Many people only attend church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but God deserves to be worshiped and glorified all year round. It should be our desire to be around fellow believers, keeping us accountable for our actions with people of liked minds, bodies, and souls. We are designed to worship the Lord with others and not just once of year just because it wouldn't feel like Christmas without attending Christmas Eve Service. Our church's service is on December 24, 2010 at 7:00 pm. If you do not have a home church of your own please join us.
The Day After Thanksgiving Photo With Santa Claus
Each year we seem to celebrate Thanksgiving at my father's home. The day after Thanksgiving we take the kids to see Santa for a photograph. With a full attendance, this year, we would have 8 children, all under the age of 5, sitting on or near Santa's lap. YIKES! The photo gets more hilarious and more hilarious each year as some of the kids LOVE Santa and some of them are PETRIFIED of Santa.
Matching Pajamas
It's not atypical if the FIRST Christmas present I buy for anyone in our household is our family pajamas. I love having us all wake up on Christmas morning in pajamas uniquely picked out for each family member. On Christmas Eve, I give my hubby and each of our children one gift to open. It's always our matching pjs.
Gingerbread House
The gingerbread house has been a household tradition for at least 3 years now. The distributor has made it increasingly easier to enjoy the fun part of this tradition without worrying about baking the house and assembling it. I always buy the Wilton preassembled gingerbread house from Wal-mart for $10.00. This is ONE tradition I allow Tyson to do completely on his own unless he asks for me to help him. I remember the first year we did this, I was controlling where he put every piece of candy so it would look nice enough to display on my countertops and then I realized how unfair that was to him. His gingerbread home always winds up looking similar to the candy house on the movie Hansel and Gretel. Candy, candy, EVERYWHERE!!!!
The Elf on the Shelf
Year after year, children and adults alike are baffled by the mystery of how Santa really knows who’s been naughty or nice. After much urging by the elves and Mrs. Claus, Santa has allowed his biggest secret to be revealed in The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition . Touted as “The best thing since The Night Before Christmas” this gift set includes a light skin, blue eyed North Pole pixie-elf, hardbound children’s book and keepsake box. Children can register their elf online and receive a special response from Santa.
This has been the biggest and most exciting Christmas tradition, yet, for Tyson. "Nicey" (as he named him when he first arrived 3 years ago) arrives as soon as our house is FULLY decorated each year. Each night, it is said that the Elf leaves our home and reports to Santa as to whether or not Tyson, Lilah and Jaxon had been good that day. Each child can speak to "Nicey", but cannot touch him or he will lose his flying capabilities. It's requested that the children tell Nicey what they want for Christmas so that he can fly to Santa and reveal that information to him. Each morning, when the kids awake, Nicey is hiding in a new spot. Tyson SERIOUSLY believes this elf is real. We use this tradition as a way of explaining to Tyson that just like the Elf sees Tyson's behavior all day long, so does God. He's alway watching.
If your family does NOT have this.... I HIGHLY recommend it.
Leave Santa Milk and Cookies
Self-explanatory, BUT, I will say, we NEVER seem to leave Santa chocolate chip cookies because Tyson despises chocolate and fears Santa may also dislike it. Santa is served oatmeal raison or this year probably VANILLA oreos with organic whole milk. We are always sure to capture the before and after shots. (This is the one time a year that daddy will actually sometimes eat cookies :). What? Someone has to act as Santa.
Feed The Reindeer
Last year while Christmas shopping at Pier 1, I came across "Reindeer Food" for $1.00. I figured, we leave milk and cookies for Santa, but he doesn't do half as much work as those poor reindeer do, out in the brutal cold. So we adopted the cute idea to feed them. The "food" is basically oatmeal. I am sure you can use anything. On the night before Christmas, we ask Tyson to go outside and sprinkle it ALL over the lawn so that the reindeer can snack while Santa drops off the gifts.
Read "The Night Before Christmas" A RECORDABLE Book
Have you seen these books at Hallmark? Expensive, but the greatest invention EVER. I purchased the book last year because I had a $10.00 off coupon. I was unsure if I was going to give it away as a gift or keep it for our family. I am so glad I was selfish :) Darren and I took turns, last year, recording our voice as we read the story aloud. Every other page I read, as it was recording my voice, and every other page Darren did the same. Each of our personalities came alive as our voices were being recorded. Darren's especially. He made his voice sound big and jolly just like Santa's voice. I thought this was especially nice to have for all of my children acting as a family heirloom and JUST incase we are no longer around for Christmas one day. They can still have their deceased mommy or daddy read them this holiday classic. Morbid I know, but reality.
