Brit Reacts to How Do Americans Celebrate Christmas?

[@JustMe-oi9ms]

We’re not into Elf on a shelf. But we’re not into dolls as a whole. Having a staring creepy little elf changing location is not a thing for us.😂

[@exeter1985]

It's got to be Home Alone, Home Alone 2 and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

[@jolenewitzel7919]

You get Santa drunk? No wonder grandma got run over by a reindeer. 😀 Merry Christmas dude. ❤ A Christmas Carol is my favorite.

[@debneuweiler9867]

Thanks for that I find that extremely funny

[@mysongbite]

😂😂😂

[@tylermason6425]

Then comes over to the u.s to get sober before heading home😂

[@mikefisc9989]

My newest tradition over the last few years is to answer the phone by saying, "Buddy the Elf...what's your favorite color?". I begin doing it the week leading up to Christmas day. It usually gets a lot of laughs. Merry Christmas Lewis and Happy new year.

[@cyndisandoval]

Our tradition is each year Santa brings you a new ornament. That way when you're old enough to leave home, you have a starter collection.

[@kimp.e.8171]

What a great idea!

[@maxr4448]

My family did the same thing. So I send my niece and two nephews an ornament, every year. I don't have kids.

[@cyndisandoval]

I often bought sets of ornaments, like glass ornaments for my daughter and wooden nutcrackers

[@edwardperez9980]

We did elf on the shelf when the kids were little. The thing with it is, you can't touch the elf or it loses its magic. The elf can usually be mischievous. Our elf completely undecorated our Christmas tree and was caught in the tree. It had to stay like that all day until that night when he moved somewhere else and you could redecorate the tree he can move whenever the kids are gone so you can fix the problems the elf caused. It is fun seeing the kids eyes light up when they see where he is and what he's done.

[@ravenmoon4819]

I do this for my kids too.

[@kindredspiritbaseballmom7913]

A Christmas Story and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation are classic Christmas comedies. Christmas Vacation is the third movie in the National Lampoon series. White Christmas is a great Christmas musical. It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street (1947) are truly classic Christmas movies. By the way, the Holderness Family are the best! They are the ones he showed wearing the Christmas pajamas. They are popular parody creators on social media.

[@charlievegas8497]

"The Santa Clause" with Tim Allen and "Polar Express" with Tom Hanks

[@marciahuehn2365]

My dad used to plant amaryllis bulbs around thanksgiving so they would bloom around Christmas...the large colorful blooms were a stark contrast to the bleakness of winter and reminded us spring would be coming , a symbol of hope and abundance to come. Happy Christmas to you and your family.❤

[@kkaye76]

I do this too. Mine is blooming today! Yay!

[@jisungrocks5871]

Sometimes, we did 12 days of X-Mas. We found a friend or family in need and would sneak a present to them for 12 days till X-Mas. We never got caught and loved seeing the cheer they had.

[@annlolmaugh4491]

That's a beautiful tradition.

[@barbaramelone1043]

Twelve Days of Christmas is December 25th through January 5th.

[@charlieschuder9976]

When my sister and I figured out that Santa wasn't real, our parents started a tradition of donating toys. The USPS at the time would receive and reply to letters to Santa and did a toy drive to actually wrap and deliver toys to those in need. We didn't have a ton of money, but they would give us $10 each to buy the best gift we could to donate. It was very satisfying to give those toys to kids whose parents couldn't put much under the tree that year.

[@MAGGOT_VOMIT]

I can't believe how the leftist-commies have been setting fire to major cities outdoor trees and decorations!! 🤬

[@ronalddobis6782]

The three essential Christmas movies are It's A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

[@Dana-ti5ze]

Agree completely

[@Rose-z4h6k]

"It was.. soap poisoning."

[@sues3218]

We have all the clay animation ones from the 70's, like Rudoulph the Red Nosed Reindeer (we boght the boxed set), and all the ones you mentioned, plus The Polar Express. Oh yeah, the newest addition is Elf and A Christmas Story 2.

[@jonlivingston3169]

Nothing beats the smell of a real tree ! You walk in , and the air is rich with the aroma of a live tree …I say is 50/50 on real versus fake trees..

[@DianeCasanova]

Unless you're allergic to pine.😢

[@briantbmoth6472]

@@DianeCasanovaThey smell so lovely.

