What holiday traditions are unique to your hometown?

[MustBeJewel]

Happy Holidays, everyone!

It's a widely-known fact that I am from Baltimore, MD. And what does Maryland have?


Crabs.

Lots.

And lots.

of crabs.

Yes, everything literally is about crabs.


There's a saying on social media that "Maryland is not a state--it's a cult." They're not wrong! Marylanders tend to have a somewhat absurd level of pride in their state, and their crabs:

A little about Maryland:

Maryland is a Mid-Atlantic state that's defined by its abundant waterways and coastlines on the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Its largest city, Baltimore, has a long history as a major seaport. Fort McHenry, birthplace of the U.S. national anthem, sits at the mouth of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, home to the National Aquarium and Maryland Science Center.

Also, there are crabs.


And the MD Pony Meet.


But, mostly, crabs.


Also, we have our own accent (I personally do not, but I hear it!), which may help the following videos to make sense:

So naturally, this led to a now-famous song among Marylanders to be written, and that is, "Crabs for Christmas":

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It celebrated it's 40th anniversary last year:

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And now there's a book out about it:

https://www.crabsforchristmas.com/

Now tell me about YOUR hometown and what makes it unique around the holidays!

​

 

[Sassarazzmadazzles]

>_>....

<_<....

miss Voldemort crabs~



lol.. sorry, i had to..


but when it comes to Christmas traditions around my town, nothin really, were a small town, they've started this thing where Santa rides around in the fire truck though

 

[Jellybean]

There are a lot of waterways around here, and lots of people own boats, so there's a decades long tradition of a christmas ship flotilla that decks out top to bottom in christmas lights and floats along near neighborhoods and broadcasts live carolers, while people stand near the water with handheld lights and listen. It's pretty neat!

 

[Tak]

Around here we hope and hope for snow on Christmas… then complain about it!

My hometown… we had a ‘candy cane lane’ of lights to walk every year and New England accents. (West coast teachers made me do speech therapy for years!) My other hometown was all lights on palm trees, still not sure about them.

 

[Skybreeze]

 

[MustBeJewel]

>_>....

<_<....

miss Voldemort crabs~

View attachment 63737

lol.. sorry, i had to..


but when it comes to Christmas traditions around my town, nothin really, were a small town, they've started this thing where Santa rides around in the fire truck though

Thank you Sassy for that barely-relative contribution Though I believe it's based on "Miss Baltimore Crabs" from the musical Hairspray.....which was filmed in Baltimore!

There are a lot of waterways around here, and lots of people own boats, so there's a decades long tradition of a christmas ship flotilla that decks out top to bottom in christmas lights and floats along near neighborhoods and broadcasts live carolers, while people stand near the water with handheld lights and listen. It's pretty neat!

That sounds so neat!! A floating neighborhood of lights, how cool!

Around here we hope and hope for snow on Christmas… then complain about it!

My hometown… we had a ‘candy cane lane’ of lights to walk every year and New England accents. (West coast teachers made me do speech therapy for years!) My other hometown was all lights on palm trees, still not sure about them.

I always say that snow is pretty, so long as I don't have to shovel it.

View attachment 63739

 

[Sassarazzmadazzles]

Thank you Sassy for that barely-relative contribution Though I believe it's based on "Miss Baltimore Crabs" from the musical Hairspray.....which was filmed in Baltimore!


That sounds so neat!! A floating neighborhood of lights, how cool!



I always say that snow is pretty, so long as I don't have to shovel it.

Yes, it’s miss Baltimore crabs, but one day while brushing my teeth, my head sang “good morning Voldemort!” So now… every Baltimore is Voldemort lol

 

[Cozytoyhoard]

There's a Christmas inflatable drive-thru at the castle we visit every year

 

[Draco]

I don't think there's anything uniquely different in my area.
Santa Claus on firetrucks, gingerbread house contest, light contest. Nothing that really stands out and be different

 

[ActionHank]

I live in a really small area that can barely called a town so we don't do anything out here, but the nearby town lights up the square and maybe some other stuff that I don't know about.

 

[OctoberMoon]

I don't think we have anything that stands out either. The normal Christmas parade, overpriced light exhibits you drive through, and tons of craft shows to shop. It's quiet and peaceful here. We do however have a world renound gingerbread competition at the Grove Park Inn that is sometimes featured on the Food Network. We also have the notorious Biltmore House that gets all dolled up for the holidays. It's very beautiful.

