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Traditions. Christmas time for me means so many traditions.
Tradition #1 It starts right after Thanksgiving. Our daughter stays the night at my parents and my husband and I do some Black Friday shopping, usually with my brother and sister-in-law. I liked it more when it started at 4am on Friday. I'd rather start early than stay up late. I don't like this new start at 6pm on Thanksgiving. I'm eating with family at that time. But once Thanksgiving is officially over, we start our shopping. I like that it gives me time to shop with my husband. It's so rare that's it's just the two of us. Friday morning we sleep in and then start wrapping while my daughter is still out of the house!
Tradition #2 All of the Christmas decorations come out the day after Thanksgiving. That weekend the trees come out, the lights are put up outside, the garland is on the banister, and the various other knick knacks and decorations are put up. We're a little late with our trees this year. We bought a new tree and there were decisions to be made. One tree is full of our Disney ornaments. The second tree is everything non-Disney. It ranges from commercial favorites to ornaments I made when I was in school.
Tradition #3 Countdown to Christmas. I bought from a parent a beautiful quilt wall hanging that has an evergreen on it. Everyday in December we add a Christmas pin. It looks like ornaments on the tree. My daughter usually has an advent calendar, too. This year it's Lego Friends.
Tradition #4 It kind of goes along with #3. Every year we give our daughter a Christmas book. This year I gave it to her early - Santa Clauses: Short Poems From the North Pole by Bob Raczka. There's a haiku for everyday in December. We're reading one each night.
Tradition #5 Christmas movies. Each weekend we watch a Christmas movie or two. We watched Polar Express last weekend and the new Toy Story short this weekend. Some other favorites are Elf, Charlie Brown, Rudolph, Frosty, Phineas and Ferb (they always make me laugh) and my husband and I will enjoy National Lampoon. There's more in the collection. We'll see what comes out this year!
Tradition #6 Baking! I haven't started it yet, but that will begin soon. I'm trying to make just a few things. No need to have much around the house.
Tradition #7 Christmas music! It's the only music I listen to this time of year. I eventually get a little tired of it, but December 26 it's off and I don't pull it out again until next year (usually on Nov. 1, but who's counting?) This year I'm enjoying Idina Menzel, Darius Rucker, Pentatonix and Kelly Clarkson.
Although not a tradition, in a couple of weeks, we are going to Chicago for a couple of days. We'll visit Navy Pier's Winterfest, see the windows on State Street and take in a musical, Disney's Newsies! I'd like to visit the Christmas market downtown, too.
As you can see, a lot of family time during the holidays. What are your holiday traditions?
I share some traditions with you, but not the shopping or the tree. We do add a Christmas book each year to my daughter's pile. They are part of the decorations in my house. We also bake together. We will start this Saturday. Enjoy! Your Chicago trip sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas and all the traditions that come with it. Are you a Disneyphile? Me Too!
ReplyDeleteLisa
LisaTeachR'sClassroom
Love the quilt wall hanging and adding pins to the evergreen each day until Christmas.
ReplyDeleteJust reading your stuff gets me excited. Yesterday I hosted for the first time at our Festival of Nativities. What a way to kick off the season!
Those are wonderful! I really enjoyed reading about all your traditions. I share a few with you - getting decorations out right after Thanksgiving, listening to Christmas music (don't you LOVE Pentatonix?!), and giving Christmas books. However, I don't do a lot of baking, and I hate Black Friday shopping. ;-) Traditions are what holidays are all about, though, so enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteLoved reading about your traditions! I am trying to do better about Xmas traditions. I struggle to find the energy! We're listening to a lot of Christmas music right now and I have big baking plans. I've discovered that I like getting the tree up right after Thanksgiving--even though it's mangled by cats on a daily basis!
ReplyDeleteLovely traditions - especially the baking, which reminds me that I need to get started!
ReplyDeleteWe share many traditions. One tradition I wish I would have started was buying a pair a Christmas pajamas and opening them on Christmas Eve. My cousin does this and I think this is just a great one! Traditions make so many great memories. My children at 22 and 18 have so many things that are special to them because of traditions. Such a magical time! Great post.
ReplyDeleteI gave my granddaughters Santa Clauses-what a sweet book! Love hearing about all that you do. My favorite tradition is that on the day after Thanksgiving I get out what we call the kitchen tree. It's a straw tree on which I've hung Christmasy things & kitchen ornaments-very fun & starts me off excited for Christmas.
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