Christmas Is Coming.....

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.........

Tree is up, with only strong, sturdy ornaments!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas over here! A huge thank you to Sam for putting up the tree and helping with the ornaments and decorations! Every year we give our children an ornament. Their Nana (Scott's mom) also gives them an ornament. They each have a special box, filled with just their ornaments. It will be a special treasure for each child to take with them when they leave our home. Only the strong and sturdiest of ornaments was allowed on the tree this year. We still have two little ones (well to be honest, just one little cute boy) that is sure each ornament needs to be checked out by him. Maybe next year we will be able to put the pretty glass/ceramic ones on the tree as well!

I hadn't started my Christmas shopping until yesterday. Now that might sound like a reason to panic to most people with 10 kids but to be honest, it really didn't scare me. I usually like to have it done by now so I don't have to worry about it, but because of the way we do Christmas, it's really no problem.

Years ago we started giving gifts to each other the way the Three Wise Men brought gifts to baby Jesus, we give 3 gifts per person. We took it a step further in that each year they get the same 3 gifts: a book, a game or toy and a clothing item. Just like the ornaments, each child will have a collection of books to take with them when they leave to start families of their own. They will have books in each age range and (if they have survived the constant usage) a collection of board games to take with them. Our kids love to play board games and reading is a favorite pastime for several of our children.

On Christmas Eve they unwrap two gifts: their new ornament to hang on the tree and of course, Christmas p.j.'s! The next morning after we have eaten our homemade cinnamon rolls, we sit down together and open our gifts. It's great because they know what to expect, there is no disappointment that they didn't get some big item on their 'wish' list. I have always told them, making a wish list is pretty pointless. When we pick out their gifts, we pick things that we want to give them! I don't like to be told by someone, "Get me this, this is what I really want!" Gift giving comes from the heart. I try to always find things I think they will enjoy but if it's not exactly to their liking we are also teaching them to always receive a gift graciously.

I love that after Christmas we no longer need to spend tons of time trying to find places to fit all of our new Christmas gifts. The books get added to the shelves, the games go in to the game closet and the new clothing item gets hung up in their closet.

Oh and the stockings?? Santa fills those with yummy treats like little oranges, candy canes jerky, ( I know weird huh? But they love it!) and maybe a little trinket or two.

Anyway, there ya have it, a few of our traditions! Traditions are what our children look forward to every year. Putting together a gingerbread house and delivering it secretly to a family, making plates of Christmas goodies and delivering them to friends and neighbors, going to see the Zoolights, drinking plenty of hot chocolate, watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel.....I will try to capture as many pictures as I can this beautiful Christmas season!