[@Celbrant_Artist]

As a Mexican American, we tend to celebrate fairly early before Christmas day. For most Mexican households, the 23rd is when we really start to celebrate. Of course we tend to celebrate Las Posadas as soon as December 16th rolls around but the biggest celebration doesn't start until the 23rd. I cannot tell you how much food is made during the 23rd, 24th, and the 25th. The 23rd is when my family normally makes meat induced dishes that include Turkey, Pierna de Puerco Adobada, Ensalada Navideña, Bacalao a la Vizcaína, and soo much baked dishes. The 23rd is also the day that my grandma, my mom and my cousins make big patches of masa for the 24th. The same day, we all make gingerbread houses and my family has the youngest children in the family make Piñatas for the 24th and have the eldest stuff them full of treats. As soon as the 24th rolls around everyone in the family and I mean everyone pitches in to make a ton of tamales. My grandma, grandpa, my cousins, everyone. The prep work takes a few hours and family members are assigned specific tasks. This is also the day where everyone also pitches in to make more varied dishes such as Ponche Navideño, and my favorite Romeritos. This is also the day, where we all set up the Piñatas to break. There's loud music playing the whole day and then everyone pitches in to make ornaments from paper and we write messages to each and every family member. As soon as Midnight rolls around, the celebration does not end. Everyone has to open their presents early lol. The 25th is yet another day of celebration and the dishes we have this day are Mole Poblano, Birria, Champurrado that my grandma always insist on making whole jugs of, Buñuelos and ice cream are given to everyone and goes well with the Champurrado, Marranitos, and so much more. we normally don't celebrate Día de Reyes until January 6th but since the whole family is gathered together at this time and probably celebrate new years at their own homes - it's better to celebrate it the 25th or 26th. With that each child is gifted an additional 3 gifts that represent the 3 kings los Reyes Magos, Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar. I can not tell you how after the 25th, we have a ton of left overs that are made into different dishes because we had made soo much of it. Edit: I forgot to mention that my grandma (abuela) goes crazy with the jesus decorations around the house on the 23rd.

[@Rose-z4h6k]

Ponche Navideño yummy! Distilled essence of Christmas :) When I was little, my grandma made non-alcoholic wassail, which has similar spices but fewer fruits and those were of a more northern climate. Basque cod fish stew. Back when I was in high school and my Dad was working in Bilbao, I had this at a restaurant San Sebastián. Is the New World version similar?

[@ymaseraph6227]

All of the dishes you mentioned sound AMAZING

[@twngrl56]

Ooooh those Tamales! I would LOVE to be able to just *Smell* them in my old home town in Southern California. I mean the entire community were cooking all week and it was sooo amazing! I live in Northern NY State now, (close to Vermont) [NOT NYC lol] which has New England styled Christmas'. Thanks for the memories 😊

[@thedeviouspanda]

I learned about Las Posadas from the movie The Three Caballeros when I was a kid.

[@camilochavez6982]

Christmas celebration dates are similar to the Cubans. We don't open Christmas presents in the morning sun of the 25th like the traditional American. They are open at the stroke of midnight on the 25th. And yes, kids are up that late celebrating.

[@jisungrocks5871]

FAV MOVIE, It's a Wonderful Life. Brings me a tear every time.

[@barbparknavy9119]

I drove around for an hour looking at Christmas lights and didn't even make it halfway through my subdivision--the most lights up I've seen in the 14 years I've been here! My own personal tradition is to whip up a bunch of baked goods and leave a nice little bag of them on my surrounding neighbor's porches on Christmas Eve--this year I also tucked in a bottle of eggnog liqueur. My mom's birthday is Jan 15th so we always kept the tree up until then. You are definitely on Santa's nice list this year for all your good work--and you're building a lovely community of fans too! (I love reading everyone's comments)I hope you and your family and all your followers have the very best Christmas ever!!

[@J-Rod91]

Your mom and I have the same birthday! When it comes around tell her “A random guy from the KZbin comments who shares your birthday says HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

[@deennaemilio]

On the news here they showed a man getting an owl out of his tree and a woman had a terrible time getting a possum out of her tree.

[@cboyles84]

Really? Dude, that's hilarious 😆

[@mikefisc9989]

Lol...I saw that story too. The owl was in the tree for two or three days before they noticed it. The wildlife person that came to get it told the family that the owl was likely in the tree when they bought it.

[@cboyles84]

@@mikefisc9989 Wow 😆

[@sharonmulloy2181]

The tree farm I go to has a shaking machine no bugs and no animals.

[@timcaldwell5241]

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Lewis❤ My favorite Christmas tradition/memory (as it’s only a memory now) was going to Grandma’s on Christmas Eve…Grandma had 5 kids and all but one lived close…all the “boy” cousins would gather early on Christmas Eve morning and go into the woods in search of the perfect Christmas tree (cedar) for Grandma. We’d put it up and the “girl” cousins would decorate it, and the house, in the afternoon…then the daughters-in-law would prepare the Christmas supper in Grandma’s kitchen…later that night, we’d have the “Christmas tree” or exchange of gifts…nothing exorbitant, moreso just tokens of our love and affection. All this time Grandma would sit in her rocking chair by the fire…enjoying all she had given life to…Wonderful memories ❤❤❤

[@SC-gp7kt]

Sound fabulous.....treasure those memories always ❤

[@paulinesoares3594]

Best time to buy Christmas decorations and wrapping paper is during the week after Christmas. It’s all 50-75 % off.

