This year, I’ve been really interested in creating new Christmas traditions for my kids and family. So how does one go about starting a new tradition?
For me, what’s worked is the cliche, “Just do it.” No kidding! That being said, I think when you start new traditions you need to focus on the value behind it. Why do you want to start this tradition? What will it do for your family? My traditions this year will focus on two things: putting the focus back on Christ and simple living rather than consumerism (which is OUT OF CONTROL this year) and frugal choices that bring us closer. Here is a list of the traditions I’m sharing with my beloved family:
1. Christmas Giving
I’ve messed up on this in the past. I’ve either done it alone or, for the last few years, not done it at all! This year, a blogger friend enlisted blogger “elves” to give to a school in a very poor area of Alaska and so I got Amelia involved and she learned how to gift wrap – what a successful Christmas kid tradition! More on that on our post, on December 18th.
I didn’t do as good a job as I’d have liked, but giving felt good in a way I cannot describe – sharing the value of helping others with Amelia was even better! Now as far as being frugal, for this particular package I used flat rate USPS shipping AND mostly unused toys and crafts that I had. You don’t have to go broke, you just need to find someone in much greater than you and things they would love.
This is one we let fall by the wayside, but mutually, without even talking about it, my husband and I decided to resurrect the annual ornament gift for each family member, to mark those special memories of the season. I’ll be sharing more about that on Thursday! And this doesn’t have to be pricy. Have the kids make ornaments for mom or dad – and maybe for their teachers and aides too. For pre-made ornaments, hit up Target or Walmart, who, by the way, even have Star Wars ornaments nice and cheap.
Fav ornaments from our new Star Wars tree!
3. Multiple Christmas Trees
This is crazy but we have “3” Christmas trees up right now: our regular old sunroom tree, our “kid’s” tree that they completely get to decorate, and this year, we’ve added a Star Wars tree. This, too, will be a new Christmas tradition for my kid Amelia, who ADORES Star Wars especially with her dad. We not only used old Hallmark ornaments, we added kids’ made ones and stuck in old toys that have no value. At this point, most stores acknowledge that won’t sell many more Christmas trees, so hunt around for a bargain small tree. This ALSO is great because it gets the family together decorating more trees and brainstorming a creative theme for each!
4. Celebrate Christmas Eve, Modestly
This year on Christmas Eve, which is usually just a very boring night, ending with way too much wrapping while watching the Hallmark channel and hoping the kids are asleep, we are changing things up. Instead, we’ll have a lovely (GMO, gluten and dairy free) SIMPLE Christmas dinner (like bacon wrapped chicken and mashed potatoes), followed by opening 2 gifts each: the ornament and the Christmas jammies which I’ve already found them deeply discounted. Plus I’m DYING to buy them their requested Frozen jammies – talk about a great Christmas kid tradition! Then, donning the jammies for the next tradition…
5. Christmas Eve Service
This former tradition was interrupted by a bunch of bad stuff that we shall not discuss. Let’s just say that breaking up with a church is hard and painful BUT it’s left in its path the Way God wanted for me. I’m here to tell you that you CAN find a service somewhere that fits your family – day service, night service, modern music, traditions. Just make sure you get there in time to find parking! This year, I’m celebrating with my beloved church family. We are doing an 11PM service, I believe with a candlelight vigil and then celebrating our Savior’s birthday at midnight. But what better way to welcome the blessed Babe than with a ….wait for it…
6. Christmas Eve Hot Chocolate Bar!!
This idea for a hot chocolate bar was given to me by a fabulous blogger friend yesterday. I asked a church buddy and so far, we are planning it! I’ll be bringing all the dairy free options and she’ll be bringing the traditional stuff. You recall I was SUPER excited about making hot chocolate for the kids, but now to make it AND bring all these delicious options to the table has me psyched. Even if it doesn’t become a church tradition, I’ll try to work it into Christmas eves going forward. Create a hot chocolate bar with a dairy free option with Silk Almondmilk hot chocolate and the seasoning of your choice. I’m using my crock pot to make, bring and keep warm.I’m excited for this year and these new traditions. There are a few more I hope to get in, like a holiday movie with the children or some local Christmas events we’ve missed. But in my opinion, the best Christmas memories start right at home!
