It's difficult to believe it's only 5 more weeks until Christmas. I LOVE Christmas and this year will be very special as it's our first with all three of the children and baby daughter's very first Christmas. My Husband and I have enjoyed discussing over the last couple of years how we would like to celebrate the holiday season and what sorts of traditions we'd like to start. We discussed our favourite aspects of Christmas growing up and the traditions we'd each like to uphold as well as new traditions we'd like to start to put our own spin on this celebration.
In my house we used to have "The night before Christmas" read on Christmas Eve. Sometimes we'd watch a Christmas movie. We'd have carols playing and we'd leave a treat out for santa - usually fruitcake and sherry or port. We'd hang our stockings in the family room close to the tree and have a special dinner followed by my nanna's famous trifle. My brother used to sleep in my room and we'd be so excited we could hardly stand it and we'd swear we could hear sleigh bells during the night. We'd wake up early, but have to stay in bed until we heard Dad get up, then we'd race out to the family room to check out the stockings. Santa would have filled our stockings and left one gift for each of us, the rest was from Mum and Dad. He'd always leave cake crumbs and a sip of drink and a half dozen jellybeans on the plate. As we got older, we'd endure the painful ritual of breakfast first and then gifts, but as little ones we'd do stockings, then breakfast and then the christmas tree. Then we'd play with our gifts while mum organised lunch. We'd have a special lunch and then sleep in the afternoon and then have leftovers for dinner. Boxing Day was always leftovers and watching the Boxing Day test on TV. We only had the four of us for christmas as we lived interstate from our extended family but we loved it and have fond memories of our time together.
My Husband's family also love Christmas. They usually travelled to spend Christmas with his grandparents and would share a room with cousins on Christmas Eve. They had their stockings in their bedrooms and were allowed to open them when they woke (Which was very early). Then when the adults surfaced they would do breakfast and christmas tree later in the day with the extended family. As years went by the main extended gathering became christmas night to allow for growing families to move between households. Christmas was a larger gathering in his house than mine but similar in terms of love of celebration. So we've melded a few of our favourite traditions and added a few of our own and we can't wait to see how it all comes together this year. Including an elf who will be performing random acts of kindness from 1st Dec and encouraging the kids to do the same, new PJs for everyone christmas eve, a neighbourhood elf, a potted christmas tree, and DIY gifts.
But even Christmas is prone to a little curliness. When my husband and I met five years ago, it was a few weeks before Christmas and our third 'date' was Christmas day with his family. His entire family!! It was an absolute hoot and so much bigger than any Christmas gathering I'd experienced. Since then we've tried various combinations to ensure we see both sides of our family for Christmas Day and juggle our eldest son H, who has christmas with his Dad every alternate year. It's become quite a juggle and not feasible to drive 6 hours with 3 kids on Christmas Day. So for the first time this year our little family of five is having Christmas at home.
We are very excited that for the first time we get to have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day in one place and make memories for our own children. While we are excited - it's caused some angst across our extended family. Many of my friends have also said they have similar issues trying to juggle all the extended family on both sides who want to share in the day. Some of my friends go to crazy lengths, starting the day at 5am and travelling around 4 or 5 different events before the day is through. By the end of the day the children are beside themselves and so are the adults and everyone breaths a sigh of relief. If you are thinking this sounds like you too - maybe it's time to have a think about how you'd like to celebrate the day and what sort of memories you'd like to create for your own family in the years ahead. This year we'll see all our extended, curly family over the Christmas week and be able to enjoy a more relaxed day at home, sharing our own traditions and fun. We can have bubbly at breakfast because we don't have to drive, take our time opening gifts, watch Christmas DVDs in our PJS and make our own Christmas feast. I think if we all extend just a touch of understanding to others and respect that we all like to celebrate our own occasions differently and make our own memories, we'd enjoy holiday season much more and be relieved of some unnecessary pressure. And hey if it extends the celebrations by a few extra days, isn't that a wonderful thing?
If you are interested in a fun new tradition - Follow link below to see some great ideas for "elfing" with your kids. We are going to have a go of this in our neighbourhood this year and see if it catches on.
http://makingmemorieswithyourkids.com/2011/11/youve-been-elfed-and-free-printables/
*Image curtesy of HuffingtonPost
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