Christmas Traditions

1. Rudolph on the Shelf -  
I've heard of families with the Elf on the Shelf tradition.  I didn't have an elf around, so I used the next best thing, something we already had, a little toy reindeer named Rudolph.  Rudolph arrived after dinner one cold and dark evening.  Santa stopped by without the kids noticing.  This special delivery was in a shiny red gift bag and was attached to the end of our mailbox.  Brian discovered the gift when he was outside with his Dad.  With the most excited look on his face, Brian burst through the front door and started to open the gift.  The first thing he found envelope with this note inside:

Dear Brian, Tyler, and Katie,

This is Santa Claus here with a SPECIAL DELIVERY just for you!

I’ve sent Rudolph, my reindeer, to visit. His job is to keep an eye out on you and make sure you’re being good kids. He’ll be hiding in a different spot every day. It’s your job to find Rudolph each night before bed and tell him all about your day. Then after you go to bed, Rudolph will report back to me on your behavioral status.

Be on your best behavior and I’ll try my best to bring you the gifts you ask for this Christmas.

HO HO HO! Merry Christmas!

Love,

Santa Claus

**Now, I'm not sure if that's the way the Elf on the Shelf thing goes, but that's just what I made up.  The boys have been having fun finding Rudolph every single day.  It's a fun new Christmas tradition for our family.

2. Making Cookies -

Growing up, all 8 of us kids would gather in the kitchen to make sugar cookies with my mom.  Mom would have Christmas music playing and the cookie dough all ready for us to roll out and cut with cookie cutters.  Also, Mom would always make homemade frosting out of powdered sugar, water, and food coloring.  My favorite part of the cookie decorating process was always using the sprinkles to decorate.  I was very specific in what color frosting and sprinkles I would use in accordance to which shape of cookie I chose.  I remember one of my cookie  masterpieces was a Santa cookie.  I used red, white, and peach colored frosting and was so meticulous in laying down each sprinkle individually.  It was a true masterpiece, I tell ya!  Anyway, I've tried to carry this tradition on with my own little family.  I LOVE making goodies, but sugar cookies don't thrill me as much as they did when I'm a kid.  So on Christmas Eve this year, we're going to forgo the sugar cookie decorating and instead debut the Rudolph Cookie.  This cookie has never been made before by the hands in my house, but we will try them out on Santa.  I bet he likes any cookie made by kids, right?! 

3. A Beary Merry Christmas -

Growing up, my mom would hang this Christmas calendar on the wall.  For each day in December leading up to Christmas, we would attach this bear around the cartoonish house according to the directions given on that that specific day. I loved this tradition, so I asked my mom to mail it to me.  The boys are young enough that they really enjoy this tradition.  Brian likes reading the directions in the square.

4. Goody Plates -

Sam and I both had this Christmas tradition when we were growing up.  We'd help our mothers make a whole bunch of Christmas goodies.  We'd then fill up plates with goodies, cover them up, and attach them with a gift tag.  After dinner, our parents would pile all of their kids up in the minivan and we'd make stops all over town to deliver the goody plates to our friends.  Some of our friends were even graced with us singing a jolly little Christmas jingle when they answered the door.  These trips in the minivan were always fun, especially since we had Christmas music playing and we saw tons of homes all lit up with Christmas lights. This is another Christmas tradition we've carried on with our family.  I may not make all of the same treats that I did when I was a kid, but I've found some fun, easy, and kid friendly treats to make.  To see these recipes, please visit my family's recipe blog.

5. Christmas Countdown Blocks -
A few years ago, I made these Christmas countdown blocks with my sister-in-law, Becky, her mother, and sisters.  It involved wooden blocks, scrapbook paper, mod podge, and vinyl letters and numbers.  I enjoy making crafts.  The blocks adorn my ledge in the basement and look great with the rest of my Christmas decor.  Brian likes to announce multiple times a day how many days are left until Christmas.

6. Sing Along with Mitch-

So my parents have this record we'd listen to every Christmas Eve.  They have pages stapled together of the lyrics to all the songs.  They'd hand us each a copy and have us sing along with Mitch Miller and The Gang.  Since our family was so big, we'd each have our own part in "Twelve Days of Christmas."  I don't think we got the same part every year, but it sure was fun.  One of my favorite memories was when my youngest brother, Ryan adorned his Rudolph antlers and a blinking red light nose.  He took it upon himself to play the part of Rudolph that night.  And as you might have guessed, yes, we now do the sing along with our kids every year.  My mom lucked out and found the Christmas recording on CD for us.  Hmmm... I do need to make copies of the lyrics. 

7. Reading the Christmas Story -
Another thing both of our families would do on Christmas Eve was to read the Christmas story out of the Bible.  We took turns reading the verses.  Once, we did act out the nativity with some friends of the family.  That was fun, but ended up being less reverent than my parents wanted it to be.  

8. The Christmas Morning Wait -  
All 8 of us kids would wake up early on Christmas morning.  The rule was that we could get up whenever we wanted, sit by the tree, but we were not allowed to touch any of the presents.  All of us kids would sit on the big blue couch and sing Christmas songs.  We'd sing until our parents came downstairs, usually around 7am.

Sometimes...I miss being a kid.  I miss the camaraderie with my family, my brothers and sisters, and how much fun we had together, especially around the holidays.  It's hard being so far away from my grandparents, my parents, and my siblings. 

Being a mother...is quite the job.  Sam and my kids keep me going.  I love to see the smiles on their faces especially when I know that I'm the one that made them smile.  I love planning fun things to do with them and get excited to share those experiences with them.