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10 Ideas for Your Christmas Pajamas Tradition
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Our family has many different Christmas traditions, but perhaps our most favorite tradition is receiving new Christmas pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve. I dare say that most of you reading this have this same tradition. Today I’m going to give you some ideas to make an old tradition new!
1. Use your pajamas before Christmas: Unheard of, I know! In most families new Christmas pajamas are given and worn on Christmas Eve, but if you have small children that grow out of clothes quickly you might not feel like you’re getting the most for your money. You can solve this problem by handing out Christmas pajamas early in the season. Consider giving Christmas pajamas on Thanksgiving Day, on December 1st, or on December 5th (the Eve of Saint Nicholas Day) or you can have a spontaneous Pajama Day and surprise everyone with jammies on a random day.
2. Wear your pajamas for everything: If you give your Christmas pajamas earlier in the season consider wearing them for all of your Christmas-related activities. Wear them to bake cookies, decorate the tree, or watch your favorite Christmas movie. Just don’t wear them to bed…save them for bedtime on Christmas Eve! Wear your pajamas everywhere you go on Christmas Day. Wear them to Grandma’s house and to deliver cookies to your neighbor, but maybe not to church 😉
3. Have your pajamas delivered by Santa or an elf: What better way to receive Christmas pajamas than to have them magically delivered by an elf or Santa himself. If you have an Elf on a Shelf or an Elf Magic elf, they would probably be thrilled to deliver your Christmas pajamas. Christmas pajamas have been known to magically appear on the front porch, at the foot of the bed, by the fireplace, or under the tree. Sometimes they even magically show up in the car while your family is shopping or out and about! Speaking of elves, how cute would matching jammies for your elf be?!
4. Have a scavenger hunt to find your pajamas: Yes, do that. That sounds like fun 😉
5. Pair your pajamas with another gift: You can give robes, slippers, a sleeping mask, or a new stuffed animal. My favorite Christmas pajama companion is a new book. It can be a Christmas book, bedtime story, or just a book you know they’ll love.
6. Pajamas and Christmas lights: Wake up the kids and take them out in their pajamas to drive around and look at Christmas lights. Don’t forget to bring some cookies and hot chocolate with you and pump up those Christmas tunes! You might even consider a Random Pajama Gram…visit the house of friends or family then knock on the door in your pjs and sing some Christmas carols to the unsuspecting residents.
7. Use old pajamas to Countdown to Christmas: If you do a Christmas Countdown, such as unwrapping a different Christmas book each day, you can use pajamas from previous years as the wrapping paper! Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Advent, or the 12 days of Christmas, this idea will work. If your children have gotten to the age where they can wear the same size several years in a row they can wear their old pajamas on the day they are unwrapped.
8. New ways to wrap your pajamas: Put the pajamas inside of a pillow case and wrap a bow around it. Use the pillow case on Christmas Eve. You save on wrapping paper and a new tradition is born! Similar to the Countdown to Christmas you can use your old Christmas pajamas to wrap up the new ones or use the new Christmas pajamas to wrap up another gift you plan to give that night.
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9. Turn your old pajamas into a keepsake: For you crafty folks you can use your old Christmas pajamas to make pillows or save a square off of each pair to make a quilt. You want a tutorial? Too bad. I said you crafty folks…I don’t happen to be one of them. I just bring the ideas here, people. However, if one of you crafty people wants to volunteer to turn my old jammies into a quilt…you know where to find me 😉
Here’s someone craftier than me that gave the pajama quilt a try:
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10. Give pajamas to someone in need: There are few gifts you could give your children at Christmastime that could compare to the example of a giving spirit. Share your beloved Christmas pajama tradition with those less fortunate than you by donating pajamas. Purchase new pajamas to donate to a nursing home or women’s shelter. You could start your own “Jammie Drive” or give to an already existing pajama charity.
Check out my sponsored post on behalf of Joe Boxer pajamas from Kmart!
What are your Christmas pajamas traditions?
This post is linked to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop!
10 Days of Christmas PJs!: Our Christmas jammies from the last decade!
NOTE: When this post was first published in December 2010 it was my SITS feature day as part of SITSmas. The following was originally included at the beginning of my post.
