Christmas Traditions are HUGE! I love all the ones I grew up with:
1. Decorating the tree while drinking egg nog and listening to Christmas Carols.
2. Christmas Eve neighborhood party (that has now turned to a family party because we moved from the old neighborhood).
3. Making homemade bread, crescent rolls, and all kind of cookies and treats with my mom during Christmas vacation.
4. Watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Claus is coming to town when they came on tv.
5. Watching White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney with my mom...five hundred times in two weeks.
6. Christmas morning brunch.
Now that I have my own family (and my kids are young) some have followed us...and some we've put aside. But this is what we still do:
1. Christmas Eve party...either at my in-laws or with my family (they both always have Christmas parties, so we switch off years).
2. Watch all the movies...but now I watch the animated ones with my kids (they actually watch Frosty all year long...I know, I know!) and I watch White Christmas by myself. Sad, huh? I just can't seem to guilt the hubs into watching it with me. Go figure!
3. Decorating the Christmas tree while drinking egg nog and listening to Christmas carols. This is one that I'm thankful my kiddos are still too young to do (for the most part) because I am ANAL about what my tree looks like. Like, TYPE A, my-way-or-the-highway-anal. Seriously. Did I mention that I bought the kids their own trees to decorate? Yeah. 'Cause I did. That way my tree...is my tree. Is that wrong?
4. Go to my mom's house and my sister and I decorate her tree and her house for her.
5. The three gifts at Christmas.
6. Make a birthday cake or cupcake and sing happy birthday to the baby Jesus.
7. I bake sugar cookies with my sister-in-law.
8. Go to Christmas Tree Lane to look at beautiful houses with beautiful decorations!
Things we are planning on doing as the kiddos get older:
1. When we pull out the nativity set, have each person tell the story of the person/animal/thing they got from the box and how it relates to the story of Jesus' birth.
2. Go into detail about the three gifts at Christmas.
3. Read the story of the birth of Christ before we open gifts on Christmas Day.
And probably more as they get older and our lives change!
Head over to RedWriting to see lots of other ideas for Christmas Traditions!
white christmas is my all time favorite christmas movie. my hubs had never seen it when we got married and i make him watch it with me now. he loves it's a wonderful life, and although it has a great storyline, it gets on my nerves. so i watch it with him and he'll watch white christmas.
ReplyDeleteyou have some amazing traditions! Your kids are super lucky to have a such a godly mom. i just told my hubby about the cupcake for Jesus and I think we will do that this year with our little girl. I am loving hearing everyones traditions on the 12 weeks of christmas -this is so fun! I am already in the spirit
ReplyDeleteI am laughing 1. because we have been watching Rudolph and Frosty all year long also! and 2. because I was thinking to myself(as I have read about all these families where they have the tree trimming party) "BUT I like to decorate my OWN tree!" Hmm. I really want to have the party, but really want to decorate my own tree..Maybe I will have the party and everyone can watch me...and hand me stuff. Do you think they will go for it?
ReplyDeleteI just can hear my kids all grown up telling of the tradition where you hand mom the ornaments. ha!
I love both of the lists. I love to read about families that focus on Christ and family, not it being all about the presents. I had to give up "control" of my tree years ago as my kids got older, I have adjusted, I am sure you will too. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing at your "my tree" problem. I'm so that way, but now I don't have to feel guilty about it 'cause I'm a grandma and can be as anal as I want to! Your day will come.
ReplyDeleteI love all your traditions and and glad that you mentioned again your "three gift" way of shopping. And, keep up the reading of the Luke story before opening gifts! SO IMPORTANT!
Christmas Blessings,
Jayne at mysongwithin
You do have Christmas on the brain! My dad always reads the Christmas story every Christmas morning, though now my nephews are getting older, so he has them read a section each. Sam will be next.
ReplyDeleteI am SO ready for the holidays! My little man will be a about a year and a half this year, so I'm hoping he'll have a blast with our traditions!
ReplyDeleteReading your post made me want to put my tree up, LOL!! Christmas memories are always so warm & fuzzy!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!!
I wish our neighborhood had a Christmas party! Sad thing is, my neighbors hardly know each other... Loved reding your traditions.
ReplyDeletei totally laughed when i read that you got them each their own tree TFS :D
ReplyDeleteThis is so fun getting to read about all the different memories & traditions of everyone. I'm lucky, none of the men in my family want to decorate the tree. So I get to do what I want. Except then I get no help. I guess I can't have it both ways. Thanks for sharing your traditions.
ReplyDeleteOh my! You are a Christmas girl and that makes me smile! It sounds like your family is joyous and lucky to have such a Christmas elf in their presence.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest daughter wanted us to sing 'The First Noel' as a lullaby for an entire year! It seemed pretty odd in August, but it worked like a charm and I don't mess with success.
ReplyDeleteI don't see anything wrong with giving the kiddies their own special tree.
You have some really sweet traditions.
GUFFAW!!! I call shenanigans! I have watched White Christmas with you MANY A TIME! Just because I don't watch it with you in June...
ReplyDeleteso much fun!
ReplyDeleteI love all of your traditions! It makes me want it to be Christmastime already. ;) And I'm pretty SURE I already told you this, but I really like your About Me section of your profile! What a beautifully summary.
ReplyDeleteThank you too for leaving a comment on my dolce vita featured post! I so appreciate it!