[@MissJojo7682]

Growing up, our family Christmas traditions were . . . My mom always got us pajamas every year, but the whole thing with the entire family wearing matching pajamas and/or Christmas themed/Christmas colored pajamas wasn't "a thing" back then, so she just got us pajamas in styles and colors that she thought we would like. Also, she always had our pajamas wrapped and under the tree, and we each got to open our pajama gift on Christmas Eve night, that way we could wear them to bed and then wake up Christmas morning to go open gifts, already wearing them. So, once the sun went down, we would open our pajama gift, and then we would all go and change into them. Once we did that, we all piled into the car and drove around to look at all the Christmas lights. After we got back home, after looking at the lights, my mom would make us all a mug of hot chocolate and then we would sit in the family room and watch whatever Christmas movie was playing on TV. It was usually either Frosty the Snowman, The Grinch (the original animated one), Charlie Brown Christmas, or The Santa Clause although The Santa Clause didn't come out until I was 12 years old. After, we watched whatever Christmas movie was on and drank our hot chocolate, we set out the milk and cookies for "Santa" and then went to bed. It's definitely a set of childhood Christmas traditions that I treasure. I also really regret that I didn't continue on those traditions with my own children. Once I had kids I wanted to try and start new and different Christmas traditions, but I could never figure out what exactly to do. Therefore, it never happened, and I always felt terrible about not following through. When Elf on a Shelf became a thing, I wanted to try that as a tradition, but by that time, my eldest two children were already old enough that they no longer believed in Santa and would have spoiled it for my youngest, so I ended up not doing it.

[@chrisp308]

A Christmas story hands down

[@whichstitchps]

A Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life are my fav Christmas movies. Favorite family tradition is sitting around the tree on Christmas Eve singing carols. Family Christmas cards are a real thing. 😅

[@mariasummerford1295]

When my daughter was little she said she would chunk it in the fireplace, she was not about to have a creepy snitch in the house! 😂

[@cboyles84]

That's so funny 😆👍

[@SC-gp7kt]

Some other Christmas traditions........going to see The Nutcracker ballet, decorating the tree together, attending midnight mass on Christmas Eve, going to a movie theater on Christmas day, cooking/baking the Christmas meal together, having a cookie exchange with family/friends, circulating the same Christmas card between you & a family member, opening one small gift on Christmas Eve (the rest on Christmas morning), going ice skating, returning gifts that didn't work out for you, going sledding/skiing if there's snow, singing in a choor or playing a Christmas concert if you're a musician, making Christmas crafts together, volunteering 🎄

[@98talberg]

Christmas shows I watch every year. 1. Rudolph 2. Frosty 3. Mickey's Christmas Carol 4. Mickey's once upon a Christmas 5. Mickey's twice upon a Christmas 6. A Charlie Brown Christmas 7. A Garfield Christmas 8.Twas the night before Christmas (cartoon) 9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas and not a Christmas movie per se but ...... 10. The sound of music I am old enough to remember waiting all year for the movies to come on tv.

[@kyrataylor2035]

Besides my 3 other main trees, I have a skinny 5-foot potted fake Christmas tree that stays on the fireplace hearth all year, every year. I take down the Christmas stuff in January but the potted tree stays up and I decorate it for other holidays the rest of the year: St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Independence Day, autumn and Halloween, Thanksgiving then Christmas and New Year's again.

[@songbird989]

I liked "Love Actually" but my favorite British Christmas movie is "Last Christmas". I also love "The Muppet Christmas Carol". It's both funny and cute!

[@frankisfunny2007]

Here's a Christmas classic.... "National Lampoon: Christmas Vacation"! Absolutely comedy gold!

[@trudragongod2200]

I was worried no one mentioned it thank you for telling him the greatest Christmas movie of all time

[@jamesgirard1090]

You will absolutely love Christmas vacation. It’s absolutely hilarious and there’s a squirrel in a tree. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.

[@marcpaxton8284]

My family’s favorite!

[@kimp.e.8171]

That's so funny you mentioned that movie because my family and I were trying to find it on Hulu to watch tonight.

[@kathybouziane5269]

The cat fried und

[@kathybouziane5269]

The jello with cat litter in it

[@heatherfantana1912]

😂😂😂 Haven't really seen any Christmas decor available in July, but definitely by the end of August 😂😂😂 It's the start of the "Happy Hallothanksmas" season 😂

[@ScribbleScrabbless]

Growing up Jewish we always get Chinese food on Christmas because they are the only restaurants open where I live.

[@terrioestreich4007]

That's a fun tradition too! Unless you don't like Chinese food 😊

[@gingersnap22]

Have you ever watched A Christmas Story? Chinese food on Christmas was an integral part of the movie. Cute movie set in the 40's/50's. It was filmed in the 80's.

