Christmas Traditions

Growing up my family had a few Christmas Traditions we liked to do. We got a tree and decorated it together. We watched all the Christmas movies on television while making cookies. We listened to Christmas music while looking at lights around town on Christmas Eve followed by putting out cookies and milk for Santa along with lettuce, carrots, and water for the reindeer. I loved these traditions and looked forward to them every year. M and I have continued these traditions with our girls and added a few more along the way.

Christmas Books
Every night we read a Christmas book with the girls before bed. They love to hear the stories and it helps us get into the spirit of Christmas. This year I found a great idea on pinterest to make picking the books more fun. M and I wrapped each book up and put them under the tree. The girls get to take turns picking a book and unwrapping it to read. This makes it more fun and they don't bicker about which book to read that night.

An Advent Calendar
I made this beautiful advent calendar last year at Super Saturday. I made up pictures of movies, service, cookie making, gingerbread decorating, and many other activities and put them in each of the 25 squares. The girls take turn each morning pulling out a card from the days pocket and reading what the activity will be for that evening. It gives the girls something to look forward to and creates family time and memories.

Ward Christmas Dinner
Every year we go to church and participate in the Christmas dinner and program. The Primary children re-enact the Nativity Story, the Young Women sing a song or two and our musically talented church members do a few numbers as well. Then all of us sing some songs together while Santa visits the children from the North Pole. The girls always want to see Santa, though when he actually arrives they are a little scared of him. This year they were both able to sit on his lap and tell him their desired Christmas gift. K asked for a FurReal Kitty and L asked for a remote-control boat. We all got candy canes after.

Gingerbread Houses
The past few years we have been joining our friends at our neighbors house and decorating gingerbread houses with the kids. There are usually seven families with a total of 20 children 12 and under (eighteen of them under 8). One person makes all the gingerbread pieces and the rest of us bring icing and candy to decorate with. It is messy and the kids load up on sugar but it is so fun! This year our house had too much candy on the roof and it collapsed by the time we headed for home. To be honest, I was kind of glad we didn't have to find a place to stash it until Christmas. We just threw it out.

 

Ornaments
Every year I get an ornament for the girls that represents something they did or learned during the year. It's a fun way to document achievements from the year and will give them a nice set of ornaments to adorn their trees when they move out on their own. I even get an ornament for myself or M if something exciting has happened. This year I went to San Francisco for the first time and while there I bought a trolley ornament that says 2012 on it. I love that our tree is eclectic and displays all the major events and activities we have participated in over the years of our marriage.

I hope you have some special traditions that you do with your family and that you have an amazing, loving and spiritual Christmas this year!