Christmas Traditions

We had the greastest Christmas this year. The nice thing about being home for Christmas is that we can begin to establish our own Christmas traditions. It allows us to incorporate what we love most about both our Christmases growing up and incorporate some of own own:

• We begin the Christmas season by taking the girls to the Boston Ballet Co.'s Nutcracker with Mike's firm


• We read mostly (and only if the girls will let us Christmas books beginning in Dec.)


• We decorate a ginger bread house


• We get a great tree and as we unpack each of the ornaments we tell the girls their significance (some from our travels, th Lenox ones for girls were born and one from the year we got married, and our favorites - some that Mike made with his beloved Grandma Eunice. We just love to tell the girls about her)


• Once the tree is decorated we ceremoniously light the tree for the first time and gather around it and read Luke 2. Hearing Mike read it still makes me cry


• We dust off our Italian and German Nativities that night


• We have special mailbox that Santa has direct access to. Throughout Dec. he will leave "Naughty" or "Nice" notes. Luckily, rarely there are naughty notes. But when there are boy! are the girls really good the next day


• Before we pack up the ornaments, we use the same mailbox and write the gifts that we want to give the Saviour this year. Next year when we unpack it we can review that list


• We adopt a family to do Secret Santa. This was our most amazing year!! Honestly, it was best part of Christmas for us. E-mail us if you want the details but I know that Mike and I will never ever forget this Christmas for that reason


• On Christmas Eve morning (except if falls on Sunday) I go to the Italian Bakery to get some cannolis and Italian cookies that my grandparents served (the cookies are so dry, so this year Mike and I decideded we get them less for the tasting of them and more for the "Center Piece")and we go to my Uncle's. Just like I did as a child. Santa makes a visit there. This year the mantle of Santa was passed on to a Santa that mommy can attest she has kissed under the mistletoe


• Before we leave for my uncle the girls hang notes on the front door for Santa asking him to stop at our house and we put out a carrot for Rudolph


• While we are gone Santa's elves bring a new pair of pjs for the girls and put them in their stockings to wear on Christmas Eve


• When we get home we put out cookies for Santa (and tell the girls the story of the real St. Nicholas), and open one gift


• On Christmas Eve we read only Luke 2 for the girls and then sing many Christmas carols around the tree. Mike and I talk about the true meaning of Christmas and what Christ means to us.


• Grandma sleeps over


• On Christmas morning the girls wake up way way too early. We say a prayer to thank our Saviour for the incredible gift that He gave us. The girls have a very hard time during this prayer.


• Then in Chatwin family tradition we line up according to age and march to the living room


• We open stockings first, which also have oranges in them (Chatwin Family tradition)


• Then Santa gifts (they are never wrapped)


• Then Mike hands out the gifts and everyone creates their pile of wrapped gifts around them and we each take turns opening one, youngest to oldest (Chatwin tradition)


• Family and friends come over later for dinner


• We read the Christmas story that night again

We also started two new traditions whcih I love

• This year we went to Sarah's and slept over and made and decorated sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies and then sled. It is so charming that we decided that we should do this every year.


• And we deliver treats to a local fire station to thank the firemen for working on that day
  

The girls got the American Girls dolls. Emerson got Samantha and Rileigh got a Bitty Baby and named it the same name as Emerson's Bitty Baby. The girls LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE their dolls. I do not know how we can ever top this Christmas
Wile we were busy unwrapping Kate's gifts for her she snuck off and stole the cookie that Santa left half bitten. Showing early signs of genious!
My favorite gift - GPS. I am famous for ALWAYS being lost. My friends tease me constantly and the girls have had many faith promoting experiences do to my lack of direction.The girls and their beloved dolls. It really was a magical Christmas.
Kate might have been a little overwhelmed.