You may have noticed the newest button in my sidebar about a blog hop through the Schoolhouse Review Crew. Five days of Preparing for the Holidays. Monday‘s focus was on decorating. Tuesday was all about cooking — yummy recipes shared. Today, Wednesday, the theme is gift-giving. The remainder of the week will have posts on arts & crafts and homeschooling.
There are also giveaways hosted on some of the participants blogs. I’ll be entering some of those giveaways. You should, too. There are some great products.
I am not participating in the blog hop. Two main reasons. I don’t have much to share and I have a pretty full schedule of posts this week already. You would be sick of me or expect me to post that much all the time. *grin*
We do not celebrate Christmas as most do. Not wanting to start debates, etc. it is just not something we have ever done. We do go to family gatherings and enjoy fellowship. We just do not decorate or give gifts. I do want to share a bit about what our family does do during the next 2 months or so. For us, it is “Birthday Season“. Of our six children, five have their birthdays in the next two months — two even on the same day!
On each child’s birthday, they get to choose our meals. For breakfast, we often feast on homemade cinnamon rolls or pancakes –whatever the birthday child requests (within reason). Then, they get to decide what’s for lunch. Sometimes it is a rarely made soup or a simple lunch of assorted veggies, fruit and pretzels with dips. For dinner it is, again, what they wish for. Sometimes this even has us eating at the pizza place in a nearby town (I enjoy the break from special cooking all day, but try not to overly encourage this option). This hasn’t happened as often in recent years. Maybe my cooking is better? And of course a simple birthday cake. Usually left in the pan and frosted simply. Often, the girls like to do this for each other. We pray over the birthday child, too. It is a very special, intimate family time.
Some years, the birthday child may have a particular want – bird watching kit, lego set, etc. Other years, they might choose to have a shopping day with Mama. We try to schedule it when it is half off day at Goodwill to make the $$ go further. I am a bit more relaxed with our usual shopping requirements. If there is a fun shirt, we get it. If there is a special toy or book – they get to have it as their own, not shared (at least not right away). We get lunch out and shop until our money is spent. Just the birthday child and me. It is such fun to have these special dates with my children.
One of the things I love, is what the children do for each other. They might wrap up one of their own treasures for a sibling’s birthday. They make special pictures or creations. They do each other’s chores. It is so neat to see them bless their siblings. We did not start this with them, but this is something they have done on their own. This might be my favorite part of the day – the love the share (without Mama making them).
What about shared birthdays? Thankfully, they have agreed thus far on their menu selections. For their cake, we get creative. Sometimes two little ones; other times the frosting is half and half. The two girls that share a birthday are separated by five years. This year they will be 10 and 5. We have had their shopping day together so far. This might be the year they get to go alone. The younger daughter still hasn’t decided if she would rather have a set of Legos.
We know the grandparents (oh, okay, we do, too!) like traditional birthday celebrations so we have two during these two months. We celebrate a very girly birthday on Thanksgiving weekend. I usually make chili and a fun, decorated cake. Even though we may have just seen one set of grandparents a few days earlier, we all enjoy this lower key celebration with its own traditions.
For the boys, whose birthdays both fall near the end of the year, we have an all-boy birthday party. This time, we host a gathering on New Years Eve. We have pizza and play games and are entertained by many mock battles. Again, a fun cake — usually castle themed or covered in camouflage frosting. Very relaxed, but memorable.
That is the point to family traditions. Something enjoyable, not stressing. Building memories — not memories of everything being “just so”, but of the time spent together. And of course, the traditional things we eat. Make a big deal or don’t. Above all honor God in your celebrations and make memories.