Welcome, SITStahs! I was confused and thought that my SITS feature was tomorrow and not today, so I’m totally unprepared. You can read all about it here. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you’ll take a look around and decide to stay 🙂 Now let’s pretend none of that ever happened and move on to the post that I’m supposed to have up for you…
Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest Rules
This year we’re starting a new Christmas tradition with our family. We will be hosting the Christmas Eve festivities at our house. And not just any festivities…Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree featuring the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest! I thought that I’d share the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest Rules with you in case you were planning your own party this year. The rules don’t really mean anything, and we’ve never really stuck to them (they were just a way to keep my crazy family from cheating), but here they are anyway.
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Photos and results from the 2010 Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest are here! Enjoy the Ugly 🙂
Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree
Featuring the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest
Contest Rules and FAQs
To be eligible as an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contestant you must wear a Christmas or Winter themed Sweater, Sweatshirt, or Sweater Vest to the Jamboree. Turtlenecks and long or short-sleeved t-shirts will not be accepted. You may wear such items underneath an Ugly Christmas Sweater-vest, but it will not be considered part of your sweater and therefore not eligible for judging. You may add to or alter your Christmas sweater however you like, have fun and get creative. Additional items such as hats, jewelry or other festive attire will not be considered when voting for the Ugliest Christmas Sweater. An item must be attached to your Christmas sweater in order to be eligible.
You can be disqualified from the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest for the following:
+Putting on your ugly Christmas Sweater after entering the jamboree (You must be already wearing your sweater when you show up to the jamboree.).
+Removing your sweater before the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion has been announced.
+Altering your Christmas sweater after entering the jamboree (Any and all alterations or additions to your sweater must be completed before entering the jamboree.).
+Swapping your sweater with another contestant before the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion has been announced.
+If you are overheard using the word “boring” anytime before the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion has been announced.
+If your sweater does not have a Christmas or Winter theme
+If your “sweater” is actually a t-shirt, turtleneck, or any shirt other than a sweater, sweatshirt, or sweater vest.
How will the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion be determined?
All eligible Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contestants will have the opportunity to vote for the champion. You may not vote for yourself. You must vote for someone. Anyone not competing and anyone who has been disqualified are not permitted to vote for the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion.
What will the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion receive?
The Champion will receive the coveted Ugliest Christmas Sweater Trophy of Awesomeness.
Will any other prizes be awarded?
Contestants will also have the opportunity to vote for the person with the overall Most Festive Attire and the person with the Most Naturally Ugly (unaltered) Christmas Sweater. The winners of these categories will win only the title and bragging rights. No prizes will be awarded.
Where do I get an Ugly Christmas Sweater?
I don’t know. That’s your problem. I’ve got my own sweater to find.
Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree is on Christmas Eve!
Start looking for or making your Ugly Christmas Sweater right away!
Emailing a Letter to Santa
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Below are links to websites where you can email letters to Santa for free. Some websites say that the big guy will even email you back! Many of these websites have games, trivia, history, and more so be sure to take a look around!
Please be advised that I have not personally used any of the websites below and therefore cannot comment on the reliability of the site or quality of the email you may receive back from Santa.
*TheNorthPole.com: ”Make a difference in your family, communities, or the world. Find something you like to do that makes a positive difference in someone’s life. Find your passion. Then ask yourself, how can I do my passion and make a difference at the same time. It doesn’t matter how big or how small. It only matters that you do it. Send Santa your mission. They may just highlight yours on their site.”
This website takes a break from your usual “I want this for Christmas” letter and allows you and your child to stop and think about how you’re making the world a better place and let Santa know about it. They have ideas to help you with your mission and gifts you can purchase that make a difference.You can also print free downloadable coloring sheets, and find some great ideas for your ”Happy Birthday, Jesus” cake.
*The-North-Pole.com Santa Mail: Send your letter to Santa directly to the North Pole via free email and get a reply by email! Also on this website you can read about the birth of Jesus and the history of Santa, learn about Christmas around the world, play games, Sing-a-long Christmas Carols, and more.
*EmailSanta.com: Use this website to send a free email letter to Santa. In addition to telling Santa what you want for Christmas you also get to choose a stamp and select a goody to send with your email (such as Hugs and Kisses or Reindeer Food). While you’re there be sure to check out the rest of the website. I really enjoyed reading Santa’s Tweets (he was tweeting a lot about my hometown…so excited!). You can check to see if you’re on the Naughty or Nice List. They also have free printable coloring pages and much more!
