Does your family have any Christmas traditions that others might find strange or quirky?
I was thinking about a tradition my family does that I never really noticed until J spent Christmas with us.
See, every year, we receive hygiene products in our stockings. Everything from shampoo and conditioner, to deodorant, to toothbrushes and toothpaste, and sometimes even pads and tampons. It's not as a joke, it happens every year.
Between my parents combined and annual dentist checkups, I never have to purchase my own toothbrush or floss, as I receive about a years supply every Christmas lol. I also get some pricey shampoo that I absolutely love but would never buy myself.
We also put chocolate and other little trinkets in the stockings but for the most part it's hygiene products.
This year as J was spending Christmas with us, I put together a stocking for him. I decorated a plain stocking with fabric paint, labelling his name and everything. Then I filled it. And as I'm used to receiving hygiene products, that's what I mostly put in. I know what kind of shampoo, soap and deodorant he uses, so that's what I bought for him. Plus, he is allergic to most scented products so I know which is safe for him to use without breaking out in hives. What I didn't know was that in my mom's gift to him, she did a stocking/big gift combined in one huge bag, so he also received some toothbrushes and other hygiene products from her.
After all the gifts were opened and we had a bit of time to ourselves, J brought up that he received a lot of hygiene products. I had to assure him that we weren't trying to send him a message and that everyone receives a bunch of that sort of stuff every Christmas. lol It's just what my family does.
I guess I sort of take that stuff for granted and don't realize that people receive different things in their stockings in other families. Actually, I don't think J's family does the whole stocking thing, so this was a way different experience for him. It's quite interesting to be hit with a reality check like that. Not everyone does the same thing for Christmas. I must have been living in my own little world for me to not realize that.
What do you receive in your stocking? And if you're the one filling the stockings every Christmas, what do you put in them?
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