Christmas Traditions: What Do You Do?

 

I love Christmas.  I love the little traditions that are so unique and special to this time of the year.  We do have some traditions here.  Our big thing is that Santa doesn’t visit our house.  The kids each get three gifts from Mama and Daddy and their stockings.  Don’t get me wrong, they are spoiled rotten and by the time we add in gifts from grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and they buy for each other; we are covered in the gifts department.  Every year I try to have the children make a gift to give to people, sometimes homemade gifts are the best.  Another tradition is the annual cookie baking fest which is usually done the week before Christmas.  And of course, there is Christmas Eve. 

We always enjoy Christmas Eve here at our home with Robert’s family.  We eat, visit, exchange gifts, eat, visit some more, and eat.  Did I mention that I married into a family of amazing cooks and that we eat?  Then after everyone leaves and we straighten up the house, we begin the traditions that I have brought with me from my childhood.  Everyone gets new Christmas jammies.  Then we snuggle down to read “The First Christmas”.  This book was bought by my mother when she found out she was expecting me (I am the oldest) and my sister bought my brother and I some copies off E-Bay one year.  I LOVE this.   Then we read the “Twas the Night before Christmas” another popup book from my childhood, and Daddy reads us Luke Chapter 2.  Next the kiddos go off to bed and Robert and I enjoy our unique Christmas Tradition of watching the “Christmas Story” with no children around.

This year we have added a new Christmas tradition to our family, the Sneaky Snowman.  He is sort of like a cross between the Elf on the Shelf and an Advent countdown.  Every night he does something sneaky to try to make Christmas come faster.  One night he wrapped up the kids bathroom.  One night he decorated Maggie’s rabbit cage.  Last night he tried to clean the oven and make cookies!  The children are really enjoying seeing what our Sneaky Snowman will do next, and I am enjoying our new traditions.

When I asked the kids if they thought that all this tradition was silly, if we should even bake cookies this year; John Robert my passive, non-excitable, laid back child protested the loudest: “MOOOOOM, we have to get jammies, bake, and read….it’s our family tradition!

I love Christmas!  I love traditions!  I love my family!  So, how about you?  What do you and your family enjoy for a Christmas tradition?

Christmas 2011 in new jammies.

Mama reading to her kiddos on Christmas Eve.

Our new tradition, that Sneaky Snowman!