Graham Family Christmas Traditions
Will Graham, executive vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, explains his family’s Christmas traditions during an appearance on ‘Fox & Friends.’
Christmas Day is a time for Americans and others around the world who celebrate the holiday to spend time with loved ones while participating in time-honored traditions, and members of Congress are no exception.
Away from the hustle and drama of the Capitol, lawmakers spoke with Fox News Digital about their favorite ways to spend the Christmas holidays, both past and present.
“Jacquie and I are excited to have the entire team under one roof for a frozen Christmas in Minnesota, with four grandchildren getting a crash course in the joy (and noise!) of a family vacation in Emmer,” said House Majority Whip. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News Digital. “The Christmas Village is already set up and ugly sweaters are a must.”
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The Christmas tree is lit during a ceremony on the West Front of the United States Capitol on December 3, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
In South Dakota, Republican Sen. Mike Rounds invites more than 100 members of his family to come each year on Christmas Eve for homemade chicken noodle soup, his office told Fox News Digital.
“Senator Rounds’ late wife, Jean, was also very talented at cross-stitching and embroidery, and Senator Rounds and his children decorate the entire house with all of their handmade Christmas art,” his office said.
Rep. Claudia Tenney, R.N.Y., recalled a Christmas scavenger hunt her parents organized.
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House Majority Leader Tom Emmer said his family’s Christmas traditions involve ugly sweaters. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“My parents always organized a scavenger hunt on Christmas Eve. My four siblings and I had to decode a series of clues that took us to various parts of the house to find the next clue, which finally led us to the final clue, which was where the gifts we opened were found,” Tenney said.
He said locations included “the trunk of the car, the dryer or a storage closet.”
“It was a lot of fun and my parents made the slopes smarter and more challenging every year,” Tenney said. “Then we went to our neighbor’s house across the street for his annual Christmas Eve party. The whole neighborhood was invited. Afterwards, many of us, including our Jewish neighbors, went to midnight mass at the Presbyterian Church.”
Rep. Claudia Tenney recalled a Christmas Eve scavenger hunt that her parents orchestrated. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said her favorite Christmas tradition was skiing with her grandchildren in Star Valley in western Wyoming.
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And for Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Christmas means family dinners and board games.
“We’re going to Christmas Eve Mass at the parish I grew up in and we’re going to dinner at my parents’ house,” Schmitt told Fox News Digital. “The largest family gathers after Christmas to [an] RISK epic game.”
