When my children were very young, maybe two, three, and five years old, I started a tradition that we kept for many many years. They were just too excited to eat dinner on Christmas Eve, so I made an hors d’oeuvres party for them. The girls wore their best frilly dresses, and my son wore his suit and tie. We played the radio and danced. I poured their koolaid and juice in my best wine glasses. But it was never ready until we got our box from Hickory Farms.
I didn’t realize just how much my children loved this tradition until the first year that my son was in the Air Force. He didn’t join until he was 23. Because we didn’t know if he was going to spend Christmas Eve with us or with his girlfriend’s family, I didn’t plan the usual party. The day after Christmas, he sat down with me at breakfast, and said “Mom, you didn’t make a party for us.” I just hope he now carries on the tradition with his own children.
Hickory Farms sent me a Family Favorites Gift Box like the one pictured above. It’s all gluten free except for the crackers, but my husband can eat those. The summer sausage is still just as tasty as it was all those years ago when I danced on Christmas Eve with my children.
One reader can win a Family Favorites Gift Box from Hickory Farms. Just use the Rafflecopter form to enter.
Gaelyn says
What a delightful story and memory. Who doesn’t like Hickory Farms.
Michelle A. says
My husband also loves those Hickory Farm gift boxes from his childhood Christmas memories! :0)
Pamela in Louisiana says
Yummmm…everything in the box looks good!
Sandy says
sending christmas cards…and nobody does it anymore =o(
Racheal says
My favorite tradition is decorating the Christmas tree as a family. We always bake cookies and listen to Christmas music; its always a good time.
Henrietta says
I adore Hickory Farms! One of our favorite traditions is making a Gingerbread House together. Sure, it’s from a kit but we have done one every year and it usually ends up in giggles and sprinkles all over the kitchen!
angela cunningingham says
making cookies
Lydia says
We play board games after dinner 🙂
Katherine says
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Heather! says
We have a Family Christmas Eve service in which we all gather around the fireplace and read stories and poems about the holiday. It’s a quiet, reflective time we spend as a family before the real madness begins!
Thanks!
h4schaffer at gmail dot com
debbie says
I always get the tree on my birthday and we decorate it.
Ann Fantom says
My favorite Christmas tradition is baking Christmas cookies with my daughter like I did with my mom and grandmother
Barbara Montag says
My sis and I started a new holiday tradition.
Each year we see a Christmas play – thank you!
ryan minton says
my favorite holiday tradition is opening one gift on christmas eve.
rypm25@aol.com
EMMA L HORTON says
THE BIG CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH ALL THE RELATIVES
danica says
just getting together on christmas day exchanging gifts and eating dinner
joseph gersch jr says
eating pizza on Christmas eve
jules mcnubbin says
we make christmas cookies together and decorate them, its an all day thing but we have a blast
Gina Brickell says
Watching Christmas Specials on tv together
latanya says
Going to Christmas light festival each year
Allison (allie lanc on rafflecopter) says
Riding around listening to Christmas music and looking at Christmas lights!
Carly says
My favorite holiday tradition is getting drunk off egg nog.
Denise S says
Baking and eating treats together.
Sarah S says
I love singing Christmas carols with my family.
danielle lima says
we watch the Hogfather and Nightmare Before Christmas
theresa says
I have never had a hickory farms gift box, but it sounds delicious…
Ttrockwood says
One of our traditions is fresh gingerbread and mimosas for xmas breakfast!
LeAnn Voyer says
I love going with the kids to pick out the perfect tree.
Tracy Pryor says
We love to go to longwood gardens to see the lights.
judy gardner says
we all get together for lunch on Christmas day at my mom’s
Angela Kinder says
Every Christmas morning, we have breakfast before we open presents. We’ll eat, and then go to the room (that changes every year, believe it or not) and sit around the tree, opening gifts. And every year, we anoint a “Santa” that passes out gifts!
susan wiener says
my family ‘n friends come over Xmas and we bake cookies. It’s a lot of fun and delicious eating 🙂
Ashley H says
I like baking cookies for santa.
Cálaeb Temple says
favourite holiday tradition is staying up until morning just talking, eating, drinking and laughing.
Linda Lansford says
my fave is the family meal
Liz Terek says
Watching the kids open presents
SHAYNA says
WE LOVE TO DECORATE THE TREE WHILE LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC AND DRINKING EGG NOG 🙂
shebebes@yahoo.com
Penny Snyder says
Hiking in the snow! grammypenny@frontier.com
dan williams says
spending time with my family
naomi c says
making christmas cookies!
ELIZABETH C. says
Our holiday tradition is…. We all cook and bake together as a family.
Donna L says
The youngest person hands out the gifts.
Ani says
A tradition of ours that I love is driving around looking at Christmas light displays, some pretty and others outrageous.
Kathy S says
We love to make Gingerbread houses.
Susan C says
Cheeseburger Soup on Christmas Eve!
Brittney House says
Opening present christmas eve
Emily R. says
Cookie decorating party:-)
Monique Rizzo says
Looking at lights on christmas eve!
