We are planning on making a list tonight of what we want to do this month and I am looking for ideas. I think a lot of the Christmas fun will be with family when we head to GA next week, but we also have our own and I am trying to come up with some more to do in our very little time.
Some of our traditions:
-Every Christmas Eve we take treats to the Fire Department since they are away from their family.
-Christmas lights drive by
-Cinnamon rolls or Quiche on Christmas Morning
-Cheese and crackers on Christmas Eve (you know those boxes from Hickory Farms?)
-Delivering cookies to friends. My favorites are homemade peppermint marshmallows, fudge, caramel corn, and the perfect sugar cookies. I also love giving homemade granola--it's a nice healthy break in the midst of so many sweets.
-Some type of service project/Secret Santa
-I try to come up with the best Christmas present wrapping in the family...haha!. (My guest post last year on my bows is found here)
-Every holiday movie we can think of watching
What are yours?
What are yours?
PS. Rowdy is DONE with his Master's Program in 1 week! Can I get a MERRY CHRISTMAS? In the meantime--life has been crazy busy hard and I know he is so tired. So, prayers that he has the willpower and energy to finish it up with a bang;)
We will keep Rowdy in our prayers. I put a husband through a Ph.d. and it was no easy task. If you have a chance, go see Arthur's Christmas at the movies it is so cute!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGo Rowdy! You can do it!
ReplyDeleteDone with his masters, huh? That is no small task!
ReplyDeleteHere's to one last week of total dedication before the freedom hits!!
=)
Christmas Lights drive-by is a must! I also love to go see the temple lights at the Mesa temple. Makes it all feel like it's FINALLY Christmas when we go. And yes, watching every Holiday movie possible... still looking for a DVD of Mickey's Christmas Carol. Guess it's time to google.
ReplyDeleteGO ROWDY!!! That is so awesome. Major high five for you guys!!
We do this http://lisareneeholbrook.blogspot.com/2010/12/door-and-bell-ditch.html Which would combine your look at lights & secret service choices. Also, every year we do something that we haven’t done before. We like traditions and have some. But we also like the tradition of doing something different, of changing it up. I have found that I enjoy it these activities more than I ever thought that I would. I think it is because I don't have an expectation associated with the new activity, so I am always satisfied/happy. And because it is new it can’t go “wrong.” It is what it is and that reduces stress. Also, it has widened our scope as a family of what we like to do, and also of our community and how our neighbors celebrate the season. I like to think that when we are old and our children have grown up (I know we don’t even have any yet—but when it all happens) that the tradition of a new activity will lessen the pain of not always having our kids home to do all the wonderful Christmas traditions with.
ReplyDeleteSome of the different things we have done are: going to Carol Service at our local Catholic Cathedral http://1350cranes.blogspot.com/2010/12/december-20-christmas-carol-service.html or going to Candlelight Service at our local Presbyterian Church. I loved both of these although I don't belong to either religion. They involve the entire community and you sing carols and have a simple prayer(s) surrounded by people that you don't normally worship with. The teaching are broad “peace on earth good will to men” and you walk away very happy that so many other people still believe that Christ is the reason for the season. At the Candlelight Carol service we all held a candle while we sang—that was wonderful and picturesque.
Other things have been: Making snowmen, going to a Messiah Sing-Along, going to a Christmas Around the World Dance program, watching It’s A Wonderful Life on the big screen at an oldies cinema, sending Christmas Cards to all of our cousins and encouraging them to keep in touch, making gingerbread houses, giving homemade kids Christmas cards to the YSA ward, making Christmas crafts with new immigrants to the USA…and if you haven’t got an idea from this list yet then call me! Call me anyway because I love you!