Finding Focus

Christmas morning we took a few moments to write down our gifts to the Savior and share them with each other. It was such a great start to the day and left a lingering peace in our home. Definitely a tradition worth keeping.

Our Christmas Traditions - Part III

Tradition #9 - Sugar Cookies

I feel like we try a new recipe every year. They're usually family recipes and this year we found another yummy one from Grandma Richins. The kids love cutting out the shapes and helping with the icing. 

Tradition #10 - Christmas Eve Dinner 
This has been everything from ham, turkey, roast to a dinner of appetizers, and this year we're going to try fondue. We usually light candles and this is where we each receive our ornaments for the year.

Tradition #11 - Bingo!

This is from my family and is a fun way to win prizes or, better still, money. For some reason our markers are always red hots. That may be one I'll have to change since it's a bit disturbing seeing kids sneak the heavily-handled candies. We do a number of rounds and the stakes get higher with the more difficult challenges. The hope is that everyone will win at least once.

Tradition #12 - Luke 2 & One Gift
Dad reads from the Bible. It's peaceful hearing the words while watching our own children and sitting near the nativity scenes. We open the presents from our family gift exchange on Christmas Eve. It's fun to see what everyone thought up and created. We'll get our gifts for the Savior ready for the morning and everyone tries to get some sleep!

Our Christmas Traditions - Part II

Tradition #5 - Graham Cracker Houses

Instead of gingerbread we use the most inexpensive graham crackers we can find and we even hot glue them into our house shapes instead of using icing. Since the kids don't eat the cracker base and our icing doesn't set fast enough, the glue is a perfect solution. We have an icing recipe that sets like concrete so the kids have their work cut out chipping out their favorite candies.

Tradition #6 - Seeing the Lights

Usually we drive around neighborhoods in our city trying to find fun setups. I came across a fun idea here from FrugalFun4Boys for a Christmas lights scavenger hunt. This year we attended a local, drive-through light show and loved it.

Tradition #7 - Neighbor Gifts
These have changed each year from homemade goodies to store-bought gifts. Sometimes we'll use our Christmas sugar cookies. This year it will be chocolates, ornaments, and sparkling cider. 

Tradition #8 - Christmas Movies
From the Grinch to Frosty and Rudolph, we love pulling out or renting Christmas movies throughout the month. Sometimes we'll all go to a new release at the theater on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We are looking forward to seeing Frozen this year.

Our Christmas Traditions - Part I

Tradition #1 Gift Exchange

After Thanksgiving we pick names from a hat and the only rule is that you can't buy the gift.

Tradition #2 Decorations

Our decorations are super simple and mostly fit in one room. Either the day after Thanksgiving or in the first week of December, the tree goes up with lights and all our collected ornaments [we each receive an ornament every year on Christmas Eve], our three wise men on the mantle, the wreath on the door, a strand of lights on the house, and stockings over the fireplace. This year we brought the ornamental, lighted trees inside to flank the fireplace and I love it. 

We have three nativity sets we set out on the table in front of the fireplace and the kids reset them all month long. One new tradition is to remove the baby Jesus from our nativity sets and put him back Christmas day along with bringing him our gifts - service, self-improvement, anything we think Christ would want us to offer of ourselves. 

Tradition #3 Christmas Countdown

My sister gave us this advent tree maybe seven or eight years ago and we've reused it every year. We fill each box with one or a few small treats and the kids take turns each night pulling their box. If there are enough, it's fun to see if they'll share.

Tradition #4 Christmas Stories

In addition to our own collection of Christmas books, we are always on the lookout for other good books to read by the tree, usually after dinner. We've found some great ones this year.