The 12th Day of Christmas

It's a tradition! You know once your kids are in school they'll have questions about sharing family traditions. When Jackson was in kindergarten I realized that we just don't have all that many traditions. I did growing up. Things like my grandmother making the traditional slovakian meal on Christmas Eve, and a special chocolate egg from a factory in Pennsylvania where my father grew up for each of us... well I guess those were the biggest. But it just made me realize I have to be intentional as a mom and my husband and I as a couple to create traditions for our children. This one came about simply because my friend Kim started a mommy and me Christmas tea last year. A little background, Kim and I have been friends since the first grade and have seen each other through just about everything in life. She gets me in a way that only a sister could. We're not related, but sometimes it seems like we are.

So we decided that we'd make it a tradition to celebrate Jesus' birthday each year with a mommy and me tea. The kids were so excited and it really isn't that hard to put together. I happened to have star cookie cutters in different sizes so I figured they'd go great with the story of The Tiny Star. Jackson actually said to me tonight that I should make those sandwiches for school lunch every once in awhile. I said, "They're the same thing inside." He said, "I know, but somehow the star shape makes them taste more yummy."


So we read "The Tiny Star" story about the star that is so small and wants to be big like all the others until one day she drops lower and lower and lands on a manger. When the baby inside (which of course is Jesus) sees her she grows bigger and bigger and glows throughout the sky. She's now the most beautiful star of all. That's a very brief summary. The story is much sweeter in detail. The kids thoroughly enjoyed having their own little buffet of snacks to choose from. Their favorites were the egg salad sandwiches on sour dough bread, star sunflower seed and jelly sandwiches, the blueberry sparkling juice, and the peanut butter cookies afterwards.

Then they all colored or played with their activity books.. and of course the day wouldn't have been complete without running in circles chasing each other and playing hide and go seek. It was a very rainy day for us. But it was nice and cozy. We had Christmas music playing and there was a time in there for the mommies to sneak away to our own table and enjoy lunch as well as some Christmas tea.

I'm looking to add to my Christmas book collection and have been on the hunt to remember two books that were read to me years ago. I had forgotten the names, but never forgot the stories. So I found them and plan to order on amazon very soon. One is called "The Tale of the Three Trees" and the other "The Crippled Lamb". I'll leave you with links so you can check out the descriptions yourself. Both are great stories to read at Christmas time or anytime. Happy 12th day of Christmas. We're almost half way there!