31 Days: Day 25 - Traditions

What is the first thing you think about when it comes to celebrating the holidays? My guess is that most of you would list something that involves some of your family traditions, right? Gift giving, decorating, parties...they all include some sort of tradition. For example, I always wait until the day after Thanksgiving to get out the Christmas decorations and put up the tree and I almost never fail to do that on that day. Tradition. My husband makes gingerbread waffles on Christmas morning. Tradition. Taking one night to drive around the neighborhood to see the lights while drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music (Trans-Siberian Orchestra). Tradition. It's what makes the holidays special and fun.

Traditions aren't just for the holidays. I'm sure a lot of you have ways you like to celebrate birthdays or good grades on a report card or a promotion or National Cheesecake Day. ;) The kind of things that make the difference between and ordinary day and one that's just a little bit more. Please share!

One of my favorite traditions for the upcoming holidays is the month-long visit from Santa's Elves. This is an idea I started 4 years ago (original post here) and the kids have been in love with it ever since. In fact it's very highly anticipated and Kaitlyn has already been talking about them this year.
For those of you that aren't familiar with what I'm talking about, our Christmas elves are a variation of the Elf on the Shelf. Santa sends his elves to our home to report back on the kids' behavior. During the day the elves are just stuffed toys, but of course they're magic and at night they like to play. We often wake up to find they have been up to some silly stuff while we were sleeping. Sometimes they bring things for the kids. Sometimes they leave notes. Sometimes they get in a little bit of trouble. (really it just depends on how creative I am and how well I planned ahead!) It's all a lot of fun.

Since I started the tradition, I've had more than one of my friends join me in it. And this year I've been happy to see even more ideas and fun things online that go along with it. (Check out my Christmas board on pinterest. I have a few unique ideas pinned on there) There is a fun website devoted entirely to Elf on a Shelf (link here) and they are even coming out with an Elf on the Shelf movie! (set your DVRs! this site says the TV special will be on CBS November 25th then on DVD after that) So fun!

Now, it's time for me to get a couple orders ready to go in the mail before heading up to the school to watch my daughter race in the elementary school's traditional pre-Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. I'm interested to know though - what are some of your favorite traditions (holiday or otherwise)? Do Santa's elves visit your house, and what do they do while they visit?

Magic Elves - 2009

I introduced our Elves to you last year (see this post) and of course they are back for more fun this year. Kaitlyn could not wait for them to arrive and checked the porch for them first thing in the morning on Dec 1st. And most mornings since then, the first thing she does is find the elves (and clean up after them if necessary).
Some of the elf-capades include:
-wrapping each other in wrapping paper
-stealing the chocolate from the advent calendar
-hiding in the stockings with new coloring/activity pages for the kids
-riding on Katy's Barbie horses
-making snowflakes and hanging them from the ceiling

-getting stuck in the cereal box while trying to find something to eat
-writing all over the bathroom mirror with the dry erase markers
-wrapping up in blankets on the couch reading books, including a new book for the kids
-leaving post it notes all over the house with messages for the kids
-making "snow" angels in the kitchen using powdered sugar

Traditions

I'm am crazy for Christmas. Seriously obsessed. I think about it at least 6 months out of the year...or more. I've been working on Christmas related projects since at least August. Why? Because I love the holiday and I hate being rushed/stressed. So my goal every year is to get everything ready for Christmas by the 1st of December. Let's be honest, I never get EVERYTHING done. But I do get pretty darn close and that frees me up to enjoy the month of December and all of it's festivities and traditions.
So here I am with only 1 day left before December, with my house undecorated and my shopping only 2/3 done and I haven't started on Christmas cards. How did that happen?!? Some of it was unavoidable. Some of it was procrastination. But the part that is currently bugging me the most is the fact that this year I decided to go against tradition (tradition being putting up the tree and all the decorating the day after Thanksgiving) and not get the tree out until after Tyler's birthday. I'm just itching to drag it out and see how all the new decorations looks on it. I can barely restrain myself. But I must, because our house is tiny and this year I planned a few party games that are a bit active so I need the extra floor space. I only have to wait until Saturday. I can make it, right?
So. Since I can't spend my day putting up the tree and then showing it off to you, I thought I'd share a few of our traditions. This might be a long post - we have a TON. :)
-One that I'm very excited about is our Christmas Elves. They will be showing up Tuesday morning and staying with us until Christmas Eve.
-for the last couple of years we have been taking the kids to the town's Tree Lighting. That's where the kids get to see Santa, have a sleigh ride, and nibble on cookies and hot chocolate. This year it takes place on the 7th. I'm always anxious to see what the kids tell Santa they want - just in case they change their minds at the last minute.
-can't have Christmas without a trip out in the car to see the lights. We bundle into the car, stop for hot chocolate at the Chevron, turn on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (ooooo we just went to their concert - so good!), and drive around until the kids get bored.
-countdowns to Christmas are multiple - usually in large part due to the kids' Grandma Jackson. In fact, their chocolate advent calendars are waiting here for them already. She usually does 12 Days of Christmas for them as well. And if that weren't enough, we also keep track on these fun countdown blocks.

