Tucked right into tradition.

Well, Merry Christmas to you! I've been thoroughly enjoying my time with Straight Arrow and Roundabout on vacation from school. We've had some cozy family days and I've loved every minute of it.

We had a wonderful Christmas...all except for the fact that although I videoed the happenings, I actually forgot to take pictures. I was so excited last night that I could hardly sleep. You'd think I am five years old again awaiting the arrival of Santa, lying wide eyed and still in bed hearing every simple noise, wondering if Santa's reindeer had pulled onto the rooftop. Nonetheless, I was very excited for my children and to see their excitement so much so that I enjoyed the moment without the camera in hand...on accident, of course. Tragedy.

And since I don't have a slew of pictures for your viewing, I may as well take up your time some other way. How about tradition?

1. Santa: Santa leaves family gifts that can be used by all and fills our stockings to the brim.

2. Each family member then receives three gifts to represent gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The "gold" gift is the big, desire gift of the season. Of the other two gifts, one is a practical item and the other is an item that must be used with someone else to be enjoyed (such as a game).

3. We have Stuffed French Toast on Christmas morning. It's perfect because it can be made beforehand and and either stored in the fridge or frozen if made well in advance. It takes 1 hour to bake, just the perfect amount of time to bake while we are exchanging gifts. It leaves me free to not be rushing to make a yummy breakfast on Christmas morning.

4. We purchase 1 ornament each year that represents something about our family for that year. This year, we added Rest Area's initial to the tree! We sure are grateful for him!

5. We choose one person or family each year to secret Santa. We try to choose someone in need or someone who might be lonely or otherwise sad this season. Ultimately (hopefully next year!) we will anonymously give someone the 12 days of Christmas.

6. We have a wooden candy cane on the tree that is hidden by Santa. The first to find it opens the first gift.

That's all I can think of right now...but I can think of a few things I'd like to begin as traditions as soon as we're settled...in a house.

--I'd like to have a tradition of eating fondue on Christmas Eve night.
--I'd like to open one gift of pajamas on Christmas Eve.
--I read of someone else's tradtion that I really liked. They have a large collection of Christmas books and movies. After Christmas, they individually wrap each of their books and movies and pack them with their decorations. When Christmas rolls around the next year, they get to open one book or movie each day as sort of a 30 day advent activity in the month of December. I think it would be so fun for the kids to rediscover some holiday related books and movies!
--I'd like to find an advent calendar that fits the bill of what I'm looking for. (I'm not sure what I'm looking for, but I know I haven't found it yet!)
--I'd like to have two trees; one for our Memory Ornaments and one for fancier themed decorating.
--I want an Elf on a Shelf. "At our home the elf would arrive around the holidays, usually at Thanksgiving. His sole responsibility was to watch my children's behavior and report it to "Santa" each night. The next morning after the children awoke, they discovered the elf had returned from the "North Pole" and was hiding in a different place. My children would race each other out of bed to try and be the first to spy him in his new position."

Just to name a few!