MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!!

This is my kids favorite holiday - of course.

While I must say it is quite a challenge to keep the kids FOCUSED on Jesus for this wonderful holiday the whole process is fun!

FAMILY TRADITIONS
Our family traditions include much with their DAD which I love....His mother, Norma Ridley was an awesome phenomenal cook. She baked TONS of pies during the holidays. I still remember her lemon cake with confetion suger spinkled on top. Simple but yummy. The best of course was her peach cobbler that I leaned to help her make...I remember hearing her say..."add a little of that...NO NOT THAT LITTLE..."and she would grab the shaker to do her version of alittle which looked like a LOT to me=)

DAD IN THE KITCHEN = COOKIES

So now DAD is "Norma Jr." and he and the kids bake usually on Christmas Eve but sometimes before then with whatever friends are visiting and  they make TONS of cookies. The funniest part about that is the SUGER COOKIES...every year they are YUCKY and NO ONE EATS THEM. We have yet to find a receipe they like to actually EAT! Yet, they are quite happy to display their  creations on seperate plates....each of them even make a cookie to use to sing or say  "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.
 
DUMP THE SUGER COOKIES & HIDE THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS

I personally nibble on a few but usually we dump those beautiful suger cookies that they enjoyed making so much. The chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies on the other hand and priceless and are a highly sought after commodity! I personally HIDE my batch from grubby little fingers. I enjoy them a little TOO MUCH. In fact, one year I made myself SICK from eating TOO MANY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES! Needless to say I take it easy now...hence the need to hide them...

BAH HUMBUG - NO SANTA CLAUS

I personally may receive some flact but I hate Santa Claus. His attention draws away too much for the true meaning of christmas.... I LOVE St Nicolas and teach my kids about his awesome testimony. I just found a Veggie Tales video on St Nick for my 4yo preschooler's christmas present....I don't even mind that some of my family members till "do" Santa. I teach my kids to be politically correct and NOT spoil their family traditions. =)

3 REASONS FOR NO SANTA FOR CHILDREN

1. We don't want to lie to our preschool children about Santa. We want them to know that Jesus us real - not Santa and the Easter Bunny...This way they won't be confused later as they get older if we say " Well...I know I tod u about Santa but  Santa is fake.... but not Jesus...He's real"

2. We want to try to focus more on celebrating Jesus' birthday...

3. My hubby's family believes the kids wil have more appreciation for their gifts when they know their parents worked hard to earn $ to PAY for the MANY toys they also like. Did I say MANY?

TRAINING the 4yo PRESCHOOLER ABOUT CHRISTMAS and NO SANTA

We like to read and chat about the Christmas story many times to help preschoolers in our family learn WHY we celebrate Christmas. We also avoid santa shows that ma confuse them until they are old enough to understand that Santa and Little Bear are JUST pretend.

I do go thru Heat Miser withdrawl for a few years but its worth it!!

BUT I have to teach them what to say when they are asked what Santa is bringing them...that gets tricky when they are little. My 4 yr old preschooler just figured it out and told us "Santa is a fake...I get it" I am glad he realizes but don't want him blurting that out!
We will work on it!

FINALLY - WE HIDE THE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

One year, years ago I decided to hide the kids presents....I wanted to savor the excitement a little longer. Before, when I wanted to take pics, they opened everything soooo fast I missed them.  So now after we pray and it is present time it is battle of the skills. Each year it becomes progressively harder to hide them because their sluething skills go up...

One year we didn't find some gifts till MONTHS LATER because I FORGOT WHERE I HID THEM. I am a little more careful now to keep tabs on where they are. Some years we write out clues and make a treasue map and such. Many years since I have wanted to stop but the kids love it. Oh, the MOST IMPORTANT PART...if they can't find a hidden gift and need my help it costs them kisses as payment. Then we play hot/cold game till they are "hot" and uncover their gifts. We have fun...

Please feel free to comment on ur favorite christmas traditions...

Blessings and Merry Christmas