Traditions: Make This Christmas More Memorable for Your Kids

Looking back on my childhood, it wasn't the toys I got that made Christmas memorable. What made it memorable were the traditions that my family continued every year. I don't remember many of the presents I received, but I do remember loving how Christmas felt.

One tradition I remember the fondest was on Christmas Eve. My Grandmother and Aunt would come to our house for dinner. We didn't see them much during the year, so this was nice. We always had a big dinner, with either turkey or ham, and of course all the fixings. There weren't many gifts but they meant a lot to us. I remember one year getting a homemade doll that looked like a cabbage patch kid. My grandmother made matching pajamas for the doll and me. One year she made my sister and me heavy flannel nightgowns with sleeping caps. She was always making us something and I miss her dearly.

Christmas and Christmas Eve are really busy because we have so many people to go visit, but we have already started a few traditions. On Thanksgiving, we go to my mom's for dinner and on the way home we go to Kmart for all the wonderful deals. We then go home, put Christmas music on and put up the Christmas tree. I buy each kid one ornament every year. When they grow up and move out on their own, they can take all the ornaments with them to decorate their trees. (except the baby's first Christmas ones). I also buy the kids flannel pajamas that they open on Christmas Eve and wear to bed that night. Of course, we also wrap Santa presents in a different wrap with a special Santa tag, and we leave out milk and cookies for Santa.

This year I would really like to start some more Christmas traditions, especially since money is going to be tight and there will be fewer gifts under the tree. One tradition I would like to start is having my husband read the story, The Night before Christmas to the kids every Christmas Eve to the kids before they go to bed. It's a wonderful story and I think the kids would really enjoy it.