 

[Twinkle-eye]

I asked my husband whats different here from America. He says you don't have Boxing Day! He said he thought it was actually about the sport of boxing, and that its a weird idea. Lol When I was a child I thought it was about getting rid of all the packaging for your christmas presents! Its actually a Victorian invention, whereupon you box up all the old stuff that your gifts have replaced and donate it to the poor. Nowadays its just an excuse for an extra public holiday. Generally people go for family walks on Christmas Day and Boxing Day to get some fresh air after eating too much, lol. Theres nothing else to do one those days because everything is usually closed.

Our local town specifically has christmas card drop offs in shops, and volunteers take the cards round to houses in the local area. I think its so the elderly don't have to pay postage or walk in the harsh conditions.

In Scotland, New Year is a bigger deal. We call it Hogmanay and there is usually a huge party in Edinburgh with lots of fireworks. Christmas was actually banned in Scotland, and wasn't made an official public holiday again until the late 1950s. Around the coast we tend (not me ever,lol) dook in the North Sea on New Years day as a hangover cure and a flex to your friends and family. The North Sea is cold all year round, so no thankyoooou!

Locally, we have a snowdrop festival at the end of January. I always think of it as a sneak peek of the return of spring. There is a long winding path with white fairy lights and snowdrops and its best done at night. So lovely

 

[StormMaeker]

He said he thought it was actually about the sport of boxing, and that its a weird idea. Lol When I was a child I thought it was about getting rid of all the packaging for your christmas presents!

I thought the exact same thing!

I can’t think of anything unique here in England either. There’s Boxing Day as Twinkle mentioned. I didn’t realise that was unique to the UK too.
There’s usually Christmas markets dotted about that usually pops up for about a day sometimes or longer (I missed the one in my local town this year, I forgot it was on!) and someone near my local town every year decorates with lights his house for charity which is pretty nice

In London there’s Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park! It’s been going for 15 years but I haven’t had the chance to go yet My younger sister has before and it looked beautiful with all the lights.
When looking just now thinking of what to write for this thread, it looks like it even has rides this year! I knew it had ice rinks, an ice bar, lots of lights, I just didn’t realise there was rides too

Of course on New Year, the TV is on for the bongs of Big Ben and the New Year fireworks over The Themes and London Eye and then sing Auld Lang Syne. Singing that probably isn’t unique to here though

I remember when I was little and used to play Build-a-Bearville they was talking about Christmas around the world and what’s stuck with me is the surfing Santas of Australia. I need to know… is this still a thing? Any Australians?

EDIT:
Ah! How could I forget, the classic Christmas panto!

T’is the season that theatregoers could enjoy some family fun by going to watch a pantomime. Pantos are usually fairytales performed full of comedy and slapstick. You have the classic pantomime dames, good fairies, the “it’s behind you!” “oh no it’s not!” lines, usually a Buttons and such. Usually great fun. During the lockdowns they had to somehow adapt to going digital so people can still get their fill of festive panto fun

 

[Twinkle-eye]

I thought the exact same thing!

I can’t think of anything unique here in England either. There’s Boxing Day as Twinkle mentioned. I didn’t realise that was unique to the UK too.
There’s usually Christmas markets dotted about that usually pops up for about a day sometimes or longer (I missed the one in my local town this year, I forgot it was on!) and someone near my local town every year decorates with lights his house for charity which is pretty nice

In London there’s Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park! It’s been going for 15 years but I haven’t had the chance to go yet My younger sister has before and it looked beautiful with all the lights.
When looking just now thinking of what to write for this thread, it looks like it even has rides this year! I knew it had ice rinks, an ice bar, lots of lights, I just didn’t realise there was rides too

Of course on New Year, the TV is on for the bongs of Big Ben and the New Year fireworks over The Themes and London Eye and then sing Auld Lang Syne. Singing that probably isn’t unique to here though

I remember when I was little and used to play Build-a-Bearville they was talking about Christmas around the world and what’s stuck with me is the surfing Santas of Australia. I need to know… is this still a thing? Any Australians?

EDIT:
Ah! How could I forget, the classic Christmas panto!

T’is the season that theatregoers could enjoy some family fun by going to watch a pantomime. Pantos are usually fairytales performed full of comedy and slapstick. You have the classic pantomime dames, good fairies, the “it’s behind you!” “oh no it’s not!” lines, usually a Buttons and such. Usually great fun. During the lockdowns they had to somehow adapt to going digital so people can still get their fill of festive panto fun

Ok, Buttons was my favourite character in pantos cos the name reminded me of my pony! Lol! I have seen clips of Sir Ian Mckellen being Widow Twankey and it is hilarious!

