I know that cartoon doesn't have anything to do with Christmas traditions, but I though it was funny and wanted to give you all a laugh. I've noticed a few people have been sharing their family traditions so I thought I would too.
One of our favorite traditions is an idea I read about in a magazine when my kids were young. It is to label the gifts with a false name. We have never had Santa bring the kids presents. Neither Bob's family or mine did that so we never started. Our presents go under the tree once they are wrapped and when the kids were young they would inspect them and could often figure out what they were. When they didn't know whose was whose, it wasn't so easy to figure out. The hard thing is often finding names to use. A few examples of names we used are: Snap, Crackle and Pop; Frosty, Grinch and Rudolph; Dasher, Dancer, Prancer. When it is time to open gifts they have to guess who each person is. You wouldn't believe the reasons they would come up with as to why they think a name fits.
Another thing we do is have our family Christmas time and opening of gifts on Christmas Eve. On Christmas day, we alternate between spending the day with either Bob's family or mine. Before opening gifts we always read the Christmas story from Luke 2. Although it is familiar, it's a good reminder of what Christmas is really about.
Something my kids would tell you is a tradition is the house cleaning on Christmas Eve. I like to have everything picked up and put away before opening presents. They thought I was far too picky and would never be satisfied, but who wants to clean up afterwards?
That's a few of our traditions. What do you do at your house?
I love it! I would put colored dots on the gifts so they wouldn't know whose is whose...But the name idea is great! I might use it this year, my kids are 25 and 21 but they still try to figure out what the gift is and whose it is!
ReplyDeleteI think I'll share my tradition on my blog...so it doesn't get too long here! :-)
Funny Cartoon, and very nice traditions, even the cleaning!
ReplyDeleteMark said...
ReplyDeleteThat's just good humor!
Me again,
I have been known to mis-label my kids gifts. One year I mixed up their names. Ie: Zack's name on Kaylyn's gifts, etc. Zack thought for sure he knew what was getting. He had the biggest gift under the tree imagine his surprise when we handed his gift to Kaylyn. It was really quite funny. I like the made up names I will have to use that this year. We don't have Santa bring gifts either but he does fill the stockings for the kids.
Smiles!
I'll have to try the made up names-great ideal! I really enjoy reading about everyone's holiday traditions. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love that cartoon. What is this world coming to anyway?
ReplyDeleteWe always read Luke 2 before presents but we also have a birthday cake for Jesus, decorated up. We get to eat that after presents.
And all of those have made a lot of memories for me. I especially remember being very frustrated when I was little and we had to clean, clean, clean, and then still more cleaning before presents!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I like the cartoon - that's funny!
I like the idea of false names. I bet you had some good laughs with that.
ReplyDeleteMy cleaning fit is DURING present opening. I snatch up the paper as soon as its ripped off and stuff it in a garbage bag
I always have to have the house picked up too. We do it on Christmas morning though not Christmas Eve.
ReplyDeletePrecious! I might just have to try the false name thing in a few years!
ReplyDeleteHugs sweet Mari!
Renee
I love reading everyone's traditions !! Such fun and some really great ideas !
ReplyDeleteWe don't do Santa either. We do stockings but they are from us ...
But, we don't put the majority of the gifts out until Christmas morning. That's how my parents did it and they didn't do Santa with us either. I think it was because they left everything to the last minute and didn't wrap til Christmas Eve !!
Love the cartoon, hehe.
ReplyDeleteNo great traditions over here, but I did think about learning Luke 2 when we were kids. I always think of HCS and Bible memorization. I'm thankful for that memory. When my girls were little they would recite as much as they knew at the dinner table for Christmas.
Oh my gosh!! that is a HILARIOUS cartoon.I cant stop laughing. well we also always read the Christmas story before opening gifts. we would make a birthday cake for Jesus and sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
ReplyDeleteThat cartoon is pretty funny, I have to say.
ReplyDeleteMari, my mom just started blogging, and she's a nurse, too. When I come to your blog sometimes it makes me think of her... I thought maybe y'all might connect. I listed it on my blog yesterday... itsagramslife.blogspot.com
if you're interested...
I know it's a busy season, but I just had to tell you!
I'm having a hard time keeping up lately, with Christmas stuff. It's all I can do to post. Anyone else feel like that?!
Neat tradition, I never thought of that when my kids were small, to late now.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic, Mari! If I have time this morning, I'll post some of our Christmas traditions. But we do something similar with the gifts....we put letters on them A-Z (well, actually, it's usually A-G or H, because we only buy one (sometimes two) gift for each person) and then we have a chart to tell dh and I which gift is for whom. But this way the kiddos don't know what is who's and they don't try to figure out (quite as much) what the gifts are.
ReplyDeleteWe also read Luke 2 before opening Christmas gifts :)
Blessings!
Lori4squaremom
http://lori.scottdomain.com
That picture is just too stinkin' funny!
ReplyDeleteTraditions...home made ornaments, Christmas music, lights on the banister, three Christmas trees, Charlie Brown Christmas movies, etc.
I LOVE the Christmas season...
Mari,
ReplyDeleteI love that idea about the names. I think I want to try and start that one in our home this year. At least from their dad and I. I bet you have had many laughs over those names!
I am going to have to think about what exactly we do as a family. Now you have me thinking...
Blessings friend, Joanne