In many households, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without observing family traditions. Here are some that are part of north Fulton residents’ holidays.

Lonnie Mimms, executive with Mimms Enterprises, Roswell

“My wife is Swedish, and my mother was also from a Swedish heritage so I have always followed some of the Swedish traditions,” said Lonnie Mimms.

“Prior to Christmas in the 13th of December there is a celebration called Lucia that kicks off the Christmas season. There is Christmas music and a procession led by Saint Lucia, represented by a tall girl with a crown of candles.

“After the ceremony there is a social time with gingerbread, Lucia buns and other Scandinavian sweets which my wife usually helps make. She is an amazing baker,” Mimms said.

At Christmas the Swedish tradition is to get a visit from Santa on Christmas Eve and to open presents taking turns until all are open, Mimms said.

Diana Wheeler, community development director, City of Alpharetta

“Here is one of my holiday favorites. It’s traditional to sing carols around a piano, but my son plays contemporary guitar; so our family tradition is to sing old holiday standards accompanied by cool guitar music,” Wheseler said.

“Imagine ‘Deck the Halls,’ Clapton-style or ‘Jingle Bell Rock,’ Hendrix-style. It’s always fun and funny and very memorable.

“Our family in Georgia is small, so there are only six or seven who join in. We’ll have this celebration the weekend before driving down to Grandma’s house in Miami, a tradition we’ve had for 17 years.

“We usually have our big meal at dinner time, and then we’ll open some gifts. By the time we’re ready to sing, everyone’s in a fairly silly mood and since we don’t use lyric sheets, the 2nd and 3rd verses of some of the songs can get fairly imaginative.”

Travis Allen, chairman of the Milton Historic Preservation Commission

“Unfortunately, it appears that while I made the inaugural lighting of Milton’s Christmas tree, I’ll forever miss it moving forward as I spend the first weekend in December each year with good friends and good times at a friend’s cabin at Lake Winfield Scott in Suches, Ga.,” Allen said.

“The second weekend in December we always attend a friend’s party where there is a dessert contest and an appetizer contest as well with great prizes. Last year we took home the prize for best appetizer, a giant popcorn maker that has its own marquee that you can customize.”

The winning appetizer was sausage pinwheels, a favorite recipe of his mom’s, which calls for ground sausage, shredded cheese and sour cream to be rolled up in tortillas, then cut into wheels.

This year the Allens are adding something new to their holiday customs. “Our son recently turned three so we’ll be making our first trek to Milton’s Christmas in Crabapple and we’d like to make that a tradition.”