Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas Memories and Traditions

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It is the 5th and final day of the Holly Bloggy Christmas Bash and today's theme is Christmas Memories and Traditions. Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays and that is probably because I have so many great memories from this time of year as a kid. There are a few traditions that my parents always did with us that I would like to continue doing with my own family now.

I think most, if not all of our traditions are pretty common with many families, but I will share them anyway.

One of those traditions is decorating the house for Christmas on Thanksgiving night. (Or if it's been a really busy day, the day after Thanksgiving.)

Also getting pictures with Santa every year, of course!

Here is Dawson with Santa last year:


And here he is this year:


Going out to look at Christmas lights is something else that we will definitely be doing every year. I think I want to start something new with that though. I got the idea from a blog that I read, I wish I could remember the name of the blog so I could link back to them, but I don't. ***I got a comment from Live In Imagination and she read about this idea too and gave me the link to the blog that I first read about it in. Now I can give credit to Shell In Your Pocket for sharing this wonderful tradition in her blog so we can start doing it too. Thank you!*** Anyway, I'd like to start the "Harrison Express." Dawson and any future kids won't know when we are going out on the Harrison Express until they head up to their rooms thinking that they are about to go to bed, but then they will find a ticket on their bed, a ticket onto The Harrison Express. We'll all get bundled up, we'll each grab a thermos filled with hot chocolate and maybe some other goodies to snack on and we'll head out to the car to drive around and look at Christmas lights. I think that will make the memory of going to see Christmas lights extra special!

Another tradition that we had growing up that we've kept going with our family is opening up 1 present on Christmas Eve. And that present is always a new pair of pajamas. I LOVE getting new pajamas!

And last but not least, last year was Dawson's first Christmas and we bought him a "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornament. He will continue to get a new ornament every year. This year he got a Bolt ornament that he actually helped pick out! He wouldn't stop pointing at it in the store and he loves dogs so I decided that should definitely be his ornament this year.

To read about more Christmas memories and traditions, head on over to Tidy Mom.

9 comments:

TidyMom said...

Oh I LOVE the Harrison Express idea!! What fun that sounds like!!

I gave the girls one gift on Christmas eve as well, at it was usually pj's too! so they could wear them and look cute in their Christmas morning pictures! LOL.

My mom gives the grandkids an ornament each year - here's a tip, you may want to mark them with his name some how, for when you have more kids - last year when my oldest moved out she took all of her ornaments and there we some arguments over which ones were hers! LOL - I did mark them a few years!!

Thanks for linking up!!
Merry Christmas!

~TidyMom

Christina said...

Wonderful traditions. :) Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, too.

Christina said...

Oh, and I may just have to steal the "Harrison Express" idea. :)

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Wow! I think we'll steal the Harrison Express idea - we'll probably change the name though :)

Jayde said...

My family has always done the opening one gift on Christmas Eve, though it's rarely ever new jammies. Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest!!

Heidi Boos said...

Great idea for the "Harrison Express" idea to go look at lights. We just did this as a family together with hot cocoa and the kids loved it, but adding the surprise factor would make it even better! I love all of your traditions...they sound a lot like what we do. My mom gives each of the kids PJs on Christmas Eve...makes for some cute pics in the morning!

Unknown said...

We do many of the same things. I get JDaniel a new ornament every year. When he moves out,I will give him his collection to start his own tree.

Stopping from SITS!

Anonymous said...

That's a great idea!! I read it too at Shell in Your Pocket!

http://shellinyourpocket.blogspot.com/2008/11/minivan-express.html

I love continuing traditions! So much fun.

Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest!!

~SHANNON~ said...

Isn't it just amazing how fast they grow? Last Christmas was my Molly's first, and this year she is like a whole new baby. Well more toddler actually. It's amazing!