Christmas Traditions

     I  love, love, love Christmas!  I love sappy Christmas movies and old tv shows, musicals and Christmas songs.  I love decorating and shopping, wrapping presents and sending cards.  I love the scents and excitement of the season.  I love spending time with friends and family.  I love the traditions that come along with Christmas.

     Jim and I have worked to build traditions for our family.  Some of them we have planned, some have just happened.  Our first married Christmas, we bought a Waterford crystal ornament.  We buy one every year now.  It is a big decision for our family deciding which one will be on our tree.  This year, we have a crystal tree--I was out-voted, maybe next year I can get the shamrock.


     We also take one day to go shopping.  Jim and I start when the stores open and shop until we have to be home.  Some years we have a list, others we just shop.  Last week, we finished most of our shopping in one day. We spend the day together, have a lunch out and just enjoy the time with each other!  We window shop and people watch.  We reconnect with each other during this busy time of  year.

     Delainey has brought some new traditions to our family as well.  She loves to look at light displays, so we try to get out a couple of times in the evenings to see all the wonderful lights.  Last year her Sunday school class made paper chains with activities for the days leading up to Christmas.  It was so much fun that we did it again this year.  It keeps the "how many days until Christmas" in check.  We have spent time each year ringing bells for the Salvation Army as well.  Since I am a slacker,  I didn't get our plans made soon enough, but next year we will be ringing again!

     This year everyone is talking about their "Elf on the Shelf".  We don't have an elf, but we have Mary and Joesph making their way around our house to the manger in Bethlehem.  Part of Delainey's job is to find where they have gone each day.  Some days she has a hard time finding them, other days she sees them right away.  It is fun to decide where they will be each night!  They will end up in the nativity on Christmas eve and the baby Jesus will be there in the morning.

     Jim and I have had to blend our traditions together.  His family has always done gifts on Christmas eve, mine on Christmas morning.  We found our middle ground by celebrating with his parents and the boys on Christmas eve.  We then spend the Christmas day at our home where Santa has filled stockings and brought gifts to us.  It works for us and we get to spend the day relaxing and playing with our gifts.

     My favorite tradition is remembering what Christmas is really about.....

             "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
             which is Christ the Lord
             And this shall be a sign unto you; you will find the babe
             wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
                                                                           Luke 2:11-12

     Enjoy this Christmas season!