Community Voices for Health

We asked the Signature Mom Bloggers to share their favorite Christmas traditions. Check out what they had to say and then tell us about your favorite holiday traditions! Do you leave special cookies for Santa on Christmas eve? Or do you have a favorite movie you watch with your family? We want to know! 

Tanya Pimenta:

We have a great holiday tradition that we share with our dearest friends. This is our sixth year of having a “Cookie Playdate.”  We all bring some fixings and spend the afternoon baking and decorating cookies.  The kids eat lots of frosting and cookies.  Even though the cookies are not so edible in the end, the warm feeling the day brings sets the tone for Christmas and the New Year.  As wild and crazy as it can be with so many little ones, it’s something I look forward to each year!

Sandy Churchill:

One of our family traditions is the German practice of filling bunten tellers for each other. The name means “colored plate,” named for the colorful fruits, nuts, and candies placed as a gift on each person’s special plate. We created our own designs–decoupaged with pictures onto glass plates, and we use them each Christmas Eve. We each choose one small treat for each person in the family from a local sweet shop and we surprise each other typically after Christmas Eve Mass. This is one of the traditions our three children most enjoy each Christmas and it commemorates some of our German heritage!

Kathy Trainor:

Every Christmas Eve, since my husband has to work all day, we make lots of baked goods to bring to the local Fire and Police department. My kids also make sure to have a stuffed animal to bring to the police and fire departments for a child who may be in need this holiday season.

 

Janice Johnson-Plumer:

My tradition is to watch Charlie Brown Christmas every year. I remember how much I loved Charlie Brown growing up and how much I looked forward to watching the Christmas Special. I would sit with my mother and watch it every year.  These days I have my husband and son watch it with me, even though my son doesn’t get into it as much as I do.

My son, who is 12, still believes in Santa. I don’t place the gifts under the tree until the day of Christmas. The night before I shake bells to sound like Santa has come to our house while he sleeps.

This year, my husband and I will also take some time to just sit back and reflect on 2014 and what we need to do to move forward to 2015.

Jessica Aldred:

Here’s a picture of my three elves! Our holiday traditions consist of: “Chippey,” our Elf on a Shelf, making gingerbread houses, and trimming the tree as a family.

Heather O’Neill:

One of my favorite traditions is when “Buddy the Elf” brings Christmas jammies to the boys on Christmas Eve. These special, magical jammies let Santa know that they are sleeping and that it’s safe for him to come into the house and leave gifts. It’s a great motivator for the boys to sleep on such an exciting night!

Martianne Stanger:

One of our favorite holiday traditions is preparing our hearts for Christmas by making and acting upon our Advent chain.  Right before Advent begins (and sometimes just after during years when we are not as on the ball!), we cut purple and pink strips of paper.  Then, we brainstorm ideas for how we can serve and show love for others and write them on the strips.  We hang these up, and each day, take one strip down to act upon.

Even though the children already know what is written on the strips, since they come up with the ideas themselves, they get excited each day to see which act of service and love will be the suggestion of the day.  They also thrill to see the number of paper links on the chain — and therefore the days until Christmas — getting fewer and fewer.