December Daily : Days 18 + 19 + 20 + more traditions
Thanks for all the comments over the last couple of days. Not super worried about the moles - it's just nice to have the prayers going out so thank you. Will let you know...
Here's a look at Days 18, 19 and today. Really keeping it focused on the photos + words again. I love it like that - just a couple other fun things added for interest. And man, I love writing on photos and being able to use Photoshop to add journaling right onto the photos. Feeling thankful for that today.
The wreath on Day 18 above comes from Haru. I put it on the door to my office - love that it can be holiday, and also everyday (a great little celebration of paper).
And here's the back of Day 18:
And Day 19:
Envelope came from Japan, flower from K&Company. The envelope includes the story from my post last night - printed out + folded up + placed inside. Rub ons and that cool metal thing (you can see it in the second photo below as well) along the photo is from 7gypsies, circle epoxy from Love, Elsie. The photo of the three of us was taken with a tripod and a timer in our dining room. Fonts there are Avenir and Marketing Script.
The back of Day 19 and the start of Day 20:
Doing lots of wrapping around here. Got almost all of it done last night and breathed a sigh of relief at getting that job done.
Been listening to Mindy Smith's My Holiday (thanks Gabby) and the soundtrack to Into the Wild (Eddie Vedder - not Christmas at all but man I love his voice). I haven't seen the movie yet but loved the book (and Into Thin Air is also a favorite). I also really want to see Charlie Wilson's War.
And as we get closer to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I was hoping to gather up a collection of traditions that people do/eat/celebrate on either of those days. Ours seems to be always changing depending on where we are, what is happening, who we are with, etc. One thing is for certain: Simon will get a new pair of pj's to open on Christmas Eve (we will all probably open one present).
What are things that simply make it Christmas for you?
I love the candles and the pic of the three of you right now. I love all of your page entries and you (and Simon and Chris) will treasure this book for years to come.
I need to kick myself and get going with some things! Thanks for the inspiration!
Paula
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My family is all about the food :) On Christmas Eve, when we have dinner with our neighbors, my mom always made something red and something green as part of the meal. A few years we had chicken with two sauces - a pesto and a tomato; red and green! We also have eggs benedict for breakfast with my parents on Christmas day. Another tradition is piling the wrapping paper up on the dogs and taking a picture. We also get together with family on Christmas night and have desserts and play games. Merry Christmas, Ali!
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Your book is just mindblowing...I love how things look great from every album despite the clear see through feature...i have tried it and things seem to be not falling in place as well as yours do...
Thank you for being oh so inspiring. Can't wait to keep playing and get the knack for it. if you have any tips on placement ease, please share!
Thank you and Merry Christmas
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A tradition that started when my youngest (now almost 13) was about 6 mths old, and would only take a nap in a moving car is that we take an evening as close to C.mas Eve as we can manage, and we drive around looking at the lights and decorations in nearby neighborhoods. We do this for about an hour or so, and then we stop at Starbucks for a special drink and dessert. That's were we're heading tonight. I love seeing how people do up their homes.
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Hey Al! Been thinking of you lately!
Our Christmas traditions are rarely strayed from. Christmas Eve we go to Jeff's parents house to celebrate. We eat chili for dinner, watch A Christmas Carol and open presents. Once we leave, we drive by the same house every year because they have a life size mechanical Santa in the window every year and we tell the kids we need to hurry because he is almost to our house. Oldest son figured this one out a few years ago and so he just plays along. We then get home to get the kids in bed so Santa can come. Christmas day, once coffee is made:), the kids come downstairs and we open presents as a family. Later in the day, my brother and his family come over and we have a huge meal of prime rib and all the stuff that goes with it.
It's pretty much the same every year. This year, I bought everyone new pj's to open on Christmas Eve. I'm thinking about those morning photos!:)
Dawn
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When my son was little and he woke me around 5:00am every Christmas, I would let him open only the things in his Christmas Stocking, while I made some coffee. After I had a couple of sips, and the stocking emptied, I was then awake enough to enjoy seeing him open the rest! I would also make Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls to tide us over until real breakfast (just what he needed, sugar before breakfast!). Merry Christmas to all!
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We simply read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and my son gets to open one gift from us.
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My family celebrates Chanukah but we have wonderful Christmas Eve tradition, spent with a dear family friend. He comes over and we eat bagels, lox and cream cheese, potato latkes and blintzes. We pick a good movie, build a roaring fire, and settle in for a cozy evening. Its been a special night for us for many years!
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Tradition: going out xmas eve night to look for xmas lights and my son trying to spot santa in the sky--
I discovered Mindy Smith's holiday disc about 2 weeks ago--her voice is amazing--love the mix of old and new.
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Waiting for my grandma's package to arrive...... not filled with store bought things........ it's filled with homemade goodies from her oven. Over the years I've learned to bake/make all of the goodies she sends me but some how they taste so much better when she makes them for me. As soon as it arrives we all stand over it just praying that our favorite has been sent each year and without fail they are always in there.
