Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Traditions

Growing up my mom & dad loved celebrating with traditions... we are still carrying on some today & starting some of our own.
Last night we carried on a tradition that we've done since I was a little girl. Grabbing all the mittens and scarves you can get your hands on & driving up to Salt Lake Temple Square to see the lights and nativity scene.
I have a bittersweet love for this tradition because it is always freezing. I remember when I was a little girl and my toes were so cold in my boots. I thought... this is crazy... but still fun.
(Camille, Chad (cousin), me, Ashley, Todd (cousin), KC (little brother)
After 20 years I'm wearing leggings again. This time around with out white socks or a perm.
The right picture throwing pennies into the fountain & making a wish. Sad... we were at the same fountain last night but forgot to make wishes. Guess we'll be back next year with extra wishes.
Here we are last night with the girls in the double wide. Bundled up so much they couldn't put their arms down & covered in pink.
The Salt Lake temple was gorgeous as usual. What are your favorite Holiday traditions?

19 comments:

Lora Oliver said...

Beautiful pictures! How could you not be in the spirit surrounded by that beauty? We haven't carried the traditions from when I was a kid probably because most of them centered on the area where we used to live. But our new(er) tradition of everyone opening one gift at a time is one of my faves. I love being able to see what everyone got and to watch my loved ones open the gifts that I picked especially for them.

Tiffany said...

Tonight we are going to all bundle up in our jammies (even my husband!) and we are going to drive around looking at all the lights. When we get back the four kids will all sleep around the tree with the lights glowing! Tomorrow will be Jesus birthday party where we will have a party and gifts for Him! I just love Christmas-Have merry one!

Tiffany said...

One tradition that we just had was our annual Christmas Cookies and Crafts day. All of the cousins get together and drink hot chocolate, make crafts and help decorate sugar cookies. Then it all ends in a HUGE sleepover...which usually equals no sleep for me ;). I love it!

Mindy said...

That is also one of ours.. we stop by the windows to our sealing room. Our sealer was kind enough to disclose their location to us. ;)
We love to make sugar cookies too, frost them and all. Then there's painting the ornaments..
And I am behind the camera the whole time! :)

angie + matt said...

LOVE going to see the Temple lights! It's my favorite:)

Sara Ancich said...

Ahhh...MAZING photographs. looks breath-taking.

We go caroling around the neighborhood every year, spreadin' some cheer. Every year I amazed that there are still neighbors we have never met before. Love how that fun holiday tradition opens doors to new friends and neighbors. LOVE it.

Darlene said...

Hehehe! Your girls look like a cute pink twinkie!

LeAnne said...

HOw fun! I want to go see that someday!!! And the confrence center too!!!
My favorite Christmas tradition? Well it is honestly a Birthday tradition for my son who was born on the 16th! But it is my favorite...we go looking at lights and then have a talegate birthday party. Fun! Fun! Fun!

tccba said...

I got to see the Temple Square once when I was in SLC for a Cross Country meet when I was in college. It is gorgeous all lit up! My favorite tradition is the tamale feed we have on Christmas Eve. We don't have family in town, and we have friends in the same situation. So we have an odd assortment gather to celebrate--a pilot's wife and her kids, a couple of single moms, my friend from England, some families...We eat tamales and cookies, watch Santa online, and one of the kids usually gets sick at some point. But everyone goes home ready for bed and feeling like they didn't miss out on a big, close celebration.

Christine

Unknown said...

Loved this post! I actually just posted yesterday that one of the traditions that we will be carrying on is reading a different Christmas story before bedtime every night! So fun! Such a special time!

Unknown said...

Loved this post! I actually just posted yesterday that one of the traditions that we will be carrying on is reading a different Christmas story before bedtime every night! So fun! Such a special time!

Carol said...

Wonderful pictures! Aren't traditions grand? We have a tradition each year where 1 day during the holiday season we all sleep in front of the tree. The night goes something like this...we eat a special dinner, then grab blankets, hot cocoa, and popcorn and get in the car driving around looking at lights (this year we drove at the beginning of a blizzard that when all was said and done dumped 22 inches of snow on us!...but it was beautiful driving around in it!) then we come home and read a Christmas story then cozy up and fall asleep looking at the twinkling lights of the tree. It's like magic. Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!

Traveling Mama said...

You guys are so sweet! I hope you have the Merriest and blessed Christmas! Hugs!!

scrapwordsmom said...

Oh I LOVE Temple Square at Christmas!! My family and I had the chance to go 2 years ago and it was AMAZING!! The best part was the Missionary that confirmed my whole family members in the church had just gotten off his mission and he met us there!! We hadn't seen him since he'd been home so it was special AND we had driven all the way from Missouri for his Homecoming talk. It was just magical!!

Thanks for sharing Lizzie. I just love your blog and your work. I hope to find your book in the new year.

Merry Christmas!!!

PS...did you ever ask Brian if he remembered meeting us with Lisa at CK??

the johnson's said...

The family tradition we are carrying on w/ our girls is baking a birthday cake for Jesus.

{VICKI} said...

Baking cookies with my son---that's what we are doing a little later today.

margie said...

love this tradition...
brrrrrrrr all bundled up..
how fun...
kiss kiss
m

Wendy said...

We were at Temple Square the same night as you! It WAS beautiful...my grandson was especially entranced with being so close to the temple. That's one of our favorite traditions, too!

CalleLillyCafe said...

Cute family pic! =)