Christmas Traditions

We have a few Christmas traditions around here... and a few that we are starting with the kids this year. One of my favorite ones is getting a new ornament. We met Ben for lunch today and while we were out, we stopped into Hallmark to pick out our new ones. For now, we're picking out the kid's ornaments, but I have a feeling that by next year, Noah might be choosing his own... or at least making a {bigger} request as to which one he wants.

The photos that I took of the new ones for this year didn't turn out the greatest, but I have no desire to retake them...

It was only fitting that Noah get the Polar Express Train ornament this year. {We really wanted to take him on the train ride, but the timing just didn't work out... hopefully next year!}

Ellie got The Zoo Keeper Says ornament. I love that it actually works! We really liked the Disney Princess and Barbie ones, but decided that this one is more fitting of where she is this year... and that I'm sure by the time she gets to choose her ornament, we'll have plenty of those types.

Ben chose the Triple Dog Dare ornament, from A Christmas Story. It plays out the scene... and makes me giggle every time.

And, of course, as soon as I saw the Green Eggs & Ham ornament, I knew it would be the one for me this year. It matches my mug perfectly.

One of the new traditions that we've added is Christopher Pop-In-Kins. I bought him last year after a friend posted about how much her kids loved him. He is a special elf who comes to watch the children for Santa. We're not pushing the whole Santa-thing {I mean, first, why should Santa get all the credit... sorry Mom and Daddy-man for all those years that Santa got all the credit for your hard work!... and secondly, the real reason we give is because of Christ and that's what I want my kids to correlate Christmas to.}, but it's fun to have traditions that involve the spirit of Santa. Even to this day, Santa visits us at my parents' house... and that's a tradition that I fully intend to keep for our kids. Whether they believe in Santa or not.

Noah still isn't quite so sure of Christopher, but he really liked the book!