Friday, December 5, 2008

101st Post: December Giveaway

I found a great tutorial a while back for an accordion bind that could double as a Christmas ornament. After teaching the bind to my class, I’m in love. It’s a simple bind, no sewing, and perfect for Christmas ornaments, gift tags or mementos.

I’ve made a set of 3 to give away to one lucky reader. They’re 3″ x 3″ and oh so cute. Chris thinks they’re the coolest things ever. I’ve decided that I’m really not going to decorate for Christmas, partly because of space (and storage) and because we’re traveling for Christmas. Maybe I’m a scrooge for not putting up even a little mistletoe, you can call me names. I know at some point it’ll be important to decorate. It’s also important these next few years for Chris and I to start our own family holiday traditions.

I want to know. . . what are your traditions?!?

Here’s the deal. Leave a comment telling me about traditions that you have for celebrating this time of year, and Random.org might consider you the future owner of these cute ornaments. I’m all ears, so post away! Giveaway ends Friday Dec 12 at midnight (PST).

Have questions on how this works? Or just want to send me fan mail? Email me at [email protected]

Posted in bookbinding, crafts, holidays, sponsored, tutorials

show hide 19 comments

Nicia

Oh my goodness…we have a plethera (sp?) of traditions during Christmas. Does that mean I get to be entered for each idea? JUST KIDDING. :) We decorate ginger bread houses every year, we have a family Christmas stories book and read a story a night starting Dec. 1st, and on Christmas day we end with Luke 2. We do a 12 days of Christmas for a family who may be struggling that year and doorbell ditch a little treat every night, AND (I told you there were a lot) we either buy or make an ornament to hang on the tree each year. These are just a few. Can’t wait to see what others traditions are!

Jenn

(And don’t count me in this giveaway since I got lucky with the owl!), but just wanted to comment on your new Etsy store. Beautiful, beautiful work. I love handmade books.

Chris

I won’t be horrible and demand an entry for this comment. Really, don’t include me. I just want to say that my mom used to make us clam chowder every Christmas Eve, because I wouldn’t stop asking for it. I really like clam chowder. That’s probably our strongest Christmas tradition besides gift giving and not going to work.

Michelle Glauser

Traditions . . . hmmm, I think one of my favorite traditions would be one we quit a while ago, but I thought it was cool. My mom had a baby doll crib in the living room (a “manger”), and whenever we did something nice for someone else, we could put some straw in it. We wanted to welcome Christ into our home that way.

Also, I like that we would hand out all the presents and open them one at a time, so we could make remarks on each other’s gifts.

Another year of not being there. :(

Heather

Those are so cute! Red, White and Black are my favorite colors! One of my favorite Christmas traditions is how on Christmas Eve my immediate family gathers together, we dim the lights, have a fire, eat finger foods and watch a Christmas movie like “It’s a wonderful life”.

Deanna

On Christmas Eve right before bed we read Christmas stories, including the actual Christmas story, under the Christmas tree.

Ronda

My dad makes a really good breakfast. Growing up it use to be on Christmas but since now my siblings have families an they do there own thing on Christmas morning we do it the Saturday before Christmas or after. He makes pancakes, omlets, bacon, sausage, fruit, etc..

Melissa

I’m so happy to hear about all of the great traditions!

I really like the idea of dad making breakfast Christmas morning.

I don’t read Luke 2 nearly enough during Christmas time. Great reminder.

Michelle, you have such a creative mom, I love the straw/good deed idea. That’s what Christmas is all about.

Chris, if you make me breakfast Christmas morning, I’ll make you clam chowder for New Years!!

Shauna

I buy a Christmas book half off after the holidays every year and then for super easy decorating display them on the mantle so we can read “special” Christmas stories. So far they are all board books cause my daughter is only two.

katie

I think i’ll save my tradition for the 101st comment!!!
Yahoo!! for giveaways!
Well we do wear new pjs to bed Christmas eve.

Emily

Love these! Ok so for the traditions, we used to put on a Christmas play for my parents on Christmas eve. It is pretty embarrassing to think about it now, but back then we thought we were the coolest ever!:)
By the way, you rocked tonight at the ward party. That was so funny!

Brooke

One of my favorite traditions is having a different “theme” each year for the Christmas Tree. In the past we’ve made gingerbread men and strung them with red ribbon, we’ve made origami animals to place on the tree, and we’ve bought glass balls and put a little bit of clorox in them to give them an antique feel. It’s gets more fun each year.

maegan

Since we’re still traveling to our parents for Christmas our own traditions aren’t official just yet. One I am for sure keeping up, though, is reenacting the nativity. Granted I have 8 siblings so we always had enough people for parts and my mom narrated while my dad videotaped. Though it grown somewhat comical at times as we’ve grown older, its still pretty special and its really neat to see my little nieces and nephews, and now my own children, really love it. And as luck would have it, I married someone whose family does the same :).

Another one I’m keeping up is blueberry muffins Christmas morning. Not sure how, but somehow this tradition found its way into my family and I’ll never let it go, mmmm… good times.

jane

I’m a little crazy, so even when nate and I did travel for christmas we would still get a tree…and the first year we were married, we went to my parents for thanksgiving, then I came home and made an entire t-day meal. yes, I’m CRAZY. :) I think you need to put something up in your house. it will make you happy. ;)

we are still building up our traditions. we always do chinese food on christmas eve (from nate’s family), pajamas for everyone on christmas eve (from both of our families). everything else just sort of happens. we used to go to messiah sing-ins out east, but haven’t done that in CA. I miss that.

love the ornaments!!!!!

Dari P

I just happened upon your blog. I am an old friend of your hubby’s from Provo :)

We always get homemade Christmas PJ’s on Christmas Eve, I love that tradition. Also we take a fruitbasket to a family in the ward for a Family Home Evening in December. Lastly, on Christmas Eve we make cute little name cards to put somewhere in the living room for Santa to lay out his gifts for each of us, since all our family gifts are under the Christmas tree.

"L"

I love that you keep doing these!! PLUS, I could use a few fabulous ornaments :)

Christina Prows

Hum a tradition…..We love to play Christmas music. I have all kinds and usually can find a radio station that plays music as well. We also always participate in a giving tree of some sort, and find ways to serve. A tradition we would like to start is at midnight on Christmas eve take a treat basket to someone who is working that night for example, fire station, police station, or even a gas station. I know a family who does this and they love it every year.

karen cutter

Now that it’s just hubby and me at home I’ve got a new tradition for decorating that is super easy. I’ve made a bunch of holiday quilts so I just put up 3 large and 4 small quilted wallhangings in the living room, a little tree, and hang some lights/greenery on the mantle. All done!

When the “kids” were little they always put on a performance (musical or Christmas story). My side of the family gathers together on Christmas Eve for dinner and a gift exchange–the kind where you open gifts by numbers picked and can “steal” an opened gift or pick a new one when it’s you’re turn.

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