Traditions for the Holidays

if you are like me holidays have taken on a new meaning since you have become a mom. seeing the joy in your kids eyes as they experience Christmas is just priceless. Well Katie at three blondes and a redhead has asked her readers to join in and share some of there favorite holiday traditions, and she is one of my favorite bloggers and i love the holidays of course i couldn't resist.~

1. we love to do a countdown to Christmas i make interlocking rings out of cute scrapbook paper and we rip one off everyday starting on Dec. 1st. the first day is always make a Christmas list and Christmas eve is always bake a birthday cake for Jesus. but we always try to sprinkle in a variety of things from doing a craft, to praying for our troops, sending a card to someone in the mail to going to look at Christmas lights. i always it down with my calendar and try to plan out the days the best i can especially if we have a lot going on that day i just put have hot cocoa, or watch a Christmas movie... click on the link above and you can see lots of the things we did last year.
2. i always buy the kids new jammies and slippers that they get to open and wear to bed on Christmas eve i try to pick something fun that they will love. last yea i bought the boys robes also since they didn't have one.
3. we started a new tradition the last few years to not rush off to anybodies house on Christmas morning. it seemed we were rushing through our Christmas with our own kids to get somewhere else. so we just decided to make it time for our family and then enjoy whatever we have planned the rest of the day.
4. we always decorate the day after thanksgiving! even if i go out shopping we will decorate in the evening and enjoy that time as a family, i let the kids put the ornaments where ever they want then i fix them after they go to bed
5. stockings are my favorite Christmas gifts and i try to make them fun and affordable i think i will dedicate a whole post to my stocking ideas so stay tuned
6. my favorite non family event i do is hold a annual cookie exchange! this is so fun my friends always look forward to it, as a matter of fact i think i will do a post on that this week too
7. bake a birthday cake for Jesus! let the kids decorate it and explain to them why we celebrate Christmas and the true meaning of it
8. and lastly Santa does come to our house if you remember this post i told you all my feelings on the whole Santa debate

i have so many others and if you have read this blog for any length of time you know i love the holidays so much more will be coming soon.

thanks for hosting Katie!!!