Throwback Thursday: favorite December activities? #TBT

[#1]

It's Thursday!

For years, my December activities were the standard fare: decorating the tree, endless holiday parties, and avoiding the mall. But then, a few years back, I moved to Utah and discovered a couple of absolutely fantastic, new traditions.

First up: the Alpine Living Nativity. Check out the implied picture in your mind's eye: walking through the cold night air, seeing the actual scenes from the Nativity story with real actors, and yes, real animals! They even have a camel. It's so well done and totally moves you out of the holiday hustle.

Then there is the Christkindlmarkt. This place is pure magic, like stepping into a European movie. The yearly struggle to leave the market without buying every single locally made bar of soap or candle...

For those that don't know: "The term Christkindlmarkt (or Christkindlesmarkt) is the German name for a traditional Christmas market, a street market held during the four weeks of Advent." They're filled with amazing crafts, hot chocolate, and the best sweet pretzels you'll ever have.

Soooo, what is a December tradition or activity you do?

Let’s make it a great Thursday!

KGM

[Staffan Redelius]

We have started a tradition we call "Cheesy Christmas movie bingo"

Each member of the family has a bingo card with different categories like

• Fake snow
• Sudden snowstorm,
• "Is that Santa..?
• Mistaken identity
• Flanell shirts
• More than three christmas trees in a room.
• Family business is at risk
• etc. 

All things that are very plausible to happen in a ordinary Christmas move. The first one to get a full row gets a special prize. 😀

Try it, it is harder than it sounds and creates a extra dimension to the movie nights

[Viktoriia Golovtseva _TitanApps_]

Love this ❤️ I have a similar “how did I not know about this before?” story from the other side of the world.

A few years ago I moved to Romania and someone casually mentioned “you should see the Christmas market in Craiova, it’s surprisingly nice.” I had to google the city first. It felt like one of those small places you just pass through on the train, not a “destination”.

Then I went once… and that was it. Instant tradition.

Now every December I hop on a train to Craiova, wrap myself in five layers, and walk under rivers of lights that spill over the entire city center. The market has basically become the city’s winter “brand” – it keeps popping up in European rankings and travel articles as one of the top and biggest Christmas markets in Europe, and people fly in from all over the EU just for it. 

For me, it’s all the small rituals: hot vin fiert in frozen hands, kids screaming happily on the carousel, the Nutcracker decorations everywhere this year, and that feeling that a “small” town decided to go all in on magic and actually pulled it off. 

If you’re curious what it looks like in 2025, here’s a glimpse:
Craiova Christmas Market 2025

Your Alpine Nativity + Christkindlmarkt combo sounds like exactly the kind of trip I’d love to trade stories about someday over a cup of mulled wine. 🎄✨

[Melissa Brown]

I love waking up early on Christmas morning and just sitting by the tree before all the chaos awakens. I find it so peaceful, the last quiet moment of Christmas, and one of the only moments to enjoy the look of unwrapped presents. 

[John Funk]

Having lived in multiple different cities over the last 5 years, we have often traveled for Christmas to meet up with family. One of the best was last year going to the Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany - the oldest in the country. So much fun AND good food!

But I guess my favorite activity year end and year out would be putting up the Christmas tree. This year it's a real one since we live in Montana. Such a delight to smell that aroma each morning to start the day!

[Barbara Szczesniak]

Every year, my neighborhood has a Toys for Tots event—it is this Saturday. I have already picked up toys for my mom and myself to donate. 

You have to bring a toy to enter the event. There is music, friends (and friends you haven't met yet), and food—a club I belong to is selling Italian sausage and peppers sandwiches, with all proceeds going to the Toys for Tots club in our neighborhood to be able to purchase bicycles next year.

They have many baskets of goodies that people donate, and you buy raffle tickets and put them in boxes for the baskets you are interested in. It's nice to win, but, again, the proceeds go toward bicycles next year. 

This event always makes me feel so good and gets me into the holiday season. 🎄🧸

[Natalie Beiler]

One of my many favorite Christmas activities is Christmas Eve at church where we sing, light candles and anticipate the arrival of the Christ child.

Christkindlmarkt sounds like the market in downtown Chicago which is on my favorite list. Maybe one of these years I will make it to Europe to experience an original market.

Whatever the activity during this time of year, it is a time of great joy and celebration for you family.

[Amanda Barber]

We always enjoy walking through a neighborhood here that is called "Candy Cane Lane" to see the lights. They also fundraise for a local charity. Most of the houses decorate and it's just so fun to walk through. Hopefully it warms back up a bit so we can walk through - driving just isn't the same!

We've already started watching some of our favorite Christmas movies like The Santa Clause, Elf, Christmas Chronicles and Spirited. 

[Susan Waldrip]

I have two favorite traditions for Winter Solstice/Yule: One is to shovel the snow around the fire pit (if needed), get bundled up in blankets, and sit around the fire talking in the evening w/ a warm drink. The other is early on the morning of Yule, I place foam footprints of different colors in a pattern on the floor from the pellet stove to the tree and back to the stove, as if a little elf came from the stove to deliver something and then went back up the flue! 

Happy Holidays to all of you, whatever you may celebrate!

[Teodora V _Warsaw Dynamics_]

To keep my personality and spirits alive, my December activity is to avoid any December activity :D

Unless there is something interesting related to food - a special Christmas market or workshop. Then I can go out of my shell and participate in a culinary event.

[Natalie Beiler]

@Teodora V _Warsaw Dynamics_ I'm chuckling over your post this morning. How precious is the gift of choice! 

[Kristján Geir Mathiesen]

Thanks and...