41 Responses to “The Customary Christmas”

1. JM
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 7:18 am

   The trouble with Christmas is that you have to please everyone. Both sides of the family expect their own way of doing things to go on forever. That just isn’t realistic and it creates lots of stress.
   My husband and I played that game for the first few years of our marriage, but once our kids came along we put our foot (feet?) down, firm in our belief that children deserve to be at home for Christmas. That got us thinking that we deserve to build our own traditions with our own family.
   I have made a note to self that I hope I will take seriously when my children are grown and starting their own families: “You had your turn. It was great, but now it’s their turn. Let them have it. P.S. Don’t make them feel guilty over it, either.”

2. jenny
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 8:21 am

   Yep, that first married Christmas can really sneak up on you and expose a whole lot of unspoken expectations. We inadvertantly and accidentally missed that minefield by going to Hawaii on our belated honeymoon. So, the second Christmas we were able to be more rational, and calmly discuss what family traditions we wanted for OUR family. For the first few years after that when we added children to the mix, we still alternated going to each other’s family for Christmas. (Both required considerable travel.) The last time we ever did that was when my third son was 6 months old. We spent the entire week of our Christmas break holed up in my parent’s basement with double ear infections for all three kids and the flu for all of us. No one would set foot in that basement (meaning my parents or siblings that were around that Christmas.) After that lovely holiday and the giant hassle of trying to pack all of Santa’s gifts into our teeny car and travel 14 hours in a snow storm, we decided that from then on, we would have Christmas at home. That was when we really put a lot of thought into making our own family traditions. I love Christmas and I love our traditions. It will be interesting to see what traditions my children will make it a priority to keep in their own families some day. And I’ll have to remember JM’s(#1) advice: “don’t make them feel guilty over it…”

   ps- we absolutely adore our Elf on the Shelf. We’ve been doing it for years, long before it became so popular. The kids look forward to it every year. I’ll be sad when they get to old to enjoy it.

   Great post, Jennie.

3. Kay
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 8:27 am

   I am ultra organised. I LOVE lists. I am a control freak. I like to know where I stand in life, and that includes Christmas.

   As a couple we still don’t agree on who we should spend Christmas with, or where it should take place. My husband adores his family and thinks it should be about them, I think we should be at home alone and it should be about just us. We try to alternate years to keep us both happy.

   A few years ago we moved house 10 days before Christmas, with 3 children aged 4 downwards, it was not fun. I stopped a couple of things that year because we were just too busy. I then decided that noone noticed so I never picked them up again. This year will be very streamlined. Life fell apart for us 2 weeks ago and will take a while to get back on course. That Christmas will be happening in any way at all is a bonus. This year we will discuss as a family what we really want and only do the most important things. Everyone gets to choose one thing. For me, the one thing that must happen as it is my favourite part of all, is that we all open our stockings together as a family on our bed. I don’t care about the rest of the presents. It will be interesting to see what everyone chooses and why. We never had stockings as a child and I always felt deprived so I insist on them for us. It will be a very different Christmas, and not the one I had planned, but now I am trying to be grateful for what I still have.

4. christine
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 8:33 am

   We had the first grandchild on both sides of the family (add in divorced parents and multiply by the fact that All three sets of parents are Christmas Crazy!) We spent a couple of years doing the “holiday tango” with whoever wasn’t dancing at that moment feeling left out and us feeling guilty. The best thing I ever did was to finally say, 1 family/day and absolutely staying home at least on Christmas morning. Anyone on the outside looking in would still say we are crazy for doing as much as we do but at least we were able to carve out some family time. Sidenote, any chance of sharing the schnitzel and spaetzle recipe? that sounds divine!

5. Kari
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 8:53 am

   Long ago we decided that our family would celebrate Christmas in the way that made *us* feel most connected to Christ.

   My husband and I discussed what traditions were important to us as individuals and over the years we’ve asked our children to provide input.

   We try new things and some stick and some don’t.

   But Christmas isn’t about keeping up with Joneses – even if those Joneses are extended family. If a tradition isn’t meaningful and significant to us then it doesn’t happen in our home.

