Readers share favorite holiday traditions and memories (part 2)

What strikes me the most about these submissions is the simplicity of the traditions and memories. (Other than my own mother sewing homemade Barbie clothes. Love you, Mom!) We really don’t need to make ourselves crazy to make magical moments with our families. Again, I’ll be tucking away this post for next year.

• “Singing Christmas hymns to my babies while rocking them to sleep!”

  - Natalie

• “Every year we get matching PJ’s or sweats. We all wear them from Christmas Eve to Christmas night. Sort of like ‘Team (fill in your last name).’ Last year we were missing our oldest son who was a missionary in Mexico, but he wore them just the same!”

  - DeAnne

• “Reading Christmas books by the tree each night and having a Christmas sleepover. We keep the tree lights on all night, have treats, read, play games and sleep on the floor. Other favorites are making cookies and driving around to look at the lights while singing carols.

  - Mary

• “Yesterday afternoon I had the perfect idea for what would surely be the beginning of a meaningful tradition. I anticipated it all afternoon. And then guess what? We had a temper tantrum, a good argument between two siblings, a 2-year-old who hadn’t napped and a stubborn 7-year-old who refused to budge. I was ready to yell and send everybody to bed early but instead decided to go ahead with what I had planned.

  “Though I know for a fact my husband was somewhat skeptical, and even though it did take three tries (and a raised voice), we stood around the piano and sang a familiar Christmas carol together. Just as we ended, a child came running in with a favorite Christmas book to read, and everyone actually listened quietly. As the last word was read, almost magically, the stubborn 7-year-old burst into song and sang a tender off-key version of ‘Silent Night’ to us all. Even though one sibling was sent from the room for laughing at her, another was given a stern you-better-stop-NOW look (even though Mom and Dad were having a hard time containing their own giggles), it turned out to be a moment I could have never planned. The key? Letting go of our expectations and allowing unplanned events to take their course. Those often turn into even fonder memories.”

  - Tiffany

• “Singing christmas songs in the car as a family and baking Christmas goodies with the kids.”

  - Catherine

• “One event that always happens each year that never fails to bring the true meaning of Christmas back to me and my family is acting out the Nativity with my husband’s extended family. We always have a simple potluck and then reenact the Nativity with every child taking part. (This is huge family! My husband’s grandparents had 12 children, and now they all have children and grandchildren. We are adding about 12 great-grandchildren a year now!)

  “Every child who shows up brings a simple shepherd costume (bath robe with dish cloth on their head and a necktie to tie around the head) or an angel costume (any white dress or shawl with dress-up wings or shiny garland on the head). It’s really very simple.

  “Then the grandchild and spouse with the youngest male baby boy play the part of Joseph and Mary with their baby playing baby Jesus. Some of the older boys will be the innkeeper. The rest of the family sings songs as the story is read. I love this tradition because my kids get to reenact the nativity every year, and it reminds us all of the importance of the season and what it is really about. It is also just so sweet to see your kids up there in the family play. My kids love this, and I do, too, as it is a simple way to ‘remember’ and to be with family. I love this family Christmas party!”

  - Jen

• “We have a wooden Advent calendar that contains scriptures about the life of Christ that we read every night as a family during the month of December. This is a fantastic tradition that we enjoy as a family and brings us closer together and helps us remember why we celebrate this season.”

  - Janine

• “After a decade of wanting one, last year we got a real piano to replace our electronic keyboard. My husband plays wonderfully, and he pulled out our collection of Christmas songs (the sweet and reverent, along with the fun classics) and sang like crazy. It may not be beautiful, but it is music to my ears and fills my heart with the spirit of Christmas.

  “This year instead of writing every word of our Christmas letter by myself, I had each family member say something about each other. I put it into a little chart, and our Christmas letter was done! It is a sweet record of how they each see their family members, and they loved being a part of sending the Christmas cards this year.”

  - Amy

• “Sitting around the Christmas tree and reading Luke 2 by candlelight is probably my favorite family moment of the season.”

  - Tamara

• “This year we did this: lifeasmom.com/2011/11/a-christmas-countdown-family-activity.html

  “We mixed in some of our own ideas. I feel like it helped us be able to take some time as a family every night. And our kids look forward to what the activity will be every day.”

  - Brooke

• “Putting a stack of Christmas albums on the stereo every morning during the Christmas season. Small, really cute children lying under the Christmas tree looking up at the lights. Plates of Christmas cookies all over the kitchen waiting to be delivered to friends and neighbors. Staying up half the night putting together a Barbie Townhouse from Santa and sewing teeny tiny Barbie clothes for a wardrobe better than mine for Barbie to wear while riding around in her car. Having a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve made with a white cake, red and green Jell-O, and whipped cream. Reading the Christmas story from the Bible and then leaving Santa treats on Christmas Eve. Packing up the station wagon with Christmas presents, suitcases, snacks, grandparents in the middle, and children in the back with sleeping bags to make the two-day drive back and forth from Illinois to Florida to see family. Loving the pandemonium of Christmas morning and knowing all the time and work was worth anything to make your family happy.”

  - Mom

• “I am just learning this lesson, and it has taken me 25 years of marriage and having my children almost grown to finally get it! If I let go of all the things I think I have to do for the holidays to be ‘perfect,’ then the true spirit of Christmas can reside within me and thus reside in my home. (That’s magic right there.)

  “I have spent every holiday trying to make sure that everything is just PERFECT! (Every mom knows the routine.) But this year, because of certain circumstances, I made a choice to let go. It has been an amazing experience for me, and I think for my family. There have not been any Mom meltdowns. I have not been angry or resentful because I’m ‘doing it all.’ It has just been wonderful.

  “Sprinkle all of that with some service, evenings full of Christmas music and fires glowing in the fireplace instead of TV and —seriously? —so far this is the best Christmas ever! I followed the advice of something you posted about a mom who decided what was really important to her and what she wanted to get out of the holiday season. Once I realized what that was for me, it was so easy to let go of all the other stuff. I think when we have peace within and around us we can be in tune to create the really magical moments. If we are too busy, they slip past us.”

  - Norine

Thanks again, readers. You are an amazing bunch of mothers! Merry Christmas!

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