When I was little I don't remember too many traditions. One of my favorites was driving around looking at lights. I'm an only child so Santa didn't wrap his presents. I would wake my parents up not too early like 6 ish and I would have to wait for them to put their robes on and brush their teeth before I could go look at my presents. The stocking stuffers were just candy, hot coco, undies, and these little figurines I collected. I would get to look at all my unwrapped gifts from Santa and we would go around taking turns opening gifts.
2011 was the first year we started traditions in our little family. It was our first Christmas in our house and Chase's first Christmas. Hubby's family gets new Christmas pjs on Christmas eve so we started doing that with Chase. In Hubby's family Santa wraps the presents in special Santa wrapping paper. So, we did that too.
We've never taken Chase to the mall Santa. My dad got a Santa suit in 2011 to surprise all the little boys at my aunt's house. It was so adorable. I think my nephew is getting to old for that and we suspected at 6 months old Chase knew it was his Papa and I really think he would know now. This year we did a mini session with a local photographer and a Santa. I loved it because Chase had time to warm up to Santa instead of the wait in line get plopped on his lap at the mall thing. I can't wait to see the pictures! This may be a new tradition for us.
This year we started Elf on the Shelf. Chase couldn't come up with a name for his elf. Hubby suggested Mickey and Chase didn't like that. I suggested Buddy and it seems to have stuck. I haven't gotten too creative with him yet. Chase some how has figured out how to get whatever toy Buddy is playing with back without touching Buddy. Kid is like a ninja! His cousin was over yesterday and picked Buddy up (they don't do Elf on the Shelf) and Chase fuhreaked out! He wouldn't touch him and he said, "Don't touch! Magic!" I love it!
This is a little fake prelit tree my parents got for me at some point growing up. It is now Chase's wittle tree which I'm totally fine with.
I think our first Christmas I bought a bunch of white lights at Hobby Lobby and Hubby made me return them. He is a colored lights guy. Now that I'm on a mission to take the perfect picture of Chase in front of the Christmas tree I realize how much prettier white lights are to photograph!
As a kid, we would go up the hill and cut down a tree from a tree farm and drink hot apple cider. I really want to start this tradition with Chase but those tree farm trees are expensive! Maybe when the twins are older. We get a real tree every year but just from Lowe's or a tree lot in town. This year we were at the photo shoot with Santa and didn't even help Hubby pick it out.
Outside we do colored basic lights. I don't like icicles or mismatched lights. We have a palm tree and Hubby has talked about wrapping the tree with lights. No.
Our stocking stuffers have been pretty basic like they were when I was a kid. Hubby one time put my bare essentials foundation in mine. That was my favorite so far!
My parents gave me an ornament every year and now we have them all for our tree. Hubby calls it a Meagan tree. I bought silver and red generic ornaments to make the tree pretty. We have a few ornaments as a family. Several baby's first Christmas or just married ornaments. My parents also bought an ornament every year when we were on vacation to put on the tree. I think we will try to add an ornament every year.
I love family traditions. Our children are much older than your little guy so we've had plenty of years to establish traditions. It may not seem important to him now but those will be the things he talks about and remembers when he's older.
ReplyDeleteI always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights.
ReplyDelete