   We are also ruthless in turning down invitations if it would mean creating a hectic or unpleasant schedule for our family. We keep our celebrations simple and manageable and meaningful.

   This is what works for our family.

6. rookie cookie
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:01 am

   I like the quirky, non-traditional Christmas traditions like eating schnitzel. Our neighbors growing up always had to borrow our waffle maker on Christmas Eve because they would always make waffles on that night. Talk about easy. Too bad my husband wants to have Christmas meals with beef wellington and crap.

   I wish my in-laws would continue their old tradition of Christmas chocolate exchange. My FIL buys a ton of Belgian chocolate, truffles, chocolate covered fruit and all fancies of the like and then gives them out. I like that tradition.

   At the end of this post, I read “Let’s just hope it’s focused more on love and Christ and not whether it’s weird to serve Crab Dip on Christmas Eve.” And in my head, I literally said, “Oh yeah, it’s about Christ”. I need to remember that better this season. Boy does the media and Satan make that hard.

7. Tiffany W.
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:20 am

   I had a friend who puzzled a lot over this very question. My family vs. your family traditions. Not only that she struggled with what she wanted. The problem was, it all completely exhausted her. I’m a huge believer in simplifying things. We do certain things, but I am not afraid to throw out something if I’m not feeling well or have too much on my plate. I suggested that my friend simplify her Christmas. But she couldn’t do it, and so she ends up exhausted and resentful every Christmas season. That defeats the whole purpose of Christmas, in my eyes.

8. Melissa M.
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:23 am

   Just one question: what is “elf on the shelf”? (Have my children been missing out?)

9. Catania
   December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:24 am

   I grew up in a family where we didn’t have many typical traditions. My parents were divorced (two christmases!), and each of them had completely different styles.

   I do think that Christmas can get overwhelming. I guess it’s just like anything, though – we tend to compare ourselves with others, and we usually come away from such comparison feeling a little discouraged.

   My children love tradition, and I actually love doing a lot of the traditional christmas things. However, we do have a few unique traditions – my favorite: Santa gets the kids various cleaning supplies every year. He gets them other fun stuff, too, but the cleaning supplies help them to stay on the “nice” list.

10. Jennifer Perkins
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:51 am

    Oh boy, do I LOVE this post. My sentiments exactly. Great work.

11. FoxyJ
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:51 am

    The other day I was making some cookies for a recipe exchange party and my husband asked “why don’t you ever make these?” They are a recipe my grandma invented and so my mom made them every year whether or not anyone would eat them. I like them, but honestly they aren’t my favorite and I’d rather experiment with other things each year. After talking with him I realized that I’m finally grown up enough to not feel guilt about not celebrating Christmas exactly like my parents did.

    I feel blessed that my husband and I both grew up away from extended family and in families that didn’t have strong ties to tradition. My family is probably the one that has more specific things we do every year, but for the first few years of marriage they live 2000 miles away so we were better able to establish new things. Every year I try to find a balance between what my kids would like and expect and what is realistic for us to do. Growing up we often went to go see a performance of the Nutcracker, but I’ve realized that it won’t be in our budget for a few more years. When I was thinking about this, though, I realized that my parents didn’t really start that tradition until I was at least 7 or 8 so it’s not like it’s really something that’s gone on forever.

12. cristie
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 10:12 am

    Since I have never been good at hopping through hoops this particular problem does not exist. I have loved all holiday’s because I do what FEELS right. Now as a mother and grandmother I place no expectations on my children…well, that’s not entirely true. I did ask them not to purchase any gifts for me or my husband and do something “thoughtful” for someone else.

13. Malinda
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 10:14 am

    Christmas Pickle? What is that?

    This was an issue for us in the first few years of our marriage. I’m the youngest in my family and we had long since moved to a family party a week or two before Christmas so everyone could be with their own little families on Christmas day. My husband was the first of his siblings to get married, so his family expected us to be there on Christmas morning. It worked fine for the first couple of years, but once we started having kids, it just wasn’t feasible (or fun) to be at his parents’ house at 8:00 in the morning. We decided to reclaim Christmas day and stay at our house. It caused quite an uproar in his family, but we have no regrets.

