Holiday Traditions

With there only being 16 sleeps until Santa makes his visit to our homes, I thought it might be fun to talk about holiday traditions, both new and old.

Those that know me, know that I come from a broken family.  My parents divorced when I was young (around 4 years old).  My mother was forced to raise myself and my younger brother on her own.  She didn't have a lot of money, so the very first Christmas we celebrated as a family of three, had to be one of a frugal nature.

I remember coming home one day, and there was a big, beautiful tree sitting in our living room.  My mother, who was overtaken with emotion from the generosity of some, told my brother and me, that Santa must have started working early that year.  We had no decorations to put on our new tree, so my mother decided that we'd make some.  Again, since she didn't have a lot of money to waste on holiday decor, the frugal way to go is to DIY.

She took some egg cartons, some glue, glitter, some scalloped edged scissors, red, green, and white construction paper, and the hooks that you use for the glass ball ornaments .. and we went to town.  I'm 31 years old, and that Christmas, is my fondest memory of my childhood.  Up until my last Christmas at home, we still had those ornaments we made that first year as a family of three.  I'll never forget it, and I'm glad my mom did that with us.  It's something I"m hoping to pass on to my own children.

On now to holiday traditions anew.  It's kind of a take on the tradition of old, only we're not using egg cartons and construction paper.  This year, my kids and I, are going to make ornaments for our tree.  We're going to make dough ornaments.  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  We're using this recipe

BAKED DOUGH ORNAMENTS
2c Flour
1c Salt
1c Water

Preheat oven to 300-degrees.

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Roll dough out on waxed paper and cut into desired shapes. Make a hole at the top of each ornament using a straw, pencil, toothpick or similar object. Bake for 2-3-hours in 300-degree oven.


And I honestly can't wait to expose my children to what I'm hoping will become our holiday tradition.

What are some of your holiday traditions?

Until Next Time ...
~A