Someone asked me the other day what Christmas traditions our family has. As I thought about it the answer came out … ALOT.
Now even with all these traditions, Todd and Kinsey both said today that they felt like we needed more Christ in our Christmas. So help me out here, what traditions can I incorporate that will add a spiritual element to our month long celebration? IDEAS IDEAS PLEASE!
Some of our current Traditions:
Tradition 1 – To start we put up the tree together the Saturday following Sydney’s Birthday. This came from my Bishop when I was younger who upon finding out I was due to have Kinsey close to Christmas went on a rant about how awful it is to have a birthday around Christmas. he definitely had some issues there he needed to discuss with a therapist, but I listened and so we do not begin celebrating Christmas until AFTER Dec. 1st.
Tradition 2 – We have a book. You know that book your mom made in relief Society one night so that you can have a scripture and a story and a carol every night in December to help you remember the true meaning of Christmas? We have that book too. The girls love it. And it does help you remember the real meaning of all this hustle and bustle we do.
Tradition 3 – St. Nicolas day. December 5th my girls put their shoes by the front door and when they wake up the next morning they are filled with treats! This year they got water from 3 different countries and jewelry.
Tradition 4 - Letters to Santa. the girls still write letters to Santa with lists of things they would like to have and lists of things they know will irritate me. Like asking for a baby brother… oy. We tape the letters to the door post outside and Santas elves come and wisk them away in the night and leave letters for them in return from Santa. Santa has done this for a more than a decade now and doesn’t aim to quite any time soon.
Tradition 5 (a new one)- This year we didn’t let the girls buy each other gifts. Instead they had to make them or do a service. It worked out so well I think we will be keeping this one around for some time. They were so thoughtful with their gifts, more thoughtful then they have ever been. It was lovely.
Tradition 6 - Light looking. Todd and I both remember fondly nights as children when we would drive for hours thought neighborhoods in search of wonderful light displays. And so we carry that on with our own girls. Though we tend to frequent macMansion neighborhoods and the the girls and I drool over houses more than the lights these days. :D
Tradition 7 – All hail the dreidel king! We play dreidel. This stems from two things actually, one Todd’s love of all tings Jewish, and two Kinsey and Sydney’s preschool days at Keneseth of Israel. Every year I buy gold chocolate coins and we play dreidel and crown a dreidel King. This year it was Todd.
Tradition 8 – Hermie. Todd has a deep and unending love for the movie Rudolf the Red nosed reindeer. Whether its the politically incorrect Santa or the iconic pop cultural nature of the movie, your guess is as good as mine. But every year we watch it as a family we even have large stuffed representations of Hermie, Rudolf, and Cornelius.
Tradition 9 – Christmas Adam. This one started a few years ago beause Todd had to go to a UK game for work on December 23rd. We thought the girls might like to hang out with Gma & Gpa that day why we were at the game and they suggested they spend the night. Well they had so much fun baking cookies and playing games that it stuck. they go up every year now leaving Todd and I a day to prep for Christmas (ie wrapping) and we travel up for Christmas Eve celebrations the next day. (Christmas Adam you ask? because Adam came before Eve!).
Tradition 10 – Ham. Todd always bakes a Christmas Ham for Christmas Eve Dinner. Every year he tries a new and exciting glaze. This year it was a coke and honey glaze. Yum!
Tradition 11 - Gingerbread houses. We decorate them. Its a MUST! No I don’t bake them…. who does that? And no we don’t eat them…. who does that? But they sit on the table until Christmas is over and them I toss them. They are pretty and festive.
Tradition 12 – Christmas Cards. I send them because I love to get them! I sent 80 this year and got 30 back. Not bad in a down economy. We tape them to the stairs it makes for a lovely decoration and we get excited when we fill up all the spots! Which we did this year… YEAH!
Tradition 13 – A Christmas Eve present from Mom. There is always waiting under the tree a present for the girls when we come home Christmas Eve Night from me. now I always say it could be anything…. I mean ANYTHING! Who knows what will be in those brightly colored wrappings? But the girls claim its ALWAYS PJ’s. Todd says its a “present of possibilities”. I like that better!
Tradition 14 - A letter. After the present of possibilities the girls prepare a group letter for Santa penned by Dad and prepare a few cookies some reindeer treats and milk for Santa. Now this letter can get interesting. one year it claimed Santa was a stalker. This year it begged to sacrifice all their gifts so that Dad could have an X-box.
Tradition 15 - The Christmas Story. As the final point before bed Todd read the girls Luke 2. I know you all do this as well, but its such a sweet moment every year. And we end with family prayer.
Tradition 16 – Sleigh bells. At 9:00 sharp Santa rides over the house and rings his bells to tell the girls its time for bed. He has done this since they were babies. And still does it today. While other parents try to get their children to sleep on Christmas eve, ours are fast asleep for fear Santa will pass them by if they aren’t!
Tradition 17 - The girls gifts are wrapped in their own paper. I did this when they were little to keep from having to write their names on everything. and now its a full blown tradition. Todd even takes great pains to pick out the paper every year. He says its his contribution. LOL
Tradition 18 – The gifts. For all the craziness that is Christmas shopping, there is a method to my madness. I decided when they were little that no matter how poor we were there would always be at least three things under the tree for the girls. Something to read, something to keep warm, and something to make them feel pretty.
Tradition 19 – Christmas Day sleep over. We spend Christmas Day with Todd’s parents and the girls spend the night there and help de-decorate on the 26th.
Tradition 20 – Cookies for the neighbors. Self explanatory.