    We love the holiday traditions that we’ve started with our kids, but like JM, I’ve made a note to myself to allow my kids to make their own traditions with their own families without all the guilt.

14. jenny
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 10:29 am

    Melissa M.
    re: elf on the shelf

    Ours used to be a little elf (maybe 10-12 in.) from my childhood. (He started really falling apart– because, gosh darn it, I’m getting old! and we had to get a new one.) He appears Dec. 1 in a spot in your home to watch what goes on there. He then reports back to the North Pole each night and we find him in a different spot each morning. The biggest “rule” with the elf is that you can’t touch him or his magic will be gone and he can’t get back to the North Pole. I’ve caught my kids talking to him, telling him their secrets. It may be silly, but we really love it.

    This has been a family tradition for us for a long time, but now you can get them all packaged up with a book included. I have to admit, I hate it when something kind of unique goes so commercial and mass produced– but there you have it.

    To answer your question of “have my children been missing out?”, you are probably already doing a gazillion other special Christmas traditions that are meaningful to them.

15. Handsfullmom
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 10:53 am

    I love simplified Christmas! One of our best traditions that we’ve done for YEARS is that we go out to Chinese for our Christmas Eve dinner. Last year, we missed the 24th there because we went out of town and celebrated our family Christmas late. When we went over on “our” Christmas Eve, the 28th or 29th, the owner said “What happened? We missed you on Christmas Eve!”

16. Jennie
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 10:57 am

    The Christmas Pickle is just a dumb ornament shaped like a pickle that is hidden somewhere on the tree Christmas Eve. The first person to find it Christmas morning either gets an extra present or gets to open the first present. No offense if your family likes the Christmas pickle. I just think it’s silly, although there are several of our friends here in Texas that do the pickle. My kids keep asking why we don’t do it (“Because the pickle was given to Goodwill many years ago, my sweet children”).

17. Tay
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 11:17 am

    Growing up, every holiday was split between my parents’ families. Quite the juggle and adventure. We live by my husband’s family and travel to see mine, which really simplifies things until my MIL tries to get us to come back early to celebrate Christmas late with them here. I appreciate that she wants to include us, but I with she’d just start some traditions, like a date to celebrate Christmas regardless of who’s in town, that she can stick to. There comes a point where pleasing everybody is not an option.

18. m2theh
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 11:22 am

    I remember the fights over Christmas traditions! Finally two years ago we dropped going to my grandmothers house on Christmas day–instead, we invite her over to a dinner sometime in December.

    The one I would love to drop is having brunch over at the in-laws. It wasn’t a big deal before we had kids, but both my husband and daughter are late risers–yes, even on Christmas morning, and last year we had to rush and go over and hadn’t opened presents yet. Oh, and there’s the fact that she inevitably serves something that I can’t eat, which means I end up hungry. This year I am eating beforehand!

    I have talked my family into gathering together on the 26th instead of Christmas Day–at least, I think so. Honestly, I just want to stay home that day and enjoy Christmas with my little family.

19. Jenn
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 12:15 pm

    Hey Jenny,

    Great post! We were lucky in the “holiday tango” department. Neither of us wanted to spend it with his fam and so we started our own traditions and spent a little time with my family. Austin told his school yesterday his favorite tradition was “switching rooms Christmas Eve” I had to stop and thing what that was. We throw all the kids in one room on Christmas Eve so we can contain them and Gemma loves to keep them from checking on the presents. Of all the things we do, THAT is the one he likes the best. Had to explain to the teacher what it was too!
    Miss you!

20. Stephanie
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 12:32 pm

    We tried the Christmas pickle thing one year and all heck broke loose. Fights, tears and frustration all over an ugly little pickle hanging on the tree. Fortunately it broke during the ruckus and that tradition fell by the wayside.

    Great topic Jennie.

21. Peyton
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 12:44 pm

    I think the idea of the elf on the shelf is really cute, but I’ve got to say, I think the one that they sell at the bookstores is really, really creepy-looking.

22. Kevin Barney
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 1:36 pm

    It’s essential to take the time to create your own traditions. We’ve always done Christmas Eve and morning at home with just immediate family, and then to the in-laws (there’s only one set close enough to visit) for Christmas dinner and a second round of present opening.

