It's really not as bad as all that. I promise. Nothing's wrong. {This can ONLY be said thanks to the genius of the team of folks who decided to make diesel fuel nozzles too big for gasoline cars. I have a feeling I would still be in tears, otherwise. See yesterday's blog if you're confused.}
But two days of working on the website building adventures have left me craving creative outlets that my mind can actually handle. You know: things like baking cookies and scrapbooking and, of course, writing.
So my writery little brain has a project whirling within it, and I need help! Input, actually. Ideas.
And who better to ask than all of you!
So if you're interested in helping me, you're welcome to leave your thoughts in the comments or {if they're long or you'd rather not be that public about them} you can email me at readingrebekah at yahoo dot com.
Here is my question, and it divides into a thousand little sub-points at your discretion:
What are/were your favorite Christmas traditions and why do/did you love them so?
By sub-points, I mean:
* It doesn't matter if you're single, married, widowed, divorced, young, old, male or female. If you have a favorite, I'd love to hear it.
* Your tradition(s) can be about anything. Recipes, service projects, decorations, events, church, Santa, family, friends, parties, presents, Advent calendars, books, plays, musicals, concerts, movies, shopping, baking, trips, cards, photos...literally anything.
* You can be as vague or detailed as you want. If you just have a quick sentence, I'll take it. If you have a typed, two-page, single-spaced short story, I'll take it. No right or wrong. (I first typed "write or wrong." Ha! See what I did there?)
* If you can't think of anything today, but in two weeks, when Christmas is fully underway, something pops in your beautiful little brain, you can still share it. I don't need this by the end of business today, by any means.
I know this is short and sweet and terribly unbloggery of me, but I thank you in advance for any ideas you're willing to share. Thanks for helping a website-design-weary writer-girl find an outlet for her poor brain!
9 comments:
For Christmas, our favorite tradition was Christmas Eve night after church, we would put a blanket down on the living floor, start a fire, turn on the Christmas tree lights and Christmas music, set out ALL the Christmas cookies (my mom would make 4-5 kinds), and play a game with the whole family and any guests. For the last maybe 5 years the game is always "Loaded Questions" which has been extra fun and hilarious with new additions to the family like my brother-in-law and my husband!
--Also it's not a Christmas tradition but our most famous family tradition is on Thanksgiving when we eat pie for breakfast! It's a long-standing tradition that my dad's family has done forever. Just wanted to pass that along in case you or others want to adopt it ;) it's delicious!
Traditions are so fun! Hope you share some of yours and Ryan's too :)
Christmas Eve is always church with my family. After church we go to my sisters house where we have supper together. We usually have chili with all the toppings. After supper we gather in the family room where we read the Christmas story from the Bible and open presents. We end the evening with Christmas goodies. Christmas Day is spent with my extended family.
I too would love to hear yours and others as well
Oooh! I have lots! Love me some traditions :) One that I have time to tell you right now: On Christmas Day, before the kiddos open presents, we remind them that it is Jesus' birthday. Who gets presents on a birthday? The bday boy, of course! How can we give presents to Jesus when He's in heaven? The Bible says that what we give to the least of these is given to him. Ahead of time I cut out pictures from all the charity gift catalogs - Samaritan's purse, Compassion, World Vision . . . and each child picks a gift for Jesus. We take the pictures of the items they chose and hang them on a little poster titled gifts for Jesus. Then I tell them that the birth of Jesus was also the greatest gift ever, and to celebrate and remember that gift, Mom & Dad have gifts for them too. :)
My husband and I are building a tradition with the local grandkids by taking them to a play or event in the area in lieu of a big Christmas gift item. We have fun together and I treasure the time spent with them.
When I was a kid, we'd go to church on Christmas Eve and then come home and get to open one Christmas present. The rest we opened on Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve it was just our immediate family whereas on Christmas day, we'd have extended family over. I liked having just our family and doing something special with them on Christmas Eve. Now, we go to church late afternoon/ early evening and then we go to my mother in law's for dinner and exchang presents with her and some family members on her side. We aren't going to her place on Christmas Eve this year and the kids are bummed about it. Traditions mean a lot, even at young ages.
My favorite Tradition is that every year after we get ready, before we open gifts or do anything, My Dad reads from Luke 2. Now over the years it has become funny to see how long he will keep reading! One year, I swear we made it almost to Romans. :) It took him almost 20 years to catch on and now sadly, he doesn't read all the way. In fact I get mad if he doesn't read through when Simeon meets Jesus!
After our scripture reading, we then have what I call the year in review prayer. My Dad (or sometimes my brother(when he's not at home in Iowa) or Grandmother when she was alive) will pray and go over what has happened this year, good and bad, and thank God for walking us through everything. It is always very meaningful and I ALWAYS end up crying! After all that, then we open presents.
It's what I look forward to the most every year. And now that my brother is married and has kids, he starts their Christmas off the same way! I hope to do the same when I am married!
Oh boy, tradition, TRADITION, tradition. 1) Making traditional Scottish shortbread with my mother. Every year we made it but only at Christmas and she would share it with everyone. Now, without her, I make it myself and I share it with as many people as I can...perhaps you know that? I feel as though I have this special bit of mom with me as I make the shortbread and then give it away. 2) Making rocky road candy with my dad. He would make it to accompany the shortbread and so when I make it I get a bit of my 'inner dad' going. Both of these activities make me think of all the Christmas seasons spent at home with my childhood family. 3) Going to church on Christmas eve. I started doing this when Steve and I were married so it's really our tradition. We go to church, we celebrate God's gift to us and then we eat dinner at a restaurant. Steve and I have lived apart from our families for most of our married life and we count this activity as one of our annual blessings--usually it is a service highlighting children's choirs and we really enjoy hearing and seeing the kids.
Thanks for asking....Lois
We watching Chevy Chase Christmas vacation on Christmas eve with my family. Always laugh at the same parts. My dad gets so tickled it's fun to watch him watch it.
Eating leftovers from my moms Christmas day (just me Dan and Abbi)
and the last few years we always go to the movies on Christmas Day afternoon. After present and naps. It's fun and it's always packed!!
This was a great idea for a blog post!!! XOXO
Favorite Christmas tradition is reading the Christmas story in Luke with the family before any gifts are opened.
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