Christmas Traditions

We have quite a few Christmas traditions. I thought I would share them with you in hopes that you will be encouraged to develop some for your own family. To keep them all straight and make sure that we don't over book I create a calendar just for December events. Due to this years surprising hospital visit we have had to modify our traditions but I thought I would list them all anyway.

1. Christmas caroling with our neighbors, at a local retirement home, and with our church friends. (Well, this won't be happening...Eric does not have the stamina)


2. Lunch with each child and shopping for secret sibling and Dad. (I have been able to keep this tradition alive. The only drawback is that Daisy found out that the price for eating at Hometown Buffet would be in our budget. Ugh!)


3. Checking out Christmas lights and then a stop off at the local ice cream shop (my favorite ice cream? Chocolate Chip Orange..a sweet indulgence!) (Yep, this one is still going to happen. It is wonderful to have my parents here to enjoy this tradition since they used to do this with us when they lived here. The ice cream is going to be one of our Christmas presents from my parents...which makes it even more special)


4. Watching our little town light up its city streets with lights and then having our single friends over to play Bunco. (Did this before the hospital visit)


5. Family Christmas Business Dinner - Since we are self-employed and our children are such an important part of our businesses, we take them to dinner and then the President (hubbie) of our company hands out bonuses (this cash helps our children be able to buy gifts for their siblings and for their parents) (We even got this one done before the hospital visit)


6. Making sugar cookies and homemade presents for our neighbors. (This takes no physical exertion so we will indeed have to do this)


7. Advent calendar and wreath - we have a sweet advent calendar that my mother-in-law made for us when we were first married. The Advent wreath is a new addition to our Christmas celebration. We will light our first candle on December 2nd. Then we will light a candle each Sunday before December 25th with the final candle being lit on Christmas day. (This year we have the sweet smell of apple cidar filling the air from the scents of our candles glowing all Sunday long.)


8. Jesse tree ornaments - We found a wonderful book called The Glorious Coming in which the author included devotions and quaint, country themed ornaments. We start this on November 30 and end on Christmas morning. (Sad to say, this tradition has been hit and miss. We have been just too busy and too tired by the end of the day. As I write this I am ashamed that such an important element of our Christmas tradition is being set aside...I think it is time to work on this and get caught up.)


9. Buying the Christmas tree is quite an event around here. We all go out after dark and find the most interesting tree in the lot. I say interesting because we always seem to pick one that has some gap or is not quite perfect. We turn on the Christmas music, light the fire, make hot cocoa, and then Eric and I sit and watch the kids decorate the tree. I think I tear up just about every year as I sit their gratefully watching as our blessings creatively put every single ornament (even the ugly '70s ones) on the tree. (Grandpa took the kids out and got a tree while Eric was in the hospital. The house was fully decorated by the kids before we came home. What a sweet surprise. Way to go kiddos!)


10. December Camping - we started this tradition last year with some friends from church. We go camping at the coast and then go Geo-caching ( a GPS treasure hunt). This is one of our favorite new traditions. (Oh, we were so bummed about this one! We had to cancel...something about being too far from a hospital just in case.)


11. We visit a local Lutheran church on Christmas Eve for their services. It is such a wonderful time to reflect and set our minds on the meaning of Christmas. (We will continue this tradition...kind of funny, they probably think that we only go to church on Easter and Christmas!)


12. Before the Christmas Eve service we have a candlelit dinner. After the Christmas Eve service we enjoy hot cocoa, singing, and the opening of one present. It's not much of a surprise since year after year it's a new pair of pajamas. (Continuing to plan this wonderful meal)


13. Christmas morning starts out with stockings and then a wonderful breakfast of cinnamon rolls, orange juice, and egg casserole. Before presents begin we listen to hubbie read the Christmas story. Then, it is a day of relaxing in our p.j's around the fireplace and eating leftovers from the night before. (Well, of course, we are going to keep up this tradition. What would Christmas be without family, good food, and an incredible story read aloud?)

So, what do you do?