12 Days of Christmas….

Our family has long had a tradition of observing the 12 Days of Christmas.  Josh and noticed that when you open all the gifts up on one day, they all get muddled together, you aren’t sure want came from who and you don’t get an opportunity to enjoy each gift individually.  After pondering a bit, we came up with the idea of opening gifts, one at a time, throughout the 12 Days of Christmas leaving Christmas itself for our Stockings along with Pancakes and White Sauce.

Opening one gift a day gives everyone a chance to enjoy that gift, time to talk the giver and show your appreciate and just like the slow food movement, it gives you a chance to enjoy the process.  Instead of there being a rush to Christmas, we plan a little further ahead, I prepare a detailed spreadsheet of each person and the gifts they have under the tree and then we mark each gift with a day.  We are flexible, of course!  If someone would like to swap days with a certain gift or if have to be away from the house that evening, we can double-up the next day!  This isn’t regimented but rather a slow enjoyment of Christmas. 

On those years in the beginning when things were tight and there was little money, we may have celebrated the 8 days of Christmas or 6 days of Christmas because that is all we could afford, but regardless, our Christmas now lasts for nearly 2 weeks instead of being over in just two days!  It also gives you time to remember that our Saviour was born and the reason we celebrate this special day. 

There are so many wars over what day is the ‘right’ day, well, for us, I think just remembering this season is about the birth of Jesus and the Love that He brought to the world, is all that really matters.  It is that remembrance that should lead us to be more like Him and take love to those who are hurting and those who are in need as they cross our path.  After all, that is what Christmas should be about, showing the love that was so freely given to us.

If you are looking to extend Christmas a little, maybe you might like to try the 12 Days approach!  One more little note….sometimes there is a ‘Big’ gift at Christmas.  We always open that gift at the point and time that the family comes together to start the Holiday instead of the right before everyone leaves.  This year, our ‘Big’ gifts will be opened on Wednesday because that is when everyone will be here for the Holiday.  It gives everyone time to play with their present before returning to work or school.  Another practicality we have added to our Christmas time which in the end, makes Christmas a little more fun for us! 

When it comes to our Stockings, well, they are an event in themselves.  We like to add cool things to our stockings instead of just some fruit and nuts.  So Christmas morning is full of excitement just like every day has been for the last 2 weeks!

One last hint… If you have a loved one that cannot be with you until mid-way through your 12 Days, you can always ship them part of their 12 Day Presents and have a Skype session to open them all together.  That is what we are doing this year so we can all be together and enjoy all the Days even if we can’t be in the same state!

We hope you have a very Merry Christmas!  As always, I am excited to have some Fiber under the tree and a few knitting and spinning implements waiting to be opened!

Serenity in Fiber….at Christmas,

Lynne