It's Christmas time, and my family is gearing up for a holly jolly good time together. I am looking forward to Christmas Day, but before we get to Christmas Day, we have a couple more weeks of Christmas themed goodness to enjoy. Mine and my husband's families each have their own traditions, and it has been so much fun for us to carry some of those over, and start new traditions with our now four-year-old son. We've also started our own holiday gifting traditions, which have become quite meaningful to me.
B, with his first batch of homemade Christmas cookies.
When I think about our Christmas traditions, a few from my childhood come to mind. Growing up, I remember baking Christmas cookies with my mom, lighting a candle on our Advent wreath each Sunday evening during Advent, and sitting around our Christmas tree as a family on Christmas morning, reading the Christmas story. Being in church on Christmas Eve is a long standing tradition, which we still uphold today. My family has always enjoyed a family gift exchange, which includes writing out own silly gift tags, and reading them aloud as we open gifts. We still do this every year!
When my family moved to Salisbury, NC in 1998, my (now) husband's family invited us to a special gathering to enjoy dinner and fellowship on Christmas Eve, before we all went to church together. We still do this, sixteen years later- and now we're married, of course.
B's Elf- Snowflake.
B, with his shoebox packed and ready to send off across the world to a little boy in need.
We have started our traditions with our son. Each year, Christmas becomes more and more special, just because of the way our son understands what Christmas is about. Some of our family Christmas traditions include:
24 days of visits from our Elf Magic Elf, Snowflake
Baking cookies
Putting together a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, through Samaritan's Purse
Purchasing gifts and donating them to families in need
Gifting our son a new ornament to hang on the tee, as we decorate it together
Wrapping gifts
Listening to Christmas music
Lighting our Advent wreath candles
Singing and dancing together
Making Christmas crafts and homemade gifts
Adding ornaments that were handmade by my grandmother to the tree
Our tree, decorated with special ornaments and handmade ornaments, too!
This year, we're trying to put a big focus on giving to others. We certainly receive a lot of things, and are blessed with food and shelter. My husband and I feel that we have a responsibility to teach our son to have compassion, and a heart for helping others. When he's a little older, I hope to add a new tradition of serving together as a family at our local shelter.
This weekend, we'll be heading to our local Walmart to check out a fun Holiday Toyland event! We'll be shopping for some gifts to donate to others this holiday season, and I am eager to see what our son will choose to gift to another little boy or girl in our community. Walmart Holiday Toyland Events are a great way to see and experience some of the magical hoiday toys that are perfect for gifting this season! Check here to see where a Holiday Toyland Event is taking place at a Walmart near you!
I'm looking forward to sharing our Holiday Toyland experience with you!
What are some of your holiday gifting traditions?
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Compensation has been received for sharing this information. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love that your son helps get a box together for a needy child. Such a great lesson. He's adorable!
ReplyDeleteAwwwwe have an Elf MagicElf too! And it is so wonderful that you send gifts to the needy. I want to start that with my little one as well! Such great ideas
ReplyDeleteHow cool, Amber! I am so glad to meet someone who uses the same Elf tradition! :)
DeleteThose are some super cute Christmas traditions!
ReplyDeleteThank you!!
DeleteI think it's important for children to understand that there are others that miss out if we don't help, It's wonderful that your little guy puts together the box for a needy child.
ReplyDeleteThe cookies look delicious!!
You have such wonderful traditions. I love that you're teaching your son to be compassionate and giving to others. And what a beautiful & special tree!
ReplyDeleteLove your family traditions!
ReplyDelete