Christmas Traditions

Today I got to thinking about all of the holiday traditions I'd like to continue and start with the boys.  There are many from my own Childhood.

1.  Annual visit to The Christmas Place in Abington.  Each year the boys will get to have a piece of fudge and pick out an ornament, just as my brother and I did each year when we were little.

2.  Evening drive around town looking at the Christmas lights.  Many of the ones that were favorites when I was a child don't seem to light up their houses anymore, but we'll find our own houses to visit!

3.  Open sibling presents on Christmas Eve; everything else waits until Christmas Day!

4.  Stockings first, on mom and dad's bed.

5.  Christmas baking.  Every year we have to make Christmas cookies, Grandma's graham cracker fudge, and whatever other treats we want to eat and give away.

6.  Watching Christmas movies together every chance we get!  Favorites/must-see movies include: Home Alone, The Family Stone, One Magic Christmas, Rudolph, Frosty, The Snowman, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, The Grinch (the animated version), and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (to kick off the Christmas season at Thanksgiving).

New traditions to start!

1.  Elf on a shelf.  We have one, but haven't used it yet.  I think I'll pull it out this year and see how the boys react.  I wish they'd had this when I was a kid!  I would have loved it...

2.  Visit to the Taunton Green and the Bridgewater Common to see the lights.  We used to go to the Bridgewater Common every year, but the Taunton Green is better, and we're pretty close to it now where we live.

3.  Book advent calendar.  Next year, I'm going to take all our Christmas books, which the boys won't remember anyway, and wrap them up, one for each day from Thanksgiving until Christmas--kind of like an advent calendar.  Then, each night they can unwrap a book before bed and we'll read it.  In future years, I'll stock up on used books and they'll get 25-or-so new books to read.

4.  Right after Thanksgiving, I plan on giving the boys a "Christmas box."  Inside there will be a new set of Christmas PJs, a new Christmas movie (or family movie), a bag of popcorn and/or other snack, and maybe some other little thing related to the theme of the movie.  Then we all choose a night and watch the movie together.  Sounds like fun to me!

5.  Ornament making sessions.  Every year we'll choose a different kid of ornament to make together. Pinterest will provide the inspiration.

6.  Every year, either through Milton or Meditech, we'll chose a child in need and purchase a few gifts for him/her.

7.  The Enchanted Village at Jordan's Furniture.  We may skip this one this year, though, because the lines aren't a good time with twin 2-year-olds.

8.  Trip to a museum, aquarium, etc. during winter break.

9.  Crackers (the kind that you pull open and they have presents inside--not the food!) on New Year's Eve, a fancy dinner, and a fire in the fireplace.

I know I'm missing some that I want to continue and start, but for now, here's my reminder for future years.  I'll keep adding as they keep occurring to me.