Christmas Traditions...

As I sit here waiting for my kidlins to fall asleep this Christmas Eve, I'm feeling the need to record some of our Christmas traditions. I love traditions. Oftentimes it's what binds families together. Joel and I are lucky because we come from great families with established holiday traditions to draw upon each season. Having lived away from most of our family for the last 8 years has forced us to create some traditions of our own. This blending of the old and new has resulted in a unique combination that I happen to love and hope to continue through the years.

Long before I married Joel, I used to travel up to Billings, Montana to spend Christmas with the Gardners. Christmas with Gardners was CRAZY - and wonderful at the same time. So many presents, so much wrapping the night before! Cristie (Joel's mom) started one of my favorite traditions. On every present given is a funny way to write each person's name. Here are some examples from under our tree this year:

To: Joellie old St. Jollieus
From: Hamburger Heather

To: Cool Cat Camryn
From: Jack-in-the-Box JD

To: Courageous Christian
From: Jovial Joellie

To: Spank me if you can Spencer
From: Muchas Gracias Mom and Daring Dad

You get the point. I love it because it's silly and the kids think it's fabulous.

Another that we have borrowed from Joel's family is the favorite cereal tradition. Everyone wakes up to a box of their favorite cereal in their stocking - makes breakfast so easy!

Joel's favorite is usually Lucky Charms

Heather's favorite is usually Golden Grahams

JD's favorite is usually Cookie Crisp

Camryn and Christian usually end up with some random box of cereal that I never buy like Captain Crunch or Trix

Spencer will most likely end up eating the leftovers on the floor!

Having lived away from family for so long, we've had to come up with some of our own traditions. We've chosen to have them center around Christ on Christmas Eve. I wanted to make our first Christmas Eve in Pennsylvania special so I came up with a few things that we've kept going these last 5 years.

Christmas Eve is all about the Savior in our family. We start off with some fun secular music like Rudolph, Santa Claus is Comin' to town etc. Next we talk about the symbols of Christmas and how they all point to Christ and the ultimate gift he gave by sacrificing his life for us. We usually illustrate this by using different ornaments that the kids get to put on a tree. Each ornament symbolizes something about the season and Christ. The final ornament is a gift box representing the gifts we receive and give at Christmastime. We then bring out Jesus' stocking. It's pure white and full of our written "gifts" that we promise to give him with the upcoming year. We review the previous year's gifts and write down the new year's gifts. Here are the "gifts" we promise to give Jesus this year:

Joel: To share his testimony in sacrament meeting

Heather: To focus on speaking kind words to my family

JD: To provide service to neighbors like shoveling their driveways after a snowstorm

Camryn: To pay tithing

Christian: To give lots of hugs (his gift last year too!)

Spencer: To keep us laughing with funny faces

Grandma Bagley: To be more patient with Grandpa

Grandpa Bagley: To unite our family through genealogy work

Following this, we always act out the Christmas story found in Luke 2. We get dressed up and everything - towels on the head and all (a tradition borrowed from Joel's family). This year, Christian was Joseph, I was Mary, Camryn was an angel, JD was a shepherd, Joel was the narrator and an old raggedy ann doll was baby Jesus. We work with what we've got man! After this we usually sing some sacred carols like Silent Night - it's wonderful.

Next comes the reindeer food. I don't remember how this one started, but the kids love it. We usually mix our own food: oatmeal, brown sugar and carrots. The kids go outside and carefully place the food in what they think is the perfect spot for Santa's reindeer. Once the kids are in bed, Joel goes outside and makes it look like the reindeer stopped by for a snack - he even puts tracks in the snow. The kids always check to see if the reindeer came before they open their presents in the morning. I hope we continue this even when the kids are older!

Finally, the kids carefully place their stockings out for Santa to fill. They love this because Santa is the one who fills stockings in our house - Mom and Dad are the ones who provide the presents. JD is starting to catch on to how things really operate, but I think he chooses to just go along with it. Camryn keeps asking questions like, "Can Santa hear us right now? How does Santa come in our house - it's always locked?" Christian asks tons of questions like, "Where does Santa live? Where is the North Pole? Why does he want to live where it's so cold? What does he look like? That wasn't really Santa at the Christmas party was it?" The list goes on. And on. And on. I personally think the whole thing is so funny - a strange man breaking into your house to leave presents for good little boys and girls. So I usually answer with, "What do you think?" Works like a charm.

These wonderful traditions make Christmas feel important and meaningful. I'm sure we'll continue with the "old" and perhaps add some "new" as the years go on. For now I must end this entry because Mr. and Mrs. Claus need to fill the stockings and enjoy some yummy German cookies uncle Frankie gave us to nibble on tonight.

Merry Christmas!