Christmas Traditions

This was actually posted 2 years ago on homeschool blogger, things haven't changed much, but getting started a little late on our Christmas advent readings. This year I found a free advent reading guide complete with printable ornaments to either hang on the tree or put up on the wall somewhere. Everyday there is a reading and then the kids can take turns each day coloring the corresponding ornament and hang it on the tree. We will end our daily advent readings with a little treat, this year Bob's candies peppermint sticks..yummy!

What does advent mean?, according to the 1828 Websters Dictionary, it says: A coming; appropriately the coming of our Savior, and in the calendar it includes four Sabbaths before Christmas.- it is intended as a season of devotion, with reference to the coming of Christ in the flesh, and His second coming to judge the world.

And this year the boys don't have any surprises when it comes to gifts. They are each getting set up with a compound bow to go hunting with of course! They will just not be able to use them until Christmas Day which they are very anxious about. They will be learning patience, haha!

In years past Ash and I have agreed that we would not spend any money on rinky dink gifts. Instead we would give each of them a gift that is of value and will not end up left on the ground and in the trash. This has worked very well for us and the boys have been content with one nice gift that will last a lot longer.

Well, I hope you all are enjoying this joyous season, baking, shopping (maybe), and spending time with family and friends and most importantly reflecting on the gifts that God gives to each of us. Merry Christmas!

Dec. 9, 2005 - Kanahele Christmas Traditions

Merry CHRISTmas everyone! I hope you all are enjoying this time of year when we really get to reflect on our saviours birth. I think it's a wonderful time of the year where we can spend time with our families and friends and cherish all the memories!

I just recieved Cindy Rushton's email about her new Christ centered Christmas Ebook and I thought it might be fun to share some of our traditions here in the Kanahele home. We start the season off with advent readings about 4 Sundays prior to Christmas Day. Last year we did the Jessse Advent Tree. We had a small 2 foot artificial tree and everyday the kids and I would start off the morning with the appropriate reading for the day and then we would all work together making the corresponding ornament. It was a lot of work to do it this way, but we had fun. This year, we're expecting our fifth child, due on January 5, so I found something a little simpler to do. I found an advent reading list on the internet from Focus On the Family and each night before the kid's go to bed we read the scripture for that day and the kid's get a treat after the reading. I have chosen these red and white butter mints to give them after each reading and explained to them that Jesus came, not to live, but to die for our sins...the red on the candy representing the blood He shed and the white represents the washing of our sins and Jesus making us "as white as snow". Then we will brush our teeth of course! and the kids fall asleep to daddy singing worship music. This has worked out well for us this year! A nativity has replaced a tree in our home this year and in the beginning of this month we all worked together to make a murial of Christ's birth which is hanging on our wall. The kids have so much fun decorating each character in the Christmas story. We also made paper angels to hang from our kitchen bar for everyone to see. We have also decided together that we will decorate our front porch with white lights, representing Jesus, being the light of the world. Everytime we look at our art, we are reminded of why we celebrate christmas. We make something homemade to eat to give to our neighbors and friends. Last year the kid's and I delivered our goodies to our friends and neighbor's homes and while my oldest son played the ukulele we sang a Christmas carol at their doorstep. This was a really special time and I think we will do it again this year. On Christmas Day we start off the morning with daddy reading the Christmas story, singing a little worship and saying a prayer before we open up any gifts that have been given to us. We have reminded the children that this is a season of giving and not wanting, which they take very well. My husband and I have also started a tradition about 4 years ago to buy one great big gift for all of the children to enjoy together and three really nice individual gifts that represent the three gifts that Jesus received from the wise men. This also has proved to be a hit in our home. This has eliminated any clutter of "junkie" toys around the home after Christimas! In the past, the big gift has been a trampoline, the kids also received ukulele's, boogie boards and such. In the afternoon of Christmas Day, we have a nice dinner which consists of a ham, potato salad (dad's favorite), a veggie dish and dessert. The dessert is a birthday cake for Jesus and we end off this wonderful day with singing "Happy Birthday to Jesus". The rest of the day we spend time resting and enjoying each others' company!

These are just a few of our traditions and hope you all enjoyed taking a peek into the Kanahele home during this wonderful time of the year!

What are some of your Christmas Family Traditions??