Traditions

Christmas is such a fun time for me to think back on my childhood and remember all the fun traditions we used to do. I am going to try and incorporate some of these traditions into my own little family this year!
*Setting our shoes out on the front porch with our Christmas 'wish lists' inside. Santa's elves would come during the night and take our lists and leave us a little Christmas treat!
*Setting up the Christmas tree. My cute Mom always had a fun theme for our Christmas tree and usually made all the ornaments herself!
*Going to the Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theater. This is still one of my very favorite memories as a child.
*Making ginger bread houses. My Mom makes the coolest ginger bread houses, and we would go all out! I miss making those.... maybe I will give it a go next year!
*Watching plenty of old Christmas movies like: Frosty the Snowman, Twas the Night Before Christmas (with the cute mice!), Rudolph, White Christmas and of course... A Christmas Story.
*Going to my Grandma's rest home and playing Christmas carols with our little trio... Lindsay on the cello and Caitlin and I on the viola. I know my Grandma appreciated it, and it always got us into the Christmas spirit!
*Taking a carriage ride around temple square. This is a new tradition of sorts that began a few years ago. It is always fun to just hop in the carriage, sing some Christmas tunes and take in the beautiful lights!
*Barton Family white elephant party. This is always a blast! People would come up with the craziest white elephants. One year my uncle Chris even brought a live lobster wrapped in a bag! It was hilarious!
*Christmas Eve party at Grandpa's house. Another one of my favorite memories as a child... We would go to my Grandpa's house in our matching Christmas sweaters and eat some delicious clam chowder (my Grandma's special recipe). We would all line up, youngest to oldest and parade through the house until we came to the Christmas tree. This Christmas tree was special... it was about two feet tall, white and sparkly! Covered in my Grandma's cute ornaments... I LOVED this tree as a child. My Grandma even let me have one of the butterfly ornaments one year.... I still have it to this day.
*PJ's for Christmas Eve. We were always allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve.... it was always pajamas, but it was always exciting nonetheless.
*Waking up Christmas morning and waiting patiently in our room until our parents came to get us. We would always wake up super early and go take a sneak peak at what Santa had brought us. When our parents would come into the room we would line up and venture into the present filled room. It was always such a magical feeling!
*Christmas stocking hunt. My parents would hide our Christmas stockings just like an Easter egg basket, and we would have to go search around the house until we found it. When we did there was always some fun treats in the stocking, and of course, an orange in the toe of the stocking!
*Christmas food... a staple in my house. We would have a delicious Christmas breakfast and always a great roast and mashed potatoes for dinner.

I really had a great childhood filled with love and fun. We were always doing such fun things, and I will always remember them. I hope that when my family grows we can do some of these Fox traditions as well. I hope you all have a great Christmas filled with your own family traditions. Sending you love.... The Flannery's.... XOXO