Guest Post: Christmas Traditions

I'm a little busy today cleaning house to get it ready for my mom's birthday, so I didn't have time to post today. But never fear! I will not let you down. Andrea of Loud Words and Sounds has valiantly agreed to step in and take over the Christmas posting for today. She's got a great post today about her family's traditions. So read, enjoy, and don't forget to give her blog a visit too!
-Alyssa

Hi everyone! I want to thank Alyssa first for allowing me to introduce you to my Christmas traditions!

Before I even start I need to say one thing: I'm part Italian. This will play a big part in the following. As many think Italians, they thing big and loud families. Well my family is part that, were pretty big once you count in my second cousins, aunts and uncles. And were loud when all the people are assembled (especially the boys).

But ANYWAY, I'm here to tell you of my Christmas traditions!

Well they were completely different when I was younger. Then I used to sing in the children's choir at church and was the angel in the manger once. But two traditions that haven't stopped are my Grandmother's 7 fish Christmas Eve Dinner and my Mom's Ravioli Christmas Dinner.

The 7 Fish dinner might not have exactly seven fish dishes, but I know it has about that. And I know what I love about it. 1- There's Mozzarella sticks, I never get to eat these things! 2- My Uncle's Seven seas Bisque, I love it! 3-Cookies and pies ummmm! (My mom and Grandmom are great pastry bakers!) 4- Eating all the shrimp I want! (I don't really eat any of the other fish). 5-There's also pasta and well if I could live off of pasta, then I would. The only thing I won't touch is the calamari, squid just doesn't really appeal to me like pasta.

So that's the dinner part of Christmas Eve, once we come home my siblings and I exchange our gifts to each other. When we were younger that meant cheap things, but we all thought it was cool, until it broke. And then by about 10 or 11 o'clock we go to bed. And wait for "Santa" to put out the presents.

Here comes the bad part. My brother coming in my room either screaming its Christmas or shaking and jumping on my bed to wake me up. This is NOT pleasant. I can always count on this though.

But, like the little kids in us we still run down stairs and open up our presents. I typically get books, cds, and clarinet stuff. While my other siblings get random things. My sister especially gets American Girl stuff because she has 6 of them ("collector items" she says). And after everything is unwrapped and our dog has jumped all over in the wrapping paper we clean up and put our things in our rooms. And start to get ready for the rest of the family to come over.

Now this Ravioli Dinner, starts days and weeks before. My mom makes everything! She doesn't buy anything that's premade. She makes the Ravioli's by hand, and it usually takes a day to do this. And then she and my sister make a ton of cookies, for friends and family. Plus there's also another thing I can't remember the name of, but it has steak and mozzarella cheese and eggs in it (anyone know what it is?), and it's rolled up. Oh and don't forget the meatballs. Yup, all these things are handmade and are DELICIOUS! I love cheese Ravioli's their my favorite that my mom makes, I'll eat 10 just because it's really the only time I get to eat em.

That's about it for my Christmas traditions. So What does your family do for Christmas?

Merry Christmas!
and Happy Festive Times!