    The only tension I can recall in melding out different expectations was present opening style. In my family we took turns and opened gifts one at a time so everyone could see. In my wife’s, it was the mad all-hell-breaks-loose all at once orgy. I won that argument for our family, since we do it the other way at the in-laws.

    I like traditions that just sort of arise organically, and which you enjoy and so decide to keep doing them. One year we decided to go out to eat on Christmas Eve; we tried Fuddrucker’s, but it was closed, and several other stops were also closed. As we were dejectedly driving home we saw a sign that was still lit, for Yu’s Mandarin. So we went there for dinner, and it was really cook, they cook the food behing a glass wall so you can watch them, and the fire leaps from the woks. We had such a great time we’ve been back every year since (sort of like no. 15), and then we go home and watch A Christmas Story (with its own Chinese restaurant scene).

    I also have some traditions that involve going out in the community. On the 13th I’ll take a sister-in-law to a do-it-yourself Messiah, and then we’ll have dinner after at a sports bar down the street. On the 19th I’ll do with a friend and his family and my son to Songs of Good Cheer, basically a community Christmas sing along, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago (this will be our 11th year). The next day ten of our family members will meet at the Blue Bayou (a New Orleans themed restaurant) for lunch, then we’ll walk across the street to the Music Box, an old vintage theater in Chicago, where we’ll watch the holiday double feature It’s a Wonderful Life and White Christmas (with Santa led sing-alongs before both shows). Everyone comes in their Christmas sweaters, bringing jingle bells or other props; it’s kind of like the Rocky Horror Picture Show for Christmas geeks.

    I love me some Christmas traditions!

23. al
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 1:44 pm

    I can sympathize. My parents are both on their third marriages and my husbands on their seconds. We both have half and step siblings too. Do the math. It’s a full time job just to see everyone around the holidays, much less make it to the parties.

24. Snakerivermama
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 1:59 pm

    We had a few traditions in my family but most of them centered around visiting interesting places in the big city where I grew up and now live about 2000 miles away from. I don’t have any siblings and so now with four (almost5) children I am always anxious to create those kind of sweet memories and family identity that I would have liked. My husband’s family didn’t do much in the way of traditions so we are pretty well unencumbered by expectation. It’s a nice place to be.
    This Sunday our bishop shared this thought that our neighbor, an area authority, had taught him: “Tradition is the lazy man’s revelation.”
    Now, I don’t think he meant for us to abandon tree trimming, caroling and cookie-making but maybe just to seek also for those things that would be most meaningful to our family and humanity in any particular season. And, perhaps, not to feel guilty about letting go of those things that don’t seem to fit.

25. Angie f
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 2:21 pm

    I think we’ve done a reasonably good job of melding our family traditions. Since my family is across the country and DH’s family lives 6 miles away, we’ve never had to worry about juggling two families on one holiday; we’re either here or there. Usually, my in-laws show up a bit early for Christmas dinner (ham, au gratin potatoes, rolls, red and green salad, sparkling cider and fudge nut bars) for some additional present opening. I miss some of the things my family usually eats for Christmas dinner (ham salad, potato chips, homemade rolls, red and green jello salad, eggnog and fudge nut bars). I make what I care enough about for dinner and move on.

    The one thing I’m currently trying to shake lose of is the hodge podge collection of ugly but heart felt ornaments my children make for school and primary gifts. We have a paper pickle ornament (but have never played it out) and multiples of many things that I would love to “accidentally” throw away at the end of this season so that my kids would have a whole year to forget they ever made them and we could have more room for new memories and prettier ornaments. Am I a heartless mother?

    My favorite traditions are reading the Book of Mormon and Bible Christmas stories from the scriptures on Christmas Eve and then negotiating the authorized wake up time (when the kids are allowed to wake us up to go down and begin Christmas) before the kidlets go to sleep and we parents begin the assemblage of Santa loot (minimal because I want credit for the coolest gifts). Christmas Eve always seems the quiet most peaceful night to me.

26. Michelle L.
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 2:49 pm

    I love it when you write Jennie. You always make me smile. I’ve never been the sort to be overwhelmed by Christmas but this year I seem to have cement shoes on. I’m keeping the traditions we truly love and letting the rest go.

