Christmas Traditions

I think most everyone has routine family traditions for Christmas. We have a few regular Christmas traditions every year. But since we've became a family and moved into our own home, we've added a few to the mix. I thought I'd make a post about Christmas traditions.

I'll start by telling about traditions in our own home....

Tradition Number 1: Christmas Card

Who celebrates Christmas without sending a Christmas card? If you don't do this, I highly recommend it. It's fun to look at the changes from the previous year/card.

Tradition Number 2: Elf on the Shelf

This is a new tradition for us this year. Although Tuff is still a little to young to understand the whole meaning, it's something great to start with him. If you haven't heard about the Elf on the Shelf, go here to read more about it. Typically, the elf keeps an eye on the children every day and then takes off to tell Santa every night whether the child(ren) were naughty or nice. Then every morning, the elf is in a different spot in the house and the child(ren) are supposed to find him when they wake up. It's fun. Like I said though, I think it may be a little easier for Tuff to understand next year. It also comes with the book that tells the story. You are supposed to name your Elf too. We decided to name our Elf, Snitch. Pretty fitting, huh? :)

Tradition Number 3: Christmas Morning at Home

Jordan and I are definitely on the same page with this one. We believe Christmas morning should be spent at home with immediate family rather than having to stress about where to be and what time to be there. It's important to take time with your husband/wife and child or children on Christmas morning. Well, it's important to us anyways.

So far, these 3 traditions are really the only traditions we've made for our own home. Maybe as Tuff and his future siblings get older, we will start some more. When it comes to family traditions for us, it's not too crazy. My side of the family goes to the candle light service at church EVERY year on Chritmas Eve. I remember when we were younger and traveled for Christmas, we would go to random churches just to be at a candle light service on Christmas Eve. I will always remember being a part of the candle light service on Christmas Eve. Now that's something Tuff will remember one day too. After candle light service we all get together, open gifts and eat. Usually on Christmas Day in the afternoon, just us girls and our families will head over to mama and daddy's for lunch or dinner. Or just to spend time together. I think I've told ya'll before but Jordan's family celebrates every holiday the Sunday after the holiday. So that's his family tradition. This year his mom has decided to take us all out to eat instead of cooking and we will do any gift exchanging then.

That pretty much sums up our traditional routines. I think I've mentioned in a previous post about having some things monogrammed for Tuff this year. I'd like to start making that a yearly tradition. At least until he's too old to wear monogrammed stuff. Ahhh... everything he got turned out SUPER cute. Here are a few shots of the 2 shirts....

April and I also had some jumpers made for the boys to wear in some pictures with Ada and a new dress she had made. We are actually meeting after work tonight to do that. I will post pictures of that hopefully tomorrow.

So what are your family traditions?

The Alford's