Well, I promised a friend I would blog about our Christmas traditions. It isn't anything fancy but here goes.
Worshiping Christ/ Loving Others
Obviously we want our children to understand exactly what Christmas is all about. So leading up to Christmas much of our Bible reading centers on His birth and the surrounding events. It is nice to center our homeschool time around it, too. There is always a program at church that we take part in so that gives the opportunity to talk about and reinforce spreading the gospel. For weeks prior to Christmas the children make special things (this year it was fans) and pack goodie baskets up. We go caroling to shut-ins or people that just need some encouragement and leave them a basket. We also carol at the nursing home. When we can find an Angel tree we also like to pick children's names that are the same ages as our children and get them presents.
Christmas Tree:
Long, long ago in a distant land: When we were first married we had a (used) 6 ft. artificial tree. And that was a long time ago so we are talking an ugly artificial tree. But I was so proud of it because I grew up with a little 4ft one so I thought I had arrived! We even had the stringy tinsel that you had to buy each year and threw on all over instead of the garland style that had to be wound up and reused each year. Boy, we were uptown!
Fast forward a few years: Our tree fell apart and we started getting live trees. It seemed fun to go as a family and cut one down. (Except for the time I found out the hard way that I am allergic to those blue ones. I broke out in hives all around my eyes after just being around them. Can you imagine if we had brought one of those home?)
Past/Present: Getting the live tree started being more of a chore. Some years it was very hard to come up with the money for one. So about 3 years ago we found a huge artificial tree on sale and took the plunge. I guess we are getting old because it sure makes life simpler at Christmas! Now the funny thing is that when we bought that huge tree we lived in a huge house. You could probably fit 3-4 of our present living rooms into its living room! So no problem. Then when we moved here still no problem. Just move out a table, scoot stuff over a bit. But this year! When the baby came along we converted the dining/school room to a bedroom. The extra stuff was squeezed into the living room. So it was a challenge. But my handy husband solved the situation. We did not put up the whole tree, only the top. You can't tell it but it takes up much less space.
Decorations:
We used to always buy our son an ornament each year. But then several years back the majority of our ornaments were ruined. :( Then as our family grew we found that to be an expensive tradition! So we don't do that anymore. I do hate that we did not get a "Baby's First Christmas" ornament for our newest addition this year. I am disappointed but it just happened that way this year. We have a lot of decorations like the villages, numerous nativity scenes, ceramic trees. But there is no place to put them here so they remained packed up. I really enjoy drying fruit and decorating the tree with it and ribbons, silk flowers and handmade decorations.
Traditions:
When my son was younger we used to always watch "It's a Wonderful Life" together, usually on Christmas Eve. When we began spending Christmas Eve with my sister-in-law we would just watch it on a different night. But as he got older and started doing more things outside of home it got a little hard to plan it. So we have kind of drifted from it. But I would love to start doing it again with my younger children.
We always used to open one present on Christmas Eve. So if we are home that night we do it still but if we don't get back until late that tradition is skipped.
We always go to the zoo for their light show. We have done that since my oldest was very young. This year we did not go. They had gone up on their prices. Instead we went to a light show that also had little shops and all. It was nice.
We always have a ham at Christmas, usually salt cured. This year no one had those so we had a spiral ham instead.
The children always bake birthday cakes for Jesus. They were so cute this year. I can't believe I forgot to take pictures!
On Christmas Day we go to the matinee. This year it did not work out but it was still a great day.
Next year:
I really want to have a Jesse tree. I still need to research it a bit more to find out exactly what to do. I also want to start The Tradition of the Straws. Both of these sound like great ways to point it all back to Jesus.
I'm sure I am forgetting something painfully obvious but that is all I remember for now. If I remember more I'll post again!
Worshiping Christ/ Loving Others
Obviously we want our children to understand exactly what Christmas is all about. So leading up to Christmas much of our Bible reading centers on His birth and the surrounding events. It is nice to center our homeschool time around it, too. There is always a program at church that we take part in so that gives the opportunity to talk about and reinforce spreading the gospel. For weeks prior to Christmas the children make special things (this year it was fans) and pack goodie baskets up. We go caroling to shut-ins or people that just need some encouragement and leave them a basket. We also carol at the nursing home. When we can find an Angel tree we also like to pick children's names that are the same ages as our children and get them presents.
Christmas Tree:
Long, long ago in a distant land: When we were first married we had a (used) 6 ft. artificial tree. And that was a long time ago so we are talking an ugly artificial tree. But I was so proud of it because I grew up with a little 4ft one so I thought I had arrived! We even had the stringy tinsel that you had to buy each year and threw on all over instead of the garland style that had to be wound up and reused each year. Boy, we were uptown!
Fast forward a few years: Our tree fell apart and we started getting live trees. It seemed fun to go as a family and cut one down. (Except for the time I found out the hard way that I am allergic to those blue ones. I broke out in hives all around my eyes after just being around them. Can you imagine if we had brought one of those home?)
Past/Present: Getting the live tree started being more of a chore. Some years it was very hard to come up with the money for one. So about 3 years ago we found a huge artificial tree on sale and took the plunge. I guess we are getting old because it sure makes life simpler at Christmas! Now the funny thing is that when we bought that huge tree we lived in a huge house. You could probably fit 3-4 of our present living rooms into its living room! So no problem. Then when we moved here still no problem. Just move out a table, scoot stuff over a bit. But this year! When the baby came along we converted the dining/school room to a bedroom. The extra stuff was squeezed into the living room. So it was a challenge. But my handy husband solved the situation. We did not put up the whole tree, only the top. You can't tell it but it takes up much less space.
Decorations:
We used to always buy our son an ornament each year. But then several years back the majority of our ornaments were ruined. :( Then as our family grew we found that to be an expensive tradition! So we don't do that anymore. I do hate that we did not get a "Baby's First Christmas" ornament for our newest addition this year. I am disappointed but it just happened that way this year. We have a lot of decorations like the villages, numerous nativity scenes, ceramic trees. But there is no place to put them here so they remained packed up. I really enjoy drying fruit and decorating the tree with it and ribbons, silk flowers and handmade decorations.
Traditions:
When my son was younger we used to always watch "It's a Wonderful Life" together, usually on Christmas Eve. When we began spending Christmas Eve with my sister-in-law we would just watch it on a different night. But as he got older and started doing more things outside of home it got a little hard to plan it. So we have kind of drifted from it. But I would love to start doing it again with my younger children.
We always used to open one present on Christmas Eve. So if we are home that night we do it still but if we don't get back until late that tradition is skipped.
We always go to the zoo for their light show. We have done that since my oldest was very young. This year we did not go. They had gone up on their prices. Instead we went to a light show that also had little shops and all. It was nice.
We always have a ham at Christmas, usually salt cured. This year no one had those so we had a spiral ham instead.
The children always bake birthday cakes for Jesus. They were so cute this year. I can't believe I forgot to take pictures!
On Christmas Day we go to the matinee. This year it did not work out but it was still a great day.
Next year:
I really want to have a Jesse tree. I still need to research it a bit more to find out exactly what to do. I also want to start The Tradition of the Straws. Both of these sound like great ways to point it all back to Jesus.
I'm sure I am forgetting something painfully obvious but that is all I remember for now. If I remember more I'll post again!
Good ideas ... funny how things change over the years! This year we purchased our 2008 ornaments after Christmas and got them 50% off, so we were thrilled about that! Thanks for sharing! Aren't building memories so much fun ???!!!
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