My partner in crime Jasia over at Creative Gene and I were discussing Christmas Eve traditions about a month ago, specifically Vigilia celebrated among my Polish friends here in Chicago. That discussion led to an idea: why not create an Advent calendar using different Christmas/Family History related topics for each day.We all know that it is often much easier to write about something when you have a topic or a prompt. Below you will find the prompts for each day leading up to December 25th. Topics cover Christmas trees, holiday foods, travel, religious services and more. We want to know how your family celebrated or continues to celebrate these traditions.
There are also three days (December 7th, 15th and 22nd) designated as a Christmas Grab Bag - meaning you can post on the Christmas topic of your choice.
Posts can be submitted to me at tmacentee@hotmail.com and I will organize the links into a master post each day on this blog. In addition, there will be a neat graphical calendar along with a mechanism for punishing cheaters who try to look ahead at the posts for future dates!
One advantage of the Advent calendar is it allows you to create your posts now and save them as drafts before the busy holiday season takes place. Who wants to think about what to post in December when there are trees to decorate, cookies to bake and parties to attend?
Please contact me if you have any questions. And enjoy the holidays!
TOPICS:
December 1 - The Christmas Tree
Did you have a real tree or was it artificial? How big was the tree? Who decorated the tree?
December 2 - Christmas Tree Ornaments
Did your family have heirloom or cherished ornaments? Did you ever string popcorn and cranberries? Did your family make ornaments?
December 3 - Holiday Foods
Did your family have any traditional dishes for the holidays? Was there one dish that you thought was unusual?
December 4 - Christmas Cards
Did your family send them? Did your family display the ones they received? Do you still send Christmas cards?
December 5 - Outdoor Decorations
Did people in your neighborhood decorate with lights? Did some people really go “all out” when decorating?
December 6 - Santa Claus
Did you ever send a letter to Santa? Did you ever visit Santa and “make a list?” Do you still believe in Santa Claus?
December 7 - Christmas Grab Bag
Author’s choice. Please post from a topic that helps you remember Christmases past!
December 8 - Christmas Cookies
Did your family make Christmas Cookies? How did you help? Did you have a favorite cookie?
December 9 - Holiday Parties
Did your family throw a holiday party each year? Do you remember attending any holiday parties?
December 10 - Christmas Gifts
What were your favorite gifts, both to receive and to give?
December 11 - Holiday Travel
Did you travel anywhere for Christmas? How did you travel and who traveled with you? Do you remember any special trips?
December 12 - Charitable/Volunteer Work
Did your family ever volunteer with a charity such as a soup kitchen, homeless or battered women’s shelter during the holidays? Were you able to make the holidays special for someone less fortunate?
December 13 - Christmas and the Arts
Did your family attend any special events or performances during the holidays?
December 14 - Fruitcake – Friend or Foe?
Did you like fruitcake? Did your family receive fruitcakes? Have you ever re-gifted fruitcake? Have you ever devised creative uses for fruitcake?
December 15 - Christmas Grab Bag
Author’s choice. Please post from a topic that helps you remember Christmases past!
December 16 - Christmas at School
What did you do to celebrate Christmas at school? Were you ever in a Christmas Pageant?
December 17 - Christmas Church Services
Did your family attend religious services during the Christmas season? What were the customs and traditions involved?
December 18 - Christmas Stockings
Did you have one? Where did you hang it? What did you get in it?
December 19 - Christmas Shopping
How did your family handle Christmas Shopping? Did anyone finish early or did anyone start on Christmas Eve?
December 20 - Christmas and Deceased Relatives
Did your family visit the cemetery at Christmas? How did your family honor deceased family members at Christmas?
December 21 - Christmas Music
What songs did your family listen to during Christmas? Did you ever go caroling? Did you have a favorite song?
December 22 - Christmas Grab Bag
Author’s choice. Please post from a topic that helps you remember Christmases past!
December 23 - Christmas Sweetheart Memories
Do you have a special memory of a first Christmas present from a sweetheart? How did you spend your first Christmas together?
December 24 - Christmas Eve
How did you and your family spend Christmas Eve?
2 comments:
Not quite what I was planning but since you guys have it all organized and everything I'll play. :) Actually it sounds like fun and will be interesting to see how everyone's answers compare, like the October five question challenges.
Hey, Thomas - thanks for such a welcome challenge. In between all the hectic holiday sprints, we genealogy bloggers will be humming your meme...
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