[@JeffN4POD]

Just like in the movies... minus the "Fah-rah-rah" bit! That's neat... And hope you had a happy Hanukkah.

[@amirrizer5069]

I’m going to get some right now in NY 😂

[@SherriLyle80s]

Just like the movie A Christmas Story! ❤

[@debbers]

We grow Christmas trees in Michigan so it's always a fresh green tree! When my children were small there was a red light in the sky from the local tv antenna and it could be seen from our window, I told them it was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer keeping an eye on them for Santa so they were always well behaved so Rudolph wouldn't have bad stories to tell Santa. My favorite Christmas movie is "Home Alone", I also like animated movies like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman". "It's a Wonderful Life" is a must at Christmas!

[@beverlythie]

My absolute favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas; next would be the original Miracle on 34th Street.

[@thedeviouspanda]

I grew up watching those movies with my mom for Christmas ❤

[@2myRescues]

I personally love a real Christmas tree 🎄. Walking into the living room and getting a whiff of the pine tree smell is very nice. I love baking gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses and decorating them on Christmas Eve.

[@kathleenhayes9320]

Me too. My aunt lives on 64 acres of property in maine and we cut one down for our house in Connecticut

[@Synthetic-Rabbit]

Muppet Christmas Carol is by far my favorite. I actually bought it on KZbin so I can watch it every year lol.

[@thedeviouspanda]

I love Muppet Christmas Carol!

[@Briana73]

My brother has 7 kids! And the oldest (18 now) and the youngest (just turned 2) have their birthdays in December before Christmas. So their place is a madhouse in December! They go all out every year with lights inside and out, lit-up characters on the front lawn, it's awesome. And they take a picture of all 9 of them and send it out to family and friends every year, so we can see how much the kids have grown.

[@ronclark9724]

My favorite Christmas movie is a ‘50 era black&white movie based upon a story by Damon Runyon. It starred Bob Hope and introduced the song Silver Bells to the US. The movie is “The Lemon Drop Kid”. A great story with great one liners from Bob. My second favorite is a ‘40 era black&white movie staring Jimmy Stewart called “it’s A Wonderful Life”. Another great story that will make you cry. Because both lack color they are not as popular today, but some of the best movies of all time are black&white.

[@kyrataylor2035]

For years I baked cookies and made haystack candy, fudge and other treats, then delivered them in a nice box or basket to our police station as a thank you. In recent years I changed to more practical items like summer sausage with a knife, crackers, spreads and a spreader, a variety of cheeses, pretzels and wrapped candies like peppermint, butterscotch and mini chocolate bars. I always get a nice "thank you" Christmas card back from them. I just want them to know they're appreciated.

[@melissafrank1407]

I love that. You just gave me an idea to start doing every Christmas. Thank you

[@kyrataylor2035]

@@melissafrank1407 You're most welcome. I do love how we can be inspired by random comments on these kinds of posts.

[@lisaalexander5806]

I love Scrooge with Albert Finney. It an older musical, but it’s really good.

[@cecilybilbrey8024]

I love the Albert Finney version!!! Watch it every yeat...THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THATS THE NICEST THING ANYONES EVER DONE FOR ME!!!

[@Rose-z4h6k]

That was the only movie I ever saw in a theater on Christmas Day. My mom was pregnant with my kid brother and sick as a dog. Dad took me to see Scrooge, so she could throw up in peace. I've been known to wander around my lab, after my colleagues have been in there without cleaning up after themselves, singing "I hate people." LOL.

[@karjurassic8364]

I love every version of “A Christmas Carol” or “Scrooge” but the Albert Finley musical one is by far my favorite.

[@debrapyeatt7128]

My favorite Christmas movie is Holiday Affair - 1949 with Robert Mitchum, Wendell Corey and Janet Leigh. It is very much a lesser known Christmas movie but it has my favorite line from any movie. “No time is wasted that makes two people friends.” Said by Wendell Corey to Janet Leigh. It is fun watching bad boy Mitchum have to play the part of a relatively decent man. He was being punished and the movie studio was trying to save his reputation. And the young actor that plays Janet Leigh’s son, Gordon Gebert, is adorable.

[@kyrataylor2035]

One of my all-time favorites, too. I have the dvd, and at least 40 other Christmas movies, and I watch them all every year starting in early November. I've never talked to anyone that ever heard of it so thank you. The image of that little boy sitting on the department store owner's lap with that tear-stained face is so sweet.

[@DelPeloquin]

I have two favorite Christmas movies. A Christmas Story, and we do keep it on for the 24 hours each year. My other one is Die Hard. Yes, Die Hard IS a Christmas movie. 😂

[@heatherfantana1912]

There's an animated movie from the '80's called "The Night Before Christmas" that's really sweet 😍 I've loved the theme song "Even a Miracle Needs a Hand" since i was a kid. Another cute one is "Emmett Other's Jug-band Christmas". That one has muppets. Both are worth watching if you can find them.

