These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens......only kidding :) Hope you caught that's from The Sound of Music. If not, please watch this video, such a classic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33o32C0ogVM

Anyways! I hope you had the most peaceful Thanksgiving. I know I had a great day stuffed with delicious food, family traditions and my wonderful loved ones.

I don't know about you but my favorite time of year is November through December. These months consists of laughter, traditions, giving and family...what could be better? It seems like the people of the world come together during the Holidays, I feel like the world just shimmers during this time of year.

The Holidays truly bring families together. My family is very rich in culture and tradition, especially during Christmas. So, I'm going to let you all in on our family traditioonnnnn (So don't ask me Hank why do you..... Oh- how I just break into song with so many phrases; ALSO a classic.).

Kayla's Top 5 Family Christmas Traditions:

1.) Where's Baby Jesus?

This tradition kind of reminds me of the Elf on the Shelf tradition that I know many families have started. Every year during the Christmas season my family would set up our nativity set and place it under our tree throughout the season, but would leave the Holy Family plus Jesus out of it until Christmas eve. So, in order to keep the reason for the season alive in my home, my parents would hide our Baby Jesus from our nativity set, every night starting on Advent. After dinner my siblings and I would search for Jesus...and whoever found him, won for the night. Throughout Advent Jesus would be hide and moved closer and closer to the Christmas tree where his manger laid. Then, on Christmas morning we would find Jesus laying in the manger. And, continuing we would add the shepherd and the 3 Kings. Very cool tradition that reminds the family of why Christmas even exists. 

2.) Decorating the Christmas Tree

This happens to be one of my favorite family traditions. On the night that we decorate our Christmas tree, my mom , sister and I prepare a table of hors d'oeuvres. We crank up the Christmas music, start the fire in our fire place and chow down to all of our favorite appetizers! Then after we're done , we begin to decorate the tree. Dad does the top, Mom does the front so that it looks right, and the kids do everything in between! There is nothing like decorating a tree while dancing to Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.

3.) The Kid Tree

 My dad growing up always had 2 trees in his house, a tree for all the regular ornaments and a kid tree. Bet you can guess who carries on that tradition?  US!  My family buys a Christmas tree, like the one you see above, every year, in addition to a smaller tree that sits in our dinning room (about 4-5 feet tall). The smaller kid tree has ornaments we have made over the years, as well as any ornament given to us kids from friends or family members. It's a fun tradition to look back on the things we made and what's been given to us. We also run the train underneath it that my dad grew up with! And of course I can't find a picture of it. Ugh! I will post one of this year's tree when I go home :)

4.) Our Christmas Book

 This is my number one, all time, mega, most wonderful, cherished tradition that my mom has started. When my parents got married they started a book, The Family Christmas Book. It is a 25 year write-in Christmas Book, stuffed with memories. Every January my mom writes in our Christmas book about the previous year. She write events, milestones, births, deaths, graduations, etc. in this book, in addition to what we did for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and who was there. Throughout the year my mom puts pictures, cards, play bills, graduation notices, wedding invites etc. stuck inside the new year section so that at the end of the year we can all reminisce and remember what an incredible and blessed year we had. My sister and I always complain about who will get the book, who deserves the book etc. once my parents pass away. So, about three years ago my mom bought us each the book and is currently updating it from the time her and my dad got married until now, basically copying pictures and words verbatim so that each of us can have our own Family Christmas Book. I know it may seem a little much to always keep up with but it's really neat to look through during the year. Favorite family tradition.  Below, you can find a link of where you can start your own family Christmas book:
http://www.traditionspress.com/shoppingcart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3


5.) The Night Before Christmas
 I know this may seem silly but one of my fondest memories of Christmas is created by my amazing Daddy. My dad would read to us by the fireplace on Christmas Eve, The Night Before Christmas. After the book was over it was a known cue that Santa was on his way and we had to rush to sleep..YA RIGHT!
****Shhh don't tell mom and dad but we would stay up really late and just giggle in excitement  we could have majored in Faking Alseep. ****
Anyways, it was a very cool tradition and he did it until we were in high school, hard to believe! Then we started giving him a hard time because we all have memorized word for word the story by now. Oh well-a tradition I can do with my kids or he can do with his grandkids...one day! Such a magical tradition.