What Are Some Of Your Unique Christmas Traditions? Here's One Of Mine...

I thought this might be a fun thread since there are so many forum members here from all over the world. The one thing that joined us together here on this forum is motorcycles, but it's cool that we share stories, funnies, and experiences that aren't strictly motorcycle-related.

I'll kick it off with a unique tradition that my hubby, Steve, and I have had for about five or six years now. Because the weather here in southern Arizona is typically warm(ish) and sunny in December, we do a little motorcycle ride to Waffle House on Christmas morning. Waffle House is an American chain diners and there are probably half a dozen of them in the Tucson metro area. Over the past few years we've opted to go to one particular Waffle House because Freddy the Greeter is always there doing his "greeter" thing on Christmas morning . No one seems to be able to tell us just how old Freddy is but he does seem to be getting up there. But he takes his greeter job very seriously and is a truly sweet guy.

The other aspect of our tradition that makes it more than "just" breakfast and a ride is that Steve and I have both been servers and know what it's like to have to work on a major holiday like Christmas. So we leave our server a v-e-r-y large tip quite out of proportion to our actual bill. It's such fun for us to make our server's day and hopefully it helps them out financially and in a memorable way. I've been the recipient of a couple of unexpected large tips in my past (both when I drove a horse & carriage in San Diego), and I still remember that to this day.

After breakfast we do a little ride on the west side of town out among the Tucson Mountains. I always enjoy riding on Christmas Day because there is so much less traffic than any other day of the year!

Here are some photos of our "Christmas Waffle House Motorcycle Ride" from this morning.

Steve rode his 2001 Fat Boy this morning and I chose to ride my Low Rider ST. I think I rode my Speed Triple RS last year.



The place was packed but there were two seats at the breakfast bar. That's our preferred place to sit anyway because it's amazing to watch the skill and efficiency of the line cooks. This is a pan shot so the proportions of the people (particularly the gal in the red hat!) are a bit "off" if they moved as I was panning.



Some good friends who know our tradition bought us Waffle House hats for Christmas a couple of years ago!



Our sweet server with my pecan waffle



My entire breakfast...I wasn't hungry again for about 8 hours!! I'd eaten about half of my eggs, ham, and hash browns by the time my waffle was delivered hot from the waffle iron.



This server had such a great Christmas outfit that I asked her if I could take a her picture.



The little Christmas tree next to the Waffle House jukebox. I'd never heard of a TouchTunes jukebox before today.



I have a red leather Harley motorcycle jacket that I found on eBay many years ago. I pull it out once a year in December for any and all of the Christmas rides we do, whether it's a Toy Run, a Sunday group ride right around the 25th, or our annual Waffle House ride. A couple of times I almost sold it at a swap meet but have always been glad it didn't sell. After this year I decided that it's worth more to me to just keep it and have it for the holidays than to sell it even if I only wear it a few times a year.



Freddy the Greeter. He started wearing a mask after Covid. I suspect he's doing his best to stay healthy. As I said, we don't really know how old he is but he's only getting older each year. He also seems to be getting shorter each year. And we're always glad (and a bit relieved) to find him still doing his greeter thing each year when we walk in the restaurant door.



Back home after breakfast and a ride. We were going to have a couple friends join us this year but both came down with "the crud" that's been going around. Last year Russell joined us. But it's usually hubby and me and it's one of our cherished "couple" traditions for Christmas.



OK, what are some of your unique and cherished Christmas traditions???

 

I don't know how unique it is, but Christmas Eve is our big dinner instead of Christmas Day. The traditional meal, always at El Rancho Fork Lock, always Italian, is lasagna, meatballs, sausage, garlic bread... the works. Our three girls, their significant others and granddaughter, AJ, all come over. There's a traditional Christmas Eve present for all - pajamas, which all must wear when they come over on Christmas day. On Christmas day its "open house" from 1:00 pm on, and it's just a pile of assorted hors d'oeuvres, dips, shrimp, fruit, cookies and such covering the entire table. The pajama-clad multitude just picks at whatever's there all day. We exchange gifts and tell embarrassing stories about things the girls did growing up. Always a hoot!

 

Our Christmas Eve "tradition", is a video call with our daughter, son in law and two grandchildren in New Zealand where it is already Christmas morning.

It has meant we can be a part of their Christmas even from 12,000 miles away. The grandchildren are now 17 and 14, but still chat with us and show us their presents. A very special thing to us.

Christmas Day is more traditional but equally special - a turkey dinner with our other daughter and her partner, who live a few miles up the road.

 

@Sandi T I actually thought of you and your "tipping tradition" - it's an amazing thing to do. We don't have many traditions because one or both of us have worked Christmas or been away over this time for many years. We do try to make a special Christmas Day though whichever day we choose to have it on, so I suppose our "tradition" is in keeping to "our" Christmas Day - our ritual has become beef fillet for Christmas lunch which I cook in a mustard and pepper crust and cheese for Boxing Day.

This year, we were both at home for Christmas Day, although I went back to work early this morning to deal with the aftermath of other peoples' Christmases . Just before Christmas, an elderly gentleman appeared at the door at work and I braced myself seeing a huge bag full of things, fearing the worst - however he had clearly spent time over the year adding one or two things to his food shop to gift to all of us working over the Christmas period and he wrote a lovely card. I was so touched I could almost have cried .

PS Don't get rid of the Harley jacket.....it's a special thing now as it's involved in so many of your memories .

 

I love your traditions, @Fork Lock! Especially the pajamas and the telling (and I'll bet retelling) of embarrassing stories. And your Christmas Eve dinner sounds absolutely delicious!

 

What sweet traditions, @ajc400! I'm not always a fan of technology but how wonderful that technology allows things like your video call with your family in New Zealand 12,000 miles away!

 

Thanks for sharing about your and Helmut's Christmas's, @Mrs Visor. Although work and being away sound like they've made having "big" traditions a challenge, it's cool that you two have found ways to incorporate your own special rituals into the season. I think most often it's those simple and personal traditions we share with those closest to us that are the most special traditions of all.

Thanks also for sharing about the elderly gentleman who was so generous and thoughtful. Gestures such as that are truly magical, special, and memorable.

 

Every Christmas eve I went white water kayaking with a friend (not always the same one), some years the rivers would be in full flood, other years saw lower levels, at times it was heavy snow and ice, but never was it warm, a real challenge getting to and from the rivers due to road conditions. Unfortunately my days of mountaineering and white water kayaking are gone, how things can change dramatically in the blink of an eye.

 

Yes we always had a house full of family played silly games and filled our faces. This year all the kids were away with the other in-laws. So i told Trac to book a hotel and we had a swell time with her Dad. No cooking no cleaning up. But i did miss the hustle and bustle but only till boxing day were we laid on a buffet for all.