[@jooleebilly]

Elf on the shelf is like having a stalker in the house to freak kids out. Not all kids, but it would have freaked me out if my parents told me there was an elf that was staring at me all the time and reporting back to Santa to make sure I was good enough.

[@kyrataylor2035]

Favorite Christmas movies: A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Hallmark's It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Henry Winkler), One Christmas Eve, and though not technically a Christmas movie, Last Holiday (Queen Latifah).

[@davidcwitkin6729]

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Solstice from Oakland California! My favorite Christmas Movies are It's A Wonderful Life and The Family Stone. They are awesome movies with a great message! LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!

[@saundrakatz8418]

Bells of St. Mary's is always my favourite!!!! It's a great "family" feel good movie from decades past!

[@KikiF7]

For the last several years, we've had a fake tree, but I hate it. I don't feel the Christmas spirit until I smell real pine in the house.

[@auroraasleep]

Pine scented essential oils, highly recommend.

[@boondoggled1]

Same

[@mygreywolf]

Pine scented anything puts me in ER. I buy Douglas Firs myself. 😊

[@KikiF7]

I haven’t tried essential oils. But I have tried everything else. Sprays candles. It’s all a joke. I’ve just learned that human should stop trying to pretend to be God because we will never be him.

[@liamengram6326]

​​@@KikiF7 I hate to break it to you but God discouraged Christmas trees (if you read the Bible). He saw it as a despicable pagan tradition, because it was in fact a pagan tradition. They used to be called Yule Trees. Not Christmas trees.

[@chiyohanson4622]

" It's a wonderful life" & Miracle on 34th Street are great Christmas movies.

[@patkaiser7177]

The Christmas tree business is big in the US. You can go to a Christmas tree farm and cut your own down or you can buy them already cut at lots of places. A real tree is probably more common in the US but there are plenty of fake trees too.

[@carolinezook]

Being allergic to pine we have a fake tree. However, there was a time when it was always real and sometimes we would cut it down ourselves.

[@DianeCasanova]

One year my mother sprayed our artificial tree with pine spray. It was as bad as having a real tree.

[@danacasey8543]

When I was growing up, our family used to get a permit to cut down a tree in a national forest in northern New Mexico. We would scour the woods to find the right one! It was so much fun. Now we have artificial trees, even though real trees are grown on tree farms. Some people buy a live tree and plant it outside after the holidays.

[@katw3070]

We buy a live tree and plant it afterwards. It’s beautiful, has a wonderful scent and we save a tree.

[@aurorathekitty7854]

I grew up in Pennsylvania and my dad would get a permit to cut down a couple trees for firewood for the winter. I remember having to stack all that wood. I still remember the one year he bought a natural gas furnace to heat the house and I remember being all excited because I didn't have to stack firewood anymore

[@jamesstrese6108]

"It's A Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart an American classic for 80 years.

[@jamesgirard1090]

I did elf on the shelf for my kids. They absolutely loved it. I was very creative. I do say so myself.

[@johnniekight1879]

"The Bishop's Wife" is my favorite Christmas Movie. Great cast too.

[@jennipei83]

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, hands down.

[@joeyrobison6629]

In Texas, some of us have Christmas in July celebrations to: 1. Break the monotony of exceedingly hot summers to anticipate the cooling down of temperatures when Christmas comes around, and 2. Just for the fun of it! My favorite Christmas movie is 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street" and 1946's "It's A Wonderful Life".

[@questionablecontent2113]

I watch a different version of A Christmas Carol every year. A Muppet Christmas Carol is by far my favorite

[@cptchaotic]

After the opening of the presents early in the morning we gather up the family and go to a relatives house (decided at Thanksgiving) and bring a lot of cooking ingredients. Then after everyone arrives, we separate into "teams" a couple of kids per adult. It's ok if you don't have kids there is someone there with spares. Then the teams will spread out in the Kitchen and Dining Room and start making the dish you want to contribute for dinner. This way the younger generation learns the recipes from the older generation, and they can be passed down. It's a pretty amazing feeling to see the look on a kids face when at the end of a meal and everyone is stuffed. A 6 year old tries to hand you a cookie you don't have room for and hear them say " I made this" and of course you eat it. But then you realize this is the same cookie recipe you helped your Grandmother make and when they get older and have a family they will be making these same cookies with their family,

[@jonlivingston3169]

It wasn’t released as a Xmas movie , but It Happened On 5th Avenue is a warm and wonderful film ….😊

[@jklmn101]

That's one of the best, to me!

[@geralynwilliams4337]

Just discovered this a few years ago and it has become my favorite Xmas movie

[@kyrataylor2035]

Another one of my annual parade of Christmas movies.

