With Christmas Eve just around the corner, we are glad you have taken the time from the hustle and bustle of the holidays to read this week’s newsletter. We realize you are busy planning your Christmas dinner menus, shopping for last minute gifts and preparing for out-of-town guests.
Since the holidays are a time for being with family, sharing traditions, and giving to others, we would like to start by thanking you for joining our Baby Scoop Austin Family this year. We also wanted to share some of our Christmas traditions, as well as give you a few ideas for local upcoming events.
In the spirit of Christmas traditions, we asked some of our Baby Scoop Austin readers to share their favorite traditions with us. We hope you find them inspiring and heartfelt. You may even get an idea or two to start a tradition with your family this year.
“We have a 'Happy Birthday Jesus' party. We make cupcakes to eat with our Christmas dinner. We've also decorated our breakfast table with decorations and put candles in breakfast rolls. With all the gifts and focus on Santa, we try to steer it toward Jesus--even if for a little bit.”
“We talk with our children about being a ‘Santa’ for others. Since Santa brings us gifts, we give gifts to other people who need them. (i.e. Operation Christmas Child, collecting canned food, buying gifts for children off of the ‘charity’ tree)”
"We put an orange in the Christmas stocking, and a few small things--stickers and a small treat. My children aren't expecting another big gift in the stocking, and the orange was a tradition from my mother.”
“We make homemade waffles with chocolate chips and fruit and have mimosas for the grown- ups.”
“Give children ‘reindeer food’ (rye grass seeds). Sprinkle along the side of the house or at the base of a tree and the next morning (where the reindeer walked, or where there magic dust fell off their hooves), small green sprouts will appear”
“We make gingerbread houses every year.”
“On Christmas Eve, after we put out snacks for Santa and put the kids to bed early, my husband and I pour a glass of wine and watch a romantic comedy like Love Actually.”
“On Christmas Eve, we first sprinkle the reindeer food out on the driveway.(This is made of oatmeal and glitter). Then, everyone grabs a musical instrument and we sing Christmas carols by the fire. We read the Christmas story (about Jesus's birth), and we sing Silent Night just before we put the children into bed.”
Since our house doesn’t have a chimney, we have a ‘golden key’ ornament we hang on our tree until Christmas Eve. The key is then placed under our doormat for Santa to use to get into the house.”
Write a letter to Santa and leave him cookies and milk. Don’t forget to eat the cookies to make it more believable!”
A few days before Christmas, my children and their cousins and aunts put
together a few gift bags (blanket, chocolate, etc.) and randomly look for
people in Austin to give them to. Sometimes we choose homeless people
and sometimes we just pray for God to show us someone who could use a
gift and see where it leads….”
Every Christmas Eve my mom cooked a very meager dinner before our candlelight service...plain white rice, unsweetened tea, maybe a vegetable. She told us that she wanted us to think about those families that had very little during the holiday season. I can remember being hungry at bedtime! On Christmas day we had an incredible breakfast and an amazing dinner.”
Recipe for reindeer food, click here http://www.recipezaar.com/48773
Are you making a list and checking it twice? If you still have a few things to get done this weekend, ask your spouse to take the kiddos to some of these fun family-friendly events:
Friday December 20th 4-7pm, Saturday Dec. 21st noon-7pm, and Sunday Dec. 22nd noon-6pm
The Domain is having story time with Santa in Century Oaks Park near the fireplace (until Christmas)
Also at The Domain, complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides will be offered December 20th-24th & 26th-31 from 5:30 to 9:30pm. Fireworks will be on display, Saturday at 8:00 pm.
Upcoming Events:
Singing Carols at Book People
Saturday December 22nd, 11:30am
Calling all carolers! This morning, we'll be singing some songs from one of the best collections of Christmas carols,
The Usborne Book of Carols. Come sing with us and dance around! Wear red and green and silver and gold and be ready for a fun, musical morning! Plus, the books of carols will be available to buy so you can bring the music home with you! 603 N. Lamar
www.bookpeople.com/calendar_of_events.php?view=detail&id=285
Noon Kids Club Movie: Emmet Otters Jug Band Christmas
Saturday December 22nd, Noon
Alamo Drafthouse, South Lamar Location, Christmas is approaching in Frogtown Hollow, and Emmet Otter and his Ma hope to buy gifts for each other. Unfortunately, Emmet doesn't make enough from the odd jobs he does, and Ma doesn't make enough as a laundress. They decide to compete in the Frog Town Hollow Talent Contest in order to win money… Kermit the Frog hosts this classic Muppet musical Christmas tale. With a live performance of Jug Combo: The Rogue River String Band playing before the film. FREE more info:
www.originalalamo.com/Show.aspx?id=4291
For More Austin Events:
Remember to check out our calendar weekly for event updates.
BSA’s dot-com of the week: www.christmas-carols.net
Here is a site with lyrics to your favorite Christmas Carols.
Check out our winners of last week’s poll: FavoriteThings to do during Christmas Break at http://www.babyscoopaustin.com
We know you’re peeking! Don’t just hang out, speak up! Go ahead and post in our Baby Scoop Forum.
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