(original idea was a gift from a friend. These particular blocks I made myself and will be using for the gift exchange in my card group)
-I like to have a family photo taken in November that I can then use in the Christmas cards. This one has been especially hard to accomplish this year, mostly due to my husband's schedule. He was pretty much unavailable during all of this month. On top of that, I wanted to do a digital card this year, which means taking the photos on our own instead of in a studio. We went out today with the tripod, but I'm not sure how happy I am with the results. Not sure I can try for retakes though, as my kids rarely want to cooperate when I am the one behind the camera. Ugh.
-Toys for Tots. My husband used to be in the Marines (reserves. He is now in the Air Force Reserves) and Toys for Tots is something he loves. He used to volunteer to stand at one of the donation locations to collect toys. Now we try to make a point of buying a toy or two to donate.
-Christmas Eve is usually spent with one side of the family or the other (they usually fight over us for this. No idea why Christmas Eve is more highly desired than, say, Christmas Day). When we get home from the party, the kids get to open up a new set of pajamas. Then we set out cookies and eggnog for Santa and throw carrots on the front lawn for the reindeer before the kids go to bed. We also make sure the elves are all ready to meet Santa and report on the kids' behavior.
-On Christmas morning, we call my parents when the kids wake up. They live just down the road and like to see the kids open their gifts. So most of my family's gifts end up under our tree. Once the presents are all open, my husband makes gingerbread waffles and an oven omelet for breakfast.
-we are also thinking of adding in another one (tradition) this year. For most kids in Utah, at least those within driving distance, it is a tradition to go down to Temple Square and see the lights. I remember doing it many years, as does Sam. And now that the kids are no longer babies, we might, just MIGHT brave the cold one night and take them down to see the lights. We'll see.

So there you have it. Anyone else have some great traditions I need to add to the list? :)

linking to Show Us Your Life - Christmas Traditions at Kelly's Korner

Magic Elves

Meet Tinsel and Twinkle. They are the little elves that Santa sends to our house in December to keep an eye on the kids for him to make sure they are being good. (I love this little trick of Christmas - makes my life so much more pleasant when I have something extra to keep Katy in line) But we need to keep an eye on the elves too because each night they find something new to keep them busy, and sometimes get into mischief! This will be our second year hosting the elves and Kaitlyn is very excited to see where she finds them each day.

They showed up on our doorstep this morning with their passports, a letter of introduction/instruction from Santa, and their report forms that will be given to Santa on when he pickes them up on Christmas Eve. Kaitlyn's response, "Well, then we'd better be good!"

I have to admit that this year I wasn't totally prepared for the elves yet. The first of Dec just kind of crept up on me and Sam actually reminded me last night that they were showing up today. So I was secretly getting the letter written and updating the pastports while Katy was watching a cartoon before bed last night. Then the seldom experienced but very gratifying moment when I showed everything to Sam and HE WAS IMPRESSED! :) He even told me that our kids are lucky to have such a creative mom! Sorry - just had to share because a lot of the time guys just don't "get it" and I was impressed with him for expressing those sentiments.

Here is my Elf Schedule
1-on doorstep w/
-letter of introduction
-passport
-report
2-crumbs all over, hiding in laundry room by mini vac (Didja know elves live off crackers and water??)
3-in stocking w/ coloring pgs*
4-in kids’ closets
5-in living room with Ty’s bday presents
6-making breakfast (on counter, in cupboards)
7-under K’s bed
8-watching a movie w/ popcorn, blankets, new DVD?*
9-in hall w/ paper snowflakes*
10- left note on computer
11-in car
12-making cookies - dough in fridge, one in cupboard
13-TBD
14-TBD
15- in kitchen/living room w/ craft project*
16-in bathtub (clothing trail?)
17- in freezer with ice cream
18-reading books in Ty’s room w/ new book*
19-tree
20- in Katy’s room having a cotton ball snowball fight
21- outside - can see them from windows
22-my room
23- living room/kitchen w/ thank you card made out letters from newspaper
24-Katy’s room? Outside? Under the tree?
**have ready and waiting by the cookies and egg nog for Santa to pick up


I can't remember where I first saw this idea but for those of you that are interested, I did get a lot of inspiration from http://www.organizedchristmas.com/. They even have the reports, etc that you can print out. Just look for their Magic Elves section.

Update (12/13): I am adding a bit more information due to lots and lots of emails asking for more! I am happy to give you even more if this doesn't get you off to a good start. Feel free to keep emailing. And if you do implement this be sure to let me know!

Here are a couple of links that will give you ideas on how to "explain" the elves showing up. http://magicalholidayhome.com/elves/?page_id=33
And though I can't find it right now, I think the letter I put with the elves last year (to start the tradition) must have looked something like this http://magicalholidayhome.com/elves/?page_id=32 Be sure to look all around this site - it has tons of cute ideas!
Someone has also started up a Magic Elf profile on MySpace LOL.

I have also found that there are some "package deals" that you can get a set of elves along with a book about their story. Just do a search on the internet for Elf on the Shelf or The Night Before Thanksgiving (I think this is the better of the two).

And I meant to tell you - I had the devil of a time finding stuffed elves in the stores last year. (this was long before I stumbled across the package stuff, but I think the elves I found are cuter) So you may just want to skip the search and go directly to Amazon.com to buy your elves :)