Traditions

I think the best part of the Christmas season are all of our family traditions.  Some we've been doing for 15 years and others are new.  This one the girls adore.

On Thanksgiving weekend we decorate the whole house except for our live tree in the living room.  In our family room we have three little trees standing on the floor near a window, and they are filled with the girls ornaments; gifts they were given, ones they made in preschool (my favorite) and our new tradition only a couple of years old, an new ornament each year.  (The picture sure would have been better if I took it at night)

I write on each box why I chose that ornament that year so they'll always know when they unwrap it each year. 






This year Anna opened a sweet little angle playing the viola.  I was thrilled when I found it since it's impossible to find a viola.  Usually everything is a violin.  Sweet.  And she also opened Rapunzel.  I smile knowing that it will tell the tale of year 8 year old Christmas and what movie she liked for years and years. 



Abigail opened "Guess How Much I Love You"  since she loves that book and has a bunny theme in her bedroom.  She also opened a singing Frosty the Snowman.  She's been singing that song so much. 





The new ones each year are oh so special to the girls, but as a Mom, it's the old ones that I adore. 

'Waiting for Anna' when she was still in an orphanage in China and missed her first Christmas with a family.



The Fisherprice farm that really moos when Abigail opens the door.



This one I bought for Anna when she was just two to remind her of the stuffed animal reindeer that she used to play with for hours and hours.



This Merry Go Round Abigail got last year because there is no one on earth that loves a merry go round ride more!



Anna's from when she was just four years old to remind me of all of the coloring she loved to do. I could have picked this same one out for Abigail this year since she loved to color pictures forever!



For Abigail's first Christmas. A newborn baby that I thought I could never have. That was a sure a dear Christmas.



This one has been broken and glued back together a few times. Chester, our dog from our first 9 years of marriage. It my way of having him still around at Christmas.




Do you just love Christmas traditions?  I'd love to hear some of yours.