Just curious.....I'm looking to start some new traditions for my familly for the holidays. I was wondering what kind of traditions have you done for your kids to help teach them the truth about Thanksgiving and about Christmas? I have a seven year old little girl and a 14 month old little boy. I want to start something that they would enjoy and maybe carry on with their little ones one day. Thanks!
For Thanksgiving, we deliver food through a senior center to seniors that cannot come in to eat and have no family. They love to see the children, are soooo grateful for the food, and my children learn something about taking care of our next generation as well as how blessed we are to live like we do. We play Christmas music and sing all the way from stop to stop.
We read "The Night Before Christmas" and "The Nativity Story" on Christmas Eve, and of course, leave cookies, milk and carrots for Santa & Rudolph by the tree.
And I always get Christmas jammies for my son to be wearing on Christmas morning.
Every Christmas Eve since my children were itty bitty, we've snuggled up and read "The Night Before Christmas" together before they went to bed. My daughter is now too "grown-up" for this at 19, but believe it or not, my 15 yr old son still asks for it (he was always the more sentimental of the two -lol!). And yes, even though my children are big now, we still leave cookies out for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, and all decorate the tree and creche together. We go to Mass as a family and participate in our Church's Giving Tree every year by buying toys for needy children. I think whatever traditions you start with your children will be special because they're yours!
Well one that I've kept going from my childhood is we drive around one night and look at all the Christmas lights and play Christmas music this year we are going to start with a carriage ride. I always buy the kids a new pair of pjs that they get Christmas Eve and we wear them all day Christmas where we have been staying home and they love it my mom and stepdad come to see them in the morning for about an hour then it's just our family I started buying the kids a new ornament each year to go along with what ever they are into. we read the night before Christmas and do the cheese instead of cookies we read the nativity story also.
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The Christmas Eve Book
Start a new tradition this year and open one present on Christmas Eve. A toy would not be a good choice as you do want them to go to bed so why not buy them a new book that you can read to them before bed. As bed time arrives let them know if they take their bath, brush their teeth and put on their pajamas like a good little boy/girl maybe they can open one present in bed. For some of the younger ones who don’t get that Christmas is coming, this may give them a little taste of what is to come. Its a great way to start your Holiday and a special time to enjoy and read to your children. For boys, try a book from Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown series. My son loved Smash Crash $11.55! For your little girl why not Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas $10.52. A new Holiday favorite which just came out this fall and will probably be my little boys Christmas Eve book is Llama Llama Holiday Drama $8.82.
To see the entire article 2010 Toy Guide, which includes this Christmas Eve tradition go to http://www.ittakesavillagedallas.com/It_takes_a_village/B...
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Happy Holidays!
