Christmas here begins on Thanksgiving! We set up our little 'village' of lit houses as we munch on peppermint bark and Hungarian Coffee Cake. We also begin building our 'decoration' of the year. Every year we build big yard decorations. One year it was huge gifts with a manger inside one, one year it was a row of gingerbread people. One for every member of our family. Eleven gingerbread men scattered across the lawn. This year we're considering a Snowman Nativity scene. We'll see.

Friday morning we are up at the crack of dawn to hit the sales. We rarely buy much. It isn't about the deals as much as it is the memories. The kids think it is such a blast to get up at o'dark thirty and wait in the cold for the doors to open and rush to get the few things we've put on our lists.

Later we munch on donuts, surreptitiously wrap our gifts, and begin moving furniture to make way for THE TREE. We have this 'thing' about THE TREE. It has more to do with the ritual of putting the tree up than it does about the tree itself. First, we head to our local tree farm (and often that would be Home Depot or Walmart depending upon the quality offered elsewhere) and pick out the PERFECT tree. Later that evening, our hardwood floors are a sea of popcorn as we string popcorn and cranberries while singing Christmas Carols and sipping hot chocolate.

Saturday we begin working on our yard. Christmas lights are strung by the eaves with care, for no chimney can be found way up there! Sorry, I had to do it. Our yard ornaments are assembled and displayed with pride. The wrapping begins in earnest.

Several times through out the coming weeks, we'll go look at Christmas lights, make goodies, and have song fests. We'll watch our favorite holiday movies and read our favorite holiday books.

Christmas eve… it all winds down and speeds up at the same time. Christmas eve we eat an early dinner and then scramble into our church clothes for the Candlelight service at church. Following the service, we climb into the van and start singing! We look at all of the Christmas lights in the vicinity, go down the 'luminaries lane', and head home for hot chocolate and the FIRST present opening. The children draw names and buy gifts. This night, they open their gifts from each other. We have a gift opening tradition. ONE present is opened at a time, each person enjoys their gift for a few minutes, sets it up, puts it together, whatever, before the next one is opened. We take our time and SAVOR the gifts. I forgot to mention the new pajama tradition of coming home to put on new pajamas before going out to see the lights. OOPS!

After the children go to bed, I start MY traditions. I fill and hang the stockings. I reassemble the tree that is starting to show battle scars. I arrange the packages and sweep away the rubbish of our opening fest. Breakfast is set on the counter and I go to bed. Morning will be here all too soon.

The children have a rule that must be observed with care. You can get up anytime you like but you MAY NOT WAKE US UP and you MAY NOT open any gifts. You MAY open your stocking and eat breakfast.

Then finally we get up and SLOWLY open their gifts. Those that require thank you notes have the notes written IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!! Why not write them while you're FEELING so thankful… and before you forget!

The day is a lazy day… with a great dinner… and happy memories stored away in our hearts for years to come.

And sometime before bedtime… the tree us usually dismantled and put away. I'm ready to have my house back!