Blogmas 2014: Day 1: Favorite Christmas Tradition

I have decided to join in with Sandra over at "Diary of a Stay at Home Mom" and her Blogmas 2014 party! Basically, every day for the days leading up to and including Christmas, Sandra has chosen to a theme to help us all get into the holiday spirit! If you would like to join in, you can go here to read all about it!

Yesterday was technically day 1, but I didn't get around to putting this up...so I will do day 1 this morning and get day 2 up tonight. :)

Today's focus in on your favorite Christmas Traditions. I have decided to break this into pre-kids and post-kids.

Growing up (Pre-Kids) my favorite traditions involved Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Christmas Eve we always went to my Grandma Rose's house with all my aunts, uncles and cousins. It was a fun evening of good food, lots of laughs, lots of presents, seeing what sweater my grandma bought for each of my uncles, trying to sneak and see what presents were and just enjoying each other's company. Then after most of my aunts and uncles and cousins had left, my dad, brother and I would sit with my Uncle Jim and watch the midnight mass from Rome.

Christmas morning was always spent at home with mom, dad and my brother.

Then we would spent Christmas afternoon with my Grandma Ella and my aunts and cousins on my mom's side of the family. It was again lots of food and laughs. There usually wasn't gifts given, just lots of fun with the cousins.

Now that we have 3 children, I have tried to incorporate some fun traditions that last throughout the month. There are a few that stick out as my favorites!

We ALWAYS put up our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. Bill and the kids put the branches on. Then Bill puts the lights on and the tinsel. Then I hand the ornaments out to the kids and Bill and they put them on. I add a couple too. After the tree is up, then I am in charge of decorating the rest of the house.

Another tradition that we have started is that we pick a child's name at our church's giving tree each year. Even when our own budget is tight, we chose another child to help. I take Rebecca shopping with me to pick out gifts. This year, we are giving gifts to a 1 year old girl. I took Rebecca shopping yesterday and she chose to get her a coat, an outfit, a pack of diapers, a baby doll that giggles and a toy telephone! Even when finances are tight, I want to teach our children to give back.

Finally, we do 25 books and a chocolate advent calender each night before the kids go to bed. Some years I let them just choose a book from a stack. Other years, like this year, I have individually wrapped 25 books and we unwrap one a night. The kids LOVE this tradition!

So there you have it. Some of the fun traditions from when I was younger and from now from our own family!

Thanks Sandra, for hosting this as it was fun looking back at our traditions!