Christmas Traditions

As Christmas quickly approaches, I have had a few people ask me about one of our Christmas Traditions, the Christmas Chain. Years ago a dear friend introduced me to the idea of the Christmas Chain/Christmas Countdown. The idea is simple, fill your December calendar with one activity per day leading up to Christmas.
Over the years our Christmas Chain has grown to become an event that all of my kids look forward too. It has become a time of enjoying making crafts together, trying new foods and doing activities that we don't normally do on a regular basis. Each year the chain has retained some favorite activities as well as embraced new activities and it has morphed and adapted with the age of my children.
If you are interested in starting your own Christmas Chain, here are some of my ideas:

1. Choose a method of counting down the days: Pinterest has a lot of ideas for countdowns and advents. Our countdown was one that I had purchased at Jo Ann Fabrics several years ago. I like this style of countdown because each day is a mini pocket and I simply fill the pockets with the activities. This works well especially if I need to swap out an activity in case of a change of plans.
My suggestion is for the first year or two or longer,  involve your kids in making a simple paper chain. You can write each days events on each link or you can keep a separate list (out of sight) in case you need to swap activities.

2. Choose your activities: Christmas Chain activities can be as simple or complex as you wish, based on what you and your family enjoy doing.  Are you active? Crafty? Social? or Homebodies? Do you prefer to be alone as a family or share the holidays with others? Are there things that you always do at Christmas time? or are there new traditions you want to start? The ideas are limitless! And remember that sometimes the simplest things are the most memorable!
Our activities tend to fall into 4 different categories. Books, Movies, Countries and traditions. Here's why:

1. I love reading to my kids and I especially love reading heart warming    stories during the Christmas season.

2. We love movies! And there are some Christmas movies worth repeating every year!

3. I love learning about other countries and cultures and experimenting in the kitchen. I also think its important for my kids to study and learn about other cultures. (I do try to coordinate certain countries with real holiday dates)

4. There are just some things we do for traditions sake!


3. Set your plan in motion: This is when I get out the big monthly calendar and strategically plan what days we will do which activities. On the days that are wide open I plan our biggest events and on the days that we are busy outside the home I plan the less intensive activities. This is when I also check  our community calendar to see if there are any activities we want to participate in or attend. I also try to make a weekly list of anything we need for craft projects, extra groceries, etc. So that I am "usually " prepared ahead of time.

Now, fill up your chain/pockets and let the fun begin. Each day allow your kids to remove one chain revealing the day's activity. Make memories, have fun and repeat often!

Here is a list of the 2013 Leathermon Christmas Chain Activities: 

Letters to Santa and Wish List Ornaments
Watch Rudolph and have hot cocoa
Christmas in Spain
Read The Snow Queen and make snow play dough
Christmas in France
Watch Frozen, have snowman pancakes and frozen hot chocolate
Watch Mickey Mouse Christmas cartoons and make Mickey cookies
Read Snowflake Bentley, make paper snowflakes and tortilla snowflakes
Read Frosty the Snowman, make snowman pictures, watch the cartoon and have snowman ice-cream
Christmas in Greece
Puppy chow and game night
Christmas in China
Read the Polar Express (take a train ride)
Baking Day and visit the Live Nativity
Look at Christmas lights
Elf Day: watch the movie Elf, make elf hats, elf ornaments
Christmas in Germany
Read the Gingerbread Man and make gingerbread houses
Christmas in England
Grinch Day: read the Grinch, watch the cartoon, make grinch punch and lump of coal cookies
Read The Shortest Day
Read Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, tree craft
Read Trees of Dancing Goats, service project
Attend the candle light service, read the Night Before Christmas
Merry Christmas!