Christmas Traditions

Today is Why Not Organize Something Wednesday, but I’m going to do something a little different this week. I want to talk about Christmas Traditions.

This is one we started when our kids were younger and it still continues today. We hang a glass pickle ornament on the tree. Christmas afternoon, I hide the pickle somewhere in the tree and the kids hunt for it.

The one who finds the pickle gets a special gift. We decided years ago it would  be a nutcracker. We collect them, and when they grow up and move away they can take the ones that are theirs with them, and have a collection of their own.  It seems like our collection is ever changing since kids have moved away and new ones are bought every year. We move it around every year too. Last year they were on the stairs, but they kept getting knocked over.

I have a few that are just mine. Like this one my Dad brought back from Germany. We tell the kids he’s drinking hot cocoa.

These two are Zach’s.

The one on the left is Adam’s and the Englishman is up for grabs this year. I try to get a good variety and find unusual ones too. Like the one on the rocking horse.

Another tradition is the Santa Countdown I made many years ago. Even though I made a new advent calendar this year, I think we’ll always put this Santa out. I can’t believe a heart hasn’t been lost yet. I’ve had kids and grand kids taking them off and throwing them around for years.

One of my favorite traditions is going to see the lights at Temple Square.

We just walk around and enjoy the lights and the spirit we feel there.

Lights floating in the reflecting pool.

Nativity in the reflecting pool.

Then we go for hot chocolate at a local restaurant to get warmed up. This next picture is a tradition I would like to start next year to go along with visiting Temple Square.

We have other traditions we enjoy as a family also like:

Getting new ornaments every year than represent something each person has enjoyed or accomplished that year. It’s also fun to get ornaments from places we’ve visited throughout the year.

Reading Christmas stories and books each night of December.

Having a Christmas Eve party for family and friends, although it’s going to be on December 26th this year.

Donating toys, blankets, pajamas and stocking stuffers to Toy For Tots and The Christmas House Box.

Making and decorating a gingerbread house (we’re doing that tonight).

But, probably my most favorite tradition ever is one we started because of a book I read about 5 years ago. The book is “Christmas Jars” and it’s a beautiful book with an incredible message.

Because of the book, we collect our change throughout the whole year and put it in the jar. Some days we don’t have more than a few pennies and other days we have a few dollars. Whatever change we have at the end of the day goes in the jar. Some time the week before Christmas we pick a family that needs some extra help during the holidays to make ends meet or buy a few gifts. It’s given to the family anonymously by ringing the doorbell and running or giving it to someone else to give to them. The last few years we’ve been leaving the book with the jar. I hope that they will read the book and when their finances are better maybe they can start a Christmas jars tradition of their own. This is a tradition we get great enjoyment from and the kids are always hunting for change to put in the jar throughout the whole year.

Why not start a new Christmas tradition this year or rekindle an old one. Think of something you can do that will benefit someone else, something that your family might enjoy doing as a family or something that has to do with your culture for starts. Kids love traditions and look forward to them every year, so if you do start one you might want to make sure it’s one you’ll want to continue.