"Minivan Express"-An Oldie but a "Goldie" Post

Today, I am sharing with you one of my favorite family traditions...its not glitzzy, glamourous or tinsley! It's simple and can be done by any family! I don't know how this all began...I am sure someone shared this with me nine years ago(WELL NOW IT'S BEEN 12 years!)...we have "tweaked" it through the years!

ALL ABOARD!!!! TICKET PLEASE!

We usually do this the second week in December when neighborhoods have their houses decorated and lit up. My kids never know when and we never talk about it till that night! My husband and I pick a night...the kids get in pjs...teeth brushed..like any other night. But, when they pull their sheets back there is a golden ticket for our Minivan Express. It's always fun to hear the first child who notices..there are screams and giggles..."Did you get the ticket???" "Go Look Go Look"...

They run downstairs. We collect the tickets to get on the Mini Van Express..there is popped popcorn in the seats...Christmas candy in little bags....and their Christmas light "glasses". We have Christmas music on and we travel around the city looking at lights on all the houses!

Three years ago, I found these glasses like 3D glasses to look at Christmas lights. Some of the glasses turn the lights into snowmen or snowflakes. You can find them in special toy shops...they run about $3! It is so fun to look through them!

After, we stop at Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme and get hot chocolate before we head home! It is so simple but my kids love it! It's cheap...easy...but full of memories that last! I hope one day my kids will share this tradition with their children and pick up "Grandma" on the way!

Our {Jesse} tree-Tradition For the "heart"

Our family has a lot of traditions..small things that we do during the Christmas season. Sometimes if I think about them all...my head swells. But, I just take one at a time realizing that if we missed one...my kids would remind me!

About three years ago, I was at a ladies Christmas breakfast. The host introduced us to the {Jesse Tree}. We went through it all and everyone loved it. I think many of us moms with young children thought we would try to do this in our home. Well, later, I come to find out that my children's school does the {Jesse} tree in class, too!

The Jesse Tree is a wonderful way to celebrate {advent} with your family. It is a time to prepare the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in flesh in Bethlehem. It is a wonderful way to present the {story} and a symbol for each day of the season with Bible reading.

I have seen this book on a couple of blogs and it is a simple way to do the Jesse Tree with your family~

Some families make them and get really elaborate! But, I love this book...you just cut out the ornament and read the back. It is wonderful and each day has questions to {spark} discussion with your kids.

We put ours right in the middle of the kitchen table...so we don't forget! It may not be the most beautiful {pottery barnish} decor but it has an everlasting effect on the heart.

Simple Thanksgiving Tradition....

I posted this last year but I thought I would share it again~
I think it has been almost ten years since we started this at Thanksgiving. Of course, now I could really be creative with a new runner...monogrammed...tassely (is that a word?). But, this simple runner is priceless to me and reminds me of all the Thanksgivings we have had!

This runner goes on our Thanksgiving table each year. After dinner, we write one thing we were thankful during the year on the runner. It has been so fun going back through the years and seeing what family or friends wrote...I just love it!!! It is simple and fun..my kids want to read everything written each year...they almost love it more than me! It ranges from being thankful for their "blanket" to being thankful that our house sold.

"Pickle Me Green"

If you have stopped by here this month, you know I love traditions. A couple of years ago, I was at an ornament exchange party and one of the ornaments was a "pickle". It's an old tradition where you have a pickle on the tree. At Christmas Eve, you move it on the tree to a different "spot" . Whoever finds it Christmas morning receives a "special" gift. I just loved this!!!! However, I wasn't able to "steal" that pickle ornament.

On Saturday, I was in Crate and Barrel and there I saw it. The PICKLE Ornament!! When I laid my eyes on it....I could almost hear the angels singing or maybe it was my squeal of delight. So this Christmas, we will have a new tradition with our "pickle"..I can't wait!!!

Does anyone else do the Pickle "tradition"???

Oh by the way, if I am going to any ornament exchange this year..guess what they are getting???hee hee

Works For Me Wednesday-Christmas Countdown

Gum Drops, Peppermint Sticks, Bubble gum, Christmas Pencils, lollipops,stickers, bouncy balls, Pop rocks, Chocolates

What is this for???

Every year, we do our Christmas countdown with our Christmas Advent Box. The kids love it...they take turns opening the door each day and finding a little surprise for each of them. When my son was very little, I bought the Playmobile advent set. You put out one piece each day in December and it makes a village. So we do that each day too in the advent box with the goodies. My kids love it!!! Sometimes, I forget to do it the next morning and they have to wait till they get home that afternoon...but it's still fun either way!

I also include on different days an activity we will do.."watch a Christmas movie tonight," "make "SNOW" ice cream", "make snowflakes for our window" ,"decorate Christmas cookies and deliver to neighbors". The "advent" calendar Works For Me each year!

Wishing you a "snowy " December day!

Fondly,

Sandy toes XXOO

Was that the doorbell???

My second favorite Christmas tradition is our "Christmas Eve Box". Sometime during the evening of Christmas Eve...our doorbell rings (a fast neighbor...who can run baby run)...we let our kids run to the door...there on the step is a box. It has stickers, stamps and looks like it has traveled far..maybe even across the ocean!

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!