The holidays are a time to share our favourite traditions with our families and loved ones. We all have our funny, sweet, or just plain silly holiday traditions. We asked our staff at the Canadian Red Cross what their favourite holiday traditions were. In true Red Cross fashion they were sweet, hilarious, and very fun!
Every year the Sudbury, Ontario branch cooks a full Christmas lunch for all of their volunteers. It takes the entire night before to get all of the food ready! Santa is known to make a special appearance, as is a local children’s choir.
Serenna works in Disaster Management in Ontario but travels to visit her parents in North Bay every year. On Christmas Day her and her sister gift each other a new sled and go sledding together. Their poor parents now own a small warehouse of snow tubes, snowboards, crazy carpets, flying saucers, wooden toboggans, GT snow racers, and anything else they could find. Afterwards they make a “snow couch” around the fire and enjoy some hot chocolate.
The Wenzel family has some very hilarious holiday traditions too! They make a costume out of random items they find around the house and then exchange Secret Santa gifts. The gift must be a fashionable outfit purchased from the local thrift shop. On Christmas Day they model and wear their outfits for the entire day!
Judy Bond from Newfoundland shares a fishy tradition with her family. Instead of the usual turkey, their Christmas Eve meal consists of fish and brewis! Sounds delicious!
Another tasty tradition is upheld by Christie Moore from Halifax. Each year her whole family gets together after Christmas Eve mass to watch both Home Alone movies and eat pizza.
Cheryl Kelly visits her family in New Brunswick to spend time together and play board games. Every year they buy a new pair of matching PJs to wear together. This year they are extra excited to find a matching onesie for Cheryl’s 2 month old niece!
Mary-Anne Gies and her husband also share their favourite film – a 12 hour Lord of the Rings marathon that starts Christmas Eve and stretches all the way to Boxing Day!
We would love to hear about your holiday traditions. Feel free to share your stories by commenting!