Christmas In My Heart Comes to Life Part III

So it's the blog post on TRADITIONS!  Woohoo.  What are yours? 

I fully believe that everyone should have traditions.  I know sometimes one may have to alter previous traditions due to circumstances but one can still have traditions that bring out the spirit and magic of Christmas if only for a moment. 

If you stumbled on my blog and are an adoptive parent of an older child that triggers badly or escalates in negative behaviors around holidays, then I suggest tradition by the way of eliminating unnecessary stimulus...(e.g. millions of family, outings).  Maybe running away to a cabin where it's just the immediate family members with nothing but games and snow is the answer, who knows, but I truly believe that everyone deserves to find their moment of hope during this season. 

Traditions that make the Christmas holiday special for me:

1) drinking coffee or hot chocolate late at night by the lighted Christmas tree with all the other lights off and listening to Christmas music for a while.  It's been very relaxing and a great way to end the evening.

2) watching Christmas movies with family on the weekends.  Cheesy movies.  My current favorite one and one that I would recommend if you would like to incorporate warm fuzziness into your life is:  The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.  Basic plot is two people, a boy and an old miser both who have lost much in the past come together under unusual circumstances and both of them receive a Christmas Miracle. 

3) going downtown and pretending to be madly in love.  Actually two Christmas seasons 10 and 11 years ago were magical downtown as both were filled with different guys I had a love interest in.  One flourished into a dating relationship under the lights and mistletoe, the other turned into a friendship that could have been were it not for the distance...That Christmas season though he did fly out to see me specifically.  Oh I love downtown.  It's also where I dance with friends by the little ice skating rink they put outside under the pretend Rockefeller square like tree and just act a Christmas fool.  I drink hot chocolate or coffee and a gingerbread man cookie.  Oh I love downtown. 

Did you notice that I said two love interests started during the Christmas season?  I know I'm single, but I have found memories of these guys and it did make the season magical makes no difference whether we made it down the aisle or not. 

4) Make cookies for the neighbors and deliver them

5) drive and see Christmas lights

6)Christmas Eve  talent show/pageant within our family gathering at my aunt's house...everyone must participate.

7) Wake up about 2 or 3am Christmas Eve and go outside in our Jammie's to find and stare at the Christmas Star...there is a star that shines bright that night I swear!

What are some of your Christmas traditions?  I've already started Tigger on the magic of downtown last weekend.

At one of the many decorated trees in downtown

The lighted tree on the side of the building and the ice skating rink they put outside

Just so much fun to be amongst the masses enjoying downtown in all it's lights

Grandpa showing Tigger the snowman family



So......What are your family traditions?  It seems as though my enjoyment of the season has scared away some of my readers from commenting...maybe I'm too "happy", however, I firmly believe that unless we partake in embracing hope, wonderment, and magic, then we are truly, truly living life without joy!!!! Make the most out of this season!

Sincerely,

DannieA and Tigger