Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Luke 12:27
That is a very different Christmas, but obviously special to their family.
Richard and I started our own tradition that we both really like. We buy a gift for a less-fortunate child somewhere. This year, it was in place of buying each other gifts, but we plan to keep doing this more and more as the years go on.
As for Santa, I have no real problems with it, as long as it is not deterring from the real purpose for Christmas. I'm not sure if we will do Santa or not when the time comes, but I really haven't put much thought into it. If we don't do Santa, I would definitely tell my kids not to ruin other children's fun. I mean, we read fiction all the time, know it isn't real, but still love the stories.
that is exactly my point with the Santa thing - you know it's fiction but children do not until they get older and someone "ruins it for them" or their parents tell them. if Santa is used as something fun at Christmas that your children know is pretend, that's ok. i won't do that but i don't think it's detrimental. but when parent's tell their children Santa is real it's a lie.
one year we used a cabbage patch baby for baby jesus. mike made a wooden manger. sarah, lynsey and jamie were mary and the angels. justin played joseph and the shepherds. i always make colaches, and cinnamon rolls for christmas morning. christmas eve used to be going to my mom's house, but now that they are gone celebrating with Jesus, we go to the christmas eve service, drive around and look at christmas lights, then go home and have homemade runzas and watch a christmas movie. at mike's parents house grandma has 12 days of christmas glasses. we then sing the 12 days of christmas and whatever glass you get, you have to sing. there is always, off-key, harmony, and different keys. i could go on, but there's a few. merry christmas!!!!
The last few years we have put up what I call our Christmas Cross. It's cedar branches attached to a large wooden cross hung on our picture window. We decorate it with symbolic things, like red balls to represent Christ's blood, gold ribbon for his glory, a crown for his kingship, snowflakes to represent our being washed white as snow.
On Christmas Eve (you might be familiar with this) we set the table with our best plates and after the kids are in bed Mom and Dad put their gifts on their plates underneath a big hankie or bandana. They also hang a clean sock on the back of their chair, which I fill with candy, nuts, fruit, and other little things.
In the morning, we all take turns lifting the hankie to see what's on our plates, and then opening our "stockings."
After a breakfast of fancy cereal and fruit, we gather around the woodstove for the kids to give gifts to each other.
I love the plate tradition! Dad always tells us stories about how they did that. I will definitely consider making it apart of my family Christmas traditions when we have kiddos.
That is a very different Christmas, but obviously special to their family.
ReplyDeleteRichard and I started our own tradition that we both really like. We buy a gift for a less-fortunate child somewhere. This year, it was in place of buying each other gifts, but we plan to keep doing this more and more as the years go on.
As for Santa, I have no real problems with it, as long as it is not deterring from the real purpose for Christmas. I'm not sure if we will do Santa or not when the time comes, but I really haven't put much thought into it. If we don't do Santa, I would definitely tell my kids not to ruin other children's fun. I mean, we read fiction all the time, know it isn't real, but still love the stories.
that is exactly my point with the Santa thing - you know it's fiction but children do not until they get older and someone "ruins it for them" or their parents tell them. if Santa is used as something fun at Christmas that your children know is pretend, that's ok. i won't do that but i don't think it's detrimental. but when parent's tell their children Santa is real it's a lie.
ReplyDeleteone year we used a cabbage patch baby for baby jesus. mike made a wooden manger. sarah, lynsey and jamie were mary and the angels. justin played joseph and the shepherds.
ReplyDeletei always make colaches, and cinnamon rolls for christmas morning.
christmas eve used to be going to my mom's house, but now that they are gone celebrating with Jesus, we go to the christmas eve service, drive around and look at christmas lights, then go home and have homemade runzas and watch a christmas movie.
at mike's parents house grandma has 12 days of christmas glasses. we then sing the 12 days of christmas and whatever glass you get, you have to sing. there is always, off-key, harmony, and different keys.
i could go on, but there's a few.
merry christmas!!!!
The last few years we have put up what I call our Christmas Cross. It's cedar branches attached to a large wooden cross hung on our picture window. We decorate it with symbolic things, like red balls to represent Christ's blood, gold ribbon for his glory, a crown for his kingship, snowflakes to represent our being washed white as snow.
ReplyDeleteOn Christmas Eve (you might be familiar with this) we set the table with our best plates and after the kids are in bed Mom and Dad put their gifts on their plates underneath a big hankie or bandana. They also hang a clean sock on the back of their chair, which I fill with candy, nuts, fruit, and other little things.
In the morning, we all take turns lifting the hankie to see what's on our plates, and then opening our "stockings."
After a breakfast of fancy cereal and fruit, we gather around the woodstove for the kids to give gifts to each other.
No Santa anywhere!
I love the plate tradition! Dad always tells us stories about how they did that. I will definitely consider making it apart of my family Christmas traditions when we have kiddos.
ReplyDelete