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Post by woodenshoes on Nov 14, 2018 18:11:52 GMT -6
We have been getting real Christmas trees since DS1’s 1st Christmas. After we take them done my a H cuts a small piece off the trunk and we date it. My H saw that some where and wanted to start that tradition.
We live an hour away from my family, which makes things a little complicated. On Christmas Eve we go to my parent’s house. Christmas Eve night we have a get together with some of my cousins, aunts, uncle and my immediate family We have dinner, play some kind of game and have a secret Santa gift exchange. Also, we usually go to the Christmas Eve service at my parent’s church.
Christmas Day we open presents at my parents house in the morning. Then have Christmas breakfast or dinner. I typically stay most of Christmas week at my parents since my brothers family often comes to town at some point. They live 10 hours away so I like spending time with them.
We do our small Christmas December 23 (usually). That is when the boys get mostbof their gifts from us and the gifts from my husband’s parents. They live 12 hours away so they send money and we buy gifts for the boys. We don’t put a huge focus on Santa, but DS1 brought up that Santa brings gifts the other day so we will see how this goes.
Also, we always make Christmas cookies at some point. DH and I try to go to some kind of Christmas concert. We will bring the boys when they are older. We also like to drive around and see the lights.
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tinyjoys
Ruby
Posts: 16,429 Likes: 53,311
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Post by tinyjoys on Nov 15, 2018 7:13:14 GMT -6
I've been waiting until I was at my computer to write this out.
For reference, I have a 7 year old, 3 year old, and M18'er. Things we do: - traditionally, we have spent Christmas Eve with my mom's family at my grandma's and then exchanging gifts at my mom's (my grandma's neighbor) after and Christmas Day with my inlaws at MIL's. But, MIL went out of town with BIL last year and we stayed home and it was glorious and now H is all in on staying home and seeing inlaws either before or after or them coming to us. I'll gladly cook, but I have zero interest in getting out of my PJs and going anywhere. Luckily, my family lives 5 minutes away, so we're done & home by 9 at the latest. - a real tree and get it the first Saturday of December. My H takes the Saturday off and we get it in the morning, set it in the stand to let it "fall", then we do chinese takeout and watch a Christmas movie and decorate it before bed. - an elf, Christopher Pop-In-Kins. If you search the hashtag tinyjoysChristmas on Instagram, you can see some of our things. Mostly, he just moves around, but sometimes, he'll set up scenes or bring small gifts, like tumblers & cocoa, a movie or game. He arrives whatever day we get our tree. - family pajamas on Christmas Eve. I leave them under the tree when we leave for my grandma's and they're there when we get home. - the weekend before, I make rollout Christmas cookies and we decorate them with sprinkles & royal icing. I also bake 7-10 types of cookies the week leading up. - yearly ornaments. We always add at least a half dozen to our tree. - a drive through Christmas lights display about 30 minutes away. We make cocoa and stop for donut holes. - sometimes, we do the zoo lights with thermoses of cocoa and warm apple cider. There's also Greenfield Village local and they do a holiday event we try to do, too. I think both are getting pushed to next year, though. - Christmas Eve, I make H & I a small antipasti platter and we snack, drink wine, and listen to the turntable while we set up gift & stuff stockings. Some years, we exchange gifts now, too. - One of my favorite dates: we go get a simple dinner, like diner or Panera, large lattes and finish our Christmas shopping. Depending on the babysitter situation, we may go see a movie, too. - Christmas morning, the kids get to open stockings while I make H & I coffee and preheat the oven for whatever is for breakfast. I think I may just set up the coffee pot this year so that it turns on at 7 and we come down whenever to a hot pot & I think my oven has a similar setting. I haven't decided on breakfast yet. I may do something sweet, like cinnamon rolls, and something savory, like a breakfast casserole, plus fruit. A couple of years, my grandparents have joined us for breakfast either on their way to or from church, but my grandpa passed away last spring and Christmas is hard on my gram (they have dressed up as Santa & Mrs. Claus for events the last 15 years and it's her favorite holiday). I may actually see if she wants to stay the night with us Christmas Eve so she's here first thing & not alone. She'll obviously need matching jammies as well.
We don't have an actual fireplace (yet), so we leave a "magic" key on the door for Santa. It's just a skeleton key I got from an antique shop with a sparkly ribbon tied on it, but the big kid thinks it's magical and awesome. Santa then leaves it on the plate with the cookies crumbs.
I think maybe next year or the following year, we'll do a Polar Express train ride. They sound so fun, but I'd like the baby to be a little bigger and actually enjoy it.
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tinyjoys
Ruby
Posts: 16,429 Likes: 53,311
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Post by tinyjoys on Nov 15, 2018 7:14:11 GMT -6
Also, hi. I've been trying to read & stay caught up here (while lurking), but also? I suck.
I just really love Christmas.
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Post by leatherpants on Nov 15, 2018 22:16:50 GMT -6
Ahh tinyjoys, we did Polar Express last year and omg L loved it so much. It was so much fun and so magical. I can’t wait to take the boys again when the baby is older Also I think it’s sweet to invite your grandma and get her matching jammies. And the magic key idea is brilliant.
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polson
Platinum
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Post by polson on Nov 17, 2018 6:07:14 GMT -6
thanks for the advent calendar tip cornpop! i had a gift card lying around so with the sale and that i paid $10. i don’t think i could have made it for much less.
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Post by nevertoomanyshoes on Nov 19, 2018 0:29:34 GMT -6
tinyjoys that’s why MIL stays at our place Christmas Eve. FIL passed nearly ten years ago and she’s doing great but Christmas is the one time of year she struggles. She could stay at SIL’a but she would definitely rather stay at our place. Before we had kids, we’d drink and watch the carols and make homemade pizza. Now, well we still drink but just not as much since the kids are up so damn early. I can’t wait until one day we can stay home Christmas Day. I don’t care how many or few guests we have, I just don’t want to drive anywhere. Baileys in my coffee, eat and drink all day long.
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