What we do in December!

I love hearing stories of how people celebrate all the various holiday's in December. In our house we keep Christ in Christmas. My kids love the Salvation Army bell ringers. I have started to put all my change in my center console of my car. They will hear the bell ringers in the parking lot and grab change so they can help others. They look forward to the bell ringers every year! I love there generous hearts. From the beginning of their lives we have taught them that giving is way more important then receiving. Here is a peek into our December traditions.
We have found a way to include "Santa" or as we like to call it St. Nick. In case you don't know Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra, a city in Lycia (modern day Turkey) He lived in the fourth century. He was a great man from what I have read about him. The story we hear the most about is how he saved the 3 sisters who couldn't get married because they had no dowry. He prayed for this family for a while and the Lord layed it on his heart to give each girl a certain amount of money. He put each amount into small bags and headed out to there house in the middle of the night. He slid open a window and tossed in the money and the bags landed near the girls shoes. That is where "Santa " started. There are many versions of this story, but I do believe that he did help this family out. When we lived in Germany we were introduced to St. Nick. December 6th, the day Nicholas died, is celebrated all over in Germany. The children would put there boots outside their bedroom door and a small gift would be in the boots the next morning. I also remember in our town the kids would take there boots and go around from one business to the other collecting candy. Kind of like our trick or treating. We have decided to keep that tradition going. On the night December 5th our children put their boots outside their bedroom door. In the morning of the 6th there is a present or a few small presents waiting for each of them to open. Then we are all done with the "Santa" part and we can focus on what Christmas is all about, the birth of Jesus! I remember last Christmas our daughter was asked by a clerk at the grocery store if she was getting excited about Santa to come and Shayla, who was 2 1/2 said " Santa already came now it is about Jesus" So I explained to clerk what my daughter was talking about. Such a cute memory.
In 2005 when we moved back to the states from Germany we started another family tradition and we have doing it ever since. On December 24, my hubby, the kids and I open the presents under our tree. Then I will go get a dozen doughnuts and make a huge breakfast, it usually turns out to be brunch. Then we play with our gifts then around dinner time we will pile in the car and head to my parents for an overnighter and eat homemade clam chowder and then go to my parents church for the Christmas Eve service. Christmas morning my mom will make an incredible breakfast of eggs, bacon/sausage, and her wonderful cinnamon rolls. Then we will open the presents under her tree. The thing I enjoy the most about waking up on Christmas morning is knowing that my three sibling and I will be able to wake up together. Just like when we were little. I know it means alot to my parents to have us all together. On Christmas night my aunts, uncles, cousins, friends will come over for a huge prime rib dinner. Christmas for me is about family. I have a wonderful family, we all share the same faith. Christ has given us the gift of himself, and also the gift of family! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!