27. Jennie
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 2:54 pm

    After 17 years my husband and I can’t agree on whether stocking are allowed to be opened as soon as each person awakes, or if it’s treated like presents and there has to be an audience assembled first.

    Kevin-I also struggled with my in-laws mass opening of gifts. I hated the chaos and it was all over in a matter of minutes. I prefer the opening of gifts one at a time in strict order.

    My husband’s family does the huge Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, but my family always did it on Christmas Day. Since I make the bulk of the food, I have gotten to decide. Christmas Eve is just way too busy with all the last minute stuff, so we do the big schnitzel fest on Christmas Day. Frankly, I’d be happy spending the day eating candy from my stocking and pie, but my husband wouldn’t really go for that.

28. Kari
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 2:58 pm

    Ours is clam dip.

29. traci
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 3:31 pm

    Wow the comments are great!

    In my family there was no big dinner etc on Christmas or Eve as we didn’t cook on (Holy) Holidays. So the women got to enjoy as much as everyone else. There was a meat cheese tray and a vegetable one for the 2 days, cinnamon rolls and/or coffee for breakfast. Only 2 meals each day, altho you could snack on Christmas Cookies in-between!

    My maternal grandma had everyone over the weekend before the holidays so no one would have to travel on the holiday. We always went to the paternal side of the family Christmas Day – spending most of the time.

    We did lots of doing things when I was young. The day after Thanksgiving we would make gift tags from the old Christmas Cards, and also ornaments. We did the Advent Wreath devotions every nite, taking turns lighting the candles. Putting the baby Jesus in the manger Christmas morn.

    Now I am married and my DH can’t wait til Christmas to give me my gifts. lol! We have gone to my family on Christmas Eve Afternoon. Then Christmas Day is ours.

    So let me tell you of Our First Christmas – my family was not accepting my DH, we stayed home, I had just had surgery and did just a very short uncomfortable visit. My DH announced that anyone, everyone, was welcome to our place, but we were staying home! Then at lunch time, he announced we were going to a Chinese Restaurant for dinner – oh my, i thot, grandma is rolling in her grave – and then I got in the car! lol!!!

    So now I light the Advent Wreath in my mind and heart. My Creche is small and on my kitchen shelf. We have not had a tree, and we may have a 1/2 tree up on the wall this year away from the furries.

    One tradition my sister and I keep – I get her and myself at Advent a Christmas Coloring Book and brand new box of Crayola Crayons and colored pencils. A wonderful stress reliever during the season – when things get sticky, we just sit and color!

    This was fun to share! Thank you for the post!

30. jendoop
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 6:13 pm

    Kari, I say “Amen!” to your post!

    You don’t have to “make” everyone happy. This is a great opportunity for children to learn that you can be happy in almost any setting, even one you didn’t choose. If the tradition is so important to them, put them in charge of making it happen.

    As for extended family, it’s a delicate dance. My in-laws were overseas for a few years so when they came back we spent several Christmases in a row with them to make up for lost time. We’ve lived far away since then. Oh, wait there was a horrid Christmas we spent with ALL the in-laws – after that my DH swore we’d never leave home on Christmas again. I miss extended family, but it’s much more pleasant to visit Utah in the summer!

    I spotted a poster for another ward’s Christmas party. There was a note at the bottom: Santa will not be attending this year. I think that is great, if there is anywhere that we should be free of the jolly ol’, cookie grabbing, fat guy it should be at the church CHRISTmas party.

    Along those same lines, I might just re-examine all of our traditions and weed out a few by deciding if they have any important meaning. Obviously reading Luke 2 will still happen, but does decorating a gingerbread house do anything to bring us closer to the Savior? There is something to be said for family togetherness though. Another one of those Good, Better, Best situations I guess.

31. jendoop
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 6:15 pm

    Kari made a comment, not the post.

    I am grateful you nudged me to think about these things Jennie!

32. Terresa Wellborn
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 7:19 pm

    Ahhh. So much Christmas fruit cake and mince meat pies, so little time (thank goodness).

    While my family is not traditionless, we have a few we enjoy: caroling, the stockings & tree & sitting on Santa’s knee.