*NorthPole.com Mailroom: This website allows you to send a free email to Santa and he’ll email you back! You can also send and receive animated post cards and have a Santa send you a Birthday e-card (this would be perfect for those with a Christmas birthday to feel special!). If you were really good this year Santa just might send you an Elf Pal Academy Award or Diploma. Take a peek in Mrs. Claus’s Cookbook if you’re looking for a new recipe (there are a ton of them!). There are secret places in the Reindeer Barn that will take you stories about Raymond the Reindeer and his friends. You can read a personalized story about yourself online or print a story book!
*SaintNick.org Letters: This is another website that lets you send a free email to Santa and he’ll email back. On SaintNick.org you can learn about different Christmas traditions around the world. If you’re into Reindeer Games you can start a Snowball Battle by sending a friend a Snow Gram. If you need a snack after your virtual snowball fight you might one to try out one of these free downloadable recipes and then read about the Physics of Santa.
*SantaLetter.com: You can send a free email to Santa at SantaLetter.com and then color some free printable Christmas coloring sheets or send a Christmas e-card. You’ll also find games, jokes, poems, Christmas carol lyrics, trivia, and more
*Claus.com Post Office: Type out your free email message to Santa and select a stamp. Santa will email you back! ”CLAUS.COM is the oldest and most popular Christmas website on the Internet. It has become the Internet’s first Christmas tradition, and it attracts millions of kids and parents every year. Santa Claus and his helpers have created a truly creative experience for kids of all ages. There are lots of things to see and do that you won’t find anywhere else. And you’ll also enjoy the most colorful illustrations on the entire Internet! Look over this quick guide to the site, and then click any of the links on this screen, or return to the village screen and click on any of the buildings.” Be sure to check back on Christmas Eve to find out how close Santa Claus is to your house using Santa Scope™ and Santa Monitor™.
*Santa.net Letters: At Santa.net you can email Santa directly from your email address, send Santa a free email through the website, read cute letters to Santa from other children, or make a Christmas list. There’s sing-a-long Christmas music, tons of games, and an online coloring page.
*Letters to Santa Claus: This website offer tips for writing your letter to Santa, Email Santa, Kids Santa Letters, Letter Template, Write Santa a Christmas Letter.
*Santa-at-home.com: Send Santa a free email and he’ll email you back! Crafts, recipes, games, and more can be found here.
*BlackDog’s Christmas Fun and Games: You can email Santa and join in many of BlackDog’s Christmas fun and Christmas Games!
*OperationLetterToSanta.com: Email Santa, he emails back! This website also has Christmas Carols, Sheet Music, and midi’s, Christmas tales, traditions, and more! There are even pages for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and New Years!
*SantaLetter4You.com: ”Write and Mail a Christmas Letter to Santa Claus and Get Response. Kids, hurry up!! Santa is waiting for your letter, Just complete this letter. He will reply you back immediately as soon as you click on send button. You can Print Your letter as well as the letter from Santa.”
*SantaSearch.org: Jingles, one of Santa’s elves from the North Pole, has the special task of making sure all of your letters and e-mails get to Santa so he can send you a very special letter!
Does your family ever email Santa?
Let me know in the comments!
Related Posts:
*Writing a Letter to Santa
*Part 2 Mailing a Letter to Santa
*Part 3 Paper for Writing a Letter to Santa:
Links to free printable Santa paper and “Write a Letter to Santa” kits to purchase
*My Letter to Santa 1984
Guest Post: Food as Tradition – Norwegian Butter Cookies
The following guest post is by a fellow Goose, Retha, from Mommy Bee Wisdom.
Growing up every Christmas Eve we went to my Great Grandpa’s house, where all of the family would be gathered. The table there is so large, you can fit around 16 people at it. But there were so many family members, and so much food that no one ever sat at that table. The table would always be covered with food from edge to edge. My dad’s family is Scandinavian, so I believe the word for it is Smorgasbord. We would have a turkey, ham, goose, and some sort of fish as the main meats. The sides would include stuffing, rice pudding with an Almond (the almond is a prosperous sign, and who gets it gets pregnant or married), potato sausage, pickled Herring, lufka (a salt cured fish of sorts), and several cheeses. The desserts would include pies, cookies, and breads. My favorite of all the cookies would be the butter cookie. Our family refers to it as the Norwegian Butter Cookie, but in all actuality the recipe is the same from Russia, to Germany, Poland, etc. These little cookies are a bright yellow, not very big, and so crumbly soft that you can’t just eat one.
