill that took some perfecting to learn. Lol
I love those memories! 😊
I spent one Christmas in Spain when I was younger. The tradition there was to have the gift exchange on the last day of Christmas, aka the 12th Day of Christmas, aka the Epiphany. It's the day the three wise men found baby Jesus and presented their gifts to Him. It seemed logical to exchange gifts on that day. They celebrated the birth of Jesus on the Dec. 25 too by going to Mass, but they didn't exchange gifts until the Epiphany.
Some of my favorite memories was at church! You were right, always the night of the Christmas play all of us. Kids always looked forward to the end of the service where we got to come and pick up our brown bag with an apple orange banana handful of nuts and a candy cane for some reason all of that always tasted so good to me🥰♥️♥️🫶
Our Christmas poke was through school and church. All the kids received a Christmas poke from the county school system. My church never did this but a lot of the smaller, more family based churches, did that as well.
Tipper, I don't recall anyone saying Christmas gift when I was growing up. I do remember always getting a paper bag with an orange, apple, ribbon candy, nuts, and chocolate coin candy in it.😊 I guess different areas would do or say different things. I love the story about the girls giving you gifts from Travis Tritt and other people. Also, the story about Matt's dad's hat, too. 💕 Thank you so much for reading all about the different traditions. I enjoy your stories so much! 🤗 Sending blessings to you and all your family. 💗🙏
I love hearing about your traditions, too!
We didnt get pokes at school. We got those mesh stockings full of candy , coloring book and crayons plus a Santa Claus mug. We get the pokes at church. I love it then and now.
Thank you for sharing!
My great-grandmother from Alabama lived here in Texas and we would meet at her house to spread Santa Claus. All the family came on Christmas Eve and everyone brought apples oranges all kinds of nuts and of course an old dried out coconut. On Christmas Eve morning Aunt Ethel would come through buttering everybody's nose and hollering Christmas Eve gift what do you give me. Someone would always holler out I'll give you a whipping when I get up for buttering my nose. We never understood but always remembered. Good memories
What a wonderful tradition! I love those memories 😊
I remember as a kid My mom used to get these chocolate oranges and she put that in my stocking with a bunch of other candy
I love those memories 😊
I love chocolate oranges. Haven't had one in years. I may treat myself to one this year.
❤😊love these stories. We have a Christmas trick with our immediate family! They wrap up an ugly sweatshirt the same one every time and bring it back every christmas!!! It is quite hilarious!❤ 🎉😊❤
I love that tradition! It sounds like so much fun!! 😊
Praying and Blessed! 🤗🙏💕🌄🎄
Thank you! 🙏
From Kentucky id never heard of it til now.learn something new.🎄❄️🎁
Tipper, My family never used the phrase, "Christmas Gift." I first heard that term used in a diary written by a young woman in northern Virginia in 1860s. Christmas morning me and my siblings received paper sacks with an apple, orange, nuts, candy (hard and chocolate). We are from easyern Ky.
Love that documentation!
We would always get a sticking on St. Nicks night..Dec. 5. Filled with oranges, apples, nuts and some candy. Not many people do St. Nicks night anymore.
My a father used use big paper grocery bags for our Christmas stockings. He thought it was funny.🙏🇨🇦❤️🙏
Love that!
I’ve to got stop writing comments when I’m half asleep! lol…..🙂
I enjoy hearing yor Christmas traditions❤❤
Yes, paper bags were pokes, in Blount County where I grew up!
Hi Tipper...What a wonderful history lesson on old Appalachian Xmas traditions...so very interesting...I went to a small country Baptist Church in Southern Ontario Canada and on the evening of the Xmas Concert, Santa would come and give each child a treat bag as we called them with an orange, candy cane and some foil wrapped chocolates and nuts...Such good memories from those days...God Bless you and your family and Merry Christmas and all the Best for 2025...One year my husband got a gift from his brother labeled "Shaker" and he had to guess what it was, it turned out to be a box of navy beans.😅
😊 thank you
My brother, Don, who was 7 at the time (I was 6 mths) opened all the presents carefully to see what they were then he sealed them back up. My Momma asked him who did opened the presents (as the tape was not holding the wrapping) and he told her I did it. Of course, she didn't believe him! (this took place in December 1960)
😊
Really friendly Chris mas video ! When I hug my sonduring this season I think I'll cheerfully say "Christmas Gift !" I usually say Bear Hug!
I love it! 😊
We don't have that game in our family, but I do love hearing about the traditions of others. With our first grandbaby being born this year, maybe it's time to introduce new traditions into the family! On a side note, I would love to see you offer "Plum foolish about Christmas" shirts in your shop ❤
My italian family celebrates xmas eve with what is called the feast of 7 fishes. Midnight mass and gifts opened among extended family. Xmas morning was reserved for the gifts santa left during the night.
We always got a Christmas bag at church after the Christmas program when I was a child. We got an apple, orange, candy and some nuts. It was an exciting time. ❤
(From eastern Ohio originally) A Christmas trick was also a trip, like "I'm goin on a trick (trip) to Granma's house for Christmas this year." We also sometimes give gifts that are listed from fictional characters, like last year my mom gave my boys a gift "From Mr. Tumnus" from Narnia.
I miss those church-related Christmas traditions. Pageants, caroling, gift bags, pot luck dinners, cantatas, etc. I dearly love the spark plug ornament. I need to find one to put on my tree in memory of my dad, who was a mechanic. I have specific ornaments on my tree, in remembrance of so many loved ones, as well as items on the ledge above my kitchen cabinets. Seems like every item of decor in my house is tied to the memory of a love one or a specific event in my life. It's what makes it home for me. Love your reading from the "big book."
My things are tied to memories too!! Really enjoyed your thoughts!!
My church gives a Christmas sack every year. It always has all kinds of candy , apple and an orange and a bag of peanuts and gum.
Our family loves the tradition of the Christmas Eve Gift! 🎁
My dad always said 'Christmas gift!' when we went somewhere or someone came to visit---but he did not always limit it to Christmas time...he would from time to time throughout the year say it when visiting or being visite--he said it loud and with a grin on his face and happiness in his voice. I connect it with school and church---my grandfather was the one who gathered up all the candy fruit and nuts and brown paper sacks to fill for the church--he did it my entire life and then when he died, his daughter (my aunt who is a year younger than me) took over the tradition for many many years (her and her husband and kids) but a few years back a few new people in the church decided they were going to do it and just ignored the family tradition that was going on and now it is something that anyone in the church can participate in doing....yes, my aunt and myself both do not like it this way--to us its a total disregard to a family's lifetime tradition
Love the way he said it throughout the year 😊