I love doing traditional stuff with our kids. And then there's sometimes, when I wonder if we've created too many family Christmas traditions. Not that we don't enjoy them, because we do. But I wonder if the kids will end up thinking that they're missing out on things if they don't get to do everything, like every other year.
Until I get that figured out, I'm sticking with the traditions. Here are a few (of the many we've got), that I happened to photograph this year.
1. Lights!
We used to always have white icicle lights on the front of the house, and a green lighted tinsel wreath on the front. Well, the wreath was having issues once again, so it never went up this year. The icicle lights were up for one day. They lit well in the pre-hanging, plug-'em-in-to-check-'em step, but once on the eaves, only 2 short strings actually lit.
Our poor neighbors must have thought they were seeing things, because Todd had finally had enough with those stinkin' icicles, and went to his favorite home improvement store, where we got strings of C9 LED lights that came with programmed patterns and a remote control. The neighbors would have seen mostly-unlit icicles one night, and then fancy-patterned LED's the next night.
Now we're cookin'!!
Oh, and then we also got new LED C7 strings for on the shrubs and dogwood tree in front of the house. The white line you see next to the sidewalk are little white spiral trees, each with a star on top. Gotta love Christmas lights! We look forward to coming years, and getting the electrical finished out by the road, so we can have lights at the roadside, too.
2. Locomotive Park
Yep, we go every year! I like it better with snow, but this works too. Emma loves this place.
Dancing with the penguins:
She came up with these poses on her own, too. Or not. Who is teaching her this stuff??
The fire was turned off by the time we got there. Not as fun to snuggle up to....
Fishy faces....
(I think I know who's teaching her this stuff!)
3. Watching the classic Christmas shows.
This year, I bought Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" book for Emma. She likes it for a bedtime story. She had no idea that they'd made it into a TV show......
I think "The Grinch" is a classic. I hope she keeps enjoying it for years. That is, if she can stay awake through it......
And how is it that I am the only one in this house that can't roll my tongue? Every one of my kids can do it. They obviously got it from Todd.
4. Cookies/Cookie Decorating/Treat Trays
Emma is the queen of sprinkles. Yep!
A couple of years ago, I posted about my wacked-out approach to treat trays. Read about my craziness here, with this link.
This year, we certainly didn't expect to all get sick, right in the middle of the Christmas-is-almost-here preparations. It kinda threw off the whole treat trays delivery thing. We still made most of what we traditionally do.... and more of it just stayed here with us. I'm thinking this is not a good idea for our waistlines.....
Anyway, we'll keep our traditions. For as long as they still make sense and everyone still wants to do them. If there comes a day that we decide we're done, then we'll stop. And we'll still have the memories. Preserved in pictures as proof!
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