Holiday Traditions

Growing up we had many holiday traditions.  They began the day after Thanksgiving.  My dad would bring up the boxes filled with decorations, my mom would put a Christmas record on the record player (I loved the Brenda Lee one) and we would decorate the whole house.  Each of us children had our own Christmas tree with our own decorations that we put up in our room.  The ornaments were ones that were given to us by our parents and by my godparents.  I got new ones each year and today these are what decorates our Christmas Tree at home.  The house felt filled with so much joy!

Another tradition, which I believe was started later in my life, not when I was a itty bitty one was to go downtown Minneapolis to Dayton-Hudson's for the 8th Floor Holiday display.  I am not sure we even made it every year but this was a tradition I enjoyed and really remember. It was something I wanted my children to experience but sad to say, the past few years was the same display.  I hope at some point they can get back to having a new scene every year.  

Traditions are what creates memories...these are the memories I want to provide my child(ren).  Elsie was around last Christmas but at 10 days old we did very few new traditions.  John and I had some traditions we had already set into place but it wasn't a big focus for me.  After all, I was just getting used to being a mom.  Here are a few things that we have done/plan to do to start some traditions.    

Cutting down our Christmas Tree

For the past six years, John and I have traveled to a local tree farm to pick out and cut down our Christmas Tree.  This is something we look forard to every year.  Cinder gets to come on this family outing too!  A few years we were able to top off some bigger trees and get a pretty good one, one year when we were living in the valley we were able to get a big tree becuase we had really high ceilings in the cabin.  This year we got a nice size 6 ft tree which fits perfect in our living room which is on the small side.  

Christmas Books

When our first nieces, Emma and Olivia were born I wanted to give them something that would last them a lifetime...not just a toy they would play with for a few months and then toss to the side.  What better lifetime gift than that of a book-a traditional Christmas book.  This has also carried over to my other nieces Allie and Piper.  I hope that they will keep them and read them each holiday season.  We started this too with Elsie.  Maybe someday she will share her books with her children.  

Saint Nicholas Day
Saint Nicholas Day is Dec. 6th.  As a child I remember setting out our shoes when we were little and when we woke up in the morning we would find a surprise in them.  I would like to incorporate this into our yearly traditions (we did it this week...more to come).  I think out yearly tradition will be that St. Nicholas will bring them their Christmas Pajamas and yearly tree ornament.  I originally thought that it would be in their stocking on Christmas morning but have now rethought this so it can be enjoyed over the Christmas season.

Christmas Ornaments
Each year I have received a special Christmas ornament.  I want to to give my nieces and Elsie their own special ornament so that when they will have ornaments from their childhood for their tree.  Also, we get a family ornament each year representing something/trip we did during the year.  This year, we got a little painted Dutch shoe from our trip to Pella, IA during their annual Tulip Festival.

Christmas Tree in Elsie's Room
I put up a little Christmas tree is Elsie's room this year and decorated it with a few little decorations...my hope is as she accumulates more ornaments her little tree will grow.  I LOVED decorating my tree as a child and hope she will too.

The Night Before Christmas/The Christmas Story
We started this last year but each year, before we go to bed, we as a family will read Twas the Night Before Christmas  as well a book about The Christmas Story since after all, this is what Christmas is really about-Jesus.  

I know that when Elsie grows up not all of the traditions we have will be started right now...they will evolve or some will be added as she gets bigger.  These are just a couple of ideas I would like to do.

1.  Advent Calendar

2.  Elf on the Shelf
3.  Evening out looking at Christmas Lights

As a Christian I would really like to keep focus on the true meaning of Christmas and what Christmas is really all about.  That begins now :).

I love hearing about family traditions so feel free and share.