Nov. 3, 2006 - Getting Into The Spirit
Our Blogger Friend School assignment this week is to blog about "Getting into the Spirit." Everyone needs to cover 3 areas in their posts: - Share your family traditions for Christmas and/or Advent
- List 10 ways that you can prepare for the season
- Post a scripture that will help you “Get into the Spirit”
Our Christmas Family Traditions: - Every year we begin our holiday baking just before Thanksgiving. We put on our Christmas music and make Pumpkin Pie (from the pumpkin to the pie), Persimmon Bars, Cookies, Fudge and Caramel Corn (my childhood favorite), just to name a few. Ever since I was a little child I have enjoyed baking and preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas in this way… The smell of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice always gets me in the holiday spirit!
- My husband and I write a Christmas letter or send out Christmas cards every year. I so enjoy receiving Christmas cards and hope that others enjoy receiving ours.
- As a family we pick out a Christmas tree to decorate. Together we string the lights and place the ornaments. Each year I buy a special ornament for each of my children and give it to them on this night, so they can place it on the tree. The youngest in the family has always helped Daddy place the angel on the top of the tree, while everyone else cheers them on. During this time, all of us enjoy hot chocolate and cookies.
- On Christmas Eve we read the entire account of Jesus’ birth, usually from the book of Luke. My husband’s family has always done this on the night before Christmas and, even though I grew up with this special time occurring on Christmas morning before breakfast and stockings were opened, I have enjoyed making this our family tradition.
Ten Ways That I Prepare For This Season:
- Spend time in prayer and in the Word. It is so easy to push this aside as we become busy with preparations. By placing God first I can stay focused on what is important and remember why this time of year is so special.
- Play Christmas music, from Thanksgiving until the New Year. I love Christmas carols and hymns!
- Every year I write out a Christmas gift list and try to begin my shopping in early November. (Unfortunately, since we are moving this month, I haven’t bought much of anything yet. Oh, well!)
- Spend lots of time with my family - My sisters, my Mom and I always do our holiday baking together.
- Pull out my Christmas decorations and decide which ones I would like to place around the house. (That will have to wait until after we get settled in our new house.)
- Pick out the special ornament for each of my little ones.
- Purchase and gather items for the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to be sent to children in other countries.
- Purchase items and send a special Christmas card to each of our sponsored children in Africa and Vietnam.
- Write a Christmas letter or pick out cards. We usually include a family picture, too. (Which reminds me, I need to schedule time to take a picture!)
- Plan and host a Christmas party. My husband and I love having parties! What better time to get together and have fun celebrating the birth of our Savior!?
 A Scripture Verse That Helps Me Get Into The Spirit:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good-will toward men."
-Luke 2:14
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