We feel that since families are being attacked at every side that having fun family traditions can help the fight on our side. Families come first.
With that in mind as the holiday season is fast upon us, we've been seeking out Christmas traditions.
Karen gave us a little advent calendar all stocked up and ready to go...but we still had the old one that she gave us so I was thinking what we could do with that one. Surely we didn't need two calendars with treats.
Instead I thought of 24 things to do as a family to help strengthen our relationships. I typed them up and cut them out and put them randomly in the calendar so not even I know where most of the papers are. There are a few that we planned out.
The second is the first presidency fireside, so we'll be doing that on the second.
The eighth is my friend's wedding reception and we'll be going into SLC anyway, so we are planning on going to see the lights at Temple Square that day.
The sixteenth is our anniversary, so that's when we'll force Rachel to watch us slow dance in the kitchen.
And the twenty-fourth is Christmas eve, so we'll of course be reading the Christmas story and acting that out.
And then I had to strategically place things that Andrew and I could both do on our own (readings, etc) because sometimes he isn't home until late, late, late so it is almost impossible to get family time in. But at least we can read the same message and talk about it over IM or on a later date.
Other than that though, these are all placed randomly in the calendar. None of us have any idea when they will pop up. It should be fun.
- Watch Mr. Krueger's Christmas
- Watch Nora's Christmas Gift
- Watch The Story of the Other Wise Man
- Watch The Nativity
- Watch Joy to the World
- Read the Christmas Story and act it out
- Watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional
- Read President Monson's talk
- Go see the lights on Temple Square
- Everyone choose your favorite Christmas song to sing
- Read this short Christmas message
- Read a message by President Hinckley
- Let daddy be a donkey and take turns riding around on his back like Mary and Joseph
- Read a Christmas story from the library
- Play a game together
- Sing your favorite Christmas hymn
- Read President Faust's message
- Watch mommy and daddy dance to their song
- Go Christmas Light looking
- Turn on jazzy Christmas music and dance in the kitchen
- Play a game together
- Sing your favorite Christmas carols
- Go caroling to a neighbour
- Read what some prophets remember about Christmas
2 comments:
I LOVE THIS!! Matt and I have been doing the same thing. For example, we're getting a live tree because that's what his family has always done, and when we have our own house, we're going to get two trees, because I want one tree (a small one) that's the "fancy" tree that has some sort of theme to it.
I've been trying to figure out an advent calender as well. My family has one that you open pockets and decorate a Christmas tree and a nativity scene. But I don't want the Christmas tree on an advent, because I don't think that should have an equal focus as the birth of Christ.
I may have to steal this idea :)
I have a two tree idea, too...I'm going to post that a little later
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