The Beauty of Christmas Traditions: Carrying on the Magic
There’s something truly magical about Christmas traditions, especially when you have kids. You get to create a world of wonder and excitement for them, filled with special customs that you cherished as a child, while also starting new ones that become cherished memories in their own right. For me, one of the most beloved traditions from my childhood is something I’ve passed down to my children, and it’s a tradition that never fails to make Christmas morning feel even more magical.
When I was growing up, Christmas wasn’t just about the gifts—it was about the way we unwrapped them. My mom had a clever system to keep things exciting and organized. She’d make sure that all of our presents were wrapped in different colored paper. If my brother and I each had 12 gifts, mine might be wrapped in red paper and his in green. But here’s where it got really fun: each gift was numbered from 1 to 12. And no, we didn’t just tear into them one by one in random order. That would be too easy!
Instead, we would each draw a number from a hat, and that would be the order in which we got to open our presents. It kept the suspense building, as we never knew which present we’d get next. The best part? My mom had a way of saving the most exciting gifts for last. She’d take the numbers for the best presents out of the hat, ensuring that the final gifts were the grand finale of the morning. It was a little game of anticipation and surprise, and it made the whole process feel so special and enjoyable.
As a child, I couldn’t get enough of the tradition, and now that I have kids of my own, I’ve carried it forward. It brings a sense of fun and togetherness to Christmas morning, as we all gather around, eagerly awaiting our turn to pick a number and unwrap a present. My children love it just as much as I did, and there’s something about the ritual of it—the joy of anticipation, the laughter, and the shared excitement—that makes Christmas morning so much more than just a time to exchange gifts. It’s a time to create memories that will last a lifetime.
As our family tradition continues to evolve, I find myself thinking about the beauty of Christmas traditions as a whole. Whether it’s a special meal, decorating the tree together, or sharing stories of past Christmases, traditions help anchor the holiday season and make it feel truly special. They’re a way of holding on to the magic of the season, and they can also be a way of creating new magic for the next generation.
