The Elf On The Shelf And Other Holiday Traditions

The holiday season is full of traditions. Some of them you may have participated in when you were a child, while others of them might be new to you. If you are looking for something fun to do with your kids to get into the Christmas spirit, consider utilizing one of these holiday traditions.

The Elf On The Shelf
This tradition involves Santa sending a stuffed elf to a household to watch over the children and report back to Santa. He or she usually will show up after Thanksgiving and return back to the North Pole after Christmas. Every morning when the children get up, the elf is usually in a different place than the night before. Unfortunately, the elf might not always be the most well behaved when others aren’t watching and he could do some naughty things like spill the cereal or knock over the trash can.

Advent Calendar
The Advent calendar is used to count down the days until Christmas. These calendars are generally in the shape of a rectangle and have special windows that are numbered from 1 to 24. Each night from December 1st through the 24th, kids will get to open one window where they will find a special surprise such as a small toy or a piece of candy.

Gingerbread Houses
The tradition of putting together a house out of gingerbread and decorating it started in the 1800s in Germany. They became popular with the fairy tale of “Hansel and Gretel”. Today around Christmas time, many families love to construct small gingerbread houses and decorate them with things like frosting, jelly beans and gum drops.

Christmas Eve Presents
By the time Christmas Eve arrives, kids are very excited for Christmas. One way to hold off on the excitement is to allow them to open just one small gift on Christmas Eve. In some households while the family goes to a church service or out to visit family, Santa makes a stop and delivers one special present that the child can open when they get home. Often times these presents are a set of pajamas to wear that night or a small treat.

Sending A Letter To The North Pole
Even though many people don’t write letters anymore, the post office receives thousands of letters around Christmas time that are addressed to Santa. This is a beloved tradition that has been passed down through several generations. For those that want to use technology to help them, many websites are allowing kids to email Santa directly through their site.

Christmas traditions are a great way to make memories with your kids. Are there any holiday traditions that you and your family participate in each year?

You may also enjoy our blog post Popular Holiday Traditions.

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