Christmas Traditions

 We purchase a real tree every year, usually on the second Saturday in December.  We leave it up for about a month, then take it down and drop it off for recycling into mulch.  We prefer Fir trees, usually seven to eight feet in height.  When we lived in Indiana we would go to a local Christmas tree farm and cut one down ourselves.  Ah, memories.


I'd like to make or purchase a couple new ornaments each year, but have been unable to the last few.  Partly to replace broken ones, and partially to add to the variety on our tree.  My 'foster parents' [really they were my power of attorneys, yeah, thanks to the system I had no rights and neither did they when I was removed from my parents home] had this tradition.  They had white lights and tons of ornaments.  Every time you looked at their tree you saw something different.  It was beautiful (they didn't have cheap tacky ornaments).
 
I have a small (palm sized) nativity my grandmother gave me years ago.  Someday I'd like a larger one.  I love the tradition of having a manger and adding a straw for every good deed to give baby a soft bed.  We tried a make shift one a couple years ago and enjoyed it.  I didn't make/buy the stuff to do it this year.  Note to self: remember to do this next fall is its ready for the Advent season.

We read the scripture accounts of Jesus' birth on Christmas Eve, in the evening. We also sings several of the Christmas hymns.  I grew up Lutheran, and always went to midnight/11pm services on Christmas Eve.  With becoming a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I no longer had a service to go to.  I love the scriptures and hymns.  I didn't want to loose that.

We try make or buy new pajamas for the children each year, this is usually given/opened on Christmas Eve.  Children are always growing and pajamas are such a useful gift.  Some years we, the parents, get new pjs as well.  [I still have pajamas from high school, how sad is that?]

On Christmas morning we make a big brunch.  This tradition is from Hubby's childhood.  We make whatever breakfast item a family member requests.  The menu usually has some of the following: pancakes, waffles, french toast, eggs, omelets, sausage, bacon, hash browns, bowls of cereal, donuts, biscuits and gravy, milk, orange juice, etc.

We listen to Christmas music while cooking and eating.  Its usually on most of the day, and we listen to some most days leading up to and after Christmas.  We listen to Christmas Carols in the middle of summer at times.  We love it.  But not before Halloween in the store.  We do not like the commercialism.  The songs that promote the give me, give mes included.

After eating we open gifts.  There may be far fewer under our tree than the average family, but they're there.    We discuss the gifts of the Wise Men again.  We don't quite follow the one you want, one you wear, one you read, and one you need.  We've had years where the only gifts were ones from Toys for Tots.  Going without, or doing less really teaches more about what's truly important and what gifts we cannot give.


We call family.  With Skype we can see and talk in real time.  Yay for technology.

We usually play a game or watch a movie later in the day.

We strive to keep Christ our central focus behind what we do.  We seek to strengthen family ties.  We hope to pass along family and faith building traditions to our children and future generations.