Today's Christmas tip is to enjoy the Thanksgiving holidays! I do celebrate Thanksgiving, it just doesn't require as much advance planning and work as Christmas does. We decorate for fall at the beginning of September, so our "Thanksgiving" decorations are actually displayed and enjoyed longer than our Christmas ones. Since I get a head start on Christmas preparations, I am able to enjoy the week of Thanksgiving. We have school on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, and then on Tuesday afternoon travel to my parents' house. I usually spend Wednesday helping my mother cook for our family Thanksgiving meal (the girls help too), and on Thursday my brothers and their families and my grandmothers join us for a yummy Thanksgiving lunch. Later Thursday afternoon, my family heads home.
On the Friday after Thanksgiving, we put up our Christmas tree! What a fun day that is! I buy the children one or two new ornaments each year, wrap them, and let them open them before we begin decorating the tree. I look for ornaments with a special meaning for each child.....an interest they have had that year, a color or theme that they like, or something with their name or inital on it. I always write the year on the back of the ornament with a Sharpie if possible. 14 years ago my original intention was to give the children ornaments each year, and when they left our home to begin a home of their own, I would give them a box of their ornaments from years past. I have changed my mind. If they all take their ornaments, my tree will be bare! So, when they begin decorating their own tree, I plan to continue buying them a couple of ornaments each year for their very own tree. They will just have to fill in with colored balls for a few years!
The Saturday after Thanksgiving is our Thanksgiving dinner with Jimmy's family. Jimmy, his sister, his brother's wife, and I help Granmomma prepare the meal. We also spend time on this day putting up Granmomma's Christmas decorations, including putting up and decorating her tree. The grandchildren enjoy this immensely. Granmomma and Pop sit in their recliners and watch the transformation.
Happy Thanksgiving!
On the Friday after Thanksgiving, we put up our Christmas tree! What a fun day that is! I buy the children one or two new ornaments each year, wrap them, and let them open them before we begin decorating the tree. I look for ornaments with a special meaning for each child.....an interest they have had that year, a color or theme that they like, or something with their name or inital on it. I always write the year on the back of the ornament with a Sharpie if possible. 14 years ago my original intention was to give the children ornaments each year, and when they left our home to begin a home of their own, I would give them a box of their ornaments from years past. I have changed my mind. If they all take their ornaments, my tree will be bare! So, when they begin decorating their own tree, I plan to continue buying them a couple of ornaments each year for their very own tree. They will just have to fill in with colored balls for a few years!
The Saturday after Thanksgiving is our Thanksgiving dinner with Jimmy's family. Jimmy, his sister, his brother's wife, and I help Granmomma prepare the meal. We also spend time on this day putting up Granmomma's Christmas decorations, including putting up and decorating her tree. The grandchildren enjoy this immensely. Granmomma and Pop sit in their recliners and watch the transformation.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Roan,
ReplyDeleteWhen Lauren was born my mom started the tradition of getting her an ornament or ornament set each year. We also gave her an ornament each year. As we added children the tradition continued. When Lauren got married we did give her all of her ornaments and didn't even notice a single bare spot on the tree that year. Really with such large families you shouldn't notice the loss of the ornaments (except for the special memories as you unpack them) until the last 2-3 children are left. They won't all leave at the same time and you can replenish them slowly, making new memories. And giving ornaments to your grandchildren as they come along.
I haven't done my ornament shopping yet...so unprepared for our try decorating session which traditionally comes on Sunday. Need to get out there soon and find some great ornaments.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Anita
that should be "tree" decorating, not "try" decorating!
ReplyDeleteAnita