This recipe is so very simple, only has 5 ingredients and such a big flavor they are always a hit!
Warning: DO NOT eat the whole batch yourself or you WILL get a tummy ache! Don’t ask me how I know this.
Ingredients:
4 eggs: Hard boiled
2 stick of softened butter (use real butter, margarine will not work right)
1/2 cup of white sugar (Splenda will work here if you need to use that, but add a dash of salt to it to stop the after taste)
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of Almond or Vanilla extract (imitation will work, but the real is best)
Instructions:
1. Start by hard boiling the eggs. Try not to boil them for longer than 2 minutes. As you want a bright yellow yolk, a green yoke means you cooked it too long.
2. Once your eggs are cooled off enough to handle, separate the yoke from the whites, and eat the whites. There’s no point in wasting anything. And preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Cream (use an electric mixer or food processor) together the butter, sugar and egg yolks.
4. Slowly mix in the flour and extract.
5. Your dough will be quite thick and crumbly (almost the consistency of play dough) This is normal and don’t be tempted to add more liquid.
6. Take a soup spoon and scoop out pieces of dough, roll into a ball and lightly press on to your ungreased cookie sheet. These cookies will not expand, or change shape.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are a light brown, and the tops look fluffy.
8. Allow to cool, if you can!
I can never wait for the first batch of these to cool, it’s like pulling Christmas out of my oven. And more often then not I am playing hot potato with a cookie. I hope you all enjoy these cookies as much as I do!
Retha Barton blogs at Mommy Bee Wisdom where she teaches other moms that living life from scratch isn’t as hard as it sounds. Retha shows you that you can make it without a lot of money and that sometimes doing things the old way can be more rewarding.
Dear Santa: Free Printable Santa Paper
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Below are links to free printable letters to Santa, letters from Santa, and other free printable Christmas themed stationary. You will also find links for letters to Santa kits and stationary to be purchased.
Please be advised that I have not personally printed or used any of the free products below and therefore cannot comment on the quality of the printed product.
Please scroll for letters TO Santa, Wish Lists, and Christmas Stationery.
*Letter FROM Santa Free Printable @ Over the Big Moon
*Free Printable Letter FROM Santa Paper @ Seven Thirty Three
*Free Letter FROM Santa @ Living Locurto
*Special Delivery FROM Santa Label/Tag @ The Life of the Party Co
*Letter to Santa Free Printable @ The Crafting Chicks
“I made a version for both younger and older kids. Since little ones write using pictures, I made one with a place to draw a picture. I also made an older kids version with more lines for writing.”
(The download link for this one doesn’t always work, but give it a try!)
*Free Dear Santa Stationery @ Pizzazzerie
*Free Letter to Santa Printable with envelope @ Paper Couture Dubai
*Free Printable Letter to Santa @ Wink Design
*Letter to Santa Free Christmas Printable @ Uncommon Design
*Macy’s Believe 2010- Santa’s Post Office
The Macy’s website has free printable stationary that you can use for your letter to Santa. You can also create your letter on their website and “draw” on the letter and add “stickers” before you print it out…what fun! There’s also a free Activity Guide and School Toolkit.
*Wish List / Letter to Santa Free Printable by Anders and Ruff @ Tip Junkie
*Letters to Santa – Note to the North Pole @ MarthaStewart.com
”We’re sure your family’s on his nice list, but how will Santa know just what to get everyone this year? Print out one of our four wish list templates — one for boys, girls, pets, and grown-ups — and mail it to the North Pole. You can print our letter and fill it out yourself, or type right in our PDF before printing, then mail it to Santa.”
*Free Printable Letter to Santa @ Family Fun
Here’s an adorable “Dear Santa” letter that you can print out for your letter to Santa. You can also find free printable Christmas Wish Lists here.
*Christmas Wish Lists Letters To Santa @ Youth Online
Print out these free letters to Santa. You can fill in the blanks or write your own using the free printable designs. Plus lots of other resources available in the Christmas nook
*Write a letter to Santa @ Family Fun
This free Dear Santa letter folds over like a card. Print it or download the pdf.
*Dear Santa Letter Template @ Do to Learn
*Letter to Santa
A free printable “Dear Santa” letter from Parents.com.
