Christmas
It's Fun!
Christmas's True Meaning to be Remembered...
Our Family loves Christmas. I mean, who doesn't? Everything about it from decorating to openin presents is so enjoyable! The best part, in my opinion, is giving gifts. It is so fun to choose out different gifts for different personalities.
Going to all the Christmas parties is fun too. The Christmas Eve service at church, the kid's club events, youth group girls's nights, co-op parties, and more are so enjoyable. Just remembering all this makes me excited for Christmas!
What is best is being home with the family, and remembering why we give; because God gave the best present ever to be given in History: Jesus. With the fire roaring in the wood stove, and lights twinkling all around, along with the sound of presents ripping open and excited shouts of joy, we sit there together, one snug family in a little white house
The music is especially fun too! We always have music playing in our house as it nears Christmas. Our dad has his plalylist, and we turn off the lights. Then we turn on the Christma decoration lights, and blast the music!
Traditions
And Other Things Our Family Does Every Time...
We have one rule for decorating that must not be broken: No one can decorate until Thanksgiving is over. We must get through that first. Then, we can go all Christmas.
We always have a wreath-counting contest on our way to church, reaching over 50 on our 5 minute ride!
Pancakes is the traditional breakfast meal, and following are other special meals throughout the day.
We almost always have a skit for the parents.
Before we open any presents, we read the bible, remembering the real reason for the season.
We also usally have the Karas' over for Christmas dinner.
We usally watch a movie called saving Christmas.
We always get one or two two-footer trees for Christmas instead of a big tree, put it on a stand, and stack all the presents underneath.
Memories
Christmas is One of the Most Memorable Times of Year...
One Friday night, the kid's club people had gathered in the Church Cafeteria for a contest. The contest was who can build the best gingerbread house. I and my siblings cared not about the best looking or most durable, or even most creative. Rather, we had one goal that night: pack as much candy on that sugar-full-hous as we possibly could. And we brought home a gingerbread house so dense with sugar, that it was leanin to one side!
Gabbi had the youthgroup girls over one cold night for some pizza and a movie. We watched the movi Narnia and decorated cute Christmas mugs.
Last Christmas, my entire family traveled about 16 hours to Indiana, where my mom's side of the family lives. We had all our cousins, and Aunts and Uncles on that side of the family. We all gathered at our Grandparent's house and feasted joyfully. I played games with my cousins, and afterward, we opened presents. Before that, we had had a name draw. That 2023 present stack with 25 people involved was MASSIVE! There were so ma gifts. In the end, the ground was covered in wrapping.
Mrs. Elena, one of the Youthgroup leaders, had the youthgroup girls over for Christmas party one night. We decorated gingerbread houses, and talked as music played in the background. Afterwards, we transitioned to the livingroom and played fun games.
Every year, the Thiel's neighbors decorate like crazy. We love to drive past, and look at the ligh everytime we are on our way to clean the church.
One year, our family did not do any presents. The reason for that socking news was so that we coul remember Jesus. Our parents didn't want to get caught up with presents. It was kind of disappointing, but we recovered. After that, my parents decided it was better to do Christmas presents. Christmas is about giving after all!
One year, our family borrowed another family's Christmas tree. They might have been gone or something, but I remember that I was so confused when my dad set it up in our house.
This year, we had two dwarf Christmas trees. we usally buy them two feet tall. God provided a tall Christmas tree for us through the Winns (our church friends). The tree had just fallen down in the property, and they decided to give it to us.