Each year, as long as we are home, the Christmas tree goes up on Thanksgiving Day. We enjoy decorating throughout the Thanksgiving weekend. Thanksgiving Day officially marks the beginning of our Christmas season. It is then that we begin playing our Christmas music.
Our holiday season is filled with baking cookies, brownies, and other sweet treats. We fill our time with fun holiday activities. Craft projects abound around our home. Each evening we read a Christmas book. We listen to fun old radio shows, like Cinnamon Bear. We love to drive around and look at the light displays.
On December 1st, we begin our countdown ornament tree. I picked up the calendar on sale after the holidays one year. I made a Christmas tree to go with it. I added cute buttons, so we could hang the ornaments from the tree. On Christmas Day, the star goes on the tree.
On Christmas Eve, we sit down to read the Christmas story from the Bible. We each get to open 1 gift on that evening. Munchkin is allowed to put her gifts for us in our stockings, then it’s off to bed. After she is asleep, we put all of the presents under the tree. (We’ve never “done” Santa at our house; it’s just fun to see her surprise in the morning.) D and I take turns putting things in the stockings prior to calling it an evening.
On Christmas morning, I get up first and hide the pickle ornament. I also get the monkey bread in the oven (a tradition from my childhood). When everyone is up, we open our stockings and then eat our yummy breakfast. After breakfast, we open presents. We usually put in a Christmas movie (Munchkin isn’t much into parades) and “play” with our new gifts. Lunch usually consists of steak for D and seafood for Munchkin and I. We have munchies in the evening (cheese & crackers, veggies & dip). Usually, we have a birthday cake of some sort for Jesus.
This year will be a bit different. We’ll be spending time away from home. Our family won’t be all together, but many of our traditions will be carried on.
Those are great…and I am a fellow devildog wife..except mine was retired some years back.. however, as you know.. it. never. ends. 😀
Blessings!
Marye
http://home-school.contentquake.com/2007/12/03/holiday-open-house/
May I send a big thank you to your military family! Merry Christmas.
Melissa
http://homeschoolblogger.com/kaysmarmey
Mary,
Thank you for all that you give up for my family. My heart and prayers go out to your May feel Go’s hand of comfort around you in the season you are in. It was a blessing to visit your blog.
~Trina
What a wonderful post!!!
Thank you so much to you and your family for all the sacrifices you’ve made and continue to make so that we can have the freedoms we enjoy!!!
May God bless you this Christmas season and in the coming year!!! 🙂
This was lovely. I really enjoyed reading about your traditions. I used to make the monkey bread on Christmas morning when my children were home.
Mama Bear
Wonderful traditions!
This is my first visit to your blog, and I just LOVE the picture in your sidebar of your husband and daughter. So sweet and touching.
Merry Christmas!
Janne
http://janne.cc/blog
Thank you so much for your post, for your participation in the open house but mostly for your sacrafice as a family, may the Lord bless you all 10 fold for all you do!
Oh and you have won the huge “tea” gift prize!!! Please email me with your addy when you get a chance!
Tiany@cox.net
Blessings,
Tiany