Hey Mom and Dad: What Holiday Traditions Did You Start With Your Kids?

Welcome to Hey Mom and Dad—a weekly feature in which we ask our Facebook fans to share their views on parenting. Every week, we get the conversation started by taking a look back at a question we asked parents the week before on Patch Facebook pages from around the area.

Each family has their own special and unique holiday traditions—some have been passed down for generations, others have started in recent years.

What new holiday family traditions have you started with your kids?

Take a look at what people had to say and join the conversation in the comments section.

Jen Wilcock Edmondson: We go locally to Spring Bluff Nursery and cut down our xmas tree, spend the whole day putting it up and decorating it. Then we always order chinese delivery from East China Inn. Then we start a fire and watch an xmas movie. Last couple years, Elf was the choice. — Batavia Patch Facebook

Kim Heavin Wilson: We always head to The Paper Merchant (in) early December to buy stickers, fancy paper and envelopes to write letters to Santa, then head to Graham's 318 for dark chocolate cocoas. Such a fun tradition. — Geneva Patch Facebook

Dana Krajewski Camacho: My daughter is three, and this year I have acquired 24 Christmas books for her. (She has a November birthday and that's what I told everyone to get her.) I am going to wrap them all and she gets to open one book every night in December until Christmas. Kind of like a advent calendar of books! We'll use the same books next year. — Glen Ellyn Patch Facebook

Valerie Mager Dickeson: Downtown Lisle festivities every year...including lighting of the tree with carols,trolley rides, warm cookies at village hall, looking at the ol time little train setups, brick oven goodies, and finally the best part, visiting Santa! I love Lisle. — Lisle Patch Facebook

Dominique Castillo: We are doing elf on a shelf. We have never done that before. — Naperville Patch Facebook

Laurie Tenshler: My dad just recently passed away in March, tragically:( Every holiday since then we have released balloons in his honor...The kids miss their Pop Pop sooo much this is a way they can send him gifts to heaven..they also wrote letters and attached them to the balloons:( — St. Charles Patch Facebook

So what's your take? Tell us in the comments.