Day #24: Relax and Enjoy the Holiday!

We've made it! twenty-four days of Delightful December ideas! Hopefully you have been inspired! I have loved reflecting on what we have been doing this Christmas and those in the past as well. I pray that you and your families have a very Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. I will be back in January showing some of my fun Christmas gift crafts... I can't show them now because they are wrapped and waiting to be opened.. don't want to spoil any surprises!

Here are a few great Christmas shots from my Christmases past!
Jacks first Christmas...

 Second Christmas with the cousins...

 The beautiful handmade stockings my mother-in-law has made for each grandchild. Can't wait to see what she has made for our new little one this year!

Day #23: Unwrapping Gifts..

It was interesting when I first stated celebrating Christmas with my husbands family because they opened gifts completely different from my family. Is your family a get-the-gifts-open-fast-ripping family or a take-all-day-one-by-one-opener? I grew up opening one by one, and it does take us several hours to finish as we take our time and appreciate each gift. You can also do this if you open all the gifts at the same time, you just savor after all are open. What do you prefer?

Opening gifts with my son and neice last Christmas.

Day #22: Thank You Notes...

Actual handwritten Thank-You notes are a bit of a lost art... I am still hanging on to this tradition though and am faithful and sending thank-yous to people who have blessed me with a gift. I also love and appreciate receiving them. I realize with really young kids this is hard to do, but I've had my son draw several pictures (or paint) and use his artwork for the note. At least he is participating. Growing up we were allowed to play with our new toys all Christmas day, but if we wanted to play with them the next day, we had to write a thank you first. It really motivated me to get them done!

How do you inspire you kids to be grateful for the gifts they receive?

Day #21: Memory Book

Buy a journal or use a notebook to record your Christmas memories from year to year. I received one as a gift my first married Christmas and have written in it every year since. Its fun to look back and see what we did, who we saw and how we celebrated from year to year. Here's a peak at my book:

I really like this book becuase it has Christmas quotes and verses throughout.

How do you record and share your Christmas memories?



Day #20: Stockings

Its time to start thinking about stuffing the stockings. In our family the stockings are filled with little treats and gifts. Some of my favorites were/are:
Garlic Olives! I can eat the whole jar on Christmas day! yikes!

Honey Sticks

I used to LOVE the Easy Cheese; these days I'll pass on this... Give me REAL WISCONSIN cheese anyday!

Making actual stockings for my family is on my todo list, I think I may try to pick up some fabric on sale after Christmas and make them for next year. 
 A friend made these adorable stocking this year on my sewing machine...inspriring!

Day # 19: Make a House

Make a Gingerbread Pretzel house.

We lived in a log cabin, so our Christmas house of choice was a pretzel log cabin. Here's the one my husband and I created last year!

 

Day #18: Special Family Foods

What food says Christmas to you and your family? Find foods that your family loves and keep them special for this time of year. Keep a couple of favorites special by only making them at Christmas. This builds anticipation and excitement for the coming holiday. 

Here are a few of my Christmas favorites:

Egg Casserole on Christmas Morning

 My Grandma always use to make the BEST stuffed mushrooms on Christmas Eve.

 Fondue!

 Along with the mushrooms, Grandma made delicious veg dip with cream cheese and ketchup, I can't quite get it to taste as good as hers!

 And of course, Peanut Butter candy as I already mentioned.HERE

What are your family favorites?

Day #17: Make each moment special

 One of my favorite Christmas memories was looking for the money in our Christmas Breakfast. My mom always put a quarter in the egg casserole and if you found it you got to keep it. That was pretty exciting when we were little and as we got older the stakes got higher. She started giving the finder a envelope with a better (cash) prize in it as we grew. When we were young it was a good way to get us to finish our plate!

Day #16: Make your own wrapping paper

This little project can save you money and help the environment! 

Why add extra waste paper, when you can reuse paper you already have.

This year we made wrapping paper with old newspaper and used brushes and sponge stamps to decorate. If you can get your hands on an end roll from a printing company, that works the best.

Oh, and if you do this with a two year old, make sure to undress him first... it gets messy :o)

Day #15: Don't spend the day in the kitchen...Spend it with your family!

 This was always my Mom's motto growing up and I really think it's great... Make and eat BIG meals... but not necessarily on Christmas day. On this day we eat finger foods and snacks and just enjoy the time with each other. No one is left cooking and cleaning up from a big meal (we'll leave that for another day).

Day #14: Family Game

Start a tradition of buying a new family game each Christmas. Date the game and as the years go by you can remember each Christmas by the games you received and played that year. Makes for great family fun at Christmas and the whole year through!

Day #13: Give Back; Christmas Service

Christmas is a great time to participate in some for of service. Try to take the focus off the GETTING and focus on the GIVING.

This year we packed two shoe boxes that were being collected for Refugee children here in Hong Kong.

Some other ideas for giving:

take a collection for a charity (give a certain amount each day, when you do advent)

Sing at an elderly home

give away old (but still nice) toys to an organization that distributed them to kids in need

volunteer your time to serve food, clean toys, etc.

Bake cookies and give to people in your neighborhood you don't know well.

What ways are you giving back this holiday season?
Shared on Tot Tuesdays