Christmas Traditions

Our little family is still pretty new(just over three years), so we have a lot of opportunities to create our own holiday traditions.  Since our kids are also very young, we haven't done a lot of kid-friendly stuff in the past.  This year I got the Little People nativity set to keep little hands off the ornaments and other nativity sets.

 So far, it's been a big hit.  The angel sits on top of a button that plays "Away in a Manger" and lights the star up.  My daughter likes to switch the people up, and I have found the sheep on top of the stable more than once.  My grandma got us a fancy nativity set this year.  I keep it on top of the piano to keep it safe.

Christmas traditions that we already have are:

1. 
   Every year, we get a new Christmas storybook.  Last year we got Merry Christmas, Curious George, and this year we got How the Grinch Stole Christmas. 
2. On Christmas Eve, we go to my in-laws' house for dinner, presents, and a Christmas program with songs and the Christmas story.
3. On Christmas morning, we open our presents as a family, then we head to my parents' house for another gift exchange and lunch.
4. 
   The kids get new pajamas to wear to bed on Christmas Eve.  We got matching snowman jammies from a friend this year.  I am considering adding me and my husband to the pajama party next year.
5. 
   We make Icelandic pancakes(like crepes, but thinner) either for Christmas Eve or Christmas.  We fill them with cinnamon sugar, whipped cream and fruit, and nutella.  This is a carry-over tradition from my family, since my dad spent two years in Iceland as a young man.  Last year, we got our own Icelandic pancake pan for Christmas from my parents.  We are thinking of making these for my husband's family on Christmas Eve this year.

As our kids get older, I look forward to starting new traditions with them.  Some things I would like to do with them are:

• Make and decorate Christmas sugar cookies.  (This already happens almost every year anyway.)
• Make Christmas treats to give to our neighbors.  (This also happens almost every year).
• Go to Temple Square or Willard Bay to see the Christmas lights.
• Do some act of service for someone in our neighborhood.
• Light Christmas candles on Christmas Eve and watch them burn down until bedtime.
• Do a Christmas advent calendar.

I'm sure there are other things that I will be adding to the list over the years.  I look forward to when our kids get excited for holidays and can help me create our own family traditions.