Christmas Traditions

Marni from Sassy Sites posted a blog with several questions about holiday decorating and traditions and instead of answering her in a comment I am going to do it here!

-How do you transition yourself from one holiday to the next?
I have never really though about it! When I was younger there was a box or set of boxes for each holiday and when the holiday was over that box was packed back up and the next set was brought out. Now I do more of a gradual change and I tend to move things around the house to keep it fresh.


-When do you put up your Christmas decorations?
Our Christmas decorations start going up the day after Thanksgiving, and continue all through the month of December.


-Do you wrap all the presents throughout the month and put them under the tree, or do you wait until Christmas Eve?
If I wrap the presents too early, then I forget what I have bought and end up overbuying. Instead I like to group each family members gifts in my closet where I can see at a glance what I have and what I still need to get for people. I also keep a list on my Blackberry of what I have bought so that when I am out shopping I don't duplicate anything.


-Do you warn your kids that Santa might NOT be bringing them what they want for Christmas this year?
Yes! Sometimes what they want is just too expensive, is the "gift of the year" and is nowhere to be found, or is something that I know they will play with/use for all of 17 minutes before they are on to the next thing.

I am not a fan of all the walking/talking/pooping dolls and the like. In my experience, kids will play much longer with a plain simple doll than they will with a flashy doll. They have to use their imagination more and are not told "how" to play with the toy.


-Do you decorate your Christmas tree with colored lights or just white?
We are a white light family; On the tree and on the house. I think it makes the ornaments stand out a little more. I do like seeing colored lights during the holidays, but I just like the white ones in my home.


-Have your children watched all the old Christmas movies that you watched when you were little?
Oh yeah! Miracle on 34th Street(both versions), and It's a Wonderful Life are holiday staples around here. I have tried to find the original Babes in Toyland with no luck. Boo!


-Do you let your children open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes. We go to my parents house for Christmas Eve and they always get the kids new pj's that they open and wear that night. It's the only time that my kids wear something new without it getting washed first;)


-Does everyone have the same stocking each year, or do you purchase new ones every Christmas?
Do people seriously buy new ones each year? That's crazy! We have had our current ones for 6 or 7 years now and I would love to replace them but feel like these are still too new! ;)  Ours are silver and we bought them at Pottery Barn, but now I think that they are too boring and would love to make some with bright colors. I think we were trying to be all sophisticated when we purchased them, but have now come to accept ourselves for the colorful people we are. Maybe this will be the year I replace them.


-Does your Christmas tree have a different theme each year?
Nope. Not really a theme at all. We just hang up ornaments that we love and have collected over the years. This year I would love to try to stick to our more colorful ornaments, but who knows!


-Artificial tree or real?
Real and super fresh! We drive into the mountains with hot chocolate and a box of cuties and cut down our own tree. They last so much longer and then we have a great memory of the hunt.



Okay, now it's your turn! Here are the questions so you can copy and paste them easier:)

-How do you transition yourself from one holiday to the next?
-When do you put up your Christmas decorations?
-Do you wrap all the presents throughout the month
and put them under the tree, or do you wait until Christmas Eve?
-Do you warn your kids that Santa might NOT be bringing them what they want for Christmas this year?
-Do you decorate your Christmas tree with colored lights or just white?
-Have your children watched all the old Christmas movies that you watched when you were little?
-Do you let your children open a gift on Christmas Eve?
-Does everyone have the same stocking each year, or do you purchase new ones every Christmas?
-Does your Christmas tree have a different theme each year?
-Artificial tree or real?

If you do these, then post a link to your blog in my comments section so I can come over and read your answers!