What are your Christmas traditions?  There are so many things that I can remember from being a child that I wanted to carry over into my family when I grew up.  Then, when you get married you merge two families and both sets of traditions become just as important.  I think that is what makes family so special -the merging of two families and creating your own traditions.

Family Christmas Traditions

My family did a count down to Christmas by doing the advent calendar. My mom handmade mine so it is 19 years old.  I love it and it is one of my favorite Christmas decorations.  My kids take turns putting up the  ornament for that day and we track how many more days until Christmas.

When I was about 12, my parent’s started giving me Hallmark ornaments each year.  I would get one that had to do with some sort of theme that went along with something I had accomplished that year.  When I moved out, I took my ornaments with me and was able to start my own tree with a really nice set of ornaments. (We all know how much ornaments costs.)  We also have done this with our children.  They have a beautiful collection of ornaments that belong to them.  My tree will look bare when they leave.

On Christmas Eve we go to Candlelight service.  We do a lot of singing and get to hear the Christmas story.  It really reminds you of the true reason we celebrate Christmas and going always puts me in a good mood.

My husband’s family opened a gift on Christmas Eve so we added that to our family traditions.  My brother in law’s family also wears matching pajama pants. I really thought that was a great idea so we started opening those on Christmas Eve and wear them all Christmas morning while we open gifts and eat our breakfast.

Our newest tradition is of course Elf on the Shelf.  Our elf is a girl named Jilly.  My children are quite old for Elf on the Shelf, but I have young nieces and nephews so we enjoy having Jilly visit our home for their sake.

I love hearing how people celebrate their holidays.  Comment below some

of your favorite traditions, old and new.

Yours truly,

Jenn