By: Trish BergChristmastime is such a time for joy and faith, family and fun. But if you have kids, it can also be a time of fighting and arguing over who got to decorate the last Christmas cut out cookie or put the angel on the tree.
Well, though I can't solve all your Christmas-kid-woes, I can solve one - The ANGEL.
We started many years ago taking turns putting the angel on top of the Christmas tree, and we write down who did it that year in a Christmas journal. We also have a Christ-mas nail we hang near the trunk of the tree as a reminder that Christmas is only the beginning and that the Christmas tree foreshadows the Christ tree - the cross.
So, each Christmas, one child gets to hang the nail near the trunk, and another child gets to hang the angel on top - with Daddy's help of course.
We make a big deal about it, and even take photos of the momentous occasion. Then we jot down in our journal who did each task, so the next year, we can look back and remember, and then the other 2 children get a turn.
The kids all get very excited for each other when it is their turn to hang either the nail or the angel, and it is fun to watch them cheer for one another.
This ANGEL ROTATION has completely eliminated the arguing around the newly decorated Christmas tree, and makes for such a joy-filled evening for us all.
Now if I can only find a way to solve the Someone-ate-the-last-Oreo-in-the-cookie-jar argument....Hmmmmm....
The pictures above: Riley, our youngest, getting ready to put the angel on top, and then getting a little help from Dad...
For more info on the CHRISTMAS NAIL: Check it out at CBD.com
For more info on the CHRISTMAS JOURNAL:
The Christmas journal I use is Christmas Memories - A Ten Year Journal published by Brownlow. Though it is out of print, it is available used in good condition for as low as $1.99, and is a wonderful hard cover, easy to fill out family Christmas journal. No photo was available, but you can purchase one here.
And you can create your own Christmas journal with a nice, hardcover, blank journal from a discount store as well. Get creative, and have fun with it.
Enjoy the journey-Trish
Psalm 118:24
4 comments:
I love this idea! I've been tossing around the idea of starting a Christmas scrapbook, where we include a picture of our family and just a few pics of Christmas morning each year--just one page per year. Some little traditions like putting the angel on top would be perfect for that!
Katy, you will love having those memories preserved for those times down the road when you need them refreshed. (Trust me on this--the stories will vary with each person's recall.) It's also great for the grandkids to have pictures of what Mom and Dad were like when they were little.
Karen
What a great idea. I would love it if you would share any of your wonderful Christmas traditions with others at Cafe Traditions (http://www.cafetraditions.com). The site allows users to submit their traditions and also to get ideas for introducing new traditions into their lives.
Colleen Carmona
www.cafetraditions.com
Thanks for stopping by, Colleen. I love traditions. Sometimes they are the "duct tape" that makes the difference. The ties, the reminders that just might make us turn toward home in tough times instead of battling something alone.
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