Tradition #4

We started this tradition with P for her first Christmas. And I have a sneaking suspicion that she is catching on. How, you ask? Because of a little convo Ryan and I overheard on the afternoon of the Eve of Christmas. It went a little something like this...

P: "We get to open a present tonight, Mason."

M: "Yep, I love pwesents."

P: "We only get to open one though."

M: "Yep, I love opening one pwesent."

P: "And I can bet you that it is a pair of pajamas."

Awesome.

The only rule about new Christmas p.j.'s is that they cannot, under any circumstances, have anything Santaish on them.

Another tradition that is going to be a keeper.

Tradition #3

This is our third year for this tradition. After the Christmas Eve Service at church our friends the Stewarts host a little get-together. And by little, I mean, 14 adults and 18 kids. Oh my gracious, are they some brave peeps. It is always lots of yummy food, laughs, and fun. I am grateful for friends that are like family for us.

I guess the carrying-on of this tradition will depend on the Stews. Stews...?

And who doesn't love a little birthday cake in honor of the baby Jesus' birthday?

Tradition #2

Christmas Eve Service at church.

This is a tradition that Ryan and I both did as kids, and continue as adults...dragging the kids along with us. I love Christmas Eve at church. A time-out from the craziness that comes with the season and an opportunity to refocus.

There is no childcare at church for the Christmas Eve service, so we all get to go to "big church". The little guy can be a bit of a challenge, but then again, what's new.

We take communion, worship, and celebrate our Savior as a family. And, I am not sure if there is much of anything in life I love more.

This tradition is most definitely a keeper.

On our way out the door this year...

Tradition #1

Decorating our Christmas tree.

Last year we decorated our tree the weekend before Thanksgiving. I am not going to lie, somebody in the house was not a big fan of the idea. Ahem, Ryan. But we generally travel to my parents for Thanksgiving, and I really wanted to try putting them up early, so when we get home from our travels, Christmas would be in full effect in our house, all the work of putting it up behind us, and we could just enjoy. So, decorating for Christmas happened at our house before Thanksgiving. Gasp!

And, guess who is now a fan of decorating the house before Thanksgiving. Ahem, Ryan.

Coming home to a house that is already in the Christmas spirit is wonderful! This is year number two of this tradition, and as of now, this tradition will live on.

From our family to yours...

Traditions

I love traditions. Sometimes they can be a bit stressful and cumbersome, but for the most part I love what a tradition represents and the memories that they create. This time of year seems to bring out traditions in full force. We had traditions in our house growing up. Some I hated, ie. having to have my mom comb and hairspray, that's right, AquaNet, my hair on Christmas morning before I could come downstairs so that my hair "would look good for the pictures." And others I loved, ie. going to cut our Christmas tree at the tree farm the day after Thanksgiving every year.

Ryan and I have tried to create traditions in our home for ourselves and for our children to have as well. We have lived our entire marriage away from family, so, we have been forced to make our own holiday traditions, and that's okay. Some of them are carried over from our own childhoods, others we started our first years of marriage, and other we have added as the years have gone on. Either way, they are special to us, and I hope will be memories for our children to take with them when they have families of their own. So, a few Alexander traditions for the Christmas holidays....

Depraved Indifference

"Do we care? At the level that God cares."