Christmas Traditions

I love Christmas! It is my favorite holiday. I love celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I enjoy tying all of the different Christmas traditions into the "true meaning" of Christmas- Jesus Christ's birth. Here are some of the things I enjoy during the holiday season including our Holt family traditions.

I had great family Christmases. Most often, I stayed with my Dad and Step Mom during the holiday break. Dad went the extra mile every year to help encourage the reality of Santa Claus. Reindeer hooves on the roof, clomping on the hearth, eating the things left for Santa. We knew that we were not allowed out of our bedrooms before our Grandparents had arrived. On Christmas morning while we waited as patiently as possible for our Grandparents to arrive, Dad would sing Christmas songs outside our door and say things like, "Wow! Look what Santa brought for Cathy! That is huge!" It was killer anticipation but Christmas was fun because of Dad. I loved being able to use Dad's pocket knife to carefully open the present without tearing the paper. We opened presents one-by-one. It took all day and we took a few breaks during the day too. After staying with my Dad, I would head back home and have Christmas with my Mom.

I have a special Mom. She always waited for us to come home from visiting Dad to celebrate Christmas. Christmas Eve and Christmas Daywere celebrated immediately when we got home. She purchased the things we had asked for too. I still get a warm feeling while visiting my Mom and seeing the same 40 year old centerpiece I loved when I was a kid. I remember being really excited to go to Modern Display and choose new, fancy decorations for our tree. I didn't want mismatching ornaments on the tree so, my Mom indulged me one year and took us to Modern Display.

• Choosing a living Christmas Tree.
• Visiting Temple Square and enjoying the lights.
  
• Putting lights and decorations on the outside & inside of the house.
• My kids love our Advent Calendar decorations
• Another favorite decoration are the glass orbs with music & snow

• The colors of Christmas bring a smile to my face: red, white, blue and a deep green.
• Searching for the a great gift for family members.
• Providing Christmas for families/children that don't have the means to purchase their own.
• Finding a way to help our friends and neighbors.
  
• Santa brings our children 3 gifts. Why 3? That is the number of gifts given to Jesus from the Wise Men. We divide it up with 1 spiritual, 1 educational and 1 fun gift.
• Warm fires and hot chocolate.
• Reading from our a nice "Christmas each day' folder.
  
• *New Tradition (perAmy) RAK (randomn acts of kindness) for our family member. Each one has an envelope on the fridge. When we complete a random act of kindness for each other, we write it on a slip of paper and put it in the envelope. On Christmas Day we'll each open our envelopes and read the service that another family member has given.
• Caroling
• Utah - Family - Snow
• Me - putting up the lights on the tree followed by Bry and the boys decorating it while I get hot chocolate! Yum
• Singing Christmas songs with my children.
• Nice dinners and conversation with friends.
  
• Explaining what "virgin" means to my kids.
  

Merry Merry Christmas everyone. Enjoy the season and don't let presents get in the way of the most beautiful holiday of the entire year.