Christmas Traditions

We always wait until after Thanksgiving to set up our tree. This year the kids, really got into putting on the ornaments, and cheerfully they did most of it. We actually only managed to get half our tree back in the attic with all the moving out and moving back in. We got it halfway up to find the top half was still in my parent's storage shed. Adam & I took a break to pick it up so we could finish setting it up. I made yummy caramel hot chocolate and Jared found the best Christmas songs for the evening.

Some of our Christmas Traditions:

- We read the Nativity story from Luke chapter 2 on Dec. 1 so we can remember the reason we celebrate Christmas. I let the kids put out each individual in our nativity as we read the scriptures together. This year, the kids were especially wild & bouncy...so I'm not sure how much got in, but hopefully with consistency & time they will grow to cherish this tradition. This is my favorite nativity set that Jared got me a few Christmas' ago. From time to time he adds another piece for me. I sure could use the stable animals next, hon!

- Service Candy Canes: I have a container filled with candy canes. Anytime one of us does a service for someone else we get to put a candy cane on the tree. Any candy canes that make it to the tree can be eaten, the ones in the cup are off limits. It's always fun to see the tree filled with candy canes.

- Family Christmas Light Night - About a week before Christmas we pile into the car and go out and look at Christmas Lights. We used to do this as a kid with my mom & grandparents. We'd sing Christmas carols and drink hot chocolate, it was always so fun to spend time together as family.

- The Christmas Puzzle - A few years back we got a Christmas puzzle from a student I taught. I'll be honest, I kind of thought it was lame! Jared lovingly insisted that we work the puzzle with his family when they came to visit. We had so much fun, that now we do a new one every year as a family. We stick to 500 piece puzzles the week before Christmas. We tell the kids that we can't open any presents until it's finished. It has always been finished by the big day!