Simple Christmas Traditions

I love traditions.  Traditions are happy moments that we know will come back again.  When I was a little girl I would watch television shows where the families would enjoy their Christmas traditions together and dream of having our own.  We really didn't have many.  My family was really broken.  Life had taken it's toll on my mom and us at times.  We had a few but it wasn't like the families on T.V. but then again who's is?  Now that I have my own kids I look for special moments and traditions.  Some of ours include Adornaments, looking at Christmas lights, Hopeland Gardens Christmas lights, making homemade ornaments, Christmas shows, going to the live Nativity at a local church, singing Christmas songs, something charitable and more.  Occasionally a tradition might get skipped.  I try not to but if we are doing something that works out better, we will skip the other.  Also, if the traditional is feeling like a burden and not a blessing, it can be skipped.  This year we missed two of my favorites. They were both things that help us celebrate Christ.  I'll come up with something to replace those so we keep our focus where it should be.

A small family get together.  Usually, I only invite a few people outside of our home.  Lots of food but the company is small so we can't chat on a small and personal level.

 Rolls, ham, mac & cheese, green beans, field peas with snaps, squash casserole, cucumbers, mash potatoes w/ a splash of something extra and deviled eggs.  Baklava for dessert..... um um good!

 I put on the wrong lipstick by accident.  None the less, I love this pic!

 I'm a mamma's girl to this day!

 We love any kind of competitive game!!

At the end of this dinner, even my doggy was tired!!! 

 Adorenaments are a favorite tradition of mine. 

 12 adorenaments.

 Each ornament teaching about Jesus' names in the bible and leading up to the real Christmas story.  Last year these help lead my daughter to Christ.  She hung on every word.

I love the kids gathering around me to listen and ask questions.

 The tree doesn't look right until we start putting these up. 

 Baking is another big tradition. 

 Getting messy is also a part of the tradition!

 Even I get messy!

 For a nice change, they were only playing!

 We did candy streamers and decorative pine cones this year.  Aren't they pretty?

More to come!