Tuesday, November 22, 2011

a green life family christmas traditions


image from http://www.flickr.com                                        image from threeredapples.blogspot.com


At kindy this week the children started practising Christmas songs for the Christmas concert so today we decorated the lounge with ribbons for Christmas. So just a little excited. I imagine my excitement over the last few years' Christmas is going to be surpassed by Miss I'm nearly 5. Particularly as we are talking about going to Christmas in the Park this weekend. 



While my family have Christmas traditions: church, ham, appletiser, scorched almonds, presents after breakfast, one person chooses a gift for the next then everybody watches person open their present then they choose a present for the next, blah, blah. (Yes present opening takes a long time). And my own little family will follow these too. Including the handwritten cards from Santa (that began to look more and more like my Mum's). However I'm serious about building the following NEW traditions into our family culture too. Mostly after reading "Growing Great Girls" by Ian and Mary Grant in which they explain how traditions helps nurture feelings of connectedness and belonging. 
  • christmas stockings (with an orange, why you ask see here).
  • new PJ's the night before with a photo under the tree.
  • a christmas ornament for each child that represents something they've loved or a way of acting throughout the year. Take a photo of them with their ornament under the tree. When the child leaves home they take a little collection with them. 
  • Santa gifts a snow ornament alternately to children to also build a collection.
  • make a Christmas ornament from the trunk of the Chirstmas tree each year.
  • an advent calendar of christmas books, ornament making and activities for each December day before Christmas (post to come).
  • make presents with the children for relatives and friends.
  • presents from Mama and Papa and/or Santa include something they want, need, wear and read. I was also thinking about play.  

image from dandee-designs.com



I'll let you know how I get on organising all this. 
Do you have any traditions I should add?

3 comments:

  1. I am going to have an Xmas countdown this year in December Sus and want to make this a tradition. I am going to put it on my blog over next few days. Cool ideas, Xmas is so much better with kiddies! Sara

    ReplyDelete

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