Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas! (with Amber Smith)
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NOTE: The best way to make sure you donโt miss any of the 12 days of giveaways is to subscribe to my blog so new posts are sent to your email inbox. When you do, you will automatically be sent a PDF resource I wrote called 5 Ways to Tether Your Heart to Godโs Word. Click here to subscribe.
Itโs Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways! If youโre just joining in, be sure to start at Day 1 here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Although all you need to do to enter is comment here, I will also be snooping around on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, looking for people who are promoting the giveaway by sharing an image along with the hashtag #12daysofchristmasgiveaways When you do so, you will be entered a second time for the giveaway that day!
Additionally, there is a grand prize for one person who comments on all 12 days, so set a daily alarm on your phone phone for now until December 18th and join the fun!
This year our Grand Prize is worth over $225!! It includes:
- A leader kit of my What Matters Most Lifeway study of Philippians, including the teaching DVD’s and one Bible study guide.
- A Wheatfield Woman ESV journaling Bible from Wheat and Honey Co.
- A pink cable knit throw (other color options available)
- A pour-over coffee dripper
- A half pound of Fortress coffee, a company started by two fellow alumni from Spring Arbor University
- An insulated pink shimmer mug (or color of your choice)
Day 2: Fun Traditions
For day two of our giveaways, my friend Amber Smith is joining us. Amber is a believer, wife, mom, Texas girl, and actor. She is also the wife of country music star Granger Smith. (You may also know him by his alter ego Earl Dibbles Jr.) Besides all this, Amber is one of the most encouraging friends ever and someone who inspires me to embrace even the hard times in life, knowing God has not abandoned you. (You can click here to see why.)
Here she is to share a memory of the holidays from her childhood. Welcome Amber!
My favorite family tradition since I was a little girl was doing English Christmas crackers. These aren’t the kind of crackers you eat. They are even better!
A Christmas Cracker is a brightly colored paper tube, twisted at both ends. There is a “banger” inside, when pulled by two people will create a loud snapping “crack” or “bang” sound.
When you pop them, inside you will find a little hat. Everyone puts them on. There are also small trinkets inside, and some jokes. We all go around the table and share our jokes and then take a photo in our paper hats. It is such a fun family tradition.
Now, for today’s quick question. Do you have a favorite tradition you do every year? What is it? Leave your answer in the comments and you will be entered to win my giveaway which is listed below.
Day 2 Giveaway
Thanks Amber! Now, for today’s prize, Amber is giving away an Arise with Amber coffee mug and blue hoodie, a Yee Apparel hat and shirt, a Joy to the World sign, a signed Granger Smith CD, and a $50 gift card to Amazon!
Okay, answer today’s quick question about your favorite traditions in the comments section below to be entered to win Amber’s giveaway. And remember, if you want to be eligible for the grand prize, you must comment on all 12 days!
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Hi there! I am a Texas girl married to my husband Granger Smith and mama of 3. We have 2 kiddos here with us on earth and 1 who is now with Jesus. We live on a farm with lots of animals and we are doing our best navigating this new journey with one of our precious children in heaven. We have a family Youtube series called The Smiths, and I host my own show called Arise with Amber on Sundays where we talk about life, family, loss, and the hope and love of Jesus Christ. Our family also owns a lifestyle and apparel brand called Yee Yee.
NOTE: Affiliate links may be included. We only recommend products we know our readers will love!
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAYS RULES
- U.S. Addresses only please.
- You can comment on all 12 days (once per person) up until midnight Pacific time, Sunday, December 20. Each day will be linked below for easy reference.
- One daily winner will be chosen from each dayโs comments.
- To enter to win the Grand Prize (worth over $225 and includes: A leader kit of my What Matters Most Lifeway study of Philippians, including the teaching DVD’s and one Bible study guide; a Wheatfield Woman ESV journaling Bible from Wheat and Honey Co.; a pink cable knit throw (other color options available); a pour-over coffee dripper ; a half pound of Fortress coffee, a company started by two fellow alumni from Spring Arbor University; an insulated pink shimmer mug–or color of your choice), comment on and share all 12 posts. You can use the share buttons below or repost and share on Instagram (my fave!) and tag me @karenehman.