[@cynthiaviers553]

I suggest you see a movie called National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. As for Christmas trees some people go to a Christmas tree farm and cut down their own trees. The trees are much fresher and last longer. 🎄Merry Christmas to all 🎄

[@roddmatsui3554]

I’m glad you enjoy all the wild colored lights. That stuff is fun to see, and fun to do, if you can. Christmas lights, you can do those any way you want, any way you think looks pretty. - Personally, I have a plastic tree, which I’ve had for years, and I actually keep it lit most of the year, just because I love the twinkling colored lights.

[@christinemassena]

My fave Christmas movie is of course a Christmas story ! I also like all I want for Christmas. Those 2 I absolutely have to watch every year. Also as far as the trees go, I personally have to use a fake tree every year because I'm allergic to pine. That sadly Also includes cedar and spruce. Upside of that, I don't have to deal with getting rid of the tree or cleaning up all the needles that fall off. Lol.

[@lilebb1657]

When my children were young we would let them pick the tree out. Now I have a fake tree. Merry Christmas Lewis!🎄🎁🎁🎁♥️

[@jschock1607]

Never had a fake tree. The last 50 years we have cut down a tree and dragged it back to the truck. My largest tree was 12 ft. I just have this room to impress my children. Of course I was younger and stronger back then. I've settled on an 8 footer since then. It is a chore to set up a huge tree. You even need ladders. Merry Christmas to all, even though I'm posting this in August.

[@lilacpower2693]

Yes, we have squirrels Lew😂. Check it out....they love french fries👍. Merry Christmas L3wg!!! ⛄🌲!!!

[@stephH777]

It’s A Wonderful Life, White Christmas, and any version of A Christmas Carol.

[@davidstone7532]

Lewis, you’re hilarious, my whole family really enjoy your videos! Some people include my wife and I have a fake tree. Real trees are still very popular. The Star Wars Christmas sweater is awesome. My favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Carol, with George C. Scott. We take our tree down at New Year’s Day.

[@sues3218]

We do the elf thing. They come to visit four days before Christmas. Each night, the kids tuck them into little beds we made for them, under the Christmas tree. They leave them crackers and water, for them to eat in the middle of the night, and sprinkle them with magic snow flakes that they came with (use a hole puncher and white paper to make them, keep the circles that get punched out). They come alive when the kids are sleeping, and get into a little mischief in different parts of the house every night, and they make a little mess. An example of this is, they found them in the bathroom one morning with Merry Christmas written with soap on the mirror, and the bathroom decorated with hanging toilet paper streams. The kids love to wake up and find them. Each morning they find the elves with some candy, and a little toy for them. Each child has their own elf. We don't do the "Elf on the Shelf" one exactly. We found other little stuffed elves instead (about 12 inches tall), and each one looks a little different. The kids get to play with them during the day. When Santa takes them home, He leaves a letter telling the kids how much fun the elves had at our house. They can't wait to get back to the North Pole to tell Mrs. Clause.

[@kyrataylor2035]

What great ideas! Great story. I especially like that they each look a little different. If I had kids, that's the way I'd do it, too.

[@karenlynn6860]

Merry Christmas Lewis, to you and yours! Thanks for all the great content.

[@kurtsandstrom5716]

A Christmas Story is my favorite Christmas movie. I grew up in a different era, but it was very representative of the Midwest culture I was raised with. The leg lamp.😂😂

[@briantbmoth6472]

There’s a race in Cleveland during the Christmas season. There was a runner dressed up as the Leg Lamp. It was so fun. 😂

[@stevenruvolo499]

a christmas story is a great movie, and national lampoons christmas vacation is also great

[@peace-changirl8161]

White Christmas is my family’s favorite movie of all time. It’s a musical with the most breathtaking music and dance - four generations of us love it, it’s in color, and it’s the one with Bing Crosby singing the song ‘White Christmas’.

[@Kim-J312]

Building a gingerbread house is fun , I suggest the pre-fab ones that is a kit . They work great .

[@davidburns5374]

We've only just started using an artificial tree, just because it's a little less messy. Also, real trees can be a fire hazard if you don't keep them watered. By the way, the NORAD tracker says Santa will be in Ecuador in 3 minutes....

[@melissasours-tyrrell6791]

Merry Christmas from Virginia State!🎄 You are awesome Lewis; we love watching your vids! 😄

[@SharonElizabethWhitfield]

When I was growing up in Texas, we had a big backyard with lots of trees. Each year on my mother’s birthday (which is one week before Christmas) we would pick out a tree and cut it down with a knife from the kitchen. Then we would take it home and decorate it. On Christmas Eve we would sit around the tree and sing Carols. We would then open one gift each. The next morning we would all be up before the sun even came up ready to open our gifts. After opening our presents, we would go outside and play the rest of the day.

