Christmas Around the World

It should come as no surprise that I love traditions.

In my family growing up, we had many wonderful traditions, thanks to my mom and dad, and my grandma who lived just down the street from us.  Their love of tradition and family made my childhood lovely and memorable.  For them, love was truly spelled T-I-M-E.  Through our traditions, my parents taught us that family and the things that we do together matter more than material possessions.  And because of that, we never felt that we lacked...and still don't.

***Today, I am sharing one of my favorite family Christmas traditions 
over at Someone In Mind.  You'll never guess WHEN we open our Christmas gifts and what we always do BEFORE we open them!  It's a tradition that doesn't require you to buy anything extra and takes very little time!  So be sure to check it out!*** 

Here at home today, the girls and I are learning about Christmas traditions from around the world using this coloring book.  There a so many wonderful customs in other countries that honor the Christ-child during Christmas.  

For instance in the Alsace region of France, a girl representing the Christ Child, or Christkind, wears a long, white dress and a crown of gold paper and lighted candles.  In one hand she carries a plate of cookies and in the other a silver bell.  She is followed by Hans Trapp, dressed in a bearskin and carrying threatening "rods".  He is looking for naughty children, who are only saved by the intercession of the Christkind.

The traditions that we mere mortals come up with the celebrate Christ at Christmas are just delightful and sometimes downright funny.  And each one is a little different.  I love that too.

Scarlett decided she wanted to cut out the coloring pages and glue them onto popsicle sticks to create puppets. She is going to put on a puppet show for our family at FHE tonight to teach them about the traditions that we learned about today.

Hope you are having a wonderful Monday!