Monday, November 09, 2009

Christmas Traditions That You and Your Children Will Love







My 25 days of Christmas starts next week and my kids have started talking about all the decorations and movies they can't wait to see.

I had heard about this tradition a long time ago and was waiting for my babies to be older so I could implement it.  You open a gift every day until Christmas so that the holiday season lasts instead of it being over in one morning frenzied morning.

December 1st I brought out a basket filled with 25 wrapped gifts (they are things we already own). I wrapped up every single movie (DVD and VHS) and book we opened that had a Christmas theme. There was also a new ornament for the tree thrown in for good measure.

I explained how every day we would open a present, alternating days, one day Handsome could pick one and the next Goddess.  The kids were really excited and so was I.

If we opened a book, we read it. If we opened a movie, we watched it. It was really exciting to watch them decide which one would be opened. Sometimes they decided together and other times it was a solo choice but they loved it.

Target has very small rolls of paper in their $1.00 section and I had stocked up on when it was on sale a few years back. A little goes a long way when you are wrapping books and movies so it only took 1 and 1/2 rolls to wrap everything.

Here are my babies last year when I first presented the basket.
December 1, 2008 (1)

Holidays in my mind should be strong on tradition and memories and less on the actual gifts. I hope that the kids look forward to this tradition every year and that hopefully they share it with their own families when they have them.

While looking for more creative ways to celebrate the holiday with my children I found this on Executive Homemaker.

31 Things to do at Christmas Time

1. Everyone tapes their Christmas wishes to the refrigerator.
Or mail them to Santa:
• Free E-mail Santa tour wish list and get a reply
• Santa sends your child a letter. $10.00
• Free Military replies to Santa letters:
Santa’s Mailbag, 354th OSS/OSW2827
Flightline Ave. Suite 100B
Eielson AFB AK 99702-1520
(Add a self-addressed stamped envelope)

2. Make homemade decorations
3. Visit a bookstore and buy a special book to read as a family.
4. Get dolls and teddies groomed for Christmas, or train set ready.
5. Visit a Christmas store and buy each family member a special ornament.
6. Make candy or cookies and freeze for later.
7. Let Grandma (or other relative) take the kids shopping for parents gifts.
8. Go see the lighting ceremony at your church or city.
9. Go ice skating.
10. Go see a Christmas play production at the community theatre or high school.
11. Let children visit Grandma’s, etc for lunch a wrap parents a gift.
12. Make a craft together
13. Have a music night, sing carols, play bells, triangles, etc.
14. Pop popcorn and watch a special Christmas video.
15. Go to the tree farm and cut down your own tree.
16. Have a tree decorating party with hot chocolate.
17. Read a special story book. (see #3)
18. Go see the decorated boats, if you live by a marina or beach.
19. Visit Santa.
20. Have a birthday party for Jesus. Your gifts are promises of service.
21. Drive around town and see the decorated homes.
22. Read the nativity story and set up your own nativity.
23. Deliver Christmas treats to friends and family.
24. Open one gift on Christmas Eve – perhaps new pajamas for everyone.
25. Celebrate Christmas Day.
26. Put together a puzzle as a family. (Maybe a new one you received for Christmas.)
27. Read a book or play a game you received for Christmas.
28. Have children’s friends over, each bringing a new game to learn.
29. Have a take down the tree party.
30. Put promises for the New Year in the stockings before putting them away.
31. Have early dinner out with kids – toast with 7-up.

5 comments:

  1. what an awesome list! some great ideas there :)

    I really liked your quote at the top of your blog!

    Cheers,

    Marica

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  2. What a nice idea! I like having Grandmom take the kids shopping for parent gifts!

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  3. That is a great list!

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  4. Those are great ideas, I really like the one about putting promises in the stockings for the new year before putting them away.
    I also love the idea of the 25 gifts in the basket of things you already own for the kids. It's kind-of like a huge advent calendar. The photo is adorable - as usuale!

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  5. Love the Christmas basket idea especially that it's not new things. I agree that tradition and family is more important than getting new things.

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