Christmas stories, recipes, traditions, etc.

[Kateri-Marie]

I just recently discovered this chit-chat thread! Great idea! So what is everyone doing to get their houses ready for Christmas?
Decorating ideas, Christmas baking recipes, traditions, funny\cute Christmas stories?

[Kateri-Marie]

Our family, as you might know if you read the "Jesus' birthday cake" recipe (http://www.talkfood.com/forum/showth...+birthday+cake) is Catholic.

So we have the Advent Wreath out. It is a wreath with 4 candles around the edge- 3 purple, 1 pink, and one white candle in the middle. In the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas, the season of Advent, each Sunday you light another candle. Then on Christmas you light the big white candle. This symbolizes Christ , the Light of the world, getting closer and closer.

We have our Nativity scene up too.

The Advent Wreath and the Nativity scene are something that all Catholics do, but our family has this tradition.......we set up the whole nativity scene, but we do not put Jesus in it yet because He is not supposed to be born yet. Then I put a little basket of cut-up yellow yarn on the table beside. (It is supposed to look like straw.) Then all through Advent, every time one of the kids does a “good deed”, (doing what I say right away, an extra chore, helping someone else, etc.) they get to put a straw in the manger. They all try to do as many “good deeds” as they can and then their birthday gift to Jesus is a comfy bed of good deeds. J

My 3 year old daughter is just getting used to the idea of the good deeds this year. Our manger is on top of the piano. I always tell her to stop climbing on the piano, so she is quite aware of the fact that she is not supposed to be up there. One day she was climbing on it. I was about to get her in trouble when she said, “mummy, tell me to get down.”
I told her to get down, of course, like I was about to do anyway, which she promptly did, then popped a straw in the manger. She said, “I did what you said right away, mummy! “

J

[K. Slink]

That is so precious, I don't have a little ones in my life these days and I miss it...

[KarenB]

It's wonderful that you take the time to create memories for your children. And to teach them about "life" I have always set an early deadline to get the shopping and cooking done so I can spend time enjoying the season. I see too many of my friends running around in a panic and no focus. They can hardly wait 'til its over. Not me I soak up every moment for a memory. It's a relaxing time. Today I'm going to make a tourtiere for Christmas eve. Time to thaw the turkey for the brine.