Christmas Traditions

As an adult, I love Christmas. Growing up, it was a very stressful time for my family as we had to travel eight hours away, visit family that we only saw twice a year, and try to appease everybody except ourselves. We (my mom, dad, brother, and I) stopped doing this after I met my now husband. Now, I have a renewed love for the holiday season and strive to create positive memories for my children.

Over the years, we have started our own Christmas traditions. Here are some of our favorites:
* Christmas Cards: We take our Christmas card picture on Thanksgiving; this year was the first time that we broke that tradition since Sister was born, as we used a family picture that a professional photographer took shortly after Brother was born. I also took a picture of the kids in their Christmas clothes to put on it. We always put a picture of the entire family on the card; it is fun to look back over the years at how all of us have changed. We usually get cards out before December 1; one friend jokes that ours is always the first card she receives!

*Christmas Tree: We set up the tree Thanksgiving afternoon, after spending lunch with Daddy's family and before dinner with Mommy's family.

* Christmas Ornaments: Every year I buy an ornaments for each child to signify a special event or accomplishment for the year. For example, this year Sister got an ornaments that had a heart, ballet slipper, and said "ballet" because she has loved dance this year, had her first recital, and done a lot with ballet. In the past, she got a shoe (the year she learned how to walk) and a phone (the year she learned how to speak in sentences).

*Christmas Angel: Instead of the kids getting presents from us (because they get so many from other family members), we choose children off the Salvation Army Angel Tree of the same age and sex, then let the kids buy presents for them.

*Christmas Cookies: We just started this tradition this year. I made cookies with Sister (while Brother watched) to take to Daddy at work the next day. Instead of surprising Daddy at work, Sister told him all about it as soon as he walked in the door. Leave it to a three year old to spill the secret!

*Christmas in Branson: Another first this year, we went to Branson with my parents. We had a great time and plan to do it every year.

*Reading the Birth of Jesus: Christmas morning, we read the story of Jesus' birth. As the kids get older, they will take on the job of reading the story.

*Christmas with Family: Every year, we spend Christmas Eve night with my parents, Christmas morning at home, Christmas lunch with Daddy's family (we switch off each year between his dad's side and his mom's side), and another time with Daddy's parents/siblings/siblings family (it used to be Christmas night but that proved to be too much for the kids, so now it just depends on everybody's schedules)