- All winners (including Grand Prize) will be announced here on the blog on Monday, December 21, and contacted via email. Please allow 4-6 weeks to receive your prizes.
Many of our Christmas traditions take place in the 2 weeks before the big day. One of them is to drive around town looking at peopleโs lighting displays. Our niece and nephew always joined in the fun of that evening. We would bring cookies and thermoses of hot chocolate to warm us after getting out of the car to walk through displays.
One year my brother in law arranged for a limo tour of light displays. Refreshments were provided, cookies and sparkling apple cider. What fun it was for the adults, no one had to drive, and we all got to enjoy the lights.
Wow! Christmas Crackers! I can’t say I have ever done those. One tradition that my family has done since I was a little girl is to read the Christmas story from the book of Luke in the Bible! We don’t do anything else as far as opening presents until that reading is done. My daddy who passed away when I was 8 years old always did the reading when I was little, so it is an extra special memory to me.
@karenehman #12daysofchristmasgiveaways
We watch several Christmas movies. We also enjoy driving around different neighborhoods, enjoying the lights.
We always made Christmas cookies. Cutting them into shapes and icing them.
A favorite tradition in gift-giving when my kids were in college was to always give them one or two books to enrich their minds, a piece of clothing, and something fun like a board game, etc.
We have sooo many traditions! We do a Jesse Tree advent where we make a paper tree on the wall & hang wach day’s corresponding felt ornament. We also hid the Shepherd on the search for the kids. We usually make homemade ornaments to add to the tree each year. We do gingerbread houses. We watch the Nativity movie. We drive around & look at the lights shouting “ooh la la” each time we find a lighted house…a tradition we started back when 1 of our kiddos hated car rides. It kept her watching & happy!! Haha!!
Jammy Cocoa Christmas – I gift new pajamas to my daughters. We get hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies and then drive around looking at Christmas lights.
Trim the Christmas tree with my niece and nephew. I let them arramge the tree however they want. And they usially make their own ornaments for the tree!
I have a Christmas village we have set up since the year we were married. We add to it each year. My youngest favorite is the Thomas train set in our Victorian village. It was the cheapest train set and my kids favorite.
We always open one gift on Christmas Eve and it’s a new set of PJs. We all put them on after our bif dinner and snuggle under blankets telling stories of Christmases past.
We have been doing the same Advent devotional since our children were small and we were stationed in Germany. Our family was asked in Chapel to read the first week and we all memorized our parts except my husband read the scripture. Since our daughter had just turned two, we gave her the part of “Why do we light one candle?” Every year (38 years later) my husband and I smile when we get to that line and have to do it ourselves since our children are grown and moved away.
One of my favorite traditions is going out as a family to pick our tree. Everyone wants to be the person who finds the perfect tree so it gets competitive.
We light luminarios
During the month of December, we would read a Christmas book/story or from Advent book after supper. As the kids have gotten older, this has gotten more difficult to do. Next year, I plan to fight for it a bit better!
Decorating cookies with ALL the kids in our family
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is when my whole family goes out to pick out a Christmas tree. Then we bring it home and watch Christmas movies while we decorate it!
Favorite tradition- the oldest grandchild would pass out the gifts, until it eventually got passed on to the next grandchild in line.
Frost cut-out sugar cookies!
A Christmas cookie party. Lots of fun decorating cookies every year
We didn’t have any traditions growing up that I can remember. My family doesn’t have any that I know of now that I’m grown. I usually go to my sister’s house on Christmas eve and we all meet at our other sister’s house Christmas day.
We have a special meal together and always celebrate Baby Jesus birth, we always have a birthday cake for him and read the Bible.
Making gingerbread houses!
My little girl and I started buying matching pjโs for Christmas. A couple of years ago, we added dad into the mix. This year my girl is 13 and I decided to add her adult brothers, their wives, and grandkids into the fun. Weโll all be opening matching pjโs for Christmas.
Every year we bake a slew of special cookies that we mail to people we wont see for the holidays. Its special, and brings a little delight into their lives. We start planning the cookie list on thanksgiving day…everyone in the family picks at least one variety to make/share. It’s so much fun!
My favorite tradition is getting together will all the family and talking and sharing about past Christmas. Especially when my parents, aunts and uncles starts talking about their when they were young.