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Day #2 Question: What are some of your favorite family traditions? What are some traditions you want to begin?
We tend to keep our holidays pretty casual, but we do have a few fun traditions:
Singing Happy Birthday
On Christmas morning, before we open any presents, we sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. It's something my family did when I was growing up, and it's a way to remind ourselves of the reason for Christmas.
Polar Express & Sleigh bells
We watched the Polar Express movie for the first time in 2005, when Cuddlebug and Bearhug were 4 yrs old. They LOVED it, because it is about a train (well, as far as they're concerned it's about a train, lol). We got them the book, and now every year we watch the movie and read the book several times. It was the Polar Express that got them somewhat interested in the concept of Santa Claus this past Christmas. Cuddlebug and Bearhug were really intrigued with the sleigh bell that Santa left for the boy in the story, so on Christmas morning Santa left them each a bell on a red ribbon next to their stockings. :)
Advent Calendars
Every year my mom sends each of us an advent calendar (the kind with the little chocolates inside) before the start of December. And every year, we eat all the chocolates within the first few days, haha!
The Christmas Tree
We got a real tree for the first time in 2004, and that has turned into a yearly tradition. The first time, I underestimated how big the tree was and got one that was way too big. Somehow it looked a lot smaller out in the field than it did once we set it up in our house. We still call that one the Griswold family tree, because it reminded us of this:
A Tradition I'd like to begin:
When the boys are old enough to have the attention span for it, I'd love to start a tradition of reading the Christmas story from the Bible on Christmas Eve each year.
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34 comments:
I love your traditions! We have a hanging Santa calendar that I fill with different candies every year and my boys love that- even as they get older!
We sing happy birthay, too! Only in Polish! Here's My Day 2!
Those are all great traditions. I want to start talking about Advent with my son this year. He is 4 and I think he will start to understand it a bit.
Oh I forgot about the Polar Express!!! We watch that numerous times every year and we all have one favorite part.....The Hot Chocolate, Refreshment part!!!!
Oh my son is borderline obsessed with Polar Express. He knows it word for word and will play his trains as though it's from Polar Express. I adore that movie and it always gives me warm fuzzy feelings, LOL. I'm shocked that I'm not sick of it by now since Justyn watches it even in mid summer!
Advent Calendars! I'd almost forgotten about those! Nice traditions! :)
Great traditions! I love how you include the Happy Birthday song to remember the true meaning behind the holiday!
It's sad but I've never seen the Polar Express. We'll have to rent that this year.
I love real trees! They smell so good. One year we couldn't get ours to stand up straight so hubs bolted it to the wall. Another great memory!
You have some wonderful traditions! Our family loves the movie Polar Express as well. Thanks so much for sharing! Your first real tree story made me giggle!
www.mycompletechaos.com
My son loves the Polar Express story. What a wonderful idea to give the boys a bell, so creative!
You have some beautiful family traditions. I really like singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I know Morgan's Sunday school does this too.
I have been doing an Advent Activity Calendar for a few years now. It combines advent with fitting in our favorite activities, crafts, food, and fun!
Jen
http://www.100DaystoChristmas.com
I love the idea of singing happy birthday to Jesus. We might have to start that one.
I think I would love to try an Advent when the girls get older!!
Great traditions! I love the bells! Happy holidays!
I think it is never too early to start reading the Christmas story from the Bible. You can make it more interesting to little ones by taking your nativity set and other visuals to help them understand it slowly verse by verse. They can understand how special it is when they are allowed to gently hold the nativity pieces. (Get some unbreakable ones just in case!) They catch on quickly! Or, get a children's picture book version that you help them follow along with the pictures while you read Luke 2.
Thanks for your post!
We had an advent calendar growing up and my sister and I would sneak and eat the candies early. I love real Christmas Trees... the lovely smell overrides all the tree needles!
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is a favorite at our house. I also love to watch the Polar Express.
Christmas trees ALWAYS look bigger in the field. I remember my Dad always comparing it to his height to make sure it would fit in the house. (which usually result in a shorter tree than necessary, since Dad's only about 5'4". But we always sat it on a wooden box anyway, so there was more room underneath for gifts.
I like the bell on ribbon idea, we also have that movie along with Rudolph that we watch. I'm in the market for a few more christmas movies. To make an all day thing on Christmas eve to watch ALL Christmas movies/shows until bedtime. LOL
I love your traditions! I think we will start singing as well... and I will make a cake!! I think one should have cakew everday!
How cool to sing Happy Birthday!! Love the Polar Express...although I've yet to stay awake for the ending! Love your layout!
LOL at the advent calender. If we had one, it'd be gone here too.
Every Thanksgiving we watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade. We have Movie Night and watch "Miracle on 47th Street (new version).
I love the idea of singing Happy Birthday to Jesus!
Lovely traditions I like the singing of Happy Birthday to Jesus
My grandma used to give us an advent calendar, and we loved it! Maybe you can have the kids act out the Christmas story, then they get more involved and don't just have to sit and listen. It's a tradition that my husband's family did, and now the grandkids act it out.
my husband likes lego advent calendars
That is so cute that you guys sing Happy Birthday!
I love how you sing happy birthday to Jesus!
Funny story about your tree. I actually did that this year with the 9 foot tree from costco. I thought that it would fit our 8 foot ceilings. Fake trees are never as tall as they say. Boy was I wrong. I am just glad I set it up to see if it could fit. However, the kids were bummed to see the tree gone in the morning.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. It was fun to read about your holiday traditions. My oldest is a Polar Express fanatic as well. He'll watch it five times in one day if I let him.
I forgot about the Advent calendars! It's hard to find them now!
And I also like the idea of reading the Christmas story from the bible. I think I'll start that one this year!
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