I went to Stonehaven one new year for the fire festival, that was amazing! Everyone should look that up!

 

[StormMaeker]

Ok, Buttons was my favourite character in pantos cos the name reminded me of my pony! Lol! I have seen clips of Sir Ian Mckellen being Widow Twankey and it is hilarious!

I went to Stonehaven one new year for the fire festival, that was amazing! Everyone should look that up!

The local theatre usually has a Buttons. I can’t quite exactly remember who played him but I can see his face and him going “Hello b-b-b-boys and girls!” and the audience going “hello B-B-B-Buttons!”. I haven’t seen one in years but the last time was when I was little

Okay that fire festival looks amazing. The times I’ve gone up to Scotland were never around these times of year and I haven’t been since I was a kid, I wish one day I could see these kinds of festivals

 

[darcerin]

@MustBeJewel you forgot the most important thing we have, crabs aside...

Miracle on 34th Street!! https://www.christmasstreet.com/

I was hoping to convince my brother to take us up this weekend, but the weather is going to be miserable and COLD. (Thanks, Siberia!)

I live down the ways from Jewel, in the little state capital of Annapolis (remember that for your geography tests next year, kids!) The city really ramped up the holiday stuff to do this year, but one returning activity is the Eastport Yacht Club (yes, we have yacht clubs here. NO, I do not have a yacht, much less a dingy!) Boat Parade, where people deck out their boats in lights and ornaments and then run them up and down Spa Creek. My street happens to be at the end of the parade where they turn around and head back to downtown toward the Chesapeake. They do this for 2-3 hours. I can stand about an hour of it in the cold, before I lose feeling in my toes and have to go in and warm up. It's a LOT of fun though, and the kids love it.

Lights Parade - Eastport Yacht Club

Eastport Yacht Club

www.eastportyc.org

There is video from this year's parade on their website!

 

[strawberrypony32]

Thank you Sassy for that barely-relative contribution Though I believe it's based on "Miss Baltimore Crabs" from the musical Hairspray.....which was filmed in Baltimore!

Thats cool!! I didnt know it was actually filmed there!! Ever since i learned about the MD pony meet i keep joking with my mom im gonna wake up in the hotel room like " Oh OH oH! Woke up today, to sEE Some PONIES!!"

Hmm as far as traditions in my state, my favorite one is the Christmas Tree in Wilmington. It was the worlds largest living christmas tree!! It was first lit in 1928 and the tree was estimated to be 300 something years old!! It was a live oak tree instead of a pine tree, but was made to be a christmas tree. I went to see it several times growing up. It looked like the second picture when I was growing up although i think that picture is from the 50s and i grew up in the 1990-00s they kept it the same for a long time. Sadly, at around/over 400 years old the tree was taken down T_T it had health issues but it makes me sadd.


The new tree just isnt the same :/ im glad they did get a new tree but I wish they decorated it the same to pay respects to the original. Just plain green and red lights is hardly classic! I guess a massive twinkling tree that looked like it was full of stars just cant be beat! Lol

 

[Tak]

Oh! I forgot, lol, such a hermit. There’s a Christmas ships parade on the Columbia. All the ships decked out in lights over the water… it’s really beautiful. <now plotting how to take E to see them next year> There’s also the ‘Polar Express’ nearby that is so much fun for littles.

 

[rachelleigh]

Zoolights! Every year the Smithsonian Zoo is decorated with lights meant to look like animals and they have some carnival stuff! The Zoo is free so it’s always fun to go there and look at the lights (and the horses in the farm area)

 

[doinavoina]

not so much town more like country and general aria, we have a spring holiday called ''Mărțișor'' literally ''little March'' where we give each others little charms on brooches/bracelets/necklaces as a spring celebration, we wear the charms from the first of March until the end of it, most common motif of the charms are snowdrop, four-leaf clover, ladybug, chimney sweeper, horseshoe and are meant to represent good luck

We have 2 santas !!! Santa Nicholas (December 5) and Santa Claus (December 25) one brings candy and fruits in your boots while the other one brings toys and clothes under your Christmas tree, one comes on a white horse while the other one comes on a sleigh pulled by reindeer and if you are bad one brings a tree branch while the other one brings coal. The whole lore behind it is that Santa Nicholas is the little brother of Santa Claus.

Name day, if you share a name with a saint u get to celebrate your name day, it is basically like a birthday you even get to have cake and gifts.