We had a tradition where everyone had the same crocheted stocking with our names and year of birth on them. My siblings and I have them, the twins got theirs, then the lady died and so did the tradition - little man has a plain green stocking.
We always let the boys open 1 gift the night before - but we get to choose. It's not the same thing each year.
We go to the in-laws for breakfast - but I've been protesting that tradition for years. I understand it's a special meal she only makes once a year, but I like the kids to be able to relax and open their presents without being rushed.
I've made a tradition of going to see the lights in Mcadenville NC. The whole town decorates and people come from miles around to see it. If you are in the area and have never been you are missing out. I pack hot chocolate and cookies in the car and we drive thru at least twice.
But that is it. All I have. I am looking for some traditions to start. Jolly Mom has some great ones and asked for ours, but I'm stumped. What traditions do you have that I can steal?
Tradition: sit with husband in a room lit only by tree lights and remember that our blessings outnumber the lights. Happy Christmas to all. ~Betsy Cañas Garmon,
The breakfast on Christmas morning does sound stressful! Tim's parents have always expected us to come over Christmas eve and spend the night. We did that before we had kids but now we want to be home on Christmas eve and having them wake up in their own beds to come down the stairs and see all the presents under the tree. At first, my MIL was irritated about it but I think she now realizes that it's more about creating happy memories for our children.
ReplyDeleteSome of our traditions: we bake a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas eve day and then we eat the cake after dinner on Christmas day; on Christmas eve, we bake cookies for Santa which we put out on a plate with some carrots for the reindeer, at bedtime we read The Night Before Christmas to them.
Traditions? What traditions? Nope, can't find any here. If you find any, you may want to send the suggestions my way!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you-I want traditions for Christmas! I suppose I'll have to wait until I have kids. We do have a tradition of sewing Christmas stockings for new family members. They're these great embroidered stockings you can get at craft stores. That's something I hope to do when I have little ones.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I read a blog where the mom created something called the MiniVan Express: they'd make fake tickets and put them under their kids pillows, then they'd hop in the van with hot cocoa in their pjs and drive around and look at lights. That's one I'm stealing!!
We always let our young'uns open one small gift before they go to bed Christmas eve. This is alway a new pair of pajamas. We like picking out something crazy for them. Last year luke got spongebob and zachary got frogs! This gives them something new, they get to open it and they actually go to sleep faster.
ReplyDeleteWe also have the christmas morning tradition of breakfast. The boys can play with any of their toys until breakfast is done, then they have to come to the table and eat. This gives us time to talk about the real meaning of christmas and talk about why we are thankful for what we got from "santa"
I'm still trying to find good traditions as well.
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Traditions are great. I hope you find some that you want to do with your family. I'll be posting a few on my blog as the days go by.
ReplyDeleteI love the lights in Mcadenville NC tradition--that's a great one! Thank you so much for sharing with us : )
ReplyDeleteY'know, ask your boys if there's anything they're interested in doing. You might get some inspiration there...or not, but it's worth a try, right?
ReplyDeleteOne of our traditions is to let our son have his own little tree. It's a great place to display all of the decorations and crafts he makes in school and he doesn't feel the urge to "rearrange" the big family tree.
Regarding the in-law Christmas breakfast and feeling rushed~ maybe you (or hubby) could ask if the breakfast could become a brunch. Christmas shouldn't feel like a race, should it?
In our family, my father writes us each a poem that he gives us on Christmas Eve. He captures our year in iambic pentameter. My parents throw a huge party with family and friends, sometimes numbering 75 people...and everyone looks forward to the "kids" (i'm in my 40's)opening the poem and reading them out loud. Sometimes they are funny and sometimes they are touching..but they are always my favorite thing. I have kept them all.
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