Opening each box is a treat for my children. Their eyes light up as they pull out the decorations they remember from last year. Their squeals of delight are what make decorating the whole house a joy. My daughter remembers exactly where each goes and insists on placing them in their right place. This is the daughter who needs constant reminders of daily chores, but who has a memory for every ornament and every decoration. She helped Dad put up the outside house lights, telling him which ones needed to be replaced and what color it should be to keep them in sync.
Each year I add a new outside lawn ornament and an inside house ornament. Hand made and hand crafted is what we like best. It keeps it in the family and helps keep all our hands busy. Each member of the family feels they contributed to the Christmas season. Great ideas found with patterns and photos to see what they are supposed to look like when they are complete (that’s the tricky part!).
During our weekly family nights we each take turns during the holiday season telling stories and playing games. New games are added to our collection each year, easy games for each age group and harder games for Mom and Dad. Competition gets tough when the kids are cheering both sides on, but when all is done, we sit down together and read different stories about Christmas.
The history of Christmas is a must for all ages, not just the birth of Christ, but how the idea for Christmas came about and why we do certain traditions. I didn't realize how much my kids look forward to our family traditions until this year. My daughter and I were walking by a Hallmark store and she stopped dead in her tracks as I ran into her. She gasped and pointed to the store display and then grabbed my hand and pulled me into the store where their tree ornaments were displayed. I’ve had a tradition of collecting a new ornament each year for each of my children. My daughter reached the age this year where this really means something to her. It was a pleasure to see the light in her eyes as she eyed the one she wanted (the budget is $10.00 or less). She even picks out the one she knows her brother will die for. I trust her judgment in the kid department. She is a true kid at heart and knows what’s in and what’s HOT! We picked out the ornaments and headed home.
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