I’ve found myself thinking about my childhood Christmas memories lately.
{CHRISTMAS PAST}
My parents had 6 children and the salary of a small country church pastor. I still don’t know how they pulled off the pile of presents that awaited us every Christmas morning. The moment all 6 of us tumbled down the stairs and took in that glorious sight is etched in my mind like a Norman Rockwell painting.
What I find interesting is that I’m having a hard time remembering what was actually in those presents.
I do know that it wasn’t this:
Or one of these:
They simply weren’t in the budget. {Do you like how I just dated myself?}
It’s not for lack of gratitude that I don’t remember. I think it’s because the things of Christmas were overshadowed by the moments of Christmas.
Christmas was so much more about time spent than money spent.
This is what I remember:
Our annual reading of this treasure by Madeleine L’Engle.
Griffin and I are reading it now.
The trek to find the ‘perfect’ Christmas tree each year.
And let me tell you, we did things the old fashioned way.
No Walmart trees for us. Thankyouverymuch.
Now it’s me with my boys making that trek.
{Although we did buy ours from a parking lot this year. Please don’t tell Dad.}
I remember the story of Christmas being re-told year after year.
I still get a lump in my throat when I think about that little baby and what His birth means.
Please don’t look too closely at our nativity scene. Our shepherds are MIA. It appears they got lost in our move. Perhaps a star will lead them home?
{CHRISTMAS PRESENT}
I knew that this was the year to begin some traditions of our own. My oldest is four now and really gets it this year.
So I bought a copy of Christmas Around the World. I wanted to find some simple and meaningful traditions and decided that this would be a fun way to introduce Griffin to life outside these United States.
And boy, has it been fun.
Did you know that in Germany, children fill their shoes with straw and carrots and leave them outside their front door? It is hoped that when St. Nicholas passes by, he will feed his hungry horses and refill their shoes with apples and nuts.
Apparently St. Nicholas was out of nuts this year.
But he did happen to have a fresh supply of lifesavers and lollipops.
And I had no idea what the origin of Boxing Day was in Great Britain. {Griffin thought perhaps it had to do with fighting?} Originally, church alms boxes, filled with donations for the poor, were opened and the money was distributed.
So Griffin and I wrapped up some toys that I got on a great sale {imagine that!} and we plan to take them to a homeless shelter later this week.
I was one proud Mama when he didn’t complain once that the toys weren’t for him.
In Great Britain, they also place crackers {crepe-paper-covered tube with small trinkets inside} by each plate at Christmas dinner.
We made one for Daddy and one for Lincoln.
Don’t tell my two year old that his is a toy car that he already owns.
And in Australia, gifts are sometimes tucked into the pillowcases on children’s beds. We just happen to use pillowcases to wrap presents in our house, so this was an easy one. {Although every time I try to sneak into Griffin’s room to place it on his bed, he catches me!}
The plaque is from my world-traveling days. {Sigh.}
Here are several other ideas if hosting a “Christmas Around the World” week at your house sounds like fun:
Australia: Many Australians have also made Carols by Candlelight part of their tradition. How about a family sing-along by candlelight?
Italy: Some families have a tradition of gathering before the manger scene each evening during the nine days before Christmas–the time it is said to have taken Mary and Joseph to make the journey to Bethlehem.
Sweden: A special rice porridge is served at Christmas Eve dinner. Hidden in the porridge is a single almond. Tradition has it that whoever finds the almond in his or her bowl will marry in the coming year.
Mexico: On Epiphany Eve (Jan. 5), children leave their shoes in a window of their homes in hopes that the Magi will fill them with gifts on their journey to Bethlehem.
The Philippines: Traveling minstrels use musical instruments made from coconut shells, split bamboo, and tin-can ends to sing Maligayang Pasko to the tune of “Happy Birthday”. {This one I want to see!}
{CHRISTMAS FUTURE}
We talk a lot about saving money around these parts. But if there is one thing that you can spend freely–it’s TIME.
I am inspired by the thought that my boys will remember Christmas as being so much more about time spent and not money spent.
Is there really any other way to celebrate a Beautiful Christmas?
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Hi,
I love your Advent Calender(?) with the little doors. This is the second one I’ve seen.
Where did you get this adorable thing?.
I love the way it celebrates the arrival of
Christmas. I would love to get this for my niece since I have no children.
If you could help me I would appreciate it and I love your blog.
Sandy
Hi, Sandy! Glad you like it so much! I actually got mine at Target. I’ve seen it on Amazon in the past as well. Hope that helps!