[@cici7333]

Favorite Christmas movie: "A Christmas Story" (1983 film). It's the one on Wolter's T-shirt. Like he said, it's played 24hrs/day on Christmas. Seriously, watch it, I think you'll really like it. Merry Christmas, Lewis!🎄⛄🎅🏻

[@karenshepherd2412]

My grandkids LOVE looking for the elf on the shelf each day. In fact, my grandkids who still live at home still do the tradition. Mainly the teens.

[@WinsomeWinslet]

We go outside at midnight to look for the "North Star"...of course we aren't really seeing it but it's fun and wholesome. We also make a night of making peppermint bark candy and everyone gets to add whatever they want. Very delicious tradition! Merry Christmas friend from the USA! ☃🎄🎁

[@TruthHurts2u]

The north star is visible. Why aren't you seeing it?

[@WinsomeWinslet]

@TruthHurts2u The wise men coming from the east of Bethlehem, "Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Matthew 2:2. Since I live in the central US, it probably isn't a star we can see, and Yeshua was probably born in the spring or the fall, so it's hard to pinpoint exactly which star they saw. It's just a fun tradition my mom and I did when I was little, and now I do it with my little ones. Very sweet but most likely not super scientific, hehe.

[@heatherpayne1995]

​@@WinsomeWinsletYour comment made me look it up. Most astronomers think it might have been a conjunction of the planets that happened April 17, 6 BC. They've dismissed the appearance of Halley's comet in 11 BC because it would have been received as a bad omen.

[@TruthHurts2u]

@@WinsomeWinslet Putting your fairy tales aside. Because unlike your fairy tales the north star is real and it's located to the north, not the east. It's visible every night of the year from the Northern Hemisphere, weather permitting. I find it very ironic and confusing, that when it comes to something real like the north star you dismiss it as not real, but when it comes to the BS in the bible you believe it wholeheartedly.

[@WinsomeWinslet]

@@TruthHurts2u Damn you can't read. LOL! I never said the North Star isn't real. I said the star in the Bible probably wasn't the North Star since it was people in the middle east saying the star they saw was in the east. Anyways, Merry Christmas and God bless your poor, sad heart.

[@melindaaskin1534]

I grew up with real Christmas trees and loved the scent and fun of picking out the tree! We don’t do live trees anymore because some of my family have allergies, but I do miss them. I don’t like the Elf on the shelf. It started when my daughter was little, and it’s a lot of work to do all the creative stunts every night in December and it felt like another “commercial” activity that was invented by Hallmark to make people spend more money. I was glad when my daughter got too old for it. My favorite Christmas movies: It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. Thank you Lewis, for all the joy you bring to this crazy world! May God bless you and your family at Christmas and always! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[@chancemeyers8502]

I hope you and your family have a Very Merry Christmas, Louis. ❤ Love the channel bro

[@barbielarson7719]

I have a fake tree that is 6 ft high and every year we change the color of lights, this year we had blue lights & all of our favorite ornaments from the last 20 years. Looked lovely this year.

[@Cody38Super]

C'mon Beavis, come on over....or are you afraid you won't leave....?...

[@ginnyjollykidd]

Craft stores have their Christmas stuff way early because crafter need the time to make their Christmas crafts before Christmas. Making ornaments when I was young was a big tradition for me. My grandmother Sweet Dottie had bins with ornament supplies, so it was easy to get materials. I could make one to take home to our Christmas tree, but we had to make one for Sweet Dottie's tree, too. (They were her supplies after all.) One year, I took foil origami paper and made my good friend a bunch of origami figures for her tree. I also collect Christmas wrapping paper as long as it's papery and not plasticky (hard to fold) so I can use it for origami. Christmas wrapping paper has so many cool foils!

[@MR-kd9md]

Did you notice only half the dude in video’s tree was lit?

[@irishpooter]

you HAVE to see Christmas Vacation. its american classic and 80s greatness

[@ScribbleScrabbless]

Merry Christmas

[@cjwhite6448]

My favorite is a toss-up between A Christmas Carol and It's A Wonderful Life

[@kurtbrown8047]

Growing up in Colorado we always went out and got a live tree out of the forest. Christmas Eve we would have either homemade Oyster Stew or Clam Chowder, then got new pajamas and got to open one gift. Christmas morning we unpacked our stockings first, then one of us was tasked with passing out all the gifts. We would then go one at a time. My mom always made cinnamon rolls from scratch. Now as a single dad living far away from my family I still make chowder on Christmas Eve, the kiddo gets new pjs and opens 1 gift, then Christmas morning she insists I open all of my presents first, then she tears into hers.

[@vickiz6076]

One of my favorite Christmas movies is “THE REF” (1994 w/Denis Leary)…dark comedy…others are “Scrooge” (1951 w/Alastair Sim), “Scrooge” (1971 w/Albert Finney), “Scrooged” (1988 w/Bill Murray)…I watch these multiple times during the Holidays. I also have to watch the ORIGINAL “Christmas in Connecticut” & “The Bishop’s Wife” … and of course “A Christmas Story”.

