Just as a way of getting everyone used to visiting the blog, I thought that it would be fun to talk a bit about Christmas. From now until Christmas Eve, I'll just ask one question a day. You can answer it or just read others' answers. We can learn a bit about each other and maybe pick up a new idea to try with our own family! Today's question is: What's your favorite holiday tradition?
I'll start us off. I'm just pasting this from my blog, but it's, honestly , it's our best tradition of the season.
Our favorite Christmas tradition for the past almost thirty years is the Circle of Light. Each December, we have twelve candles on the dinner table. I used to use a wooden candle holder, which I'd made, but it got tired. Now, I use 12 star-shaped individual holders (Pier One) that I place on a round tray in a circle (a large silver pizza pan). Beginning on the 13th of December, we light one candle at dinner time. Each night after that, we light the original candle and one more until Christmas Eve, when we have our formal dinner, and all twelve candles are lit. (Was that as clear as mud? So, on the third night, three candles are lit, the seventh night, seven candles are lit...) The candle stays lit during dinnertime. It's not very bright to eat by on the first few nights, but as the twelve days progress, it gets brighter and brighter. During dinner, as we light the candle, we discuss Christmas, the life of Christ, His teachings, why we have this special season, what Christmas means to us and really try to focus for, at least a few moments, what Christmas really all about. On Christmas Eve, with all twelve candles lit, it is actually warm and glowing. We discuss how his life brightens ours. It's been an important part of our Christmas for almost three decades now and I hope that one day, my own children will carry on the tradition. If you'd like to try it, pick up twelve candles and holders and a silver platter, pizza pan, or something to fit your decor today. It's a tradition worth remembering!
What's yours?
The love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay. Love isn’t Love till it’s given away.
Posts
We have our big dinner on Christmas Eve. Then we take a drive to look at Christmas lights. (Years ago it helped keep the children calm too.) Then the kids could open one present before they went to bed. And it wasn't even pajamas! I don't think it matters what you do as long as your family has its own traditions.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition was/is Christmas Breakfast at Grandma's house. My grandma would make a HUGE breakfast, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, hasbrowns, rolls, OJ, fruit. She did this every year, including last year before she passed away the following week. We are trying to talk my mom into continuing the tradtion! Kara
ReplyDeleteAt the Senior Singles FHE, Sister Downs shared a great tradition that we're going to begin on Family Home Evening next week. She said that they make donuts as a family,letting the kids decorate them, then they deliver them to friends. I'll be getting Sister Watts recipe today! I heard that it's amazing and can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteSophia
We do a few around Christmas. My all time favorite is every year the day after Christmas we go hunt our own Christmas tree. My kids love it. We always have some great story to tell. My second favorite is making christmas candy with my mom and sisters. I love to make tons, and then let my kids go take it to the neighbors. Those are just a couple. We spend alot of time together this time of year. That could be why it is my favorite time of year!!!
ReplyDeleteBecky
We have a few too that are fun. Since we were little we made gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. Each child got to make their own. We would decorate all night long and then get to eat on them for a month or more. So my sisters and I have continued doing this with our kids. We get together one night before Christmas and all bring candy and start decorating. I kids our very excited to do it this year. We also do our Christmas dinner a little different. When we were kids, my mom just made a big pot of Chili. She always said we were so full of sugar we just needed so solid food. She would start it Christmas Eve. It was great because no one was stuck in the kitchen cooking all day. As we've got older we still have Chili, but have added a variety of soups as well. Ruth Palmer
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition, has changed since I married Stephen and moved to Smithfield. Although, I think it has been the love of the Sisters in the Smithfield First Ward, that has really changed my favorite holiday tradition.
ReplyDeleteEven though this has only been my second Christmas doing this, it is now my tradition.
Which is, making a little something and running it around to all my dear friends and our ward.
This year as I was doing the delivering, and Stephen was doing the driving, I noticed how he was smiling. Actually, it was more of a big grin than a smile. When I asked him why, he just said, "I love seeing you so happy".
I guess that was when I realized, that I now had a new Holiday Tradition.
Remember, all of this is really quite new to me, I have always been in very different wards. Smithfield Ward is Very, Very Special
Suzanne Teuscher