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We have some fun traditions we've accumulated through the years, but one of my favorite childhood traditions was the yearly gingerbread house. I MADE six kits this weekend, and pulled out all the Halloween candy we'd set aside that was appropriate for decorating. As I was enjoying this tradition with my children this weekend, I realized that it was more meaningful for me because we were sharing it with somebody else. When we were first married, and enjoying our first Christmas, I made gingerbread houses to decorate and I shared this tradition with my husband and his mother. That's one memory of her I'll always treasure. What fun traditions do you have, and do you have plans to share them this year?
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sharing Traditions
We have some fun traditions we've accumulated through the years, but one of my favorite childhood traditions was the yearly gingerbread house. I MADE six kits this weekend, and pulled out all the Halloween candy we'd set aside that was appropriate for decorating. As I was enjoying this tradition with my children this weekend, I realized that it was more meaningful for me because we were sharing it with somebody else. When we were first married, and enjoying our first Christmas, I made gingerbread houses to decorate and I shared this tradition with my husband and his mother. That's one memory of her I'll always treasure. What fun traditions do you have, and do you have plans to share them this year?
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10 comments:
Oh! I forgot you were having company! Did you have a fun holiday weekend? I bet you went somewhere fun... and you MADE the gingerbread? Wow. I gave up on that years ago. Now we just buy the pre-made kits and add in more candy. I'm lame, I know, but it's less stress and less mess!
Amy I need your gingerbread recipe. and your kit measurements. Mine never seem to turn out just right. Please help!
you had company, FUN for you guys!
Love the gingerbread house idea...
my kids would love that, smart to save Halloween candy.
Do you have a gingerbread recipe?
Actually, I know I'll never make it from scratch. I can't even make a cake from scratch, who am I kidding :)
Just call me the kit gal!
What a fun tradition.
We always make fudge and cookies and then make up plates of love to take to friends and neighbors just before Christmas. We also take huge trays of fudge to work every year. It was a tradition that my mom did and we have continued it on.
I'm the LAMEST of all - we've only done this once in my whole married life. (and it was with grahm crackers - GASP!) Fun tradition. Glad someone is doing it. Cute picture of Ann. :)
What fun! I've never made a gingerbread house. I've been tempted to buy the kit and to it but seem to procrastinate in doing anything like that. I do make my German cookies--Pfefferneuse. I make them every year. It takes time, but they are great--my cousin's recipe. Also try to make cinnamon cookies and put those through a cookie press. I've made these for years--my mother made them when I was 14 or 15. A friend of mine in NY loved them back then and everytime I make them, I think of him. I even email him to let him know, too. Glad you had a fun Thanksgiving as well.
A German tradition that we have is called Nicholaus (sp?). Every year on the evening of December 5th the children (including your husband) set out their boots by the front door (we keep our boots inside). Then in the morning all the children wake up and are surprised to find that Nicholaus (we always pretended that he is Santa's brother) has left us special things in our boots. He usually left me new gloves, a few sweets, oranges or tangerines,and fun little gadgets to play with (a lot like stockings). I love this tradition and I've done this with Jason before we were even married. Another fun idea is to leave new ties or to stuff new pj's in their boots as well.
I have one more tradition that I'd like to share with you. Every Christmas season my mom set out a wreath on our dinning room table with 4 candles on the wreath, spaced evenly apart. Each candle represents 1000 years. In total the 4000 years of the earth. The first candle is lit on the first Sunday in December (Mom usually lights right before dinner). Then the second candle is lit on the second Sunday in December (so now you have 2 millenium represented). So this goes on every Sunday until all 4 candles or lit. This is a very special tradition for me. It reminds me of Christ and that He was born for us and that He died for us and was resurrected for us and that He will come again to bring us light, peace, and joy.
How well I remember making the gingerbread houses. It was less expensive since I purchased a 55 gallon drum of molasses.
Each of you children would make your own gingerbread house, but could not keep it. You were to choose someone to give it to...usually some family a little less fortunate than we; however, often it would be a teacher.
That was a challenging night helping all to put the frosting on to hold the buildings together.
I have to say Ann's house was amazing. Such artistic talent.
Traditions: some are harder to keep going than others.
Good for you.
mom
I got to make my first Gingerbread house (or Abigail did) because of Andrea and her "home schooling network"...we just never did this. My Grabber made "devinity" and that was something I really enjoyed doing with her. My other grandmother made home made = well, just about anything that could be considered a southern treat (she owned a bakery for a small time)...but what I loved the most was her bread! YUMMMY...my brother and I liked the pieces with the big holes the most?
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