I am pondering the fact that I am hosting my family's Christmas for the first time. I am so excited!! They are coming to ME! To share in my life and stay in my home (well, some of them...)!
I am also a little intimidated. I'm no longer used to cooking for a crowd. I love to host, but frankly I'm a tad out of practice. But mostly, I cannot wait for everyone (sans my far-out sis & fam in Asia *frown*) to arrive!
Wanting to make this year as special as I can, I'm thinking through everything as thoroughly as possible. Menus are taking shape, places to visit/things to do are being added to the list. I am a huge 'traditions' kinda gal (song & all! *wink*), and have a few of those kinds of things in my back pocket for this year.
But as I shape the plans for our annual time together, I thought that you smart people might have ideas too! So, please share...
What "makes" Christmas for you? What traditions/activities/people/moments/services/etc. do you look forward to each year?
Some things that I think "make" Christmas, in no particular order:
--Singing Christmas Carols and Hymns (sometimes for hours) as a family
--Candlelight and tiny white lights
--Special Church Services, especially on Christmas Eve
--Cold weather...snow is preferable :-)
--Hot cocoa, tea, and apple cider
--Cooking together with my mom/sister(s)
--Shopping, especially together with family
--the reading of the Advent story before we open gifts
--Having gifts handed out/opened one by one so everyone gets to share in the joy!
--Getting to give carefully selected gifts!
....and so much more. But I want to leave room for you to share...PLEASE! :-) What do you love about this season? What do you do to make it special? What suggestions do you have for me as a new host? I'll take all that you want to share!
Loving the season, but more so The Reason,
-J
"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. ...to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." --Luke 1:68, 77-79, NIV
(c) 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
8 comments:
Just one word of advice:
Worry less and enjoy more.
Merry Christmas.
You already said my two - and I'm pretty sure you know what those are :) . So whether you did those as a kid or just know they were significant to my memory ... cool! Does this mean we get to do some of the things on the list?! :)
PS - I know you're having the time of your life planning. no worries.
my mother in law often has a craft for the "girls" (me and my sis in laws to do).
we play board games, video games,..
sometimes I come up with a craft for the kids (or Oriental Trading actually comes up with it and I buy/order it and lead the kids in the gluing! ha ha!)
PLAN to take a group picture and don't let anyone leave till it is done!
Oh I know...call your sister on Christmas. I think that would make her so happy. She probably misses the fact that she will not be there!
Plan a ladies shopping trip. I have heard that can be very fun to do.
Call your "far out" sister.
Watch an old Christmas movie together like "White Christmas". My kids watched that for the first time recently and even though they were only 7 and 4 they loved it.
Oh I think the best thing you could do was call that sister that lives in Asia. But remember the time difference.
Decorate cookies...even the kids would enjoy that.
For sure call that relative of yours.
Play a game together, but maybe not farkel. :-)
Yeah I really think you should call that sister and her family!!!
Hey, I think we ought to call our "far out" sister! Also, as I recall your brother does/has helped with the cooking...think pumpkin pie(with sugar), and of course I began the potatoes when our sister moved far away.
Singing is a must.
Starbucks visit with everyone. (or most)
Going to see a movie. (if there is anything good playing)
Playing games.
But most importantly, relax. We can hardly wait to get there.
I am wondering if your sister wants you to call her or not. It was not very clear in the message? Maybe you should hold off on calling her this year. Hee Hee
We always open stockings. Everyone puts stuff in the stockings. We open them all at the same time, and then after everyone is done, we show everyone what we got. I made stocking for everyone in my family - my kids, dh and I, my parents, and my brother's family.
We usually have a nice breakfast and then eat a late lunch.
Christmas eve dinner is usually beef - usually prime rib.
We have Christmas cookies that we have made through the month. Speaking of which - I need to get started. Usually I am done by now. I don't have any done yet.
Oh - we usually have a special guest come about New Years. Ok, maybe that is just this year.
I most look forward to time with family. I love the one gift at a time tradition and the singing time, too. I love the board games (we must be careful with the board games and card games-remember our ban on Monopoly) and Starbucks and the Plaza. I miss the Plaza. My new favorite tradition is calling my sister who is "far out" in Asia, whom I miss so much.
Post a Comment