Family holiday traditions are those special, personal ways of marking the season each year and making the bonds stronger as children grow. North State Parent reached out to our readers to share some of the ways their families celebrate this festive time.
Katie Stubbs, Shasta Lake City
Three generations spend all day baking cookies and treats for us and others. We also love viewing Christmas lights, seeing Santa at his home/garage, caroling, writing Christmas cards and having a movie marathon (I love The Santa Claus with Tim Allen and Home Alone).
Vanessa Espinosa, Burney
My favorite tradition has been putting Martinelli’s Apple Cider outside in the snow in the morning so it’s nice and chilled for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner!
Kim Christofferson, Palo Cedro
We love a day-after-Thanksgiving day bike ride on the Sacramento River trail.
Geri Copitch, Redding
Hannukah is actually a minor holiday, and can’t compete with the pageantry of some other winter holidays, but we always tried to make the holiday special for our kids. Over the years, we’ve collected several menorahs (nine branched candle holders), including some my boys made themselves. Each night of Hannukah they would each pick one to set the candles in, and light, with some parental guidance, of course! We would turn down the lights and enjoy the glow of the candles for a few minutes until their eagerness for that night’s gift won out.
Marlowe Hatchett, Oroville
The African American Family & Cultural Center holds a Kwanzaa Celebration every year and this year it will be from December 26 through Junaury 1 at the center, located at 3300 Spencer Ave. in Oroville. It is also streamed live on our social media.
The principles in the Kwanzaa celebration include: Day 1 – Umoja, unity; Day 2 – Kujichagulia, self-determination; Day 3 – Ujima, collective work and responsibility; Day 4 – Ujamaa; cooperative economics; Day 5 – Nia, purpose; Day 6 – Kuumba, creativity; and Day 7 – Imani, faith.
This year, The Kings of Cali Chico Chapter, The AAFCC and the Tree of Hope are hosting the first Southside Christmas Toy Drive, and are hoping for sponsorship of bicycles of all sizes, toys and cash donations. All who donate and participate can enjoy a free spaghetti meal on December 10 from noon-3pm. More information: (530)532-1205.
Zachary Whitten, Red Bluff
We have a “Jolabokaflod” for Christmas Preve (the night before Christmas Eve), where we get together with some family & friends and exchange books. The tradition originated in Iceland, where Jolabokaflod means the “Christmas book flood.”
Donna McAllister, Round Mountain
We always take the kids to make a Christmas decoration at All Fired Up in Redding.
Elaine Mercado Ward, Chico
For the 8 1/2 years we’ve lived in Chico, each December first is the day Santa delivers his Christmas tree from the North Pole for us to look after. On our first Christmas in Chico we did not have a lot of money for presents, let alone a fresh Christmas tree, but somehow our fake tree made it from Idaho to California so we pulled it out of storage and set it up. Our financial situation has changed and there’s no longer the need for the fake tree but my kids love the fact that Santa chooses us every year to watch this special tree. Over the years we’ve had incredible magic moments with “Santa’s tree” that I wouldn’t trade for anything — even though his tree could probably use an upgrade.
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