Tradition

Since the girls are getting older and we have been away from family a few times for Christmas, we are gradually starting a few of our own special traditions.

1. The Nativity Advent Calendar

How it looked just after I finished it.

How it looks with all the pieces up

This tradition is brand new this year.  In my family we always had an advent calendar growing up and every day of December one of the kids got to have a turn to move the mouse.  I thought it would be really cool to have a nativity one.  I saw several online where you put up a new piece to the nativity every day.  I figured the girls would think something like that was really neat.  I also figured I could make one cheaper than buying one (a false assumption). But after nearly two months and many sewing mishaps due to my lack of any sort of pattern and sewing skills I finally finished it around mid-December. Despite the fact that it was a project filled with learning opportunities in the realm of craftiness, I am really pleased with how it turned out.  The girls have also found it fun to take turns putting pieces up every day.

2.Our Tree

Our Tree

I really love our tree, it's filled with memories. Probably about half of the ornaments are old hand-me-down ones from when Ryan and I were younger, but we are starting to get a few new ones every year. Last year we decided to let the girls each pick one out, one that kind of describes them or their interests that year. This year Lauren of course chose a horse and I Rachel got a monkey (because that sums up her personality right now).  Ryan and I get one that represents something from the past year, for example we got a BYU one the year we graduated BYU, and we got an IU one last year while he was going to school there. I haven't found a good one representing California yet for this year (we are a little late on that).  We also usually get a few every year from family.  Ryan's aunt usually sends a couple and Ryan's dad got us some when he went to Germany a year or two ago.  I love looking at our tree and smiling as I think of where each ornament came from.

Lauren's ornament this year

Rachel's ornament this year

Our homemade angel, made from fabric and a
clothes pin,something one of my sisters had
when we were younger.

My most special ornament, an olive wood
ornament of Christ praying in Gethsemane.
My primary teacher, Anna Lou Kurtz
gave it to me one Christmas.
I was probably 6 or 7, and I treasured it
and always made sure it was the first ornament
I put on my little tree in my room.

3.  Reading Luke 2 and acting out the Nativity on Christmas Eve

This is getting better and better every year as the girls get older, actually I think last year may have been the first time we did it with the girls, but this year was definitely better. They are starting to understand the story a little bit more.  I love that I can ask Lauren what Christmas is and she will excitedly tell me that it is Jesus' birthday. I really felt the Spirit this year as we did it and I hope the girls did too.





4.  Christmas Eggs

This is one tradition that Ryan cannot live without :)  This is what he had growing up every Christmas morning.  In summary it is bread soaked in eggs, sausage, and cheese overnight, and then you pour cream of mushroom soup on top and more cheese just before you bake it.  I tried to recommend only doing a half batch since there is only four of us and the girls might not like it, but Ryan said he didn't care if the girls didn't like it because he would eat all of it,  he probably ate about half of it and enjoyed every second :)