Holiday Tradition
Merry Christmas!!! Yup, you read that right. Today I added up the Christmas countdown widget on my blog. See that digits a little bit to your right? As of this writing, it reads 83 days to go. Few flip of the calendar and Christmas will be prancing around.
I LOVE Christmas. I love the spirit and the vibe that comes with it. I remember growing up, feeling thrilled and looking forward to nights of Christmas caroling with friends. We stayed awake all night on Christmas eve (Noche Buena) and ate away the sweet goodies my Mom made a day before - it was a feast and an open house celebration where everyone in the neighborhood dropped in to give us something and wish us Merry Christmas. On Christmas day, my siblings and I would go around the town, knocking house to house for candies and treats.
For most, Christmas is all about tradition passed down the generations (and perhaps modified a little bit along the way). Amidst the hustle and bustle of the season, we want to make the season magical, not only to ourselves, but most importantly to our kids.
My husband and I have been together for more than 5 years. We have a four year old kid, have been celebrating Christmas with my in-laws and have been adopting their traditions for the past years. My husband's family have awesome Christmas tradition and very few can hardly be put away in fact. But this year is our chance to start creating family Christmas tradition uniquely our way as this will be our first to celebrate Christmas just the three of us in our new home. I am excited because I know Christmas will be different. Easy for me to jump ahead of myself here and start thinking about December. And with lots of ideas readily available when you google it up on the net, there are few that I absolutely plan on starting with my kid. I want my kid to have great family memories, and Christmas tradition is one of the most fun ways I can think of to create those memories!
1. Put up a Christmas tree right after Halloween
I already started blasting carols from my playlist soon as the first 'ber' month came along. So sure I could put up a Christmas tree as early as that too. But I don't want the spooky feel of Halloween to mingle with that magic vibe of Christmas.
Plus I have September and October to score deals of Christmas decors and some pre-loved. Talks about budget Christmas tree decoration challenge, which will be another topic on my blog.
2. Each year, make a home made ornament or hunt for that special ornament to put on the tree together.
Someday, maybe forward to 20 years in the future, our Christmas tree will be filled with mementos.
3. Camp under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve wearing Christmassy outfit while watching Christmas movies and drinking hot chocolate.
4. Hang up Christmas Stocking starting December 16 and fill it with small stuff every night to be discovered come morning and do this til Christmas Eve.
I already tried this last year and it was heartwarming to see my kid getting up in the morning and skipping her way to the door where her stockin is hanged up and so thrilled to discover something is there.
5. Go for a Christmas lights drive
Cozy up, bring blankets and hot drinks to warm up, Christmas music on and drive around a neighborhood of big houses with flashy decorative Christmas lights.
6. Share. Fill shoe boxes with treasures for less fortunate kids
Teach kid to not forget that Christmas is all about giving and sharing and that we all have been given a gift thousands of years ago when Jesus was born on that night, reason why we are celebrating Christmas to these days.
7. Christmas Eve gift box
Opening gift is as exciting to adults as it is to kids. Opening gift on Christmas Ever or Christmas Morning has always been in our family tradition and this is something I couldn't put away. It is one of those many things that make kids look forward to Christmas time.
8. For bit of excitement, have an advent calendar of small muslin bags and inside are coupons with different experiences including things like: watch a favorite holiday movie, go look at Xmas lights, cut out snowflakes, read a holiday book, bake cookies, camp out in the living room, etc as long as it's fun.
9. Hang a mistletoe...
And have mom and dad kiss whenever they both stand under it.
10. Christmas Morning family photo
This one here is a tradition of my in-laws. We are all prepped and dressed up with our holiday best dress and posing for a holiday photo on a Christmas Eve. But I want it different. I want something real. Of course, we would like to have that photo where we all look elegant and stylish. But I also want to capture the real moments - when camera is not around. Picture this: camera on self timer, everyone in their jammies, hair crazy, surrounded by wrapping papers, all looking into Christmas gift boxes, grinning but not the camera kind of smile. These photos are not for online share but will be the kind of photos to stick into family photo book that can be looked on to and will surely collect laughter (and probably tears) years after.
11. Go for a Christmas getaway or get away (if you get what I mean)
Not necessarily fancy! December is the time of year when lots of people travel and prices are usually at their highest. If you're budget is not enough to go for a fancy getaway, you can just drive to a park and spend a day doing something out of ordinary, just to get away from all those overwhelming commercialized Christmas craziness.
Last year, we've donned our boots, slipped on our snow mitts, put on our toque and strolled in the park, played snow ball fights and snow angels. I made sure I snapped few shots of our silliness. Simple yet fun and memorable!