I’m assuming that you mean the Madeleine L’Engle book? If so, unfortunately, I don’t know where I got it. And when I looked it up on Amazon, it said it was being sold for $156!! Believe me…I paid nothing near that. I’m wondering if it’s out of print, and that’s why?
In case you were referring to the Christmas around the World book, you can click on the title and it will take you to the book on Amazon.
If anyone else knows where to find the “24 Days Before Christmas” book, let us know!
Thank you for sharing . . . beautifully written! Thank you also for sharing a new book (to me). I was so excited because I have a Barnes & Noble gift card and thought this would be a delightful addition to our Christmas reading – but they do not carry it. Several other local books stores do not carry it also. Any idea where you purchased your copy?
What a wonderful post. I enjoyed reading all of the great ideas and the reminder of what Christmas is really about. I will be out of a job on Decembere 18th and have found that I am worrying about how I will buy things for my kids for Christmas. Sometimes it’s easy to lose track of what is most important. I have a wonderful husband and two great boys and we are happy, healthy, and together. God won’t give us more than we can handle (although I have been feeling quite overwhelmed lately!). Have a wonderful Christmas. I appreciate all you do!
That book is part of our homeschool curriculum! We’re using Winter Promise’s Children Around the World this year and that’s one of our main “spine” books for the month of Dec. We live in Germany (courtesy of the US Army) and have celebrated St. Nicholas Day since Indy was a baby (he was born in Germany). St. Nick Day is Dec 6 and the kick off of our holiday season. We don’t leave his shoes out, because I would NEVER let him eat anything that’s been inside his nasty shoes. We have a special St. Nick stocking (different from his Christmas stocking). He leaves his letter to Santa in the stocking and St. Nick kindly delivers it to Santa for us (far more reliable than the post office). We do our Angel Tree shopping on St. Nick day and Indy loves to pick out the gifts. We try to get a little boy about Indy’s age and he carefully (and thoughtfully) picks things he thinks the boy will like. I also get a little girl from the Angel Tree so I can shop for girly things. 🙂
When we’re in the States, go out to dinner on St. Nick Eve and pick a random table and pay for their meal. Indy likes to pick out the table we pay for and studies the restaurant very carefully before deciding. Here in Germany we don’t do that because, well, Germans are different and I’m not sure it would go over as well as it does in America.
Every year we do some fun traditional things as a family that Indy looks forward to almost as much as the gifts. The Advent calendar (I did a post about this on my blog today), putting up the tree on St.Nicholas Eve (Dec 5), making a gingerbread house (loads off fun and we eat as much candy as we put on the house) and strhttps://chachingonashoestring.com/2009/12/09/beautiful-christmas-beautiful-traditions/inging popcorn and cranberries to use on the tree in his room. I want him to have memories other than getting things. It seems to be working as he looks forward to these things every year.
BTW, did you know that in many German households, the tree is not decorated except for the lights until Christmas Eve? After the kids go to bed, Santa and some elves drop by and decorate it when they leave the gifts as a surprise for the children. Isn’t that cute?
I think you gave me a LUMP in my throat! you are so right… tradition, memories, time! Love it, thanks for sharing this post!
What a wonderful post to bring me back to the real meaning and traditions of Christmas! I agree with you, I may not remember the presents, but I do remember the time with family. I especially like that you are already teaching your kids to give back, that is one thing that I am so grateful that my parents taught me. You have just blessed my day!
Thanks for your kind words, everybody!! I had so much FUN getting ready for and writing this post!
Kaley, it’s posts like this that make your site stand out. Saving money his a common topic in our house too, but many blogs are just lists of deals and links to coupons. Thanks for the reminder to knock us all out of “money saving” mode for a minute and take a breather! My fondest memories of Christmas are riding around town at night and looking at all of the lights, waking up to lots of fluffy white snow on Christmas morning, (That’s happened quite a few times), and going to my Grandparents for Christmas eve dinner.
Wow…talk about timing. I”ve been trying to come up with some different things to do with my grandchildren to help make memories..these sound great!! I can’t wait to try them!! Like you, my father is also a pastor of a small country church. (he’s 78 and still going strong!) You’re absolutely right…holidays and life are about people, memories and GIVING. When I first started reading these blogs it was mainly for the coupons but they’ve become much more than that. They’ve become a source of inspiration. Even the couponing and trying to save a few bucks has turned into a way to really help out others which is more of a blessing than saving a few bucks!! Thanks Kaley!
What a great post–thanks for the ideas, and I appreciate the view into how you are creating new traditions with your famiy!
Kaley, That’s absolutely beautiful. Way to inspire! I had never heard of those books. I think Bradley would love those. Thanks!