~Christmas Confessional~

So I got this blog idea from another blog that I read...and I really liked it, so I decided to follow suit. Here are a few of my Christmas confessionals...I'd love to hear yours too!

+My all-time favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas with Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby. I probably can't tell you how many times I've watched that movie in my lifetime. I have so many memories of watching this movie with my family on Christmas Eve or either Christmas Day night, depending on when everyone is together. I look forward to this every year, and so does my Nana.

 

+I also love love love National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I finally bought the movie instead of watching it on TV because they always cut out parts on the TV channels. Planning to watch it again this weekend, and a big thank you to my hubby for introducing it to me the first year we were together.

+My parents have a silver ornament tree where they put all the silver ornaments they have collected over the years. They have one for each year since Mark and I were born (Gorham for me and Towle for Mark). They also have other various silver ornaments such as the Twelve Days of Christmas. I want to start the same tradition, so I plan on buying the 2014 edition silver ornament after Christmas (I'll probably go with Gorham). 

+Warren and I collect Christmas ornaments. In fact, in just over 4 years, we have almost filled up an entire Christmas tree. As a couple, that was the one thing that we decided we wanted to collect. Every memorable place we go, we try to remember to get a Christmas ornament...and we have some really cool ones. We have one glass ornament filled with sand from the beaches of St. Lucia that we got when we were on our honeymoon; we have another from the Master's in Augusta, GA; the GA Aquarium; and a snowflake made of real salt from Salt Lake City, Utah...plus many many more! We also give each other ornaments each year. They are each thoughtful, but I have to say my favorite one that I gave Warren was last year that had a picture of our ultrasound and said "Baby Clements Coming 2014." I sure love this tradition. It's so fun each year to go back through all the ornaments and reminisce about where and when we got each one!  We will be starting this tradition with Bowdre too! I can't wait for her to see her ornament we got for her this year!

+Warren and I are very religious and our relationship with God is the most important thing to us and raising Bowdre in a Christian home is our number 1 priority. Christmas is the most special time of year, the time of the birth of Jesus. It's easy to get caught up in the presents and shopping, but it's important to remember the reason for the season. I found myself about a week ago getting super stressed out about people's gifts and Bowdre's 1st Christmas and this and that. Then I had to remember to stop and be thankful that I have a baby to celebrate with this year, and that my 92 year old grandmother is still here with us and in great health, and my family is happy and healthy! What more could I ask for? All of this is possible because of God sending his son Jesus who was born in that manger on that cold night so long long ago. So as a parent, I will always make sure that Bowdre knows that Jesus is the reason for the season!

+Since Warren and I have our precious daugher this year, it's time that we come up with some of our own Christmas traditions, especially Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve for me was always such a fun night. We would go to our church's candlelight service, then come home and have a seafood dinner, enjoy time together, watch White Christmas and wait for Santa's visit! I really want Bowdre to enjoy Christmas Eve as much as I did as a child. We won't be going to my parent's house until around lunchtime on Christmas Day, so we have lots of time to make traditions this Christmas Eve. I think we are going to enjoy the day and take it easy and finish up some last minute wrapping! We will go to the Christmas Eve Service downtown, since our church doesn't have one on Christmas Eve. Afterwards, Warren and I decided to grill steaks and have a nice steak dinner with the fixins on Christmas Eve. Following dinner, we will make ooey gooey butter cake for Santa...a little elf told me he loves it! After getting Bowdre bundled up in her Christmas pj's, we will read the story of the birth of Jesus out of the Book of Luke while in front of a crackling fire! And we can't go to sleep without reading her the Night Before Christmas...no way! Once Bowdre is snuggled in her bed and as sugarplums are dancing around in her head, Warren and I will probably watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation! We have to make sure to go to bed though or Santa won't come! Even though Bowdre will only be 5 months old and she probably doesn't have much of a clue what's going on, I can't wait to see her face Christmas morning!

+The Santa Debate! So we decided to definitely participate in Santa. It's just a fun part of being a child. I mean come one, it's supposed to be fun. My parents always made sure that "Santa" didn't take anything away from the real reason of Christmas, and we plan to do the same. But who doesn't like going to sleep knowing that a big bellied man with a sleigh and reindeer are coming down the chimney while you are asleep?!?! So here's our debate...when I was growing up, Santa didn't wrap presents. Anything that Santa brought us was laid out and set up ready for us to see and play with. The wrapped gifts were from my parents, grandparents, and family members. Warren said that Santa wrapped all of his presents, and it was more fun because there were more "wrapped" presents to tear into. So I've been debating this over the past week as I've been wrapping presents to Bowdre from us, and I think I WIN. Santa called me yesterday and told me that he doesn't have time to wrap presents since he has to visit every single child, so I told him that I understood, and that set up and out to see was just fine with me!

 

+I can play the piano and my favorite kind of music to play is Christmas music. My favorite song to play is Tennessee Christmas!

+My favorite Christmas song is Josh Groban's version of "O Holy Night." Hearing him sing that song gives me goosebumps every time...actually hearing him sing period gives me goosebumps!

+I love ALL Christmas hymns!

+My favorite Christmas food is the Honey Baked Ham by dad gets from the Honey Baked Ham store. Hands down, my favorite. But if I had to say a homemade thing, it would be a tie between my Nana's dressing or my dad's mac and cheese!

+With Bowdre's dedication, Thanksgiving, and our family reunion, my dad said he was tired of turkey, dressing and the works....so he decided to do crab legs for Christmas dinner this year. FINE BY ME!! I love them. Don't worry everyone, he is still getting a honey baked ham from the honey baked ham store for me ;)

+My favorite Christmas memory is probably being 5 or 6 years old and opening a little box that had my Rockweiller puppy Princess in it! I really miss her alot!

+I'm pretty competitive, so Dirty Santa is one of my favorite Christmas Party games!

+Warren love Egg nog, I hate it!

 

+We get a real Christmas tree to decorate! 

+I do plan to do the Elf on the Shelf next year when Bowdre is more aware of what things mean. I felt like it would be a LOT of extra unnecessary work this year, but I love the idea, so I can't wait to participate next year!

+I love riding around and looking at Christmas lights...it's so fun! I told Warren that next year we are going all out! 

Well now you know a few things about my Christmas traditions and favorites! I hope that you have some favorites and traditions too! I would love to hear them! I wish everyone the Merriest Christmas and the Happiest New Year! Remember Jesus IS the reason for the season!

"O Holy Night, the Stars are Brightly Shining,

It is the Night of our Dear Savior's Birth"

PS. John Groban sings it a lot better than I do, but that doesn't mean I won't be singing loudly the next few days! Merry Christmas from my family to yours!