We asked people in Orlando about their favorite Christmas family traditions
ALL RIGHT. COTTON BALLS, CARD GAMES AND MAYBE A FAMILY FEUD OR TWO. WESH TWO MICHELLE MEREDITH SPENT THE DAY AT LAKE EOLA IN ORLANDO, FINDING SOME OF THE TRADITIONS FAMILIES DO TO KEEP CHRISTMAS SPECIAL. CHRISTMAS EVE AT LAKE EOLA, WHERE THE FAKE SWANS COMPETE WITH THE REAL ONES, WHERE SANTA’S SLEIGH IS A GOLF CART WHERE INSTEAD OF A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE. THERE’S A ANHINGA BIRD IN A CYPRESS TREE. SO IT WAS HERE. WE ASKED FOLKS TO TELL US THEIR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITION AND LEARNED. WE DO GAME NIGHTS EVERY CHRISTMAS EVE. NOT THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT GETS COMPETITIVE AT THE BORGIAS HOUSE. I REMEMBER LAST YEAR, ESPECIALLY THIS GAME WE DID WITH LIKE WE HAD TO GET LIKE COTTON BALLS WITH A SPATULA, PUT THEM ON A PLATE WHILE WE WERE BLINDFOLDED. AND IT WAS IT WAS THE FUNNIEST THING EVER BECAUSE WE KEEP MISSING AND WE’RE ALL INSANELY COMPETITIVE. WE’RE PLAYING UNO THE OTHER DAY, AND WE GENUINELY ALMOST LIKE, HAD A FALLING OUT, LIKE, ME AND HIM WERE REALLY COMPETITIVE. YOU THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS GOING TO GO TO JAIL? YEAH, IT WAS BAD. YEAH, IT WAS HER. SHE WAS GOING TO THE GYM. YOU GUYS ARE CHEATING. THEY WERE CHEATING. YOU’RE MAKING UP RULES. MEANWHILE, DOWN THE SIDEWALK, THE PIERRE FAMILY HAS A MORE TRADITIONAL WAY TO CELEBRATE THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS. USUALLY, WE’LL MAKE GINGERBREAD HOUSES. WE’LL HAVE A LITTLE CONTEST ON. MAKING GINGERBREAD MEN IS THE BEST. AND WE’LL MAKE IT OUT OF RICE KRISPIE TREATS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE’LL JUST SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY, MAKE HOT CHOCOLATE, AND JUST WATCH TV. CAN I COME OVER? ABSOLUTELY. WELL, MY CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITION IS NOT VERY ROMANTIC. IT MAINLY INVOLVES WRAPPING ALL THE PRESENTS. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRAPPING DAYS BEFORE AT TINKER CHRISTIAN’S HOUSE. CHRISTMAS EVE GETS A LITTLE HAIRY. WE RESCUE ANIMALS, SO WE HAVE EIGHT CATS AND TWO DOGS, SO WE LIKE TO TREAT THEM TO SPECIAL TREATS AND WE HAVE STOCKINGS FOR THEM ACTUALLY. AND WE FILL THEM WITH GOODIES, TOYS, THINGS LIKE THAT. MY DAUGHTER LOVES TO DO THAT. SHE LIVES WITH US. SO IT’S JUST REALLY ABOUT BEING TOGETHER. BEING TOGETHER TO REFLECT ON WHAT THE YEAR HAS BROUGHT AND WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT BRING. COVERING ORANGE COUNTY IN
We asked people in Orlando about their favorite Christmas family traditions
Updated: 5:50 PM EST Dec 24, 2025