By: The Return of the Eye Staff
December 17, 2025
It is hard to fathom that Christmas is basically one week away. For some, this spiritual holiday brings sadness and grief, but for most, it brings joy, happiness, excitement, and celebratory traditions with family and friends.
Whether it is decorating the tree, opening meaningful presents, baking cookies, or celebrating this Christian holiday, every family has their own Christmas traditions. As famous musician Andy Williams once said, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”
The Christmas spirit provides joy and love, and watching classic Christmas movies is a staple for most households.
For the final article of 2025, each journalist shared their Christmas traditions and their favorite Christmas movie. Take a look at what follows below to compare your traditions with ours.
AMIR
- Tradition: Every year, my grandma comes and visits from Florida to watch us open presents and to come sledding with us. She always makes a wonderful Christmas breakfast that varies from eggs, pancakes, bacon, etc.
- Movie: Elf is my favorite movie because my mom and I love the jokes in it.
DEVIN
- Tradition: My family and I sleep in and wake up to my mom making a delicious breakfast.
- Movie: Home Alone is my favorite because of the family comedy and thrill.
JEREMIAH
- Tradition: Every year on Christmas, my family does Secret Santa, mainly just the adults. But, they do it because most adults really don’t get presents, so with the Secret Santa, we get a random gift from someone in the family.
- Movie: My favorite Christmas movie has to be The Gremlins. This movie is one of my childhood movies and has always been my favorite ever since I was seven-years-old.
ANKITA
- Tradition: During the week of Christmas every year, my family goes downtown to see the decorations and lights. We take pictures to capture the memory of our family being together during the holiday.
- Movie: My favorite Christmas movie is The Polar Express. It brings back a lot of memories from my childhood when I was still in elementary school.
BEN
- Tradition: Nearly every year, I go sledding with my family or friends. This year, I went with my friends, and let’s just say that my jeans were soaked by the afternoon.
- Movie: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is put on every year and is always a good laugh.
RAYNA
- Tradition: I love to bake Christmas cookies with my mom. We spend the entire afternoon baking cookies, chatting with each other, and discussing the gifts we are giving to others.
- Movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas. I do not like Christmas movies much, but this is something my mom and I always watch together.
JUSTIN
- Tradition: My favorite Christmas tradition is opening gifts with my family. On Christmas Eve, my household goes to my uncle’s house, where we exchange gifts. Once Christmas Eve is over, Christmas morning is when all the gifts under my tree get opened.
- Movie: My favorite Christmas movie is, without a doubt, Home Alone. I do not care how original it is; every year, I enjoy sitting on my couch watching Home Alone on repeat.
NICOLLE
- Tradition: My favorite Christmas tradition is cooking with my family. The morning of Christmas Eve, my family and I get together to cook some food for dinner later that day. It is a very important tradition for me since it brings my family together, and it allows me to catch up with family members whom I have not seen in a while.
- Movie: My favorite Christmas movie is The Grinch. Although my family does not watch movies together very often, it is a movie I enjoy watching, no matter what.
SUMMER
- Tradition: On December 23, my two cousins and I go to their Aunt Amy’s house. We get to pick out what we want for dinner. Then, we watch a movie. We go to bed, and then on Christmas Eve, we receive all of our gifts, open them, and then we cook breakfast. This breakfast usually consists of sunnyside-up eggs, toast or bagels, bacon, sausage, and usually something sweet. Later in the day, my aunt and uncle come over, and we have dinner together. Then, we go back home with all our gifts. On Christmas, we usually have breakfast as a family and then open our gifts from our other family. We then bake and start dinner that night. This three-day tradition has been the same for roughly 15 straight years.
- Movie: My favorite Christmas movie of all time will always be A Christmas Story. Ralphie will always be my favorite character.
JACOB
- Tradition: My family’s traditions aren’t usually big. We just usually have a little get-together and watch either basketball or football, eat delicious food, and hang out.
- Movie: I would definitely say National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is my favorite because it’s a classic and very hilarious.
What are your favorite family Christmas traditions and go-to Christmas movies? Please share them in the Leave a comment section below.
Whether it’s Home Alone, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Christmas Story, The Polar Express, or The Grinch, there is always something classic to enjoy with all your friends and family. Keep these traditions alive.
Merry Christmas, Hurricane Nation!
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 