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com
g. penrod says
getting together
LOIS PAYTON says
my mom’s buttermilks fudge, only at christmas, so good, GOD BLESS
Lle Schreiber says
We love watching holiday movies and sharing Christmas treats together – but opening presents and emptying stockings on Christmas morning is great, too!
edq143 says
decorating the tree
stephanie says
bake christmas cookies
Charlotte Padgett says
stockings (large Christmas bags) for everyone opened after the regular gift exchange.
Kathy B says
My favorite tradition is new pajamas on Christmas eve for the whole family!
Elaine says
Going to Midnight Mass.
PAIGE CHANDLER says
We string popcorn on the tree Christmas Eve
Leslie J says
Christmas Eve at my Mom’s — we’ve had the same menu as long as I can remember. It is always so much fun!
Sunshine G says
Going on the Christmas train every year in the park.
Theron Willis says
Lots of eggnog for the adults and gingerbread cookies for the children.
Hope to win!
Mary Calabrese says
Stockings hung on the fireplace.
Linda says
We have had a nice steak dinner on Christmas eve for many years now….we always buy either a bone in ribeye or a standing rib roast. we always make it a special time for our little family. Last year I bought a gingerbread house kit and Alan, Stefanie & I put it together and decorated it while Adam stayed in the den and played on his phone (this year, I’ve already told him he has to help). It was a lot of fun and as for Summer Sausage..one of my fave’s 🙂
casey everidge says
decorating the christmas tree together
Louis says
decorating the tree together and the kids are allowed to open one present on christmas eve
Thank you for hosting this giveaway
Louis
pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com
Steve says
Great giveaway! thanks
Lee says
My favorite holiday tradition is simply spending time with family.
Kathy Bose says
Decorating the tree.
chris z says
decorating
Cody Anderson says
Our favorite holiday tradition is drinking eggnog by the fire on Christmas Eve with the grandparents.
Samantha F. says
Our favorite tradition is watching Love Actually! :o)
Stacey Cockrell says
Decorating the Christmas Tree
Kellie Rose Wilson says
Baking Christmas cookies!
Teh Doll says
Going to my mother inlaws baking.
Stephanie Larison says
I love baking cookies with all the family together.
Dorothy Deakyne says
making homemade ravioli
natasha says
The kids get to choose Christmas morning breakfast – one year it was birthday cake!
Kathleen Downes says
We make and decorate sugar cookies.
jessica edwards says
cmas eve chili dinner
BILL H says
chinese on christmas eve
Ashley Morrissey says
Putting up the tree and decorating!
Caryn S says
Baking and decorating holiday cookies
randall robison says
Our favorite holiday tradition is sitting around on christmas eve watchin lampoons christmas vacation.we do it every year.. thanks
daph says
Christmas Dinner
Sara Wood says
we bake cookies together
Olie says
My favorite holiday tradition is out Christmas Eve Feast!
Meaghan F. says
Spending time with my family at my grandma’s house. We sit in the living room and talk for hours.
Kim W says
Our tradition is fun, we try to out-tape each other with the Christmas presents and make them almost impossible to open. My mom always wins.
Theresa D says
Our favorite tradition is to get our tree and spend the day enjoying the other activities at the tree farm.
Angela says
We love to bake Christmas cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.
Anthony says
Decorating the Christmas tree together
heather says
I love making Christmas cookies with my mother.
Kayte CookWatts says
We always do shrimp cocktails Christmas Eve!
Sonya Morris says
Going to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Gloria S says
Going to Church on Christmas Eve.
joni says
On Christmas morning we put a lit candle in a cupcake then place it in front of the manger and sing Happy Birthday to baby Jesus.
Bella T. says
We love decorating, cooking, and be extra thankful. We cherish each and every little thing!
Bella T. says
Oh my goodness! Typos are so frustrating sometimes. I meant to say that we we love BEING extra thankful. Merry Christmas! 🙂
Bella T. says
My last comment had yet another typo! I think that’s a sign for me to go to bed. LOL
Marie C says
The family gathers at my mom’s for Christmas Eve.
Michelle W says
Baking cookies with my sister
Molly Bussler says
We love to watch Holiday movies and crack nuts.
s riches says
My favorite tradition is when we decorate the Christmas tree.
Kyl Neusch says
baking christmas cookies
Valerie Taylor Mabrey says
prayer around the table
vmkids3 at msn dot com
Diane S says
going to my best friends house and seeing the joy and wonder of christmas on the kids faces. You can’t fake that or replace it.
Tiffany H says
My favorite tradition is making orange rolls christmas morning
harolde says
Going to local Christmas parades is our tradition.
gala says
we are baking special Chrismas cookies together
Lisa Weidknecht says
Christmas eve services
Erica C. says
We like to drive around our neighborhood to see holiday lights.
Tim says
We are still a relatively new family(3 years), so we haven’t established any traditions. Unless you want to count going to the in-laws house all 3 years, which is a tradition I am happy to cease at some point!!!!
