Tis the most wonderful time of the year

Christmas Traditions

I didn't realise we had Christmas traditions until I sat and thought about it, but we do. Some of them have been passed down from my parents and childhood, some are inherited from Guy's family, and others we've picked up from friends and films, but all have begun to weave their way into how our Christmas will pan out for years to come. This year, with bump on the way, we've been thinking about the type of Christmas we want our kids to experience, and so we're (I'm) already sketching out ideas for next year, and the one after that...

Another thing I didn't realise is that there are so many traditions that happen in the first week:

Our first is something that Guy insists on, and if he had his way would happen in November rather than December. As soon as the 1st rolls around the tree is out. It's always the first piece of decoration that's put up. Guy takes charge of putting the tree up - it's a blue job don't you know - and stringing the lights, while I unpack the baubles and delicate figurines. If nothing else gets decked on the 1st it's fine, as long as the tree is up and twinkling.

We also pick our a few new decorations to add to our little haul. It's something we began five years ago at our first Christmas. Back then we didn't have anything but cheap plastic, bundle buy decorations, and we want to start building our collection. It started with a ten beautifully patterned glass icicles and two glass baubles; one with a rocking horse in the centre with the date on it and one with a cut out village snow scene in it. We're lucky we live close to Bath where they make Bath glass, so we've started buying a new one each Christmas - a different design and colour. Next year I'm planning on doing a class and making my own. We also add a few other decorations - last year its was bells and heart, this year it's gingerbread shapes and doves.

In all honestly I have a problem when it come to decorations - I LOVE to buy them. I spend far too much money. So we try and limit it as much as possible. Next year we want to get the baby involved - they'll only be 8/9 months old but I think they'll be old enough to pick something out that catches their eye. And of course there'll be BABY'S FIRST bauble as well.

We agreed that from now on we'll each pick out one decoration to add to the tree; and "one" may mean "one set" for me... As well as one, non-tree related, item which we all need to agree on. Over the years we'll have a collection that map's our lives together. If we go somewhere nice for our anniversary or a Christmas market will also pick something up from there - we already have a Noel stocking from the Eiffel Tower and a hand painted bauble from Rome.

A friend of mine decorates a different part of the house each day and her son picks out what the "elves" decorate out of a Christmas hat. I think it's a lovely idea. The house slowly becoming more and more Christmassy. It's something I may have to think about doing when bump gets old enough. Maybe it can be part of our evening/night time routine. Maybe we can light the advent candle and read a Christmas story or watch a Christmas movie, and at the end of it pull a task out of the hat for the next day. Next year I'm buying little wooden houses or a wooden train as an advent calendar, so maybe I can fill each one with a Christmas activity as well as a treat.

I love Christmas markets and always attend the Bath one at the end of November/beginning of December. I like wandering between the huts and nosing through the stalls, while I sip on mulled berries. The Bath one is where we get the Bath glass bauble from and we've gotten lovely cinnamon and orange scented candles, and hand made wreaths to. I'd love to try and do a different one each year. I really fancy a Germany or Austrian market. Hopefully we'll get the chance to go. My friend just cam back from the Paris one and the pictures are beautiful.

Our Christmas lists are written at the beginning of December as well to try and help with the Christmas shopping. Guy tends to panic slightly when it comes to picking out presents, which is silly as he's actually very good at it. I think this tradition will morph into writing to Santa as Bump grows up. I want to make it an event on the first weekend of December. To sit around the dinning room table with our hot chocolates and first batch of cookies or mince pies writing our "letter to Santa".

Christmas cardsare another tradition I refuse to give up. I tend to pick the recycled ones, or the ones where the proceeds go to charity without even realising it these days, and send them out to all of my friends and family near and far.

There's always a queue behind me at the post office and I have to buy a bundle of stamps - it's definitely not cheap. Yesterday I finished writing this years' batch, addressed them, and posted them, along with a parcel to Australia. I stood in the line at the post office for ages and almost missed the post collection. I think I annoyed the people behind me with the amount of stuff I had. In total it cost my £27 and that's not including the stamps for the UK cards I posted earlier this week, nor the actual cards themselves. I think I've spent about £35 in total.

Guy and I also always get each other a "special" card each year - ones that come in a box. We have a little collection of them. It's expensive and we've thought about other ways of doing it, or just not doing it at all, but then I heard about what my Aunty and Uncle used to do and I fell in love with the idea. They bought a beautiful, very large card for each other and then each year they'd pull it out, dust it off and add the year to the inside. It's so simple and yet so perfect. I have a feeling it's what we'll be doing from now on.

Another early December tradition is the purchase of a new cookie cutter. I've so many; Christmas trees, angels, snow flakes and stars, and this years' additions are snowmen, a mitten, and a cute copper polar bear. I've a whole box dedicated just to Christmas baking (and for Halloween as well). I can't wait to try them out this weekend. I have the ingredient all really for plain, vanilla, lemon, and orange shortbread biscuits. Yum yum.

These are only the traditions that cover the first week - there's still cookies and present wrapping to go and that's before we get to the big day itself. This might seem a lot already and many people may think we're mad, but it's a lot of fun. And I think everyone, even those that hate Christmas - baa humbug - have a few of their own - even if they don't realise it!