And our Christmas Morning tradition is having baked french toast for breakfast. While we open our presents it's bakes away and just the smell of it makes me think Christmas and family.
Happy Holidays !
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Oh Ali, I hope you will share a "master list" of traditions with us...my kids are at the age where they are staring to notice/remember these things.
Some of our traditions:
New pjs and either a book/game on Christmas eve
Read the Nativity story before above gifts
Stockings and Santa gift first thing Chirstmas day, then big breakfast (and lots of coffee) before opening rest of gifts!
xo
I never thought I would find such an everyday topic so enngrallith!
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hey ali ;) eddie can sing anything to me and i'll listen ;) and i also look forward to seeing charlie wilsons war.. its getting great reviews... no holiday traditions for you since my dad is kinda a bah humbug... and my ex bf matt was too... this year is just full of celebrating with lots of different people....
when i was a lil girl... my mom always made this amazing cheese souffle and that was a christmas morning breakfast.. i could also open my stocking before my parents got up
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Love that man's voice, too.
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One thing we did last year that I will do again is set up the camcorder on a tripod. We actually all seemed to forget it was there. So we have a lovely tape of everyone interacting and no one behind the camera. So wonderful.
Besides that, pj's, cookies for Santa, and maybe a train cake with candies, a big family breakfast after opening gifts and just enjoying being a family.
Wishing everyone a beautiful, wonderful time!
Lorrie
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Ali:
where can I see the comments re: your December album starting with Day 1? I see the link to the actual photos, but you gave some useful tips on where to get products, etc, under the photos in your blog each day. Thanks,
michelleB
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LOVING your Christmas book and daily documentation/photos. Hope your family has a very Merry Christmas!
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Our traditions are...well...pretty traditional. We all get new PJs on Christmas Eve and change into them before reading a Chrismtas book before bed. We leave milk & cookies for Santa, and carrots or celery for the reindeer. In the morning, we have stockings from Santa (everything is individually wrapped) and we open those first before digging into the other gifts.
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Hi! Our Christmas Eve always consists of new jammies, hot chocolate with a candy cane in it, a fire in the fireplace and a viewing of "It's a Wonderful Live" with Jimmy Stewart. The old black and white version. I LOVE that movie and it reminds us what Christmas is all about, all over again. Then, Santa treats (even though my boys are 10 &15, we can't forget that tradition!).
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love the photo of the 3 of you. so lovely.
no one in our generation has kiddies yet, so we are still the younger ones who don't get to host something traditional...so we have made our own and it has developed pretty darn well over the last three years...christmas eve and christmas day are more the traditions everyone expects, but we host boxing day on the 26th. everyone comes to our place for a totally chilled day. we eat easy-but-yum stuff like chili and pick one movie that everyone would really like to see and make a little in-house-cinema event of it...and then there is the mandatory adults-acting-like-children activity, which is different every year. this year it is decorating gingerbread houses...which they don't know about yet. because it's all grown ups, i bet it will get so competitive! but should be fun.
merry christmas!
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About Into the Wild I have seen the movie (EXCELLENT) and currently "listening" to the book on my ipod.....DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND DOWNLOAD THIS! The man who reads it has a great voice!
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ali, not sure if you read the blog http://simplicityinthesuburbs.blogspot.com
beautiful post and tribute there.
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One of the things I've enjoyed about following your art is the story of your family. My daughter is just one year younger than Simon, so it's nice to see what another little family of three is like. Love the family photo!
I'm intrigued by the packaging for the teachers on the back of that photo. The tags and string look so cute. If you have a chance, can you describe those items or the inspiration?
Thank you for sharing your craft and your life with us. Wishing you and your house full of family a very merry and blessed holiday.
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Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful and inspiring album with us. I love the family photo. Wish you a very blessed Holiday and wonderful memories. Hope you get to spend time with your mom too! We loved meeting her at the Bellevue Convention!Merry Christmas! - Terri- Kirkland
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My mom always made Swedish Cinnamon Bread for Christmas morning. We opened presents and then had breakfast of oranges, swedish cinnamon bread, milk and pistachios. Ü Then we all crash for a nap. Now that I'm married, I make the bread for family get togethers. It brings back so many memories. My DH and I go to see christmas lights Christmas Eve and then sit together to watch a christmas movie before we crash. No kiddos yet but the holiday is just as fun with just the two of us.
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Traditions for Christmas Eve...One gift (or maybe two if our daughter can sweet-talk us into it) to open on Christmas Eve, at least one Christmas movie / show, and just some quiet time as a family...I'm thinking this year we might start doing s'mores. Dana (daughter - 12 yrs old) loves them and we bought a little s'mores maker kit...I'm sure she'd love that. Aaron (son - 27 yrs old) will be coming home Saturday. That's when it feels like Christmas, when both the kids are here. Last year Dana began a new Christmas morning "tradition" ... she walked into her brother's room and played a Christmas song very loudly on her trombone to wake him. Her dad and I just laid in bed and started laughing! She told me last night she's been practicing a new song for this year! Enjoy your holiday, Ali - you're in my prayers!
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