justBeConnected

Sharing my tradition-Calenders

From Deborah ~

For the past ten years I’ve made calendars for my family.  They end up being a lot of work, but are fun to do and are a gift that my family appreciates.  Sometimes I think this will be the year I won’t do them, but I know I’d be in trouble if I didn’t.

I’ve done this a couple ways.  Designing my own calendar and printing it on my computer, buying blank pre-made ready to decorate calendars, or taking them to a copy shop to print-just depends on how much money I want to spend. 

Here’s a couple ideas/things I’ve learned:

*When making multiple calendars for one year, it’s easier to pick a theme and gather a variety of stamps, stickers and embellishments.
*If you make your own calendars check the dates very carefully.
*Treat each month like a scrapbook page.
*Consider the person you are creating the calendar for.  What are their interests?  One of my grandmothers likes crossword puzzles so I usually include a crossword from the paper on one page.  Another grandmother likes to cook so I include recipes.
*It’s lots of fun to use appropriate distressed children’s books for graphics. 
*Consider how the calendar is going to be bound together before you start placing photos and embellishments.
*Give yourself plenty of time or plan on some late nights.
*Write special messages to the person you are making the calendar for.  Something like, "Call mom and wish her a happy birthday." or "I need help painting my house this month." 
*If you are running late, a poster style calendar is much faster than a monthly. 
*Use a mixture of old and new photos-it’s fun to reminisce.

This year I'm altering photos.  Here's a sample of one:

Best Friends are the BEST!

Zazazu here...

The holidays are hectic for everyone and most gift lists are a mile long.  It leaves little time for much else and really adds to the hustle and bustle of Christmas.

My best friend has two kids and a larger family.  While I don't have kids or a larger family, my gift list is still pretty long and money is usually pretty tight.  For years, we would both worry and fret over what to get one another, the perfect gift that each might want.  Usually, it turned out that the gifts were just okay and that what we really wanted was to spend time together.  However, neither of us would really resign ourselves to NOT getting the other something at all.  That just didn't seem right to us.

So, several years ago, we decided to get each other a Christmas ornament every year.  Only a Christmas ornament.  Nothing else.  Every year.  We each had our requests for the ornaments: She loves classic red-and-green ornaments and I like gold or silver ornaments.  We know though when we see it, every year, what the perfect ornament is for the other.

We exchange these ornaments over a dinner that we usually plan months in advance.  We each get a nice, carefully thought out, useful gift and time spent with one another, which is what Christmas is all about anyway.  It is a win-win situation for both of us. 

It isn't much but it sure helps out and is super-special to both of us.

Happiest of holidays to you ALL... xoxoxo... :)

Creating New Traditions

Before I dive into my personal Sharing our Traditions post I want to thank everyone for sharing this new Tradition at justBeConnected with our Creative Blogging Community.

At least I hope this will become a new Tradition~Sharing here every November about the holiday season.

I thought this was a good idea. I mean I still think it is, but it can't happen without you! I Know you have something to say~Share your voice!

As a young adult the only Holiday that still held any traditional Holiday appeal to me was Christmas. Being a retail manager I had to work most Holidays, even Easter most of the time if the store I was managing was open! My family fell into a rhythm of doing things a certain way to celebrate Christmas; Christmas Eve breakfast with Grandma, a wonderful dinner at our Mom's, exchanging presents with our siblings at night (we have done a grab bag for over 10 years that works out perfect! and is always fun), midnight mass, and then spending Christmas Day with our partner's family or however we wanted. Before I was married this system worked well. It was what I looked forward to. These simple traditions were what made Christmas special for me.

My side of the family mostly lives in the New York area. Over six years ago I moved to Massachusetts where my husband and his entire family lives. Sean, his parents, his 5 sisters, and a bunch of other relatives celebrated every Holiday together. I loved having someplace special to go on Thanksgiving and their huge Easter brunch and egg hunt is definitely my favorite. Although I also loved their Christmas celebration, I did not want to give up my traditions on that Holiday. Our first few years of marriage we tried participating in both. With two of us working in retail this was really a ridiculous thing to do. We would be so exhausted from working, shopping, and driving we could barely keep our eyes opened.

Eventually we stayed in Massachusetts for every Christmas. We celebrate with my family the following week around New Years. This worked out fine except we still ended up traveling to Boston from Cape Cod (about 80 miles) every Christmas Eve and sleeping over my Mother-in-law's house so we could be with his siblings on Christmas morning. After our children were born I longed to wake up in our own home on Christmas morning. I tried to make suggestions to allow this to happen, but logistically it never worked out. Then last year I was so elated (for many reasons) that Sean's parents renovated their summer house and moved in full time. Now Sean's parents live just 5 miles away. Although we have owned our home for 6 years, last year was the first time we woke up in our own home on Christmas morning. It was wonderful! Our children's eyes lit up when they realized Santa had come! I am getting all teary eyed just thinking about it. Late morning Sean's parents came over with a few of his sisters to see what Santa brought for our children and for breakfast. We served all the treats his Mom use to make at her house like Monkey bread and scones, but also added quiche and Mimosas. In the afternoon we all went to my Mother-in-law's house for a big dinner.

I know it was (and probably still is) difficult for some of Sean's family members, especially the other grandchildren, to get use to this new way and new place to celebrate Holidays. I am very grateful. It is such a relief for us to not have to rush and travel. I look upon this Holiday season with eager anticipation of creating more and lasting memories and traditions with my children and all of our families.

Writing this posts reminds me of how important it is to teach my children about the beauty of traditions, but also to teach them about the balance of families, and how to embrace change...

Ethan and Maggie Christmas 2004

Christmas 2005

Christmas 2006

 

Happy Holidays!

XO, Melba

Sharing Our Traditions (November 2007)

We want to hear about your Traditions!

This can be anything you want to share~

Some ideas of what you might want to post about....

• your favorite Holiday memory
• a Tradition you want to keep going in your family
• a new Tradition you hope to try this year
• a Tradition you are glad you no longer have to participate in
• a special recipe
• a tutorial on how to make a gift or decoration
• pictures from the past
• a wish list for what you want this Holiday season
• a wish for what you don't want this Holiday season

If you want to share just email me and I will send you a TypePad generated invite that will allow you to post here at justBeConnected. You can create your post at anytime and save it as a draft.

Sometime during November your post will be published here at justBeConnected.

Thank you!

I am excited to read your posts!

XO, Melba