Up next in our Beautiful Christmas (on a Budget) series, Katie is getting her holiday groove on in the kitchen.  Head on over to Frugal Femina to check out her sweet treats.

And if you aren’t feeling festive after stopping by her place, then I think you might need to take a hot cocoa break–and then read it again!

It’s been a blast sharing our Beautiful Christmas series with you this week.  In case you missed it, here’s what took place:

Monday: Sharon shared some ideas on how to decorate your home for just pennies. {I just love looking at those pictures.}

Tuesday: Katie got her holiday groove on in the kitchen teaching us how to make homemade candy canes {Does anyone else want to take a big ol’ sip of that hot cocoa?}

Wednesday: I shared some simple ways to celebrate Christmas around the world.

Thursday: Beckie shared some very creative ways to give meaningful gifts for free!  {Don’t you wish you were getting a gift from her?}

And today…IT’S YOUR TURN!!

Have you written a post about Christmas that you’d like to share?  We want to see it!  It can be about any aspect of Christmas–favorite recipes, decorating tips, family traditions and so on.  Just leave a link below that takes us right to your post.  If you don’t have a blog, feel free to leave a comment in the comments section.

And may you all have a very Beautiful Christmas!

NOTE:  Mr. Linky is still there!  Just click on the link below where it says, “Click here to display the links for this post.”  I don’t want anybody to miss the GREAT posts that are linked up!

Have you enjoyed our Beautiful Christmas series this week?  I am looooving it!

Today, it’s time to head over to Beckie’s blog. She is the craftiest woman that I know.  I’m pretty sure her fingers are magical.

But today, she has some ideas for gifts that anyone (even me!) can make.  And guess what?  They are freeeee!

{If you happen to be craftier than me, be sure to check out her Pennywise Presents series while you are there!}

Don’t forget that tomorrow we will wrap the week up with a place for you to link up any Christmas posts that you have done.  We’ll be a one-stop shop for all things Christmas, so come on back and spread some Christmas cheer!

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?

Want to transform your Christmas with us? My Book The Merry Little Christmas Project – Five Words that will Transform your Christmas has helped thousands of women do just that. If you have ever wished that Christmas didn’t have to be so stressful, I wrote this book for you. Click here to learn more and begin simplifying and organizing your Christmas with me! 

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Up next in our Beautiful Christmas (on a Budget) series, Katie is getting her holiday groove on in the kitchen.  Head on over here to check out her sweet treats.

And if you aren’t feeling festive after stopping by her place, then I think you might need to take a hot cocoa break–and then read it again!

I am so excited to share with you about a series that I will be featuring here on Cha-Ching on a Shoestring this week.  It may only be December 7, but I already feel like its Christmas morning!

The season of Christmas is such a special time of year, but it can be over-shadowed by activity, busy-ness, and spending too much money on decorations, food, and gifts in order to keep up with the Griswolds Joneses.

That’s why I’ve teamed up with three other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.  We are going to share practical, simple advice to help you enjoy this season to the fullest and save money at the same time.

To get us started, Sharon at Good, True, and Beautiful will be sharing some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations for free.  Grab a cup of coffee, set your Pandora station to something Christmas-y, sit back and enjoy her wonderful post.

Here are a few teasers for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: Katie at Frugal Femina will be busy in the kitchen cooking up some festive goodies.

Wednesday: Come back on over here where I’ll be sharing ideas on celebrating the season with fun and meaningful traditions.

Thursday: Beckie at Infarrantly Creative will give us the scoop on how to make beautiful hand-made gifts on a dime.

Friday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

Get ready to sit back and enjoy.  Here’s to your Beautiful Christmas!