Today's topic...
Christmas Traditions!
Grab the button and link-up for the fun!
{We have so many traditions, I decided to post them in the order of occurrence.}
Before Christmas...
Our dilemma....
So what are your Christmas traditions? Can't wait to read all about them!
{We have so many traditions, I decided to post them in the order of occurrence.}
Before Christmas...
-On Thanksgiving my mom has started a tradition of giving us each an ornament to celebrate the upcoming season.
-We go see A Christmas Carol at a local theater a few days before Christmas.
-We go pick out a Christmas tree as a family. (Right now Justin and I have a fake one and we just help pick out my mom and dad's. We plan on doing a real tree once kiddos are in the picture.)
-My mother-in-law has started a gingerbread decorating tradition.
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| Our first attempt at a pic for the card last year |
Christmas Eve...
-We start out the day at a breakfast at my grandpa's house (my dad's dad).
-We do "Dollar Gifts" at my grandparents (mom's side) later in the day. This is where we each buy everyone else a small gift (usually $5 or less) to give to each other. We take turns opening and always say that we should be finished with that. Um, but....we always do actual Christmas the next day, too.
-We have a Christmas dinner at Justin's aunt and uncle's.
-Christmas Eve midnight service is always so spirit-filling!
Christmas Day... |
| my PaPa...love the smile! |
-Santa still visits my parent's house. Love it.
-We spend the rest of the day between my parents', my grandparents', and Justin's mom and dad's. Lots of festivities!
-Most years we do a Christmas movie at night and all go to the movie theater.
(There are probably so many more I forgot to mention!)
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| Picture before opening Santa gifts! |
Our dilemma....
Finding where Justin and I fit in time for our own traditions. We love spending time with both our families, but sometimes we get so stressed out from all the back and forth. We are looking forward to truly being intentional in carving out time to create our own family traditions when we have kiddos. This doesn't mean that we'll drop all the traditions when we have kiddos, but that we will work to change things around a bit so that we also have our own "family time" amidst the hustle and bustle.
A few traditions we have started for "just us"...
-Sending out picture cards for Christmas
-Justin introduced me to putting our nativity scene under the Christmas tree (Jesus was and is the best Christmas present)...love this idea
-Decorating the tree while listening to Christmas music
Traditions that I plan to start (at least by the time we have kiddos)...
-Wrapping a gift for Jesus...He gave His all for us...what can we give Him on Christmas? A specific worry, a praise for something throughout the year, whatever is on our heart.
-Devotions throughout the advent season (my mom was always good about doing this with my brother and me)
-Baking a birthday cake for Jesus (thanks, Leigh Anne for the idea!)
-Having a train around the tree (this is one of Justin's ideas from his childhood)
-Having a train around the tree (this is one of Justin's ideas from his childhood)
And I'm sure there will be plenty more...
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| the train going around the tree at my in-laws' |
So what are your Christmas traditions? Can't wait to read all about them!
What great traditions!
ReplyDeletePutting the natvity scene under the tree is a wonderful idea :)
Hope you have a great day!
i love so many of these! i am definitely stealing leigh anne's birthday cake idea. i died when i saw that yesterday!
ReplyDeleteand the train is such a cute idea too. we are still in the phase of trying to be able to have our own traditions and please our families, and spend time with them as well....it's hard!
Love this. We are trying to find our own traditions too...=)
ReplyDeleteaw i love the ornaments at thanksgiving! and i'm so glad you like the idea of a birthday cake for Jesus! we always sing to Him too, ha! i love all of your future tradition ideas!
ReplyDeletei have always wanted a train around our tree! i hope to get one someday. i love the cake for jesus too. we have slowly started to build our own traditions as a married couple. it's hard to find time with both sides of families.
ReplyDeleteYou have some wonderful traditions! :) And you're right, once you have kids it IS important to find a way to make time for your own special traditions with them. You'll be amazed at how easy it is, too. Kids have a way of bringing out the best of Christmas. :) My fave is reading a special Christmas story every night of December. I've done that with my kids ever since I had my first. :)
ReplyDeletehi! i just found your blog today from a blogger that had commented on my blog! this is such a cute idea to do the twelve days of christmas! i really like getting all these new ideas for family traditions.
ReplyDelete