Sunday, November 19, 2006

Christmas Traditions

Mary at http://owlhaven.wordpress.com is looking for Christmas traditions. Here's ours...

Our family has the traditional Christmas tree in our living room. It's decorated with all our traditional ornaments, including a few that go back to when I was a child. But in our TV room, we have our China Tree. When we traveled to China to adopt Hannah, we purchased two cloisonne ornaments - one for her (to take with her when she has her own home someday), and one for us. When we returned to China to adopt Rachel, we not only got two more cloisonne ornaments, but also bought a few more. On our most recent trip to adopt Abbie, we again bought two more cloisonne ornaments, and about 20 others! All these ornaments are hung on our special China Tree. We use red and gold beads and lights (good luck colors in China), and I found a beautiful Chinese angel for the top. I'm always on the lookout for Chinese-themed ornaments to add to our tree - last year, Hobby Lobby had a beautiful collection. We've got pandas, fans, tea pots, lanterns. But, of course, our favorites are the ones we brought home from our trips. I'm going to need an extra suitcase for ornaments the next time we travel! And a bigger tree!







Our beautiful China Tree, and the angel who adorns the top.

"Good luck" boy and girl, and our girls' Chinese zodiac animals - I bought all these at a shop on Shamian Island in Guangzhou on Abbie's trip.

We also have an annual tradition that I started for Hannah's first Christmas with us. On Christmas Eve, we give the girls new Christmas jammies and a Christmas-themed book. They put on their new jammies and we read the book to them before bed. Last year, we read Max Lucado's The Crippled Lamb (the lamb's best friend is a cow named Abigail - Abbie loved that!)

Christmas jammies, 2005

3 comments:

owlhaven said...

Love the tree idea!!!

Mary

Becca said...

Your tree is gorgeous. I love that you make the girls' heritage such an important part of your holiday. Your kids are so so beautiful.

Amy said...

Wow. What a great idea! Love the China tree! I wish we had gotten more things from China . . . .