Top 10 Thursday - Christmas Traditions

This is my first time of joining in with Top 10 Thursday and I'm late posting! The new theme will be published today, so I'm rushing to get this one done. Many thanks to Beth for organising this.

Christmas Traditions

1. Decorating the Tree.  We don't start decorating until Christmas Eve and only leave the decorations up until Twelfth Night.  Official tree decorators are my great nieces and nephews; this year we have Tinkerbell and her brother Tweenie, and for the first time they will be joined by their cousin, Ragbag.

2. Christmas Pudding.  We always have a homemade pudding.  It used to be made by my mum but this tradition has been carried on by my sister. 

3. Christmas Performances. Although I don't have any children myself, watching the school performances is a big part of my celebration of Christmas.  I teach (brass and wind instruments) in five different schools and have the opportunity to watch the various performances in all of these schools.

4. Christmas Carols. Listening, teaching and performing - carols are a major part of my Christmas.  Teaching starts at the end of October/beginning of November and I have to admit that I do get fed up of 'Jingle Bells' (which they all want to play!) and 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' by the time the children perform,  but when next year comes around I'm full of enthusiasm again. I start listening to my favourite Christmas CDs on December 1st and most of my performing (in local brass/wind bands) starts around this time; this involves concerts and playing/collecting in Christmas markets and outside supermarkets.

5. Christmas Cards.  My partner and one of his friends exchange the same Christmas card every year, crossing out the previous message and writing in a new one.  This means they only have to send the card every other year.  Cheap, or what?  When there is absolutely no room to write another message, that person has to buy a new card and so it goes on ....

6. Family and Friends. Probably the most important part of Christmas is spending time with family and friends, something we always make the effort to do.  We used to visit everyone to deliver cards and gifts but in recent years our personal circumstances have meant that everyone visits us.  

7. Baby's 1st Christmas. This isn't something which happens every year but since my first great nephew, Bean, was born 11 years ago, I have bought all of them a personalised Baby's 1st Christmas bauble.  This year I've bought a porcelein one for Wriggle and there'll be another to buy next year as Bean and Boo will have a new sibling.

8. Poinsettias.  I always have poinsettias as part of my Christmas decorations and it has to be the red ones.  I don't like the yellow ones.

9. 50 Greatest Christmas Hits. This drives Ced mad, but I always insist on watching one of the Christmas pop video programmes at least once in the build up to Christmas.

10. Carols at Kings.  This is something we both make a point of watching on TV.  I just love it.  I also go to one of the local church services if I can.

Linking with Beth @ A Work in Progress