Christmas Traditions

Tradition #1: Decorating the Tree

We always decorate our tree the Monday after Thanksgiving. We bought this small artificial tree in 2005, and it has served us well during our student days. While we decorate, we always listen to Mannheim Steamroller.

Ashlyn was sad when there were no more ornaments to be hung, so she started finding her own. (This one's for you, Angela!)


Tradition #2: "A Muppet Christmas Carol"

Russ gifted me this movie the first Christmas we were married. It has become a family favorite. We always look forward to watching it together.


Tradition #3: First Presidency Christmas Devotional

Russ and I have, of course, been watching the devotional for many years. However, 2010 was the first year we allowed the older girls to stay up to watch with us (it doesn't come on until 8:00 PM out here on the East coast). We all cuddled on the couch with blankets and hot chocolate and had such a special time together we decided to follow the same tradition this year.


Tradition #4: Dicken's Village and Holiday Lights Show

When we moved to Delaware in 2006 I searched online for holiday activities and found that the Macy's department store in center city Philadelphia puts on a holiday lights show and also turns a large portion of their 3rd floor into a Dicken's Village. Both activities are free to the public, which made them particularly appealing to us. :)

We loved our visit that year, and have returned every December since then.

Watching the lights show from the 3rd floor.

We have always made our visit on a Saturday, and found ourselves in the midst of huge holiday crowds cramming in to see the lights and waiting in long lines for the Dicken's Village. Circumstances forced us into a Friday evening visit this year, which we were pleasantly surprised with when we discovered that there was only a small crowd for the lights show and no line at all for the Village.

The Dicken's Village is basically a walk-through of the scenes from "A Christmas Carol" with elaborate scenery and characters that move and even sometimes speak.
Ashlyn in front of the Ghost of Christmas Present and Ebenezer Scrooge.

So, here's a look back at our family visits to downtown Philadelphia:

2006
(in front of the Christmas tree at City Hall)

2007
(mural outside the entrance to Dicken's Village)

2008

2009

2010

2011

And we always end our chilly walk back to the car with donuts and hot chocolate before heading home. :)

Thanksgiving in Tennessee

Every year since moving to Delaware we have been able to travel to eastern Tennessee to spend Thanksgiving with Russ's Aunt Janet and Uncle Allen.

This year was extra special because Russ's brother and sister-in-law, Doug and Emily, drove down from Chicago to join us.

Here are some highlights from the trip: (in no particular order)

Kaylee & Ashlyn's spelling bee
(Ashlyn's words were limited to "Ashlyn", "Kaylee", "Mom", and "Dad")

Football, football, and more football
(this was probably only a highlight for Russ)

Uncle Allen's incredible model trains

Thanksgiving necklaces

Spice drop turkeys

The real turkey
(cooked on the outside grill and always AMAZING)

Pom-pom hair

Reading, writing & coloring
(the fact that these things were done with Emily made them even better)

Presents from Aunt Janet

Back rubs

And the best part of all . . . being with family!

No one was quite ready to say good-bye when it was time to go home. :(