I've read somewhere that creating Christmas Traditions for your family is a very practical way to parent “on purpose”. Which I absolutely agree, as these things are the ones that will stand out in our kid's mind long after the toys and gifts have been forgotten.
I LOVE Christmas. I love the spirit and the vibe that comes with it. I remember growing up, feeling thrilled and looking forward to nights of Christmas caroling with friends. We stayed awake all night on Christmas eve (Noche Buena) and ate away the sweet goodies my Mom made a day before - it was a feast and an open house celebration where everyone in the neighborhood dropped in to give us something and wish us Merry Christmas. On Christmas day, my siblings and I would go around the town, knocking house to house for candies and treats.
For most, Christmas is all about tradition passed down the generations (and perhaps modified a little bit along the way). Amidst the hustle and bustle of the season, we want to make the season magical, not only to ourselves, but most importantly to our kids.
My husband and I have been together for more than 5 years. We have a four year old kid, have been celebrating Christmas with my in-laws and have been adopting their traditions for the past years. My husband's family have awesome Christmas tradition and very few can hardly be put away in fact. But this year is our chance to start creating family Christmas tradition uniquely our way as this will be our first to celebrate Christmas just the three of us in our new home. I am excited because I know Christmas will be different. Easy for me to jump ahead of myself here and start thinking about December. And with lots of ideas readily available when you google it up on the net, there are few that I absolutely plan on starting with my kid. I want my kid to have great family memories, and Christmas tradition is one of the most fun ways I can think of to create those memories!
1. Put up a Christmas tree right after Halloween
I already started blasting carols from my playlist soon as the first 'ber' month came along. So sure I could put up a Christmas tree as early as that too. But I don't want the spooky feel of Halloween to mingle with that magic vibe of Christmas.
Plus I have September and October to score deals of Christmas decors and some pre-loved. Talks about budget Christmas tree decoration challenge, which will be another topic on my blog.
2. Each year, make a home made ornament or hunt for that special ornament to put on the tree together.
Someday, maybe forward to 20 years in the future, our Christmas tree will be filled with mementos.
3. Camp under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve wearing Christmassy outfit while watching Christmas movies and drinking hot chocolate.
4. Hang up Christmas Stocking starting December 16 and fill it with small stuff every night to be discovered come morning and do this til Christmas Eve.
I already tried this last year and it was heartwarming to see my kid getting up in the morning and skipping her way to the door where her stockin is hanged up and so thrilled to discover something is there.
5. Go for a Christmas lights drive
Cozy up, bring blankets and hot drinks to warm up, Christmas music on and drive around a neighborhood of big houses with flashy decorative Christmas lights.
6. Share. Fill shoe boxes with treasures for less fortunate kids
Teach kid to not forget that Christmas is all about giving and sharing and that we all have been given a gift thousands of years ago when Jesus was born on that night, reason why we are celebrating Christmas to these days.
7. Christmas Eve gift box
Opening gift is as exciting to adults as it is to kids. Opening gift on Christmas Ever or Christmas Morning has always been in our family tradition and this is something I couldn't put away. It is one of those many things that make kids look forward to Christmas time.
8. For bit of excitement, have an advent calendar of small muslin bags and inside are coupons with different experiences including things like: watch a favorite holiday movie, go look at Xmas lights, cut out snowflakes, read a holiday book, bake cookies, camp out in the living room, etc as long as it's fun.
9. Hang a mistletoe...
And have mom and dad kiss whenever they both stand under it.
10. Christmas Morning family photo
This one here is a tradition of my in-laws. We are all prepped and dressed up with our holiday best dress and posing for a holiday photo on a Christmas Eve. But I want it different. I want something real. Of course, we would like to have that photo where we all look elegant and stylish. But I also want to capture the real moments - when camera is not around. Picture this: camera on self timer, everyone in their jammies, hair crazy, surrounded by wrapping papers, all looking into Christmas gift boxes, grinning but not the camera kind of smile. These photos are not for online share but will be the kind of photos to stick into family photo book that can be looked on to and will surely collect laughter (and probably tears) years after.
11. Go for a Christmas getaway or get away (if you get what I mean)
Not necessarily fancy! December is the time of year when lots of people travel and prices are usually at their highest. If you're budget is not enough to go for a fancy getaway, you can just drive to a park and spend a day doing something out of ordinary, just to get away from all those overwhelming commercialized Christmas craziness.
Last year, we've donned our boots, slipped on our snow mitts, put on our toque and strolled in the park, played snow ball fights and snow angels. I made sure I snapped few shots of our silliness. Simple yet fun and memorable!
I've read somewhere that creating Christmas Traditions for your family is a very practical way to parent “on purpose”. Which I absolutely agree, as these things are the ones that will stand out in our kid's mind long after the toys and gifts have been forgotten.
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