Our family is all geared up and ready for Christmas. Here is a glimpse into some of our family Christmas traditions.
First we don't do Santa. I know shocking right my poor kids. I don't like to lie to my kids so we never gave gifts from Santa or promoted him as a real person. They still put out cookies and milk for "Santa" but they know that Santa is Daddy. Here's another BIG shocker we don't push Christmas as Christ's birthday either. Why? Because we feel that Christ's birth is something that should be celebrated year round. Soooo, for us Christmas is a Holiday about family, giving, and reflecting on how we can be better givers and be kinder to one another throughout the year. We have fun and enjoy the season. We talk a lot about things like Santa and the birth of Christ but it's more like a history lesson. We look at were our modern traditions come from and how they have changed into what we see in the world today. We talk about how it is celebrated differently in other countries and cultures around the world. We also don't do the elf on a shelf.
So what do we do? First of all we cut and decorate a tree with ornaments that Great Grandma Rose sends for the kids every year, plus some homemade ones.
We Make Cookies usually Crinkles and Sugar Cookies.
Christmas Eve the kids put out Cookies and Milk or Eggnog
Christmas morning we usually start off with Home Made Doughnuts. See Recipe in the recipe tab. Then we open our Christmas stockings. Those are also a family tradition going back generations. Everyone in our family has one hand made especially for them using a pattern that has been handed down. My Nana used to make them, now my mom makes them and someday I will take over. They are made for each new baby born or new husband or wife who joins the family. Then we go and do our morning chores and pass out our gifts to all the animals. Then we come back in and open gifts. Later in the morning the rest of the family here on the homestead comes down and joins us and we exchange gifts, watch movies, eat cold sandwiches and a finger food buffet.
The Kids took part in the annual Christmas play at the church yesterday. Then we all enjoyed the great food at the potluck after and of coarse ate way to much :)
Merry Christmas!
Let us remember not one day a year but every day.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour , which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11
Very similar in my household. My 'kids' are now 40 & 36. We never played the Santa thing and if you ask them now they will happily tell you that they have never felt that they missed out on a thing. They do not teach their children that Santa is the one that brings the gifts now either. We do acknowledge it as a celebration of the birth of Jesus but like you, that is a year long habit. It's more about family & some traditions. Personally, if I had my way and as a Christian, I would do away with the holiday completely. I'm disgusted at what it has become. I didn't lie to my children about Santa for the same reason...the lie. My pastor's wife had told me that when one of her girls was around 13 and she was teaching her something spiritually related she said to her daughter..."Rhonda, have I ever lied to you?" and the reply was.. "yes mother, when you told me that Santa was real." (Which had been told to her when she was very small).
ReplyDeleteKudos. And I'll bet you do have a long to do list!