Friday, December 24, 2010

BOHEMIAN TRADITIONS

When I first had met my husband, Chuck, he told me that his parents had waited until Christmas Eve and after the children  went to bed, the whole house was decorated.

Today I received my newsletter from the GERMAN BOHEMIAN HERITAGE SOCIETY and one of the articles stated that it was a tradition that was decorated on Christmas Eve.  It seems that the children would visit the house of other and the mother would decorate and when they came home from their visit St. Nicholas or the Christ Child had visited and left gifts.  I told him today about the tradition and I guess his family's tradition came from the immigrant Bohemians.

He said that nothing was done and when they woke on Christmas Day the tree and decoration, inside and out were done.   It was magical.  After the kids were grown, all the sons would meet at his parents home and exchange gifts after midnight.   We would eat after everyone would arrive.  We would have cold cuts, cheese and salads.   I had baked Christmas Cookies and would bring a large box of the treats for the occasion.

While his parents were alive we  would spend Christmas Eve at his house and Christmas Day with my family.   It made for an easy decision on which house to visit over the Holidays. 

They have been gone for about 15 years and I really do miss them and the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations with our families.

3 comments:

  1. I remember my father telling me that when he was growing up, the tree didn't go up until after he and the other children were in bed. They awoke to a tree and a decorated house, too. I think that must have been part of the gift of Christmas for the children in his family because they only received stockings with one toy, some nuts, and an orange in the toe. His grandparents were English and German.

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  2. That's the old-fashioned kind of Christmas that I love! Have a great holiday season, Claudia!

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  3. What a good memory! I remember in old Christmas movies, that the tree was decorated after the children went to bed as a surprise for them. Merry Christmas!

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