Family Traditions

I am surprised to see that there are still a few strands of Christmas lights lingering on neighborhood porches. I have even noticed a few Christmas trees still enjoying warm living rooms  Christmas went by too quickly, and maybe keeping out the decorations helps some people slow it down. I admit, I just put away a lonely Christmas mug, a Charlie Brown Christmas cd, and pile of candy canes. I am already thinking about next Christmas. I like to think that it is a definite time that I will see far away family.

I love family traditions, some little ritual that you enjoy together and goes back in time as far as you can remember. We could not listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving. Mom traditionally tried to break that tradition every year :). Papa read the Christmas story. We downed enough gummy bears to keep us content until next Christmas. We ate the best and sweetest papamade cinnamon rolls.

Every year we would be sentimental about opening gifts, and at least half the family would be crying. During the last few years, we were very aware that that Christmas could be the last one we were all together, since we were all growing up and beginning our own adventures. Every Christmas Mom put out our stockings which are now spread out all over the country, just like my family. Those stockings are old fashioned and beautiful. They are red velvet with white satin linings,and our names and a little Christmas picture are beaded onto them.

I know that this Christmas post should be tucked away in the archives of a few months ago, but I couldn't help writing it now. My husband and I have begun traditions for our own little family. This Christmas we loved watching little E play with the nativity scene and the wrapping paper on her first Christmas gifts. She has her own little stocking too. It isn't anything fancy, but I hope it will be just as special and sentimental as mine is.

Christmas DIY Stocking

The Little Felt Reindeer

I had an extra stocking with a B on it. It could have meant B is for Baby, but I wanted it to be unique for litte E. So I used light and dark brown felt which I cut out in this reindeer shape. I used white thread to stitch the outline, spots, and eyes. I added the curled Christmas ribbon for a scarf because I thought it needed a little something. I hot glued this onto a cream-colored felt square and hot glued that over the B. Now three stockings can be hung with care.

What are your family traditions during Christmas?