*Letters to Santa (ChristmasTimeClipart) @ ChristmastimeClipart.com
Print a letter to Santa (fill in the blanks)
*Christmas Printable Wish List @ Christmas-Projects.com
Print these Santa lists out for the youngsters to write all of their wishes
*Letter To Santa
PDF printable
*Free printable Christmas Letter
Will prompt you to print right away, but you can decline (not downloadable)
*Santa Paper (PaperSnowflakes.com)
*Dear Santa Letters (ChristmasIsComing.co.uk)
*Write a Letter to Santa! @ Disney.go.com
*Letters to Santa Stationary Page (MultiMediaDesignBySandy)
*Christmas Writing Paper @ Activity Village
This site also includes free printable Christmas money envelopes and paper with angels and doves.
*Santa Pictures to print and color
*Free Christmas Stationary and Letterhead (PreK-8.com)
*Free Printable Christmas Stationary (PrintStationery.net)
*Stationary in Letter Size (GraphicGarden.com)
*Free Printable Christmas Stationary (MintPrintables.com)
*FreePrintableStationery.net – Holiday
*Free Printable Christmas Stationary @ Pinkwool.com
*Free Printable Christmas Writing Paper Stationery
Please be advised that I have not personally purchased or used any of the products below and therefore cannot comment on the quality of the product or reliability of the company. Also, any prices listed are obviously subject to change at anytime causing the amount written here to be different. As always please use caution when purchasing products online.
Santa and Christmas Stationary TO BUY
*Official Letter to Santa Kit – Set of 4 by Chickabug: The kit includes: 4 5″x7″, 4 handmade pre-addressed labels, 4 bright red envelopes.
*Write to Santa Kit $14.95: Inspire the true giving spirit of Christmas with this lovely holiday kit. Naughty or nice, all children will be eager to write a letter to Santa with this irresistible new kit filled with stationery, a self-inking stamp, storybook, stickers, and more!
If you know of other free printable Christmas paper for letters to Santa please let me know in the comment section below so that I can update the list! Thanks!
Guest Post: Traditions, Truces, and Cartoon Moments
The following guest post is by a fellow Goose, Anne, from Homeschooling 911
Traditions, Truces, and Cartoon Moments
Family traditions are important in that they give us a connection to our past and strengthen the family bond. However, when a couple gets married, traditions can actually become a point of contention. After all, you have two people, possibly from very different backgrounds, each having their own traditions, memories, and a lifetime of experiences – joining their lives together.
For instance, maybe you grew up in a family that bought their Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and had all the decorations up that weekend, while your spouse’s family never bought their tree until just days before Christmas (or even the day before like my husband’s family).
It may sound simple enough to adjust and make peace with each other’s traditions…if you don’t understand how humans really work!
After all, you went through the planning and execution of a wedding – hmm…maybe execution isn’t the best word – but keep in mind that infused in that event was a romantic element that helped to cushion some of the tensions.
When the day-to-day of married life hits and the holidays start to roll around things can take a turn…for the annoying or possibly for the comical!
When my husband and I first married, even though our background was somewhat similar, how our families approached and celebrated the holidays was very different. And it did cause some, uh, lively discussions in our home! After sharing this predicament with my mom she clipped a cartoon out of the newspaper that illustrated our dilemma perfectly, and hilariously.
The cartoon was titled “Cathy.” You might remember this comic strip – it ran from November 22, 1976 through October 3rd of this year. The comic my mom had clipped showed Cathy and her boyfriend Irving decorating for Christmas. The gist of it was that they both had their own ideas of how it should be done – and at the end of the strip Cathy is standing there with a tangle of Christmas lights all over her. It was perfect.
Over the years we adapted and called truces and found our way through the holidays. These days my husband and one of my sons decorate the outside of the house in style. The four children decorate the tree. I try to stay out of all the decorating if possible. Not my cup of tea anymore. But I do send out approximately 100 Christmas cards every year and cook a bang-up Christmas dinner.
So take heart. You too can combine those traditions that work for you as a couple and a family, as well as forging those special traditions that belong to your family alone.
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” (Unknown)
Anne Galivan is a home-schooling mother of four whose website www.homeschooling911.com is dedicated to helping prospective and current home-schoolers find answers to their questions about home education. Check out her website for home-schooling tips, curriculum reviews, and much more!
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Fun and Dysfunction 
