Creating Christmas Traditions

Thanksgiving was really hard for Hazel. She was in tears while Skyping with my parents because she missed them and was sad we didn't have any family around for the holiday. They'd been talking about traditions in school and she sobbed, "we don't have any traditions!" In a way she was right. Our little family doesn't have many holiday traditions even though we've been married for over 7 years. Why? We've always spent most holidays surrounded by family. When we're with Michael's family we have Ballard traditions. When we're with my family we have Smith traditions. The few traditions we have  incorporated in to our own home have been traditions from our childhood.

After Thanksgiving the homesick bug was beginning to get me as well. I wanted to drive up to the mountains and cut down our tree; I wanted go to temple square; I wanted to bake sugar cookies with my mom. But then I realized what an amazing opportunity we had this year. Our calender's weren't crowded with work parties and other commitments like they have been in years past. That meant we could choose how to fill them, and we could create our own family traditions. Filling our days with some old traditions, some new traditions, and lots of friends and neighbors has made our December wonderful and invited the true spirit of Christmas in to our home.

Up first was our ward Christmas party.They put on a beautiful Nativity  and asked us to be Mary and Joseph. It was a truly special experience to put myself in Mary's shoes for a moment. Hazel was cast as a sheep (the most adorable sheep you've ever seen!)

Advent Calendars: Every year Michael's mom send us a Trader Joe's chocolate advent calendar. This year I decided to add a daily scripture advent calendar as well. It has started some great discussions about the Christmas story. Today Eliza sweetly told me, "They didn't have a crib for Jesus when he was born so he had to sleep in a manger. On the hay."

Christmas cookies: Making Christmas sugar cookies has long been one of my favorite family traditions. We've baked a lot and shared cookies with friends and neighbors. Last Sunday we had the wonderful opportunity to invite our elderly neighbors over for cookies and cocoa and get to know them better.

Caroling: Last night some friends in the ward invited us to join them for caroling. I've honestly never been caroling in my whole life if you can believe it. It was so magical and will be a new tradition for sure. The feelings of joy, love, and friendship were overwhelming.

Opening our home: We've also had lots of company! Friends, co-workers, neighbors, and missionaries have joined us frequently this month. In fact, the missionaries will spend Christmas day here and Skype their families from here. It has been wonderful to meet new people and enjoy having a full, busy house.

With our calendar carefully filled with activities that give us time as a family to focus on the true meaning of Christmas our homesickness has melted away. It has been a wonderful, peaceful Christmas season. We can't wait for Christmas day this week! Merry Christmas!