Family Traditions

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Comment by Angie M. Parish on November 10, 2008 at 8:17pm

Several years ago -13 to be exact when I became a grandmother I decided I needed to start a new tradition for
all the new little ones that would be joining the Parish family.
I decided that I would get all the children together with gramma and we would set about making a present for Mom
and a present for Dad. So for the last 13 years shortly after
Thanksgiving I take all of them for an afternoon and we
make presents for their parents. When they were all still rather
young and I lived closer to town we made a real event of it
by having our own little Christmas parade through town where
we would all put our Santa hats and march off downtown singing Christmas carols all the way to restuarant where we would go in and have some cookies and hot chocolate. They
are all getting older now but believe me come Thanksgiving day I will be ask when Gramma or Gramma Darlin or Baby (all
the names I go by between all of them) and they are going to
have our traditional present making party. To be honest, when
the questions come from them my heart swells with pride because 3 of are now 13 years old and they still want to continue this tradition which is great because this year we
have two new little ones who will barely be a year old come
Christmas and last year we decided it would be fun to add all
the little ones at church into the festivities so we did. Personally,
I was wore out before it was all over. But to tell the truth I can
hardly wait to do it again.

Comment by Lori Tedesco on November 6, 2008 at 9:47am

Traditions here have always been having my mom's side of the family together on Christmas Eve, and then us kids being whisked away, exhausted, to go home and to bed, so that Santa could arrive. Of course, exhaustion only lasts so long....so my middle brother and I would wake up around 3am, and sneak down to the tree, and we would gently open one corner of each of our presents, just to peek at what Santa brought, then fold them back down, hurry off to bed, and then feign surprise in the morning as we opened our gifts. Worked every time!

Comment by LoriJasmine2004 on November 1, 2008 at 2:10am

I REMEMBERWHEN I WAS A KID,MAKING COOKIES FOR SANTA
THEN MOTHER WOULD MAKE USGO TO BED ABOUT 7PM (LOL)
LIL TO EARLY BUT SHE TOLD US IF WE DIDNT ,SANTA WOULDNT COME. SO WE DID ,NEXT MORNING WE WOKE OPENING GIFTS
THEN DRESSING UP AND TAKING GOOD AND DESSERTS TO MY SISTERS HOUSE WHERE ALL THE FAMILY WERE GATHERING.WE WOULD HAVE SUPPER THEN EVERYONE OPENED GIFTS THERE.AND LISTEN TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC.SOMETIMES THE ADULTS WOULD TRY TO GET US KIDS TO SING RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER.LOL WE DID OK TILL SOME STOP AND LEFT ONE SINGING THE REST OF THE SONG.

Comment by Silvia Richardson on October 14, 2008 at 6:20pm

Comment by Stephanie Haile on October 7, 2008 at 2:17pm

Myspace Clocks, Christmas Clocks at WishAFriend.com

Comment by Stephanie Haile on September 21, 2008 at 1:10pm

Santas #1 is also our families #1 :) Every Christmas Eve we go out after dinner in the "Big Truck" and look at the lights and displays from the back, the winners signs are usually out and we get to see who took the prize! This is the best! Everyones tribute to Jesus Birthday :) Fun

Comment by Santa on July 29, 2008 at 1:50am

With all the hustle and bustle this time of year, its really easy stressed out! One of the things that is really important and we cannot leave out is to take time to relax. Spend time with the kids and just enjoy them. They are so excited and amazed at the different sites and sounds of Christmas.

1. Go Looking at Christmas Lights Every year, we load the kids up in the mini-van and spend an evening touring around looking at Christmas lights. Some cities even have contests for the best light display. We have houses in our city that the kids can get out and walk around the displays. Santa and Mrs. Clause are available and handing out hot chocolate and candy canes. The kids think this is really cool.


2. Watch a Christmas Movie Pop some corn, make your best cup of hot chocolate and snuggle up with your kids in a blanket on the sofa with the Christmas tree light on. Spend the night watching Christmas movies. I know for my kids, they dont even need to be the new release movies. Its just the time we take from our hectic schedules to spend with them that they will remember.


