I love Christmas! Let’s get started with an upbeat tune from  TobyMac with the song Mary’s Boy Child (feat. Jamie Grace)!

 

 

Decorations, lights, candle, fireplace, music, and celebrating the birth of Christ. I look forward to the unpacking of decorations and playing music while we decorate. I remember well the days that the kids could hardly wait to begin in November. Plans for finding the perfect tree and the best place to place it. It is a wonderful season. With this time of year traditions naturally unfold. Kids are the ones that often remind the parents of what we are supposed to do! They have incredible memories. Today I am going to highlight some fun traditions from our house to yours!

Also there is a giveaway today featuring a gift set from Signed By Santa .

This is the ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside Box.’ Here what one lucky winner will win!

 

 

(www.signedbysanta.com)

 

 

A few of our Christmas Traditions!

1. We pick names and purchase a small gift and open it Christmas Eve
2. Watch White Christmas a million times
3. Watch Elf a million times
4. Christmas Eve service and lots of food after (has ranged from take out to charcuterie board)
5. Christmas Eve hot tub
6. Surprise gift outside of each child’s room to open first thing Christmas morning
7. Listen to “Jingle Bells’ as loud as possible by Bare Naked Ladies to wake all kids up (especially with teens!)
8. Cinnamon buns and coffee/tea Christmas morning before gifts 
9. Read Bible
10. Stockings opened
11. Eat a massive brunch
12. Christmas gifts – Dad wears Santa hat and passes out gifts
13. ONE GIFT AT A TIME  (teaches patience!)
14. I write notes on each gift – funny clues and riddles
15. Empty envelopes in tree with the names of each child on it – they choose how to fill it for someone in need (money, gift)
16. They write notes in stockings to one another or make a homemade item (notes like, ‘I will make your bed’, ‘I will walk the dog’
17. A family game given each year
18. Baking shortbread
19. Angel Tree shopping, wrapping and delivery
20. Christmas boxes – Operation Christmas Child Compassion

I am sure I have missed some but this is a fun list! What about you? What traditions do you have?

Traditions: Old and New Ways to Celebrate Christmas article from Focus on the Family