With the holidays here in full swing, Jason, my husband, and I have had several conversations of new traditions we want to start with our 9 month old daughter, Caroline.
For Thanksgiving, we took a huge leap and invited both sides of our family (each having its complications and drama) to our home for Thanksgiving dinner. Although we had some reservations, we couldn’t have hoped for a better turn out, well maybe Caroline could not have had a 102 degree temperature. But the turkey was perfectly deep fried, the rest of the food was yummy, and the company couldn’t have been more enjoyable.
We have several new traditions we want to start for Caroline’s first Christmas. They all revolve around spending time with each other as a family, giving, and fun. We have the Elf on the Shelf visiting… even if she doesn’t get it now, I’m happy that in the future when she looks back she will know we have done it since the beginning. We plan to pick a child in need of some extra presents and to have Caroline go shopping and pick things out for him or her. We want to decorate sugar cookies every year, and Caroline’s aunt would like to make gingerbread houses with her.
What I am MOST excited about is creating the tradition of the Christmas Eve Box for Caroline. This is something I wish my family had done when I was little and it is so simple.
What is the Christmas Eve Box? It is a wrapped box that shows up on Christmas Eve, or before if you believe your child can go days or weeks without touching it, from Santa’s elves. It includes any goodies you think would be excellent for Christmas Eve. Jason and I have decided to include things that will make a fun family night on Christmas Eve.
How to make a Christmas Box:
- You need the contents of the box. This is something that can be ever changing, but I think would be best to include: new pajamas, a movie to watch as a family, popcorn/snacks and hot chocolate to eat/drink during the movie, and a book to read right before bed.
- You need the materials for the box. An empty shoe box is perfect, wrapping paper, scissors, tape, tissue paper, paper and markers if you want to make a label.
- If using a shoe box, wrap the top and bottom separately. This is great, if you want to use the same box over and over or if you think you might want to change what it is in the box.
- Put tissue paper inside the box and anything you want to include.
- Put the cover on the box.
- Wait until Christmas Eve morning and put it under the tree! When Caroline is old enough to understand the concept, we will most likely have it come from her unnamed Elf on the Shelf with him sitting nearby.
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We have been doing this with our 4 year old for a couple of years and it is great. She loves it and loves the fact that she gets to open something on Christmas eve.