Christmas Traditions: A New Beginning

Christmas has always been a very special time for me. It is the time of the year when the food becomes better, people are sometimes nicer and lots of family and friends arrives to celebrate the holidays with the one's they love. They bring gifts, food and stories of the year past and the changes they hope for in the future. Old grievances are put aside in the name of tradition and new ones are created in the name of family!

But before they bring the fun, the fights, the smiles, the tears and of course the gift's you can take time for the family you truly share each day with. The one's you see every day as they go off to job's, to school and shopping. The family you share meals with throughout the rest of the year when problems are shared and solved within your own walls. This is the family that tradition set's the tone for memories of love and bonds them together so when everyone arrives you and your own little family will have your secret memories to carry you through the stress.

It is the seven days of Christmas for family only. Even if there are only two of you it is the best way to start the count down to the holiday. Choose a meal or time when you are together. It can be breakfast, dinner or just before bedtime. If your schedules make it impossible for you to all be together at the same time then choose a location for each person such as special boxes on top of the piano or the center of the kitchen table each morning. Exchange or leave little gifts for each other once a day just to let them know you are thinking of them.

You can choose a theme for the gifts or an amount to create boundaries regarding what the gift should be. We choose homemade or under $2.00. Also the size must fit in a 3" x 3" box. The gifts are inexpensive or do not cost anything at all. But they give each person something to look forward to in the days before Christmas and a few moments to think about the person they love. It is a smile in the form of a small gift wrapped with love.

If you need suggestions to help get you started then let me share some of the items from our Christmas past and Christmas yet to come. I love chocolate so I have received little chocolate candies, a small pack of special chocolate drink, little chocolate cakes or cookies. Other items have been Dollar store gifts, a flower, special personalized card, a painting, a book, coffee, incense, craft items, wooden wall shelf, pictures with messages, stories written in personal form by the giver and the list is endless. I have even received press on tattoos which turned out to be a lot of fun!

It helps you be creative and lets your sense of humor flow to the person you most want to see smile. Limits on the type of gift can be decide between the family, but remember they are to bring happiness and good memories, not more shopping stress so keep it simple. This is a tradition you will see continue in your children as they have their own families. It is a tradition of love and remembrance for everyone forever.