There is a letter attached...usually in a "poem" talking to the kids about their year, blessings upon them for the upcoming year and wishing them a Christmas to remember! It is signed by only saying ..."Wishing you a White Christmas"! Now my girls still are very unsure who this is from...my son, I think knows but I won't give in when he asks...I act as surprised as the kids.
In the box, there are their Christmas pajamas to wear that night, a Christmas book for each child, 
a DVD (usually Christmas but not always) and their own Christmas ornament with the year. The ornament usually represents something the child likes or has done that year. It is very special to them and they each have their own collection started.
Traditions are a special way to see Christmas in the eyes of your children... something to give them special memories. It doesn't have to be the biggest Christmas tree in the "lot" or the finest Christmas china on the table. I have found with my own kids they usually don't even remember what they received the year before but they can recall minute by minute these simple traditions!Its better than anything you can wrap up in a bow!
69 comments:
YOu are TOO much....I have to ask...are these traditions that you had as a child growing up? or are these things that you came up with for your own children? This is brilliant....and it also takes the edge off the anticipation of opening the first gift.....by CHristmas Eve they are usually climbing the walls!!
What a fun idea..
I love it..
You are so right. My kids are grown and now they are passing on some of our traditions to the next generation. Loved the minivan express idea. And the tickets are so great. Make the memories, they grow up soooo fast. Mimi
I can only imagine how excited your kids are on Christmas Eve. This is a wonderful tradition.
That sounds like so much fun! I had a friend whose parents did the same thing but in the box were all the toys they had taken away that year LOL. Yours sounds more fun.
that is a great idea...I LOVE hearing traditions that I can start with my kiddos! Thanks!!!
What a great family tradition!Thanks so much for sharing with us! Have a blessed day!
Juanita
Your ideas are so amazing, yet simple and easy! I love this so much! Of course, my girls might be a tad too old to pull this one off...sniff, sniff. I will definitely tuck it away for future reference...when I become a grandma one day!
You forgot to enter my giveaway! Be sure to hop on over by 4:30 PM today...time's ticking!
Very cool! I love it! I am going to have to copy and paste all of these so that I can save them for when I have kids.
I'm going to keep asking until you cave....will you adopt me? ;) Great idea!!! Ang
I have a friend who does this as well. I think it is a wonderful tradition!
So wonderful. I wish I had known about this when my girls were little...maybe I can do this with grandkids one day!!
thanks,
Suz
ahhh, I love it! You are quite creative!
What a super fun tradition! My kids get new pj's every year but it's because mom buys them at the store. Not nearly as exciting as a special box being delivered!! I love Eloise at Christmas....isn't it just the best?
P.S. LOVE the Santa hat on the seagull!
You are so creative! What wonderful traditions to have every year.
What a fantastic tradition. We open pjs on Christmas eve and read Twas the Night Before Christmas but I absolutely LOVE this idea.
That is a great idea-I always buy my kids Christmas pj's, and starting December 1st, we play a Christmas movie every night. On Christmas Day-night, my parents, Jen and Pat (and now babies) stay up late at our house and watch a Christmas movie all together with popcorn, and all in Pj's....I just love Christmas!!!
Christmas eve, we all stay at my parents!
I can't wait!!!
what a fun tradition! I but the kids love it
What a great idea! Thank you for sharing. I may have to try this on my family. I think it would bring alot of joy on Christmas Eve. Thanks~
You are INCREDIBLE! I love this!
What a thoughtful and special Mom you are with a beautiful heart just like His.
Blessings to you my sweet friend!
What a fun tradition! We have Christmas jammies too and love HA. :) Love the box idea.
What a beautiful tradition for the children to grow up with. I loved that story.
Hugs,
Chris
You are such a cute mom!!
What a fun and fantastic tradition. I love it. I think they will never ever forget that doorbell sound on Eve. Fun stuff Sandy.
Wow! Another wonderful idea! May I please borrow your brain?
I am going to pass this on to all of my friends with munchkins and try to think more creatively when it comes to the wee ones in my own sphere aka my godchildren and other special ones who are young enough to enjoy this. You have challenged me to think hard and think new. And I might even try to think outside the box for the older kiddies (like me) this Christmas. Fun!
Many thanks,
Sheila
Another amazing tradition! I just love it! Especially the neighbor who has to run baby run! :)
Carrie
What a great tradition! :)
Okay...so I'm reading this moving tradition that you have and listening to Josh Groban...Thanks a lot! It's 7:30 a.m. and I'm getting all emotional over here. But on a serious note, I love this idea. We always got pajamas on Christmas eve, but I love the way you "deliver" it. Awesome idea Sandy Toes. Make sure to make it by my blog tomorrow...I'll be having a giveaway!
