Monday, December 14, 2009

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...



Some of our traditions include...

1) Each year we go to this little boutique in town and we each get to pick out one Old World Christmas Ornament that we feel suits us for that year. My hope is that one day when the kids are married I will pass their ornaments on to them to enjoy on their own trees.

2) I collect Santa Clauses to decorate the house with.

3) I don't fret about fancy wrapping- instead I let each kid pick out what wrapping they want. This year- Kane pick Transformers and Ruthie picked princesses.

4) We pick a night to put up the tree and to decorate it as a family (while we watch Christmas movies). This year Nolan unwrapped ornaments while Kane and I put them on the tree (Ruthie wandered about). It is so fun to look and talk about our ornaments from Christmas' past.

5) Christmas Eve we celebrate with our families and 2 other families from our hometown. We play Chinese Christmas (or dirty Santa) and over eat on finger foods. It's great!

6) On Christmas Day we visit 4 houses (we sleep and wake up at Nolan's parents', my parents next, then his grandparents', and then his other grandparents'), open lots of presents, over eat, and enjoy our time celebrating w/ loved ones the joyous birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7) My mom has an awesome recipe for homemade hot chocolate mix that she makes each year. We drink it until we are floating with it while we are all home for the holiday. My sister and I always make a cup of it before we start opening presents- we just can't open without it.

8) My sister always plays Santa handing out presents for us to open at my parents. She's 40, I'm 29, and my brother is 37, but some traditions die hard.

What are some of your traditions?

Our Family Tree full of our Old World Christmas Ornaments that we each get to pick one of each year...

My new dining room table and chandelier all decorated up (my favorite Santa)...

Some of my Santa's on our entertainment center...

The Kanester's tree in his room w/ all of mine and Nolan's ornaments from when we were little...

My ornament that really doesn't symbolize anything but he's pretty...

Kane loves Pirates...

Nolan is a coach and the mascot is the Scottish Highlanders...

I apologize, I forgot to take a picture of Ruthie's, but it was a Hippo in a tutu.

Ruthie's tree in her bedroom...

Whimsical ornaments for Little Misses tree...

Playroom Tree with Santa looking over it...



Photobucket

8 comments:

aaaa said...

they are fantastic Kasey!!

umm, unfortunately we don't celebrate christmas :(

xoxo

Amy said...

Your family has great traditions. We open up p.j.'s on Christmas Eve.. It is fun. Love all of the trees. The pink one is my favorite.

Rhonda said...

Love all the Christmas at your house! It's fun learning about everyone's traditions too. Come on over for a giveaway!

Emily said...

I love the pink tree...sassy!
Christmas traditions are great. In my family we open one present on Christmas Eve....I know, I know, most people think it's blasphemous! ;)

Unknown said...

Those trees are all so cute! Love the pink and blue ones...I almost cried for you when you were talking about your long run on my blog. Those first long runs are SO hard and sometimes it's all you can do to finish but keep with it! YOU CAN DO IT and it will be fun again and it probably already is but keep on trying!! I remember how hard that first marathon is but once it's done you'll LOVE it and we'll be hearing about how badly you want to do another one!! : )

Mrs Montoya said...

I love that your kiddos have their own trees. I might have to borrow that idea. They would.go.crazy! We all get new PJs on Christmas Eve. Everyone says a prayer and toasts with sparkling cider before we open gifts on Christmas morning.

london said...

I love Christmas ...and your collection is awesome..

Unknown said...

Cute trees- loved seeing your home decorated!

~Becca