    When traditions start pushing us around and defining us, that’s when I have trouble with ‘em.

    We’re thinking of a new Christmas tradition this year. A simple one that says a lot. Like a neon pink flamingo lawn bling with a Santa hat. If you see any, let me know.

33. ashlee
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:00 pm

    Oh, I love traditions.

    But I hate Elf on a Shelf. Really.

    Thank goodness we get to be the moms now and decide what will make the happiest memories in our own homes.

34. Mary B
    December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:09 pm

    Twenty years ago I read “Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season” by Jo Robinson and Jean Staehli. It gave me the information I needed to outline and make the choices necessary in order to solve exactly the challenge you outline here. Our Christmases have been both comfortably traditional and also much more peaceful ever since.

    It’s still in print. I highly recommend it.

35. m&m
    December 4th, 2009 @ 1:56 am

    I struggle between wanting to be free of the commitment that traditions can impose and providing some traditions that our children can remember. Sometimes trying to free myself can be more selfish than anything, so for me it’s a hard balance.

    But then again, sometimes I think it’s good to realize that “blessed are the flexible, for they will not be bent out of shape.”

    Chronic illness has added a layer of complication to this kind of thing.

    And I hope this isn’t a threadjack, but I think the power of tradition can have that same kind of good and bad in a ward family, too. I bucked Christmas tradition one year as a newish member in my ward when I was called as Activities Chair. I was grateful for people being willing to go with the flow, but sometimes you do that and it’s really dangerous. Old habits can die hard.

    Anyway, great post.

36. joy128
    December 4th, 2009 @ 1:56 pm

    I think it’s funny (frustrating) when my kids decide something is a tradition and I have no idea. Like one year I happened to make Jello on Valentines day. The next year we were sitting down to dinner on Valentines and the kids were devastated that I didn’t make our “Traditional Valentine’s Jello.” I was completely taken back and tried to convince them that it wasn’t a tradtion, but they insisted. Now I always make Jello on valentines day. This type of scenario has played out several times in our family. I have also learned that it is hard to “force” a tradition if I’m the only one who cares about it. Without support in numbers, traditions can fade pretty quickly.

37. Cindy
    December 4th, 2009 @ 2:22 pm

    I also read the “Unplug the Christmas Machine” book several years ago and it has really blessed our family. I am not good at traditions. When our homemaking/enrichment/RS meeting activity was making a book of Christmas stories so that you had a story and a song to read each night as you burned your numbered candle, I broke out in a rash.

    After I read the book we talked as a family about each person’s favorite tradition. We ended up with a mix that works well for our family, without making us feel overwhelmed or over scheduled.

    Now if we could only figure out a time/place to go caroling that people would actually be in their homes–our kids unanimously love to go caroling, but we can hardly find anyone home these days!

38. Arianne
    December 4th, 2009 @ 4:38 pm

    I am a traditionalist. I get all bent out of shape if people try to mess with my traditions. Seriously. And you know our mother is the worst at trying to “improve upon” tradition. Just do it the RIGHT way, I want to yell, not the cheap and easy and lazy way!

    That being said, I really dig the idea of Schnitzel for Christmas dinner. We did it last year and it was such a relief not to have ham or turkey or stuffing or mashed potatoes or rolls. Just for a change.

39. Sherry
    December 4th, 2009 @ 11:05 pm

    Golly gee, this post struck so close to home for me. I could go on and on, but I won’t or else I would not stop. Suffice it to say that one day I will be satisfied with our Christmas traditions. One day.

40. Strollerblader
    December 8th, 2009 @ 9:14 pm

    Jendoop, One year, the ward decided to ban Santa from the ward party, so he showed up in Sacrament Meeting in the back row towards the very end of the meeting the Sunday after. I think that the ward party is a better forum for him.

    In my dh’s ward growing up, the bishopric dressed up as the 3 Wise Men and gave out oranges and bran muffins. Definitely didn’t go over well.

    I believe in Santa Claus.

41. Melissa M.
    December 8th, 2009 @ 9:36 pm

    Strollerblader, that made me laugh. Santa in sacrament meeting—lol.

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