12 Days of Christmas Giveaways (2017) – Day 4
*Give Away has Ended*
GRAND PRIZE!!!
One of you WHO COMMENTS ON ALL TWELVE POSTS AND ALSO SHARES ABOUT THE SERIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA will win a grand prize from me, pictured here.
REMEMBER…in order to win the grand prize, you must leave a comment on all 12 posts. You can start with Day One HERE.
OK, let’s get started with our fourth day’s guest, Lindsey Feldpausch!
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Just Three Things
Christmas festivities and decorations were always slightly different when I was growing up.
We started with Santa as our tree topper, and then we had an angel and then a star. Sometimes my mom made oatmeal scotchies. Other years she made sugar cookies or spritz cookies. Sometimes my dad would make an ice rink in the backyard. Other years he seemed committed to showing us all the classic Christmas movies. Some years we would go to a little chapel in my mom’s hometown to attend an evening candle-light service and other years we turned in early. Some years my parents put gifts under the tree early and other years we could hear them frantically wrapping well into the night on Christmas Eve. Some years we had professional pictures with fake fireplace backgrounds and some years there was no formal documentation of the occasion.
Christmas at my house had two things in common each year.
- People got gifts under a tree
- on December 25th
Sure, we had the same ornaments to hang up. You could generally count on my dad to make wise cracks while we were opening gifts and you could also usually predict that my mom would have a steaming cup of coffee in her hand as she watched us tear through the presents with excitement.
Other than that, we didn’t really have a Christmas tradition unique to our family. Truthfully, now that I have a family of my own, Christmas looks pretty similar.
I wanted to let you know, that if you’re kind of like me— it’s okay if you’re a little low on Christmas traditions. Hey, that’s why this series from Karen is so fun— there are plenty of ideas to try this year! If it doesn’t work out, try something new next year!
My parents became Christians when they were 38 years old. I was 13 years old at the time. That’s when they taught me the true meaning of Christmas.
Ever since then, we’ve had 3 things that are always the same around here:
- People get gifts under a tree
- on December 25th
- because Jesus came as a baby to rescue us from sin forever.
My husband’s family likes to act out the nativity story, complete with bedsheets and rehearsed lines. My parents usually enjoy reading the biblical account. My husband and I like to watch The Nativity Story with our kids. Either way, we praise God for sending his Son. What a wonderful Christmas that was when we learned the true meaning of Christmas.
Day 4 Giveaway
For my giveaway I’d like to offer a throwback package that reminds me of one of the many different Christmases we had. One particular year, my dad kept the fireplace filled with long-lasting flames. I sat, read, and wrote by the fire. It was especially quiet that year. My mom played a variety of music (everything from Gladys Knight to Andrea Bocelli to the Muppet Christmas Carol Soundtrack). My heart was full.
Here are 3 different journals/notepads because I do believe a girl can never have enough things to write on, a pack of thank you cards, and an iTunes giftcard to download something new.
Lindsey Feldpausch is a writer, speaker, and graphic designer. She lives in a small town outside of Grand Rapids Michigan. Married to a humble, handsome Youth Pastor, together they have four children. She is a Projects Manager for a Proverbs 31 Author & Speaker Karen Ehman, Spokeswoman for Jonathan Park Audio Adventures, and Reviewer of Family Products at TheBetterMom.com. She can’t wait to tell you a story and can’t wait to listen to yours. Jesus is her Savior. She is currently unfinished.
You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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12 Days of Christmas Giveaways Rules
- You can comment on all 12 days (once per person) up until midnight Pacific time, Sunday, December 17. All posts are linked on Day One here.
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- One daily winner will be chosen from each day’s comments and all winners (including Grand Prize) will be announced on Wednesday, December 20.
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Sweet devotion!! We have plenty of Olan Mills pictures by the fake fire place! lol But most important, we have love. God’s love, and I am so thankful for that.
Lindsey, thanks for sharing. Your story inspired some great comments. Thanks for the opportunity to win a gift to record our thoughts and prayers.
It is wonderful to your family traditions.
We have more traditions with our extended family than within our household. I would love to start some new traditions with my family though.
Such sweet memories you have, Lindsey! Reading your post made me think back to the many precious Christmases I enjoyed as a child. Thank you for the opportunity to enter this drawing. Blessings to you!
There is no such thing as too many journals, or cards. This hit most of my favorite things <3
You hope I didn’t post twice. I guess the machine will catch it. Traditions are so wonderful. I miss many that I had as a child.
I love Lindsey!!! I agree, you can never have enough journals!
We too grew up with very little, tradition wise but now we seem to have several. Not to impress, but because each of our children have a favorite thing they like to do and ask to be repeated year after year. I love how the holidays bring about different memories to each person.
My childhood was similar to yours – all over the place! But it was fun and I have wonderful memories.
This post was refreshing because it reminded me that our own lack of traditions is ok and that I’m not alone in that! In fact, I do think if we stress too much about doing our traditions, we could forget about what we’re really celebrating as we get caught up on making everything perfect.
Thanks for sharing. When I was little the main traditions I remember are the Advent Candle log we had in our home each year and the SILENT Christmas Eve Service.
Love this as it causes me to reminisce on my own childhood and reminds me that no matter how we celebrate with cookies, gifts and other traditions, it is about Jesus and celebrating his birth with others.
We don’t have any specific traditions either; so glad to know we aren’t the only ones ? Thanks!
4 calling birds ;)
A fire, Christmas music, and a good book or journal… definitely one of the best moments. I love to journal.
We have had the same traditions since my kids were little, although now I’m grandma to six. On Christmas eve (even if its not Dec. 24), the children get to open one gift – pajamas. On Christmas morning (even if its not the 25th), we read the Christmas story. Then, everyone goes downstairs to see what’s in our stockings. Then we open gifts.
As I get older, my parents are now grandparents and my husband is from a different culture, our decades of traditions at Christmas time are changing. I don’t mind telling you, I’ve had my share of disappointment. But I have learned to keep Jesus and Family first and just be thankful for all that I have, the family I love and the Jesus I celebrate!
THANK you for sharing your Christmas memories.
I have tried to make some traditions for my boys since I didn’t have any growing up but it’s hard when you are a single mom. Thank you for the opportunity!
Thank you! So nice to hear that my lack of Christmas traditions isn’t a complete bomb. It’s always different from year to year as hard as I try to be consistent, it just isn’t happening the way Pinterest so delightfully displays it.
I always have a lot of Christmas music in a wide variety of styles playing at home
Always looking for new tradition to add to the Christmas Chaos! Thank you!
I love to write and journal. It’s one of my outlets and something that’s therapeutic for me and my counselor suggested and I find it helps with all the chaos in my head when I put it all on paper . And a girl can never have too many journals!
I think journaling is nice especially for your children to have to look back on after you’re gone. And I enjoy writing all kinds of notes to friends and these cards are lovely.
Our family has a tradition of going to Christmas Eve service together. Then we come home and open one present from under the tree and have cookies and warm cocoa.