Family Traditions
Our San Diego
Families
Holiday traditions are what make this time of year so special; they are as unique as each family who cultivates them. San Diego Family staff share meaningful family traditions — we encourage you to start your own, if you haven’t already.
Sharon Bay Larry and I take our kids and grandkids to a holiday performance. In recent years we’ve attended Lamb’s Players in Coronado and Cygnet Theatre in Old Town. Christmas music gets us in the giving and holiday spirit and we enjoy going out for dessert after the performance.
Giovanni Baldan Every year the kids and I pick out a new porcelain building (from the Christmas in the City collection) to display in our village. On Christmas night, we invite family and friends over for a secret Santa gift exchange and enjoy traditional Italian Christmas desserts such as panettone and pandoro.
Lisa Gipson On Christmas Eve we attend a candlelight church service, followed by dinner at a Chinese or Thai restaurant. At home, we read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, enjoy hot cider and the “kids” open one present. Listening to “John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together” is an absolute must!
Nicole Maggio We spend Christmas morning at my sister’s house and I wear the same thing every year: a t-shirt that says “I’m Mom’s favorite” and green “ho ho ho” sweatpants. The shirt helps keep my mom (who is in Heaven) close to my heart on Christmas Day.
Jenny Burman We make it a point to set up and decorate our Christmas tree together. We attend Christmas vigil Mass, then open presents on Christmas morning, complete with hot chocolate and “A Christmas Story” playing on TV. The rest of the day is spent with family — and eating!
Crystal Grobner We wrap new and “old” favorite books and put them under the Christmas tree by Dec. 1. Included are books about Christmas, Santa, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Frosty — anything that delights children about this time of year and how families celebrate. Every night in December our kids unwrap a book to read at bedtime.
Michele Hancock We love exploring San Diego over the holidays. Our favorite must-do tradition is seeing the Christmas tree at Hotel del Coronado. Last year we experienced the Del’s Jingle Roast and had a wonderful time roasting s’mores on the beach — only in San Diego!
Rik Thiesfeld When my kids were little, I took them to shop for a new ornament for the tree each year. We liked the ones with the year printed on them. It was a sad/happy feeling to view the ornaments after 18 years had gone by.
Linda Bay Every Thanksgiving my family makes Lefse, a Norwegian flatbread made with potatoes. It takes an entire day to make, so the whole family helps. For the first two weeks of December we enjoy delicious, fresh Lefse with butter and sugar.
Adrienne Sigeti Growing up, the holidays were really fun because half my family celebrates Christmas and the other half celebrates Hanukkah. When the holidays overlapped, we would light the menorah and play dreidel with my dad’s parents; then we’d attend Christmas Eve service with my mom’s parents.
Tony Andrews My grandmother started a “Trinket Ribbon” tradition that we still do with our kids. She knitted a 6-foot strip that hangs on the wall. We wrap and safety pin 10 small gifts (trinkets) to the “ribbon.” One gift is opened each night before bed; the last one is opened on Christmas Eve. Office: 1475 Sixth Avenue, Fifth Floor, San Diego, CA 92101 • Phone: 619-685-6970 Fax: 619-685-6978 • Email: family@SanDiegoFamily.com Mission Statement • To enhance the quality of life for San Diego County families by providing information and resources that support the importance and pleasure of parenting.
12 • SanDiegofamily.com • December 2018