Christmas Traditions......Outs ide of Daycare.

[bright sparks]

I fortunately only made my kids "piles" of Xmas presents a short lived thing. 2 years and I learn't my lesson that I would be setting myself up for disaster. Now the kids don't ever expect a huge pile of gifts and just appreciate what they get.

That being said, here's something funny. My kids both did their Santa letter last week...the final neat copy to mail. My daughter who is nearly 12 put some suggestions down for Santa. LOL 51 items to be exact hahaha I was gobsmacked and couldn't believe it. I asked her if she thought this was polite and maybe Santa would think she was a little selfish. SHe said, read the letter properly then mum, they are siggestions I know he can only bring me a few things. lolol 51 suggestions though?!?!? bloody hell, he's gonna be spoilt for choice. My son, who is 10 on Xmas Eve asked for a bookshelf full of books for his mum awwww my cutie.

I think that Xmas means different things to different people. Being English and not celebrating Thanksgiving it's more like that for me. In Canada we have Thanksgiving dinner but not being raised with Thanksgiving, the real meaning isn't engrained in me. At Xmas, we are thankful for each other. It's about spending time as a family together and enjoying the prescious moment's together that we take for granted so easily. I take extra time off work so I can really emerse myself in my children and husband. Sometimes when we are eating dinner and talking or watching a family movie, or taking a walk, I just look at them and feel eternally thankful to my core. That's what Xmas means to me.

This year, will be our first year actively volunteering in the community as a family. Over the course of 3 days, as a family we will be packing Xmas Hampers for the needy and delivering them. My kids are old enough to see it for what it is rather than sugar coating it by just doing a shoebox for the Salvation Army, even though that is still equally as important. Instead they will get to deliver them, see the people and realize how much of a difference this makes in their lives and that they should never take what we have for granted. The reality of seeing this with their own eyes will take this life lesson a step furthur than just being told how bad some people have it. In a few years when they are old enough, we plan to take time out of our Xmas celebrations to serve dinner to those who would normally go with out. I hope these are some new traditions that will be carried on with their children.

[bright sparks]

My birthday is on Xmas day .... Nuff said !

My husbands youngest brother's birthday is on Xmas Day. That must suck... I hope you still get some special treatment at some point. I know with my son's birthday on Xmas Eve, we make sure he has a half birthday in the summer with his friends from school as otherwise most can't come with December being such a busy month. We also buy him his big present in the Summer too.

[kidlove]

bright Sparks: what a great tradition! so nice to think you are instilling those great qualities in your children. My daughter surprised me this year by informing me what she wanted from "Santa", in quotation with her fingers. i asked her why she used the gesture of quotation when she said, Santa? She says...."I know Mom"...I said "I hope your not right, cuz I can't afford that I-pod you asked for"......what has your 12 year old told you? Do they know something we don't?

[bright sparks]

HaHa....It was a few years ago that my son asked about Santa, and I said they would be sincerely dissapointed if it was down to me to buy the gifts as I couldn't afford to buy them. On Christmas morning that year, my daughter said to my son as soon as they came downstaires, "See I told you there was a Santa" It has never been questioned since. I nearly put my foot in it this year though. My daughter just found out that I fill the stockings not Santa. SHe said, why is it that in the past few years the stocking presents have tags on saying To *** from Santa and they are wrapped in the same paper as his presents under the tree? I said that she is mistaken and they wouldn have been presents under the tree not stocking presents LOL I went on to ask her if the stocking presents were no good and she said they were great but I can tell from the look on her face that she isn't buying it. I think both my kids know very well their isn't a Santa and she is just trying to catch me out. As for my son, I don't think he actually cares haha as long as he has some gifts.

I feel so guilty making what was an innocent lie into a bigger one. I asked a few people this year when I should fess up and they all said, never! They just know and as they get older they understand why we do it. I remember being 7 years old and getting a typewriter for Xmas. There was a note, seperately, typed from Santa and I new something was fishy. I sat at the kitchen table and totally called my mum out calling her a liar haha I remember being a right little brat and it turned into a huge arguement. Different parenting styles thats for sure. More fool her for arguing with a 7 year old in the first place

[kidlove]

Too funny, bright sparks! I do think my daughter is the same way as yours...although, I do see a little in her face of true belief. I just hate to have it lost, and like your friends told you, I guess I feel the same way, I will NEVER outright say no there isn't, I will continue with my "I couldnt afford to do what he does" as long as possible. I questioned things starting maybe 10 ish, and held on for another 3 years or so....that feeling of hope is just so child like and makes the season so much more magical, I can't bring myself to any other option. my son? i guess he is much more of a dreamer than his reccently turned "realist" 11 year old sis. He just wrote a letter to the tooth fairy last night asking for bubble gum! I love it!!!!!

[bright sparks]

haha thats hillarious. Your son is so cute. My daughter still has the look of true belief too. I think I know what you are describing. My son hardly sleeps and it took 4 nights before we could put a loonie under his pillow cause I couldn't stay awake late enough. My husband ended up placing it there at 5am when he got up for work

My kids still visited Santa this year for a picture at the mall. They know that isn't Santa but they still love the spirit of it

[Momof4]

My birthday is on Xmas day .... Nuff said !

Oh, that's not fair!

My children are grown with homes of their own but we still have all the traiditions that they had when they were small and they come home for days every Christmas. We have hor's doevres Christmas Eve and play games and presents on Christmas morning and the big turkey dinner. Boxing Day is for shopping and we always see a movie out together. It's simple but we love it.

My parents instilled traditions in me but they started going to Florida for the winter years ago so I had to take over.

[kidlove]

My son just woke up this am, 2 nights of no money under the pillow and looks at me and says..."i'm starting to not believe in the tooth fairy, she never remembers to take my tooth" , I feel so bad for him, my fault! I too, fall asleep about 9:30 every night......oops! It WILL get done tonight, explained to him that we do live in the country and we also had heavy wind and snow last night, maybe she couldn't make it out. poor guy!