3. Christmas Baking Youve got to do it anyway. Invite the kids to help you one Saturday afternoon. They love it. I know in my house, the kids know there are certain things that they get to help make each year. Weve made a tradition of it.


4. Christmas Crafts An afternoon of Christmas music and craft making is perfect for getting your kids to make presents for Grandma/pas and Aunt/Uncles.

5. Decorating the house We did this last night in fact. I know sometimes its hard to include the kids in this. Ornaments are breakable; we have a certain plan for the way we want the house to look. Including them in even a little part of the decorating makes children feel like theyve helped you and thats an awesome feeling for kids.


6. Make a Christmas shoebox for less fortunate This a great way to show your kids that Christmas is a time of giving, and that its not just about the toys they get. My kids really look forward to doing this project each year. I think this is one of the most important Christmas activities you can do with your kids.


Whatever you choose to do this Christmas season, take time to slow down and enjoy it. After all, isnt Christmas supposed to be a time for family?

About the Author:

Heather Masson is a successful Canadian WAHM. You can visit her site at http://homewithHeather.com Home with Heather.

Comment by Santa on July 26, 2008 at 6:37am

MORE THINGS TO DO IN JULY

3. Bring out Dad’s shaving cream and have them create wintry scenes. Make sure to lay newspaper down on the table. This is fun, messy, and everyone comes out smelling really fresh and clean!

4. Sing Christmas Carols.

5. Play a version of holiday charades.

6. Using cotton balls and glue sticks, create snow people!

7. Tell the tale of the Night Before Christmas

8. Bring out a miniature Christmas tree and let the kids decorate it with small ornaments you may have or little paper ones that they create.

9. Send them on a holiday treasure hunt looking for small goodies hidden around your home and yard.

10. Remember that in the southern hemisphere, it is this hot on Christmas Day. Often a traditional holiday meal there is Shrimp on the Barby…discuss how weather is different all over the globe depending on the season and how Christmas feels different when it is 90 degrees outdoors. It’s fun & educational!

Happy Christmas in July!!

Comment by Santa on July 26, 2008 at 6:28am

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

It’s strange to think about, but in five months it will be the night before Christmas! People often celebrate Christmas in July on the 25th of this month. It is a little unreal that the holidays are so close, but if it is a hot summer day where you live, and you are looking for something fun and different to do, why not celebrate Christmas in July with some fun, easy ideas?

Find some jingle jangle inspiration here:

1. Provide the kids with red and green construction paper along with markers, glitter glue, and crayons to make festive holiday creations.

2. Bake a batch of sugar cookies and cut out in fun holiday shapes and have them ice them with red and green frosting, add a drop or two of food coloring into the frosting, and add other festive decorations.

Comment by THE JURY LADY on July 14, 2008 at 6:24am

German Christmas traditions

This year you can include in your traditional Christmas celebrations something new. It will make your holiday funnier and more interesting. In the German traditional celebrations there are many interesting thins which you can try at home.


In Germany on December 21st, which is the shortest day of the year is celebrated the day of St. Thomas. On this day the member of the family who gets up last in the morning is called the Thomas Donkey. Through out the day the rest of the family can joke and ask the Donkey to do many and not so favorite tasks to do. At the end of the day the family usually has iced current buns and the abuses over the Thomas Donkey ends. This is really funny for most of the kids, because usually the Donkey is one of their parents or bigger brothers and sisters, who love sleeping till lunch.

Popular German tradition around the world is the Christmas tree presentation. In this country the tradition says that it is not allowed the family members to see the decorated tree before Christmas Eve. On this day the father usually plays with the children in other room, while the mother decorates the tree with fruits, hand made ornaments, cookies and candies, lights, angels and other traditional Christmas ornaments. Then is the time when she places and the gifts under the tree.

On the table the mother places decorative plates with fruits, nuts, chocolates and cookies. When the kids hear the ringing bell, they can come in the room and the celebrations can begin. Then the father reads popular Christmas stories and the family sings Christmas carols. At the end of the evening the kids can open their gifts.

Also in Germany is believed that if you do not eat enough and good food, the bad demons will be around you. So always prepare the best food that you can and have a wonderful time together on Christmas.