12 Days of Christmas (2017) – Day 7
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 seventh day’s guest, Heidi St. John!
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A {simple} Christmas to Remember
Sometimes, creating Christmas memories isn’t very much fun.
Is it okay that I said that? Can I say that out loud? My friend jokingly refers to this season as the “hollerdays” but I think we all know there’s an element her cute description. Late nights of wrapping presents we couldn’t really afford and a strained bank account dot the landscape of my early years of marriage and mothering.
This year, I’ll celebrate 29 Christmases with my husband. It helps to put things into perspective. As the mother of seven and grandmother of two, I have a few Christmases to look back on. Growing up in the 80’s, Christmas was all about the gifts—but the funny thing is, I can only remember a few of the gifts that I received. Most of my favorite memories center around people: that time my grandpa took us out to see the lights and grandma put her special hot chocolate in “cold” Dixie cups so they melted all over the car… yes, most of my favorite memories are more “Griswold” than “Norman Rockwell…” and I’m glad.
I want something more for my precious family than a mad dash to open presents. My prayer for our family is that we look back on Christmas with a sense of grateful remembrance. I’ve lost both sets of grandparents to the arms of Jesus now—but the smell of hot Ovaltine and the sound of Carol of the Bells playing reminds me that I too am just here for a little while.
About twenty years ago, when I began to notice my grandparents beginning to decline, I decided to do something that would help my children remember how precious our time with loved ones is. I had a simple idea: to use letter-sized cardstock for placemats.
Each placemat had the name of a guest at our table. I carefully wrote one name on each placemat, and our five kids got in on the action by lightly decorating each placemat with small cutout stars, snowflakes of leaves, depending on the celebration.
After dinner, I put pens on the table and we passed the placemats to our right until every person had written a note to the owner of each placemat.
This season, if you come to my house, you will see our placemats from years ago displayed for everyone to see. Messages from my grandparents come to life—a note from my father-in-law reminds us of the wonderful legacy he left us, and the handwriting of a six-year old who is now a mother herself reminds us of how quickly time goes by.
People will always have priority over possessions in God’s economy. This Christmas, if you feel the financial “pinch” or you’re searching for a little more meaning to add to the celebration of the birth of Jesus, look at the faces of those who will gather around your table.
It doesn’t get much better than that.
Merry Christmas, friends.
Day Seven Giveaway
For the 12 Days of Christmas series, I am giving away my book, Becoming Mom Strong and the necklace pictured below!
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Great idea!
Love this!
Very touching post! I love the idea of the placemats to treasure in the years to come along with savoring the memories of loved ones.
I deliberately try to make our Christmas’s special and a place of belonging. Someday my children will be on their own and I want them to want to come home and be with us. Slowing down and being present is my goal.
Such a great idea! All I have is my mom left but there are ways we can still bring into memory our loved ones passed.
We are without my grandmother this year- I am happy to have the memories of her- and my son was able to have a few years of memories going to visit her in early December which included a trip to a German Christmas market that provided supplies to make gingerbread houses- we have some pictures to remember the different houses he made. Making the time meaningful is a gift.
What special memories to have. Wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing and Merry Christmas.
I love the placemat idea!! What a special memory. ??
Love the placemat idea!
I love what you are doing! It is so important, especially at this time in our culture. I love having fun with my family but can get caught up in the craziness of it all! Thanks for the perspective!
“People will always have priority over possessions in God’s economy.” Can we holler that from the rooftops!? Amen! This was another reminder to cherish the not-so-perfect things of Christmastime. When we begin with celebrating the most perfect gift of Jesus, it puts everything else into a better perspective.
What a wonderful series – thank you
Heidi I want your book , hopefully after the first of the year I can buy it. Love everything you do!!!
My husband and we’re just talking about how our kids don’t know how well they have it. Every year we try to make Christmas about family and the reason we look forward to Christmas is Jesus.
I can look back on hand written words from my family who are no longer here and so many great memories pop up. While I didn’t grow up in a faith home my fondest memories are of that time with my family not really the presents. I want the same for my kids. Thank you for sharing this tradition with us.
What a great idea! How do you store them through out the year?
Placemat idea is so cute!!! Definitely going to do this!
The placemat idea is such a great idea. I enjoyed reading your story about your family!
I love the place mat Idea I think I will try something similar to this since all my children are grown and I have grandchildren coming up It will be great for them
I love Christmas tradition, but you reminded me that it’s not the traditions that make Christmas. It is the memories of being together and sharing love.
sounds great.
I reread this days entry today and glad I did. Thank you for the reminder that all Christmas memories do not have to be perfect.
Love that idea!
The best present is the presence of our loved ones. I really like the placemat idea also!
Christmas at my Grandparents looked like a Rockwell painting, mine is paper plates and red solo cups. But I have noticed that I focus less on the picture perfect, and more on the people perfect. i rarely open my gifts till last so that I can watch the kids and grandkids. Learning to savor these precious moments that are going by way to fast.
Wonderful idea. Thanks for sharing.