Merry Christmas Old Mom Readers. We are only 5 days away from Santa’s arrival, so I thought I’d share with you some of our family favorite traditions.
#1- Decorate the Tree
We have an artificial tree, so we can really go grab it from the basement and put it up anytime we want. But I really like to do it on Thanksgiving weekend. As a teacher, the four-day weekend is so relaxing and we can take the time to enjoy it. The kids get excited to see the old ornaments that Santa brought them in previous years as well as the ornaments they made for me and daddy. I get nostalgic seeing ornaments made by former students as well. Some years I bake cookies for us to enjoy. Some years it’s hot chocolate. But we always make it special.
#2- Christmas Lights
I absolutely adore Christmas lights. I grew up near La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, MA. They do a huge display every year that people travel from all over New England to come see. The manger, the snowflakes, the candy canes – all lit up in brilliant colors. I want my kids to know that same overwhelming awe when they see a great display of lights. For the last few years, we have taken them to see Amarante’s Winter Wonderland. A local family creates an amazing display in their yard and opens it up for the public to walk around and enjoy. This year they were featured on ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight and they won!!! The Amarante’s do a lot of collections for local charities so our yearly trip is also a great chance to show the kids about charity.
We also love driving around and seeing all of the displays that our neighbors put up. When we are driving home from work and daycare and the kids are being less-than angelic, all I have to do is call out, “Christmas Lights,” and they stop bickering and turn to see what kind of display is up. I wish that worked all year long.
#3- Toys for Tots
For the last two years, I have taken Sweet Boy to the store, handed him $20 and had him pick out a gift for Toys for Tots. I tell him to get something that a boy his age would really like. I also tell him the toy is for a little boy who doesn’t have a lot of toys at home and we are helping Santa give that boy an extra special Christmas. He picks something out and we bring it over to a local collection. I introduce him to the police officers who run it (Sweet Boy usually hides behind my back) and we head back home. Next year I’ll try it with both kids, but Girlie is just too young to handle it right now.
I really try to teach the kids now that Christmas is not just about getting ALL THE TOYS!!! We need to give too and appreciate what we have. And I think the younger we start, the more natural it becomes.
#4- Jingles
We are an Elf on the Shelf family. Jingles arrives every year on the morning after we put up our Christmas Tree. On that first day, he brings the kids new Santa jammies, a new Christmas themed book and a new ornament from the tree, as well as a note from Santa. I like to have Jingles bring these things now, because, quite frankly, December in New England is cold and they need warm jammies. Plus, they get to enjoy all the new Christmas-themed gifts in the lead up to Christmas. Trust me, as soon as that calendar turns, Sweet Boy is getting ready for his February birthday.
Jingles is not terribly messy, as some elves can be. I think Santa must have sent me this special elf because he knows my own little elves are messy enough. But he hides all over the house, and on weekends he brings the kids Christmas crafty stuff to do. This weekend he brought coloring books. (I wonder if that will keep the kids quiet while Daddy watches the football game?)
#5- Family Time
Some years, our family gatherings get squeezed into one or two days and some years they get spread out. Either way, there is always lots of family time around Christmas. I usually do Christmas morning brunch. We visit my in-laws where my two are the only littles and everyone laughs at every cute little thing they do. And when we visit my mom and siblings, the six little cousins run around screaming and showing off their new presents from Santa. And then there’s the big one. My cousins and all their kids usually get together at my uncle’s house after Christmas. I was one of 12 cousins. Together we have 27 kids (although the older ones are no longer kids). Some of us have moved to other parts of the country and can’t always be there, but we always try. The food is always amazing. The wine is always flowing. And there is usually Patriots football on a giant TV somewhere.
So these are just a few of my family’s Christmas traditions. I’d love to hear about some of yours. Comment below to share some great ideas.
Photo by Sam Howzit 