Comments on: good things – traditions

By: Tara

Tara — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:40:36 +0000

Love this post. Just put up my own list of traditions!

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:50:35 +0000

Penelope, thought I’d mention that my sister taught my niece Katelin “One finger” whenever Katelin was approaching something that shouldn’t be touched, like Christmas decorations. I was impressed with how well it worked — she still got to touch something, but she didn’t destroy it. Thought you guys might like that approach as Veda gets more mobile and curious.

Obviously, this would not work for sharp knives or electrical outlets.

Happy holidays to all of you!

By: casey

casey — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:56:59 +0000

My sister and her daughter used to sprinkle reindeer food in the front yard(chocolate covered pretzels and glittler, so they can see from the sky).The year my niece was 10 I remember my sister being bummed because she thought Asia was reaching that age where Christmas changed from magical to commercial. I came over and was getting into a bag of pretzels and she snapped that they were for the reindeer…I was shocked because Asia had told us earlier that she had discovered the real identity of Santa…none the less tradition was still tradition in her eyes!

By: Mimi La Fave

Mimi La Fave — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:50:04 +0000

When my daughter was born I started buying her a christmas snowglobe every year. She is four now and loves to look at them and listen to the christmas songs that some of them play. She kind of gets lost in the the world within the snowglobe and will start telling me stories about what happens when she is there. Love her imagination!

By: kg

kg — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:28:26 +0000

OH! One more tradition… Angel Trees or another type of charitable giving. Next year we plan on getting our little boy somehow involved, as I think he’ll be able to comprehend it a little better than he would this year. :-)

By: kg

kg — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:23:27 +0000

Speaking of stealing ideas, I’m so in love with your hurricane lamp full of vintage ornaments that I plan to do that myself (probably next year since I’m too lazy to go back up in the attic to get ornaments)…

A simple tradition for my little 2-year-old that I started last year is drawing something Christmasy (Santa, a stocking, a snowman, etc.) and letting him color it, then we display it by hanging it on the mantel. This year I also made some fold-and-cut snowflakes out of construction paper that I have let him color first. I also make a breakfast casserole (prepare it the night before to stick in the oven Christmas a.m. – warm and yummy and hearty)… but since I’ve been trying to eliminate meat from my diet recently, I may have to try it with soysage this year! And though lots of Christmas movies evoke a sentimental feeling, my all-time favorite is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Hopefully when my little boy is older, he’ll tolerate it – or love it as much as I do! Hope you have a wonderful first Christmas with your little girl.

By: Mariss

Mariss — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:27:20 +0000

The art idea is awesome. I’m sure she’ll love it!

My guy and I make each other a handmade ornament each year. We usually do this together, watching a Christmas movie. We also play Xmas songs on the way home from Thanksgiving from Indiana to Philly, to get us in the mood :)

By: jenny

jenny — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:10:44 +0000

dang, girl. you are ambitious! i love christmas, but we are so used to traveling for christmas (2 weeks usually) that we’ve never spent one on our own…until this year. i’m excited but a little sad, too. we gotta think of what we’re doing really…we are so casual…
a few of our traditions are making an ornament each year, filling our stockings i made with little surprises, going on a hike on Christmas day, and making gobs and gobs of cookies and then making surprise visits at our friends’ houses. we’re planning on going to the Taos Pueblo, too, this Christmas Eve (YAY! i’ve only gone once for this)–they do a big procession to the church and dances and music and then have bonfires around the whole pueblo. it’s one day that it’s open for everyone in the community.

i also love the art and PJ idea. one thing i want to do when Tulsi gets older is some sort of service, like cooking at a shelter or a home. hmm, it’s pretty fun to start thinking of making our own traditons… xo,j

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:09:11 +0000

You almost managed to get me in the mood for christmas so thanks for that. I am not really doing christmas this year our house is upheaval but I love christmas traditions. 1 small thing all the way to christmas day is wonderful and then of course something christmas eve and I love your PJ idea. When I was little then, we would open a few on Christmas day and then one a day until ran out. Which was usually quickly because we didn’t get a lot but it was fun to spread it out a bit.

By: tatjana

tatjana — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:10:52 +0000

thanks so much for the detailed scanner advice, now I have the scanner (maybe you can get some money from them.. :) ) and the courage to use it !! I’m excited !
To weigh in on the traditions part, I think they fall into place as the kids grow. I remember lots of angst, especially since I’m married to an admitted scrooge, but as my girls have grown (they’re now 4 and 7) they become attached to certain things and the things that are too much work, or don’t feel right fall by the wayside. I think since we’re all busy, it’s important to make the most of the time we spend together and only do things we enjoy.