As we enjoy the day before Christmas, I go through the familiar traditions that I've done for many, many years. Decorating cookies for Santa, reading the Bible Story and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," going to bed early so Santa will come early... those things done by many families throughout the world tonight. I began wondering what other traditions we do as we prepare for Christmas Day. I'd love to hear things you do, year after year, maybe even things you have done since you were little that you try to carry on with your own children... I'll start, and please leave a comment and tell me what you enjoy about this time of year!!!
*We have chili, tamales and cornbread on Christmas Eve. I think we started it because Mom needed that one last batch of cornbread for her homemade Dressing for the turkey, but I'm not sure. Dad would make a BIG batch of slow cooker "Five Alarm Chili," complete with homemade tamales (although some years we'd by frozen when we could find them!) and warm tortillas! Yum!!!
*We always open one gift on Christmas Eve... usually it's the ornament for that year or a game we can play as a family as we got older. It was always highly anticipated... that "teaser" before the next day! With my kids, we do ornaments so far. Something that reminds us of something we enjoyed that year... this year, it was Transformers Ornaments for the boys and Dora/Diego and Cinderella for Brodie.
*We listen to Bing Crosby on Chritmas morning while we open presents...gotta have my Bing!!!
*We open our stockings together first thing... usually taking time to enjoy the quiet before the "Big Bang" happens! Then we take a break, have Cinnamon Rolls and OJ/Hot Tea, and settle down to start the presents.
*Fudge, Trash (Chex Mix that my Dad makes), cookies and Date Loaf are always on hand for yummy snacks!
*Depending on where we are and the weather, we sometimes drive around the neighborhood on Christmas Eve to look at the Christmas lights. Sadly, there were very few houses on West Point that were decorated with lights and the other neightborhoods are too far to drive to!
*Dad would read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" before bed... even when we were in High School and home from College. However, he would read us his "real version" which meant he changes words around... we NEVER knew what to expect him to say! By the end of the story we were laughing so hard we were crying! (He continued this tradition throughout the year by singing the "real" words to songs on the radio!)
*Mom would make cut out sugar cookies and we would spend hours decorating them. We would always do one or two that were SO fancy we would get tweezers to pick up sprinkles to place them in just the right place. It was almost like a competetion to see who could get THE most complicated on a cookie.... we should have taken pictures!! But I know Santa appreciated them!
Well, that's about all I can really think of at the moment... I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones that stick out in my memory the most and the one's I try to pass on. I've tried to start my own traditions, too... so we will see how they turn out in the years to come! Thanks for reading!!
Only 2 more hours.... so I'm going to say it now...
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Traditions
Posted by ~Shade of my Heart~ at 8:46 PM
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We did not have very many traditions when I was growing up. But the one thing we always did was open gifts on Christmas Eve. Then, as a teenager, the tradition of eating pizza from Pizza Hut (before we opened gifts) got started--probably because we seldom ate out.
As an adult and mom, we still do both of those things. But I've added a bit over the years. We too read the Christmas story out of the bible. I make reindeer feed and my special Christmas cookies for Santa Claus in preparation for his visit. And we buy ornaments to signify special occurrences during the previous year too. But my favorite thing is the Santa letter. We don't write one to him--he writes one to us and leaves it with the gifts. Mark has several put in his sock drawer for safe keeping. See Santa doesn't wrap our presents, so part of the letter tells the boys exactly what gifts belong to whom. Then the other part talks about how blessed they are and how much he loves them. And how important it is to worship Jesus on Christmas.
I had a friend ask once how we separated Santa from the real meaning (Christ) on Christmas. I did not know how we would do that. Then it hit me--Santa knows so much about how the kids have behaved because God tells him! God reminds him at the end of the year how wonderful the children have been. So far it has worked. And I like it that way. As wonderful as Santa is, even HE knows how important it is to obey God and worship Christ--because that is where true joy lies.
But that is all we do. We usually go see the Carol of lights to kick off the season, but this year it was really cold. And this year Ed Day (remember Ed)decorated his house with lights set to music. It was even on the news, but we never made it to see them. Maybe next year.
I hope you and yours felt blessed this holiday season. And please know that your friendship is a treasured gift that I thank God for.
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