traditions

[rainbabies]

Re: traditions

hey tara! your house sounds fun...can i come over!!??

[planet]

Re: traditions

If we can keep living like this we may have a good tradition started!

The kids and I collected and pressed flowers over the summer, "queen Anne's lace." We took them out today, dried and beautiful and hung them from the windows like snowflakes. Next year we'll press more and hang them from the tree.



Then we took a hike along the edge of the forest (wearing bright orange) and cut evergreen branches for our table centerpiece.

Re: traditions

We have been talking about starting some traditions this year, but have not come up with much yet! It is the first year that we will have people come to us rather than us going somewhere. But DH is on call Xmas Eve - Day
The past five or six years we have been in a different place every year, mostly just the 2 of us, except a couple of them we were apart as he was off doing electives. There has been no constant at all.
Some of you have some lovely traditions.

[Flynn]

Re: traditions

Then we took a hike along the edge of the forest (wearing bright orange) and cut evergreen branches for our table centerpiece.

:funnycry:

[Bittersweet]

Re: traditions

The holidays are pretty low-key in our house. Everyone gets to open one gift on X-mas eve. However, the gifts exchanged must be PJ’s that can be worn on X-mas morning. On X-mas day we go skiing and eat tons of Cincinnati chili when we get home. I’ve been doing both traditions since as long as I can remember. Luckily DH loves them, as well. So, we really haven’t come up with our own traditions. Maybe that will change when we have kids. :huh:

[Lo]

Re: traditions

I can't speak for holiday traditions that DH and I have since this is our first year and he was on call on Thanksgiving...although if he continues to be on call on Thanksgiving (he was last year also) it will become a tradition that I bring him food at the hospital then hang out for a few hours with him.

Christmas though at my parent's house when we were little always incorporated a cheese and crackers, shrimp cocktail type dinner on Christmas Eve, getting to open one present before church (it was always the outfits we were going to wear to church that night that we opened), then going to mass. When we were really little I remember my parents used to tell us that if Santa saw or heard us coming downstairs he wouldn't leave any presents. So that kept us FAR away from peeking under the tree. Then Christmas morning we would always jump in my parents bed at some ungodly hour and then when they were FINALLY ready they would have to go downstairs first and then we got to go down when they were "ready". We would open presents, taking turns, and then just hang out all day and eat dinner around 230.

THIS year, DH and I plan to Christmas morning just us (I'll make cinnamon rolls) opening our presents to eachother then go to 10am mass (which his kid's choir sings at), then head off to my parents house (only 15 minutes away) and open presents and eat an early dinner with them (we are also sharing our BIG news that day!!...we bought bibs that we wrapped up saying "I love Grandma" "I love Grandpa" for my parents and DH's parents), then we'll head over to the ILs (again only about 15 minutes) and do presents and a later dinner there. I'm excited...should be fun...really crappy though that my work hasn't given the day after Christmas off this year

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: traditions

Every year, I get my DH a box of Legos. He just really likes Legos.

[SuzySunshine]

Re: traditions

Every year, I get my DH a box of Legos. He just really likes Legos.

Must be a NSurg thing - my DH LOVES them. We have a dresser in our guest room that guests can't use b/c its full of them. When the kids get old enough to play with them I think he'll play with them more.

[poky]

Re: traditions

Every year, I get my DH a box of Legos. He just really likes Legos.

Must be a NSurg thing - my DH LOVES them. We have a dresser in our guest room that guests can't use b/c its full of them. When the kids get old enough to play with them I think he'll play with them more.

My DH loves them, too, especially the technics ones that have motors and such, and the mindstorms programmable robot. Hopefully this doesn't mean he'll want to go into NSG...

Re: traditions

The kids help me decorate, this year DH started the tradition of putting the lights on the house (sooo pretty!) as we finally have a house to do it to(YEAH!), and we do cookies and crafts throughout December. And , I cut out snowflakes and the kids put glitter on them and we hang them up in the windows. I'm excited cause we are getting our first live tree since we had kids - babies who crawl and pine needles is not a fun thing.

I **LOVE** Christmas time!

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: traditions

Every year, I get my DH a box of Legos. He just really likes Legos.

Must be a NSurg thing - my DH LOVES them. We have a dresser in our guest room that guests can't use b/c its full of them. When the kids get old enough to play with them I think he'll play with them more.

My DH loves them, too, especially the technics ones that have motors and such, and the mindstorms programmable robot. Hopefully this doesn't mean he'll want to go into NSG...

It's insane! The Mindstorms stuff is his favorite but so expensive! And it's not like he builds anything useful...like a robot that does the dishes or can take the dog out.

Re: traditions

MIL and FIL still have the one that they used with their kids, and now they take turns filling it for each other. One takes odds and the other evens. I love that they still use the same one.

I love that they still do it! That is sweet!

[houseelf]

Re: traditions

We buy an photo ornament of the kids every year. Now our tree is a little alter with their photos everywhere. I really like the ones that allow you to record their voices.

Kelly

[ellie]

Re: traditions

Ellie had a great advent calendar last year that gave her DD something to do each day. I can't remember it, but maybe she'll check in and share it. I remember thinking it was a fantastic idea for the season.

Ellie, Oh Ellieeeee...She's probably off popping a bottle of champagne somewhere.

Did I hear my name?
I have that champagne chilling on ice, but I'm not popping the cork until that contract is signed and sealed. Hopefully it'll be any day now!

Here is what I wrote about our Advent tradition last year:

A friend of mine makes these Advent Calendar kits that we've been using for the past couple of years with our oldest daughter. Each day of Advent DD receives a small bag with an activity card and materials that go with the activity -- the activities help her to learn about generosity, peace, service, spirituality...they include things like choosing some of her unused toys to donate to other children, buying food for the food bank, making luminarias for the neighborhood, or reading special books about peace and love. These activities have become DD's favorite part of the Christmas season.

Another friend just bought one of these kits for her family after hearing DD talk about it so much. The kit has a book with different activities from which to choose, along with laminated cards for each one and numbered bags for every day of Advent and some of the needed materials. You could also make your own, but I appreciated having it all put together for me.

The grandparents especially look forward to hearing DD tell them about her Advent activity of the day.