I would like to have a book for EACH of my children, but being they are $29.95, I am only willing to buy one a year until each of them have a recordable heirloom. I didn't like the idea of purchasing the same book x 3, so this year I purchased the recordable book titled, "The Very First Christmas." Obviously, this is the story of Jesus' birth. Check them out online or at your local Hallmark. They have quite a few titles.
http://www.hallmark.com/online/in-stores/recordable-storybooks/
Christmas Lights Entertainment
This tradition kind of happened on accident one year when we were so tired of being stuck inside due to cold weather. We loaded Ty up in the car (At the time we didn't have the twins. I promise we didn't leave them home alone), picked up some ice cream (it would have been hot cocoa, but Ty despises chocolate) and drove around in search of the coolest homes decked out with Christmas gear/lights. As a child, my mom would take us to a house in Florida that looked more colorful than the home in the movie "Deck the Halls" and it was always a very "bright" night for our family.
Christmas Parade
Tyson really enjoys sitting out in the freezing cold to watch our Salem City Christmas parade. It certainly doesn't light a match to the Macy's day parade, but for Salem, it's decent. The highlight of the night is getting to see Santa on the fire truck. He's always the very last "float" to be seen. Last year Tyson was pretty bummed though... Santa used to give the kids candy canes from way up high, but I think that idea got banned after his aim was determined bad. :)
The German Pickle Tradition (NEW in 2010)
I'm super excited about this new tradition that I spotted in a catalog. Being I am half German, I figured I have an entitled reason to adopt it. Supposedly, the tradition goes like this...
According to German tradition, the pickle brings good luck and was the last ornament placed on the Christmas tree. On Christmas morning the first child to find the pickle was rewarded with an extra little gift left by St. Nicholas. This German tradition encouraged the children to appreciate all the ornaments on the Christmas tree, rather than hurrying to see what St. Nick had left for them.
I've read up on this tradition and supposedly this tradition is a myth. Who really knows? I just love the idea because to Tyson, everything is a BIG GAME OF CHASE and HIDE-N-GO-SEEK. I found an ADORABLE pickle ornament at Hallmark the other day. It's called the "hide-n-seek" pickle. It was made specifically for this tradition. The ornament is actually battery operated and yells out, "I'm over here. Come find me!" Once I spotted it, I had to have it. Hopefully, as the kids get older and older, this tradition won't become a "DILL"emma when the first child spots it. This year, TYSON will obviously be the winner.
Amanda, Ashely, and Carlene, if you are reading this, I bought this ornament for your older children or only child as their special ornament that I give to them each year. You know I LOVE surprises, but I was afraid after you read this post you might run out and buy it.
SPECIAL ORNAMENTS
This is a tradition that my dad started with me but only carried it out for 2 years (laugh out loud). I really enjoyed it and thought it was so special, even if it only lasted 2 years, so I chose to carry this tradition out with my own children as well as my nieces, nephews and youngest siblings. I began this tradition when Tyson was born. I LOVE IT! Each year, I pick out an ornament that reflects each child's personality or interest at that time. It doesn't have to be a Hallmark ornament, but the reality is, even though they are so expensive, Hallmark's ornaments are so insanely AWESOME, detailed, entertaining, and worth something. My goal is for my children, siblings, and nieces/nephews to have a wonderful collection of ornaments hand picked from their Aunt to fill a tree in their bedroom as a young child and into their adult years. This year, I bought Tyson the Hallmark ornament "TRIPLE DOG DARE" based on the tongue on the flag pole scene in the movie "The Christmas Story". He's going to LOVE IT! This ornament is ALSO battery operated and mimics the exact words in this part of the movie.
Which leads me to MY finally tradition and one of my simplest and favorites....
WATCHING THE CHRISTMAS STORY RE-RUNS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN
It's the greatest Christmas classic movie of ALL TIME. I never get sick of watching it.
I hope you have enjoyed this INCREDIBLY long post. I'd love to hear about your traditions. That is of course if you have any left to share that our family doesn't already do. Let know if you decide to snag any of ours and please feel free to share your experiences with me.
