Traditions! Traditions! (If you read that Fiddler-On-The-Roof-style it sounds pretty awesome in your head. Try it.)Yesterday got me thinking about all our family's traditions. The holiday ones. My mom and dad were really big on keeping with our family's traditions growing up and now I get to pass those down to my kids. The Christmas Eve p.j.'s, homemade apple cider with the clove-covered orange, caroling, baking and family parties. It seems like the times that our family stops to make time for the traditions to happen, or schedules them in, are the times that I really feel that "Christmas Spirit". So the more traditions, the better.
My Relief Society compiled a list of Christmas traditions from the family's in our ward, and Olen and I have been adopting some of these new traditions into our family. Last year I was really on the ball and planned a Christmas themed activity for every day of December until Christmas Day. This year my time is stretched in other directions and I haven't been able to focus on an every day activity. Saturday the 13th marks the 12-day countdown to Christmas and I'm going to do my best to plan (or pause for) a Christmas inspired event each day. Even if it's just sitting with Porter and talking about how he feels about Christmas.
I was wondering if I could ask a favor, dear reader? Since I have twelve days to fill, could you please share with me your family's favorite tradition on this very merry Good Word Wednesday? Trying new traditions is one of my favorite things. In fact, I think it will be one of our new traditions.
I was wondering if I could ask a favor, dear reader? Since I have twelve days to fill, could you please share with me your family's favorite tradition on this very merry Good Word Wednesday? Trying new traditions is one of my favorite things. In fact, I think it will be one of our new traditions.
I'll start. Getting family pictures is a must-do for Christmastime. We've used Life Happens Studios for the past three years because they are genius. You may have already seen this gem, and up above are favorites that highlight my sweet lambs. And...we got our Christmas cards back yesterday! I designed them myself and, well, I think they turned out pretty spiffy. Maybe you'll see one in a mailbox near you! Could you be so lucky? Yes. You could. Just give me your address.
What is your favorite holiday tradition?!
What is your favorite holiday tradition?!
unfortunately i dont feel like Jeff and I really have any traditions yet. growing up we had some, but looking back at them now, although they were magical at the time- i dont know how 'reasonable' or cost efficient they were. not to mention the fact that i feel a lot of them were materialistic and not really family bonding. that is the challenge of traditions, i guess, finding a balance between fun and cheap and bonding.
ReplyDeletethis year, however, we are going to try and serve food at a homeless shelter, make gingerbread houses, christmas carol, and go on a family drive to look at the decorated houses and lights. we also thought since we are in Utah we might as well try to go to temple square and enjoy the festivities there.
so good luck to you as you and your family bond through the holiday season! i LOVE your family pictures and i love your good word wednesdays... they always start my day off right :)
ps... i just remembered you asked me about baby names. and um, we have a lot that we like, nothing permanent, HOWEVER, we are leaning towards Charles Alexander Decker... and callin him charlie (as apposed to chuck. never ever chuck!) but um, we shall see :) thanks for askin!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE LOVE the pictures that Life Happens has taken for you; they are magical! :)
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite holiday traditions is our Family Fireside. We all bundle up and pull out the fire pit in our yard. We make a huge circle with hay bales and all sit around the fire roasting hot dogs and 'mallows. There's lots of Hot Chocolate, and we just sing and we sing and we sing, sing, sing, SING! ;) Every Christmas carol you can imagine and even make up silly ones. We take turns telling our favorite Christmas memory or the best thing that happened during the year.
At the end of the night, we take the best/ biggest log we have and it's the Yule log. I have pre-prepared index cards threaded onto Christmas ribbon and we all write down what we wish for the New Year on our card. Then, you fold it up (so no one can see, of course!) and tie it onto the log and we burn it and watch all our wishes go up to Heaven. :) It's really awesome. We usually wrap it up with 'Silent Night'.
I love playing Christmas music! I could sit at the piano all day and just play it. A tradition that Jacob and I have since we were married is every year when the Temple has the concerts there we go and see the harps perform.
ReplyDeleteThe harp is my next instument to learn how to play.
This year was really fun. We went down early and ate pizza with our boys, my mother in law and her husband and Beth!
We are not much for the "fluff"as david would say. I am trying too to get in the mood and all but no luck. One thing is for sure that Time together are the best memories I have of CHRISTMAS.
ReplyDeleteAll my family that is here gets together on Christmas eve and has a big dinner and "Program". It's pretty much a family talent show, always ending in my grandma reading the nativity from the scriptures as all the grandkids act it out. Costumes and all.
ReplyDeleteWe also play the "Left Right" game. Everyone brings an inexpensive ($5 or under) wrapped gift and we sit in a circle. My uncle reads a short little family update on each person, having added in the word "right" or "left" many times. And each time the word "left" is said, we pass the gifts to the person on your left, and obviously to the right on the word "right". It's really fun and can get really confusing but that makes it even better. Then at the end you get what ever present you end up with.
Well I'm realizing we're not very creative because we just go to Temple Square to walk around and get hot cocoa. So I'll be reading what your other commenters say to get ideas!
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas Eve...when Santas helpers are in full force;) So many magical things happen!
ReplyDeleteWe always have a big Mexican food feast on Christmas eve..yummo and play games!
What cute, cute pictures! You always have great cards. Would you send some of your spirit this way please?!!!
ReplyDelete