Holiday Traditions

Christmas is so close we can taste it (and it tastes like fudge). Our minds can't help but wander back to years past, when our family was newer and forming our own holiday traditions. Here is a random sampling from our 14 years together (in no particular order):

No Christmas music until after Thanksgiving

This one was Rick's idea, not mine. Perhaps it's because I play holiday tunes 24/7, all season long. He has to give me some limits or he'll go crazy. I have 30+ Christmas CDs, and the collection grows every year. Whether it's Harry Connick, Mo Tab, or The Muppets, I'm sure to play it all.

Caroling

We've sung to the neighbors, family members, and to senior citizens. It's just not Christmastime unless we're "entertaining" others with our Saunders Family Favorites.

The Christmas Eve Gift

It's hard to wait for Christmas morning, whether you're a giver or a receiver. Jake and Em get to open one present the night before the big day so as to warm up their gift unwrapping muscles. It's also a great time to practice those magic words like, "thanks" and "I love it" and "you're the best Mom ever".

Zoo Lights

This one was a little easier when we lived in Arizona. Winter evenings were barely nippy in the desert. You could get by with a sweatshirt and some Dollar Store mittens. Here in Toledo, one must don a minimum of 4 layers to view the Zoo Lights. I've vowed to wear my snow bibs next year.



Dressing the Dog

We've found that putting clothes on Shelby is endlessly entertaining for us. The poor girl has worn many goofy sweaters over the years. Last year we found a Santa suit that gets us all in the mood for Christmas. She knows she looks good in it.




Crafts

Gone are the days when we had to make our gifts. I'm sure our family is glad that Rick gave away his jigsaw and that I've put away my paints. Emma still loves crafting though, and there are ample opportunities at Michael's and Home Depot.



Nativities

We have a growing collection of nativities and we find new ones every year. Since we've moved to Perrysburg, our nativity stash has come in handy since our church hosts and Interfaith Nativity Celebration. Here are a few that we've loaned for the exhibit:

Car lights

Rick decorates the family car with a string of lights each year. Guess who gets to drive it around town? Ya, I do. Sometimes I forget that the lights are up there and I catch other drivers checking me out. It's really unnerving. It does seem to put a smile on a person's face though. I've had a lot of waves and thumbs up signs the past few weeks.

Santa brings wrapped presents

It's funny. When I was a kid, Santa's gifts were never wrapped. They were just hangin' out by my stocking. Santa changed his ways once Rick and I started having kids. Now the big guy brings presents wrapped in special Santa Claus paper labeled with mysterious labels not seen on any of the family presents. I guess Santa must have had a change in management up at the North Pole.

Gingerbread Houses

Whoever thought of making a house covered in frosting and candy must have been a genious. We've long enjoyed constructing delicate dwellings of graham crackers and Skittles. This year's structure was built from a store bought kit from Michael's. It was our best attempt yet. I would post a picture, but the kids have already eaten most of it. You'll just have to take our word for it.

Potpourri

This one comes from my Mom. She used to make her own holiday potpourri using orange slices, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. She would simmer the concoction on the stove and it would smell heavenly. Now we do the same thing using our little holiday warmer.

Nat King Cole

Here's another carry-over from childhood. When Rick's family would decorate the tree, they'd always play a tape of Nat King Cole singing "I'm the Happiest Christmas Tree" in the background. That's always the first song we play when we drag out the Christmas ornaments.

Pictures with Santa

We stole this idea from Rick's sister Amy. It's so fun to see how the kids change from year to year. When they're little guys, the pictures show them looking suspicious of Santa, even terrified. As they get older, the expressions change from happy to "this is so lame Mother". From 18 months to 18 years, we're going to have a picture of our kids with Santa. (See last year's post for a sample of Saunders family Santa pics).

Tools and Books

Rick has always given the kids tools for Christmas with the hopes that they'll each have a full set of Craftsman tools when they move out of the house. I wanted to have a cool legacy to pass on too, so I started giving the kids books a few years back. Sure, they're not as useful, but it sends a message. When something breaks, go read a book.

Christmas Countdown

This one kinda goes back to my crafting days. The ladies at church used to have Super Saturday Activities where we'd get together and make cutesy Christmas decorations and eat yummy food. I have a few lingering crafts that the kids won't let me keep in the box. One is a painted wooden Christmas tree with 25 miniature ornaments that you can hang on the tree each day preceeding Christmas. The other is a painted wooden snowman from which you can hang a string of 25 candies to count down to the holiday. Yup. They're both displayed right now.

Christmas Letters

We haven't been faithful about sending Christmas cards every year. I guess you could say our tradition is to procrastinate sending cards. One year we sent an Easter newsletter instead, because we never got around to it. This year was no exception. I had to change the greeting from Merry Christmas to Happy New Year. Check out my poem below:

A New Twist on an Old Poem

Twas the week before Christmas, when Audrey exclaimed,
“Not a letter I’ve written, no accomplishment named!”
So she sat down to pen season’s greetings and more
With hope that her family’s news would not bore.

The year had been kind to the Saunders indeed.
Rick loved being Doc, and the kids grew like weeds.
The new home was settled and feeling quite cozy.
Two thousand and nine had turned out mostly rosy.

Emma continued to draw and to craft.
She made many friends, she sang, and she laughed.
Her talent for writing and reading increased.
Her cleverness shocked her folks not in the least.

Jacob bid farewell to childhood at last.
Junior high school seemed to come way too fast.
His hard work in Scouts gave him plenty to do.
He took up the flute and the violin too.

Audrey kept busy with cycling and teaching.
Her work with the youth came with blessings far-reaching.
She spent every day either planning or napping.
Seminary was so energy zapping!

Rick spent his time with the injured or ill.
Home maintenance projects he tackled with zeal.
He installed the sprinklers and rough framed the walls.
It’s a wonder the poor man could wake up at all!

When Audrey had finished her Christmas card task,
The deadline for shipping had already passed.
So she chuckled and on every card she did write,
“Happy New Year” to all and to all a good night!

Best Wishes for the New Year!
The Saunders Family

Black Friday Shopping

I told you this was a list in no particular order! Rick is one of those crazy shoppers that gets up at 4:00 in the morning the day after Thanksgiving so he can score some major deals. Since he was working a 30-hour shift this year, he had to wait until 10:00 am to catch those Black Friday deals. He claims it was still worth the lines and the traffic.

Movies

Some movies just bring it all home, right? Our top 5 holiday movies have to be:

1. It's A Wonderful Life

2. White Christmas

3. Frosty & Rudolph (claymation classic)

4. Charlie Brown

5. Polar Express

Luke 2

Not a year goes by that we don't read the Christmas story straight from the scriptures. When we're gathered with extended family, we always act it out (including the costumes). Sometimes we watch the church video that they show at the temple. You can see that here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLWYgMmFET4&feature=related

Christmas Eve Dinner

Since we NEVER get to go out to a restaurant (ha ha), we've started eating out for Christmas Eve. We've had our reservations at Nagoya for several weeks. Sure, it's not Frito Family Mexican Food with orange juice and Sprite, but it'll do. And, there's no clean up!

Well, if you've made it through this post you must be really bored or you gave birth to us. Merry Christmas! We love you. Now get back to your families!