Christmas Traditions....

Per Sophia's challenge I thought I would blog our family's Christmas traditions.

I have tried over the last 12 years to make the holidays a 'special' time for my children. Since they have to split the time between my house and their father's. For about the last 10 years, they have always been home on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning; leaving in the late afternoon to finish up the holiday with their dad.
Here are our traditions:

• Decorating the tree - We usually put it up in the first week of December, for a couple of years I did wait until after Leah's birthday, thinking she should have her 'day' before the Christmas decorations were everywhere. However, she doesn't mind and is usually begging to put the tree up soon after Thanksgiving. Everyone HAS to be home and participate. Derek's participation usually amounted to dragging the tree into the house for me for the last several years. This year he did however 'set it up', as it is an artificial tree. Leah and I do lights and ornaments.
• City of Bethlehem - For the last 3 years we have toured a community church's City of Bethlehem before Christmas. It is put on by the church and is really a wonderful family night outing. There is entertainment in the church until your tour time, then a narrator takes you around the 'city'; complete with the greatest story told. After a chilly walk, there are refreshments and fellowship in the AWANA building.
• Homemade Fudge - it wouldn't be Christmas without my Mom's homemade fudge. She has fixed it as long as I can remember to share with her customers at the beauty shop and friends of the family. We took it in as teachers gifts when we attended school. Now, I have the recipe; Leah and I make fudge for sharing with our neighbors, as gifts and save some for us to munch on Christmas Eve.
• The "Christmas Gift Cake" - I tried a new recipe on an employee newsletter 6 years ago to take to our family gathering. My sister fell in love with this cake and now requests it every year as her 'gift'. So I renamed it because I only bake it at Christmas. For the last 6 years I have baked this cake for holiday office gatherings, a church bake sale at Christmas and for family and friends as a gift. It is now one of our 'traditions'. My sister would be upset if I showed up at her house on Christmas Day without this cake!
• Christmas Eve - Our Christmas Eve is FILLED with 'traditions' - First is our family dinner. The menu changes per the children's requests, but we always are home and sit down to have dinner together. When Derek worked fast food, we have even delayed dinner time to make sure everyone would be there at the same time. Sometimes we invite family friends that don't 'do' Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve to join us. Second are photos of Derek and Leah in front of the tree. I've done this every year. It's neat to see how much they have grown. Third, we open gifts to each other - there is always one gift for each child under the tree from me, there is always a gift from each sibling to the other and most years there is a tiny gift to me from the kids (sometimes it is something they made themselves, sometimes it is just something small and inexpensive). Everyone takes turns opening one gift at a time. Then we play games or watch movies together until bedtime. Often there is a gift in there that IS a game or movie that we can instantly enjoy together.
• Christmas Morning - first one up has to wake everyone before going to the living room. Then I hit the coffee button, grab the camera and check out the gifts and stockings. Since my children are now older, 'Santa' started wrapping gifts last year. Leah said she likes this and so it shall continue. We have a LIGHT breakfast - usually muffins or cinnamon rolls.
• Christmas Day 'Lunch' - We head to my sister's house for Christmas with my family around noon. Lunch is easy - homemade deli sandwiches, hot cheese dip with chips; along with all kinds of baked goodies (cookies, candies and cake). We eat, then exchange gifts with the family.
• Day after Christmas shopping - I have gone shopping the morning after Christmas Day for lots of years. It IS a tradition. You can not get me out on 'Black Friday' but this is my day. Usually I am standing in line at Walmart about 15 minutes before they open along with about 20 other freezing and crazy people. I am in and out of there in less than 1 hour, with Target next on the list. After that it is a break for some food and deciding if I head home or anywhere else. The plan works well. I stock my 'gift closet' for the coming year for birthdays and such. It has saved me bundles of money and TIME racing around to find that gift for the "oh mom, so-and-so's birthday party is tomorrow night". I may not get to continue this year with a son in college funds are tight.

I've enjoyed reading everyone else's Christmas traditions also. Again, Thanks Sophia!