Our Back Porch

~Our Christmas Card for you and
Our Christmas Traditions: now and to come~

Our family has several Christmas traditions that we hold close to our hearts. However, this year, some have changed and some new ones have been added. I'll tell ya all about them......

Going to our Christmas Eve service has always been a tradition. When our children were little, we went to a different church than we do now. The Christmas Eve service wasn't really a "service" persay, but a time to come together with your family and have some prayer time with each other in front of the manger scene. Now, our church has an actual service. It is a candlelight service. This is something I so look forward to!


Then we have always come home and sang Christmas carols together in front of our Christmas tree. "My song" that I sing is The Little Drummer Boy. Now, I am not a singer, but I really don't sing terrible. I can carry a tune! I love to sing, I just don't consider myself as a "singer". I have always loved to sing and have always done so with my babies, and my preschoolers in Sunday School or preschool, and even my third graders now. They love it, and don't care how you sing. But to sing in front of my peers scares the daylights out of me! hee hee With having a husband that was a professional singer, has made me clam up somewhat. I don't mind singing in front of him, but I just know I am not that great to sing in public! Ok, so much for that....on to more traditions..... On Christmas Eve, my boys would (and still do) exchange the presents they bought for each other.

When my kids were young, it was important to me that they understand the importance to give to others. So as Christmas approached, we would start looking through their toys and picking out some that they no longer wanted but were still in good condition. We would then go to WalMart and purchase a new "boy" gift and "girl" gift. Then we would take it all to our local Fire Station to give for the toy drive, "Toys For Tots". Then we would purchase some fruit and make cookies, to deliver to some elderly people.

Now that we live in a different neighborhood, we have a few neighbors who are elderly and alone. Kenny and I (separately) thought of what we could do for them. Kenny mentioned that he'd like for us to go caroling on Christmas Eve after the Candlelight Service at church. I said that I had been thinking about taking some goodies to some of our neighbors. So, I think we will just combine the two and have a sweet Christmas gift for these people! Don't you?!

Another tradition that isn't as old as some of our traditions is The Living Nativity: A Night In Bethlehem. This is an event that our church does as a community outreach. It is wonderful and has really grown in the last few years. We have always enjoyed going together to this as a family. Last year and this year, Blake has been in this event, as Joseph or a shepherd. Kenny is taking part in this as well. Kenny mentioned it to me the other day but I was going Christmas shopping on the rehearsal nights for some of our underpriviledged kids at school. I had already committed to that, and I know I am still reaching those in our community! One family was of a former student of mine. Some really horrible things had happened recently and they desperately needed help. This little girl was my "baby" and helping her and her family at this time was number one on my list! I also had another family I had adopted to help as well. Tonight, my mother called and was telling me of a family she heard about that was in such great need. There are 5 kids, and there would be no Christmas for them. So, we did some research, and I am going shopping again tomorrow after church for these five children.

This year, Kenny and I have decided that we will have a "Midnight Breakfast" on Christmas Eve since our boys are grown. This will be for us and any family member that wants to eat that late-or early-hee hee. This is new, so I hope this can become one of our new Christmas traditions. I'll let ya know how it went.

On Christmas Day, we have always gathered with my sister and her family at our parents' home. We have always enjoyed this time together and all the wonderful food! However, my Mom is not doing well, as she will be having knee replacement surgery next month. So, I have offered our home for Christmas Day. I am so excited to have everyone over to our new home, as God has blessed us with much more room, as we lived in a small house for years! We will open our Santa gifts that morning before everyone arrives at noon for lunch and the opening of more presents.

Well, that's our Christmas Traditions.
What Christmas traditions does your family have? I would love to hear all about them, if you wish to post a comment.

Happy Birthday Jesus! You are the reason for the season!!