Some Christmas traditions bring levity to the holidays

Christmas traditions are an annual rite of passage for families. The Christmas tree, Christmas meals, presents, the reading of the Christmas nativity story, making Christmas cookies, gathering with family and friends, singing carols, and making snowmen are all part of a typical Christmas season.

But there are some unique traditions that over recent years have worked their way into the Christmas celebration, like it or not.

Here are a few of those quirky activities you may celebrate yourselves or want to start as a new family tradition.

The Christmas pickle

Did you know there is a German American tradition where a glass pickle ornament is hidden on the Christmas tree? The first child to find it gets an extra gift or good luck for the year.

Pickles may not be everyone’s idea of tasty or decorative, but this unusual tradition is one the kids can enjoy.

Elf on the Shelf

A relatively new tradition where a small elf doll “watches” children and reports their behavior to Santa. The elf is moved to a new spot each night, creating a playful scavenger hunt.

Over the past couple of years, the mischievous elf has become quite creative in the way it displays its bounty of treats and toys it places around the house, from creating artwork and toilet papering the kitchen to building a zip line across the living room, getting creative with candy treats and doing some slightly naughty but innocent acts that are fun for the kids.

Candy cane hunts

Instead of Easter egg hunts, some families hide candy canes around the house for kids to find. Not only is this fun for the kids, but also it can create some fascinating photo opportunities for parents, and the joy of watching the kids explore the home in search of these red and white treats can add laughter and excitement to any Christmas season.

Christmas pajama tradition

Many families give matching pajamas on Christmas Eve and wear them during gift-opening in the morning.

From basic plaid to having PJ's custom-made with the family pet’s face on them or whimsical Christmas characters like Buddy the Elf, Rudolph and the gang or Christmas trees and candy canes, getting the whole family involved in coming up with the annual PJ theme brings everyone together for the Christmas season.

Festivus

Yes, Festivus is a made-up holiday from the TV show “Seinfeld.” However, it also is true there are Americans today who celebrate this “anti-Christmas” holiday with a Festivus pole and quirky traditions like the Airing of Grievances.

Sometimes fiction and real-life aren’t so far removed.

Ugly Christmas sweaters

Wearing intentionally tacky, ugly or over-the-top Christmas sweaters has become a fun social trend.

In the late 1980s, the idea of cheesy Christmas sweaters began to catch on. Celebrities and TV characters occasionally wore ridiculous sweaters, making them humorous and slightly ironic.

However, in the early 2000s, the ugly Christmas sweater tradition really took off. Ugly sweater parties started appearing, often encouraging the most outrageous and creative designs. Some towns even hold ugly sweater contests.

Now social media and online stores helped popularize novelty sweaters, and ugly sweaters that light up, glow in the dark, have actual ornaments hanging on them and scream “look at me” have become a wildly entertaining tradition.

Lighting shows synchronized to music

Driving around as a family to witness all the Christmas lights donning neighborhoods has long been a family tradition. However, thanks to technology today, it has become a billion-dollar blitz featuring scads of twinkling, dazzling lights synchronized to energetic music.

Clark Griswold may have had the house of 25,000 lights, but people today are investing in a synchronized Christmas tradition that lights up neighborhood nights in a frenetic, exciting way, with the lights blinking and zipping along in synchronization with popular songs, blazing as one with songs like Trans-Siberian Orchestra instrumentals “Wizards in Winter” and “Christmas Canon.”

Fruitcake tossing

Haven’t seen this one? You’re not alone, but the fruitcake toss is a real thing — a humorous tradition in some communities where people compete to see who can toss a fruitcake the farthest. Manitou Springs, Colorado is well known for its annual indulgence in this oddly satisfying event.

And if you’re familiar with the sheer weight of a fruitcake, it’s almost akin to heaving the Steinstossen at the Ohio Swiss Festival.

Hidden Santa figurines or ornaments

Much like the Christmas pickle, some families hide Santa figurines or special ornaments for children to find, adding a playful twist to decorating.

Whether Saint Nick is hiding somewhere in the Christmas tree or lurking behind a bookcase, peering from under the couch or tucked away in the presents, younger kids have loved pursuing this tradition.