Dawn Ganey says
Favorite holiday tradition is making stuffing out of jiffy corn bread with lots of onions & celery.
Shirley Hicks says
Our tradition is for All my kids..grown and the ones at home……spend at least part of the day at my house………..
Debra Hall says
making breads and cookies
Sherri B. says
Putting up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving Day!!!
Nicole Larsen says
Decorating our christmas tree!
Kristy Thiel says
I love putting out cookies and milk for santa!
Desiree Dunbar says
Exchanging ornaments with my husband every year.
Mary Cloud says
Meeting at my Grandma’s on Christmas Eve to open presents
annabella @ centurytel dot net
Christine says
cookie baking
kiana says
bakeing 🙂
jeannine s says
Driving around looking at the lights
Tracy Allen says
Our favorite is a Christmas Eve buffet of snacks and all the treats we’ve made
Melanie Montgomery says
We love spending time together as a family.
Denise M says
i love making desserts with my family
Allie says
Reading The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.
Lisa says
eating snowball cookies while opening presents
Kathy Artis says
Favorite tradition is the family stringing popcorn for the christmas tree.
Jennifer R says
We love our Christmas Eve Soup and Snack supper with a holiday movie afterwards. Hickory Farms would be a great addition to that.
Gianna says
Baking cookies together.
kristy says
We always get together on Christmas Eve to exchange gifts, eat, and play games
john mains says
we go to midnight mass
MJ says
We exchange gifts on Christmas Eve and have a great dinner on Christmas Day.
KATHY DALTON says
we all ride around and look at the christmas light then go to midnight mass and then on to breakfast
Sarah says
Watching the fur babies open their presents
Jenny says
I love decorating the christmas tree with the kids!
Mary Somerville says
Our Family’s get together to bake for the Holidays.
Brenda Elsner says
We go out on Christmas eve and look at all the holiday lights!!
Robin says
Putting up the christmas tree
Brad Merrell says
Putting ornaments on the tree together
Jaque Richards says
My favorite holiday tradition is Christmas eve dinner. 🙂 Thank you.
Jay Daugherty says
I love making holiday food with my sister.
Julie Jones says
Christmas at my mother in laws on Dec 23rd
diane Baum says
We ,love to light Chanukah candles
Amy DeLong says
we watch christmas movies christmas eve and eat goodies
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com
Rich Hicks says
big breakfast on xmas day and invite grandparents over to watch kids open gifts
ardy22 at earthlink dot net
Kenny F says
decorate the Christmas tree.
Brandy Leigh Farmer says
Decorating the tree.
Gaines Simmons says
Hello, how are you? Thank you for this opportunity. Gathering the nuts for the baked goods.
Vicki D. says
My favorite holiday tradition is getting together with my nieces and nephews at Christmas time.
Nicole Lancaster says
All the children in my family get together right before Christmas and decorate Gingerbread houses which we display at our Christmas eve party.
mary gardner says
all of the kids in our family get together every year to decorate my mom’s tree
jagar0047 at yahoo dot com
jessica schueler says
Our tradition is making the kids eat Breakfast before opening gifts lol they don’t want to eat!
Oatmeal and orange juice
Ed Nemmers says
We prepare all of the cookie doughs at the early part of the week, then bake them all in one long assembly night session!
Deb K says
Making cookies together.
Padma Miller says
Going to Grandma’s
Heather S says
baking cookies for neighbors
kathy pease says
we love to bake goodie baskets for friends and family on christmas eve 🙂
Vikki Billings says
Our tradition is that my mom buys a new ornament for us each year, I look forward to seeing what my new ornament will be.
liz l says
Going to Disney World!
Charlene says
Decorating the christmas tree together while listening to Christmas music 🙂
Caitlin McClure says
Chex mix!
Shirley Zolenski says
Everybody coming to my house for Christmas
Susan Smith says
We drive around looking at Christmas light on Christmas Eve
corrie says
my parents and brothers come over for thanksgiving and christmas every year and we pig out lol
Leah Shumack says
everyone gets christmas pjs with pictures in front of the tree
Shea Balentine says
Adults getting together to play bingo
Breanne says
Opening one present on Christmas Eve
Ellen says
baking cookies
Michelle Tucker says
Our favorite tradition is going to starbucks and getting a pumpkin spiced latte and then going to look at the Christmas lights. We’ve been doing it for 11 years now.
Philip says
spending time with friends
Lisa Garner says
We get all the granchildren together before Christmas each year at my mothers house to bake and decorate Christmas cookies together.
Chelsea A says
i live far away so talking to my parents on the phone every christmas is my favorite tradition. 🙂
Carolyn Daley says
Baking snickerdoodles cookies while listening to Christmas music
Beth Hargett says
My favorite Christmas tradition is getting together with all the family at my parents house, going to midnight service on Christmas Eve, and dedicating a whole day the beginning of December to decorate, bake, drink hot chocolate and listen to Christmas music.
melina r says
like drinking hot chocolate with my family