Take Care
That is AWESOME!! What a great neighbor!!
What a truly beautiful idea : ). Maybe we can do that this year! Thanks for sharing!
Sandy Toes,
You are the best mom. I heart your idea and think I may be copy catting you!!!!
Thanks for the inspiration! Do you have any more things you can share????
Oh and how did you get all the cool christmas stuff on you blog...Did Darcy do that or are you getting all techy on me?
Where have you been all my life?!?!? You have the most fabulous Christmas ideas. I LOVE Christmas...it is my holiday...my season. So, to find someone who loves it as much as me and thinks of all these wonderful things to do is amazing! Don't be surprised if some of your ideas turn into blogs on my page...because I'm making a list...and checking it twice :) I plan on doing them all! Now, if I can only work them into our crazy schedule...off to do some planning :)
Hope you're having a great Tuesday!
Love this so much! What a fun tradition.
My neighbors are all elderly though so I don't know if they can run that fast...heh-heh ...have to figure something else out for that part.
So glad you tweeted this!
♥ Melissa~
Pink Paper Peppermints
Oh my goodness I love this idea and will have to start it with my grandchildren! What a great idea-Thanks for sharing!
Robin~♥
Wow -- what a great idea!!! Do you mind if I am a big copycat?
Have a fun week!
Janet
What a great tradition!
What a fun tradition! I would love for 'someone' to leave a box on my doorstep!
I love it! That sounds like so much fun for your kids! :) And I think you're right about traditions being important. Our kids love all of ours, and it's fun to make new ones, too! Love your traditions! :)
Have a beautiful day! :)
Would love to be on the dock of the bay. you should write books. you must of received these traditions from childhood....no I know they are from you. Love your blog; sunriseside
Again -what a great idea! :) You'll have to blog about these this year -I want to see the Christmas pajamas and books. :)
What a fabulous tradition. You are sharing the GREATEST things!!!!!
this is great too!!! i love it! now that all of my kids are getting bigger we are going to start doing some of our own!
I'm so excited about these! what a great idea!
This is SO fun! Just reading this post makes me so sentimental, wishing to be a kid again at this time of year. Now, I'm old and just want to lay around in my pj's watching It's a Wonderful Life. I dont even care about presents... just the lounging around. :)
You are killing me with these - they are such great ideas!!! I love them all...wish I could copy them all out to print and save in a book form...
Wow! What a wonderful tradition. Your kids are going to remember this forever! I love that idea
Can I just say, You are AWESOME!!!
You have the most precious and memorable traditions ever!!! I love them. So creative, sweet, and loving!!
What a fun tradition! We do something similar for Valentine's Day, but that would be a good way to give the Christmas pjs!!
What a cute idea! You must have started them early... my kids wouldn't fall for that one now but I still love it!
What a great idea! I love all of the traditions you have made with your family! Thanks for sharing them!
That's so cool. I love it.
What a fun family tradition. One I am sure your children will pass on and many of us...will try and snag...!!!
What a fabulous tradition! We too do the new jammers and my children get an ornament each year in their stockings. When they move into their own home, they will have old and new memories on their very own tree. My grandparents started this with their children (my father) when they moved her from Italy. I still have all of mine ~ they all tell a special story.
Thanks for sharing,
Jo
That is such a neat idea, what fun :)
You are makin' my day Ms. Sandy....lots of new traditions to start. Love ya lots!
Another great tradition and one I will certainly tweak for our family:) Thanks so much for sharing♥
What a wonderful tradition! I love cozy pj's on the kids. :-)
What a fun idea. I agree that the traditions are what counts!
What a sweet & fun tradition...these are the things that make Christmas memories and your kids will remember this forever!
What a fun tradition! My kids have these same striped PJs. I just love them!
Where do you hang all of your "Mother of the year" awards? For all these fabulous ideas and traditions, that make being one of your kids the best experience in the world..I'm sure!!
what a fun idea...I love it...so cute,,,hugs, lisa
Isn't that the TRUTH?? Wow, that was so well said. I just love this. I'm always thinking of what we can start for our son this time of year.
I so LOVE this idea! How fun! It is our first year as parents and I cannot wait to start fun traditions like this!
OK...I think that may top my list of coolest family traditions!
I LOVE this idea!
You have such wonderful traditions! You are for sure SUPER MOM! I am going to share about your blog and mention some of these traditions with a link back here on my Friday "Things I Learned This Week" post at www.zemeks.blogspot.com.
I love your idea. At our house, we put Christmas pajamas on, too, and eat a formal dinner by candlelight in those jammies. I elaborated here:
http://www.halfpastkissintime.com/2009/11/as-holidays-roll-out.html
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