Linking up with From Mrs to Mama again!
This week we're talking about Christmas Traditions.
Love this! I have a lot from when I was a kid and I can't wait to start some new ones with Jamie.
Here's just a few of the things I have up my sleeve.
Watching the Plaza lights turn on Thanksgiving night
This one started when my parents bought their condo here in Kansas City. We all bundle up, grab some hot chocolate or Irish coffee and walk down to the Plaza. It's such a fun way to kick off the holiday season. Jamie's already managed to see it twice!
Elf on a Shelf
I'm sure by now you've all heard about this infamous little elf and all his crazy shenanigans. Obviously Jamie is still a little young for it, but after seeing all the fun creative things parents have done on blogs and twitter, I can't WAIT until we can join in the fun!
Advent Wreath/Calendar
Growing up we always had an advent wreath. Every night at dinner we'd light the candles and say the special prayer. It's really important to me that my kids know the real reason we celebrate Christmas. I really hate how commercialized it's all become so I will do anything I can to help them remember the true spirit of Christmas.
Christmas Jams
The hubs and I actually started this one the first year we were dating. We picked out cheesy PJs to exchange on Christmas Eve. We then proceeded to wear them the ALL Christmas day. {Church excluded of course} It was so nice to be casual and just lounge around all day. Since then we've done it every year. Once Jamie gets older I want his new PJs to be the one gift that gets opened Christmas Eve.
The Polar Express
This has been my favorite book for as long as I can remember. Several years ago my best friend bought me a beautiful hardback edition that I've hung on to, just waiting to have a kids of my own. Every year on Christmas Eve I want to read it together as a family. One year I would also LOVE to head down to Branson where every holiday season they have an actual Polar Express train. Kids wear their PJs and take a train ride to the North Pole to see Santa just like in the book. How cool is that??
Christmas Pickle
I saw this in a store years and years ago and immediately knew its something I wanted to do with my own family some day. Apparently it's a German American tradition where you hide this {pickle} ornament in the tree and the first one to find it either gets a special gift or gets to open the first gift. What a fun way to get a little competition going Christmas morning! I have visions of my children practically knocking the tree down to try and see who finds it first. I can.not wait!
So what traditions new or old does your family do?
Link up and tell us!
3 comments:
Oooh, love the Christmas pickle idea. I've never heard of that but since we descend from Germany I think that would be a fun tradition to start!
we've done the xmas jammies for as long as I can remember. My mom buys them for everyone, grandkids included. All the boys match and all the girls match. We love it! Growing up my parents used to get us tons of gifts but there was always that one special one. That was the gift that they would hide. You had to do a scavenger hunt to find it, I LOVE that tradition!
I've never heard of the Christmas Pickle!!
We do Boxing Day PJs here. All four of us stay in our PJ's playing with our new toys all day long. It's so great to have silly traditions:)
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