15 Canadian holiday traditions

"Plum Pudding"
I am one of six siblings and numerous grandchildren. The Christmas before our mother passed away ( 1981) she did something new that she called "The Plum Pudding."

She bought small inexpensive gifts for everyone and wrapped them up. She attached each gift to a ribbon and threaded the ribbon through a tissue-paper-covered decorated box. We've never been sure where the idea came from but the Christmas after her passing we decided to continue this new "tradition" in her memory.

Each year a different sibling or grandchild takes a turn doing Nana's "Plum Pudding." The children particularly enjoy watching the box explode open as everyone pulls on their own ribbon. Depending on the person preparing it, it may have colour-coded ribbon for male and female adults and children or it may be individually named. The requisite photo has also become part of the ritual. This special tradition has become our way of remembering out mother and grandmother.
– Lenora Brown, Sutton, Ontario
(on behalf of the Luscombe family siblings)

Activity advent calendar
My family has enjoyed an "Activity Advent Calendar" since my kids were little. I can remember my mom had a paper advent calendar with tiny doors that we used year after year. Each door had a number (they were sometimes hard to find), and inside a picture or verse. It seemed so special just to take my turn (I have a brother and a sister) and open the door.

When I had children of my own, all I could find were calendars with chocolates in them, as well as a variety of clever crafty calendars. I wanted something special and more personal so I designed an activity calendar. The family loved it so well, we've been doing it every year since.

I begin with a large sheet of poster board, then use last year's Christmas cards, stickers, photos, cutouts from wrapping paper, felt pens and whatever else strikes my fancy to decorate the poster. Using construction paper I make 24 "doors." Sometimes they look like real doors, but they have also been snowballs, tree ornaments, even small tree cutouts on a field of snow under a starry evening sky. Each door is numbered from one to 24. On the flip side of the door, I print something special that we'll do that day. Some examples:

• Fiona's Christmas concert tonight!
• Take some food to the food bank today.
• Have a bath with candles and Christmas music tonight.
• Enjoy hot chocolate with whipped cream and a candy cane for dessert.
• Wrap Grandma's present today.
• Get a special Christmas pin today to wear on your jacket.
• Read "The Night Before Christmas."
• Read the Christmas chapter from "Little House on the Prairie."
• Go ice skating.
• Help Mom address and mail the Christmas cards.

The activities vary, and they do get a chocolate on one of the days (my kids sometimes still think those chocolate calendars would be more fun.) On Christmas Eve, the calendar tells us to walk around the neighbourhood and look at all of the Christmas lights, then go to church for family Christmas Eve worship.

My children are now nine and 12 years old and they still want their calendar. My crafty daughter now looks forward to helping me decorate it but I still get to put in all the activities myself. The calendar helps me make sure we have time for the special activities of Christmas throughout December, and also helps our family emphasize the enjoyment of more than just gifts during the busy Christmas season.

Happy holidays!
– Sue McIntyre, Port Moody, British Columbia

Doing for others
Years ago, when our oldest son was a young boy, this was very stressful time of year for him. As soon as the first Christmas advertisements appeared on television and the toy catalogues were delivered, he would begin to worry about what he wanted to get for Christmas, whether he would get what he wanted and whether he would like it if and when he did get it! He was not much fun to be around and his mood affected us all. Perhaps you experience this with your children.

One year I decided to do something about it and it was such a success that I want to share it with you.

We decided as a family to change our focus from "What do I want for Christmas?" to "What can I do for others to make them happy during this season of joy?"

We made an Advent wreath; we started a project called "Kris Kindle," doing something thoughtful in secret for another member of the family each day during Advent (the four weeks leading up to Christmas). Picking a new name each evening was best for us.

We used an Advent calendar along with some Bible readings to help us understand what this season is all about. We built a manger out of popsicle sticks and, using strands of wool as straw, we were able to prepare for the Christ child by putting a "piece of straw" into the manger each time we did something nice for someone else. We lit lots of candles on our supper table to bring light into the darkness of the December days. We baked Christmas goodies as a family project and we looked for ways to help make Christmas happier for children who might not have much Christmas without our help – Family and Children's Services or perhaps the Salvation Army or St. Matthew's House in Hamilton, Ontario.

The good news is that it worked! The focus began to change. The whole family began to look forward to the weeks leading up to Christmas with a new and different kind of anticipation and, one year, David (the one whose worrying had got us started) announced that he had "decided that getting ready for Christmas was better even than Christmas day!"

It has become such a tradition in our family that when our youngest moved into his own home, one of his first requests was, "Mom, would you make me an Advent Wreath?"
– Jane Rokeby, Guelph, Ontario