For the first three years of our marriage Josh and I were
without children that we never felt any great desire or need to put much celebration
or tradition into the Christmas holiday.
Our fourth year of marriage Josh was deployed and Dorian and I celebrated
our first Christmas together with my parents.
Our fifth year of marriage we were living off of donations after we lost
all our personal possessions in an apartment fire. I know it is still four months away, but
after watching a Christmas special on a television program my heart aches that we
have never really had a true family Christmas together. Especially with my new little girl on the way
I want this Christmas to be something special.
I want to start family traditions and have the house smell of baked
goods all day long. I want a tree full
or lights and ornaments to give us as a family something to sit down and appreciate
as we focus on the true meaning of the holiday.
I want to feel the Christmas spirit this year.
Easily done right?
Except that we have no holiday decorations as we did not have the means
to replace what we lost. There is also
the possibility we may be in a completely new state or even country and an extremely
good chance we won’t even be unpacked by the time the holidays arrive. Oh don’t think me superficial and reliant on
petty bobbles to get me in the Christmas mood, but I guess I just want to be
able to give my children the Christmas’ I remember and I hate that I feel inadequate
in being able to provide the vision I wish for myself. I know that such things are unimportant to the
sweet little spirits of my children as they are always pleased with what they
receive. I just hate feeling as if I
have to cut short my hopes or my dreams to meet reality.
I am aware I being ridiculous here, seeing as I am crying as
I write this post, so we will totally blame this all on the pregnancy hormones,
but do you ever feel like you are cutting yourself and your kids short based on
the dreams you feel you cannot live up to?
How silly am I to be obsessing over Christmas in August! Since it seems
we as a family are always starting over, what are some of your favorite holiday
traditions? My family might just borrow
some of your ideas this year.
i guess loren and i didn't really start having a lot of traditions until the kids got a little older. they like everything about every holiday :) so we do all the baking things...gingerbread houses, treats for friends, fresh pumpkin bread and pie with their pumpkin patch pumpkins. yes, we have to do the annual pumpkin patch trip too! last year we started a 25 days of christmas that one of the sisters in our ward had. it's a great album i printed from her with a story, scripture and song that we do every night up to christmas. we also do the elf knocking on our door and leaving a treat to let the kids know they need to get to bed so santa can come. the last few years, we've had a family matinee to whatever children's movie is out and appropriate on christmas eve. there's a great house across the river with lights set to a radio station with great christmas music, and also lights on the cumberland river to walk through. our church building does a nativity event in december that is great as well. i'm sure we have many more traditions, but my mind isn't on christmas in august like some people, lol. ;) oh pregnancy hormones, gotta love em! i love nostalgia though so i think it's sweet you are thinking ahead already. :) love ya, chrish!
ReplyDeletelaura
thanks for your comment Laura, it helps me see that despite evrything we ourselves did some of those things last year. Nothing like a weepy pregnant lady to make something out of nothing :)
DeleteHeehee :)
ReplyDeleteLaura
I never had a real tree growing up--my mother said they were too messy. Darrell had always had a real tree--for him, there was no other option. Our first Christmas, we got a big tree! I was thrilled....until I realized we didn't have much money to decorate it. Our solution was to put it in a corner--that way we only had to decorate the part that showed! We bought candy canes and hung them on the tree. I bought a big bag of M&Ms and cut squares of Saran wrap, then dumped a handful of candy inside and tied it with that ribbon you curl with scissors. We were able to buy a few ornaments and still have some of them. They may be cheap, but have a very special place in my heart.
ReplyDeleteSearch Pinterest. You can hang just about anything on your tree! And don't forget good old popcorn and cranberry garland or construction paper chains!
thanks Beverly, those are great ideas. You brought a great poitnt to my attention. Dorian will be over two and if we start early enough we can make activities of preparing for Christmas, and it will mean a lot despite the perfect look, because it will be the first Christmas he is really old enough to participate. I thin khomemade ornamants and garlands are exactly what this home needs :)
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