[@briantbmoth6472]

I like Scrooged too.

[@gracewenger575]

So the Elf on the Shelf controversy - it can stir strong emotions on both sides. A lot of people see it as a fun tradition and get really creative with activities their kids can do with the elf, or silly things the elf has done overnight. The other side tends to be the same side that already takes issues with Santa’s “naughty and nice” lists (don’t threaten your kids with a man who watches them while they sleep etc.) Basically it boils down to how seriously you take it and how your kids react. I’ve seen scenarios where parents used the elf to justify punishing their kids for “naughty” things (as opposed to regular parenting) and situations where parents didn’t do the whole “no presents if you’re bad” thing and just made it a fun tradition to have the elf doing crazy stuff. Some kids love it, some think it’s terrifying and creepy 🤷‍♀️ As far as real trees - they tend to be more expensive (can’t be reused every year) and they come with more maintenance and risk. They’re not as common anymore, especially in lower income families in this higher inflation economy. The last year my family got a real tree (2008) we had sugar ants climb off the tree into some of our presents. Maybe they liked the tape? Who knows. We moved to an apartment after that and a small fake tree was a more practical choice. My mom loved the smell of real trees though. Merry Christmas!

[@pattyphillips2177]

Naughty adults have snoop on the stoop

[@redoctober25]

Have you seen the Elf on the Shelf TikTok where the kids are screaming bloody murder cuz the youngest kid picked up the elf? “She’s holding the head!!!” 😂

[@gracewenger575]

@@pattyphillips2177 😂

[@gracewenger575]

@@redoctober25 dude I can’t imagine giving my kid that level of stress over a Christmas tradition 😅 a few of my SILs do fun wacky things with their elves and their kids seem to enjoy it

[@shellysapp1677]

When we cut down a fresh tree or buy a fresh cut tree, they put the stem into a machine that shakes out any critters or loose needles and wrap the branches/tree up to bring it home.

[@RLR117]

We are ANTI-elf on the shelf in our household... For one, we never told our kids Santa was real. They knew he was part of the holiday, but we never lied to them. (Same with Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy.) Also, I feel elf on the shelf is manipulative, kind of like blackmailing your kids into "being good" or Santa won't bring you presents. Doesn't seem right to me. Like I said, we never even lied about Santa, so our kids knew Mom and Dad were gonna get them presents, and it wasn't conditional.

[@WinsomeWinslet]

Same here and amen!

[@natalieritter3593]

I agree with you. I told my kids that Santa was just a fun game we play. I never did anything to try to make them believe in it but they enjoyed playing along. Ours is all about Christ and being together having fun as a family.

[@patwalker5133]

Here in my area of California, trees are shipped down from Oregan and Washington state. So, there are real Christmas tree lots all over the place. We also have tree farms up in the Sierra Mountains near Apple Hill in Placer County. where you can go and pick/cut down your own tree. It's a nice family activity that can included a nice scenic drive, and hot apple cider or apple desert which are available at the Apple Farm fruit stands. After Christmas, the county recycles the the trees into mulch that is used along the highway landscape or donated to the public for water conservation in their yards.

[@trishsmith552]

My must-watch Christmas movies are Christmas Story (I swear my third grade teacher looked just like Ralphie's teacher) and National Lampoon Christmas Vacation. My youngest daughter was (she has sadly passed) super into decorating at Christmas and we always joked that she had the Griswold house. Not just lights but inflatables, the whole yard full of 'em. And a humongous Christmas tree. She always got real trees; she always left them up too long (think Valentine's Day) and all the needles were on the floor.. I miss her loads.

[@RobbyW_84]

As soon as you said something about a critter in the tree I thought about the movie Christmas Vacation when the squirrel comes out of the tree lol

[@tina7984]

Yeah, we used to drive to the homes that had big lights. Looking was fun, but the journey spent driving with family is memories!

[@patcavallaro9788]

It's a Wonferful Life. Greatest Christmas movie ever. The end always brings a happy tear

[@dharleyfan1]

Favorite Christmas movies. (THE CLASSICS) 1. A Christmas Carol. 2. Miracle on 34th Street. 3. Year Without A Santa Clause. 4.Santa Clause Is Coming To Town. 5 Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer. 6. The Polar Express. 7. Frosty The Snowman.

[@janedyck8852]

For me, nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit more than A Christmas Carol (1951 version with Alastair Sim) or White Christmas with Bing Crosby. I watch both as many times as I can leading up to Christmas day!

[@three2267]

I have a vintage Elf on the Shelf from the 1960's. That's tucked away in a keepsake chest, but I also have one we used when my kids were little. They loved it! 🧑‍🎄🧑‍🎄🧑‍🎄

[@melindamitchell-ph8jy]

I work for an older lady and she keeps her Christmas tree up all year, but she decorates it for all the different holidays. That’s one of my jobs that I do for her. I think it’s cute.