Christmas Family Night

We enjoy celebrating Christmas together as a family and since this is a busy time of year, we keep our Christmas Family Nights pretty simple.  After dinner, we have done various activities.  Last Friday we had a cookie decorating competition (can you tell our family is competitive). We each chose two cookies and decorated them however we wanted.  Then we voted on the ones we liked best-we couldn't vote for our own.  In the end, Emma won after a run off with Dan. We finished off the night by watching Home Alone. 

I home school our three children; and this week the kids and I have been studying one country a day and the customs that they follow for Christmas.  Friday is Mexico.  We are making luminaries (farolitas).  Then in the evening, we are going to have enchiladas and bunuelos for dessert.  Then we are going to go look at Christmas lights.  A funny tradition we have is getting Blizzards from Dairy Queen and eating them while we drive around looking at lights (you would think we would have hot chocolate).

It is fun to incorporate a job like decorating the Christmas tree into a family night (or day).  After we put up the tree, we read The First Christmas Tree, which puts the focus on Christ.  Then we all decorate the tree while listening to Christmas music and eating cookies.  For us it is important to not get too busy and focus on the reason why we celebrate Christmas-God sending His Son to earth as His gift to us. I hope each of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 
Feel free to share some of your families Christmas traditions.