During the holiday season, we invite select close friends of ours to participate in a series of guest blogs that we post here at The Kitchen. There are a variety of topics, from family traditions and memories to favourite holiday foods. Germaine Leece, author of Some Home Truths, a constantly thought-provoking and motivating blog, is today’s guest. To top it all off, we also took a look inside her very own kitchen in Sydney! Germaine, you are most welcome!
Creating Magical Christmas Memories: Starting New Traditions with Reindeer Food
Every family has its own set of Christmas customs, some of which have been passed down from generation to generation in the form of traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. In contrast, others may have only recently emerged but feel just as significant.
When my kid came home from daycare with a bag full of “reindeer food,” it was the start of a new tradition for my kids. This tradition started three years ago.
The night before Christmas, our children spread it around the yard and threw it out of their bedroom window onto the roof below. They did this so that the reindeer could see our house from above and have something to eat while Santa filled the stockings. After leaving the carrot next to Santa’s cookies and whiskey by the tree, they found it to be a much more exciting experience for them.
Sharing Joy: Creative Christmas Traditions Among Friends
The following year, they recalled it and asked for it to be made for friends with whom we spent Christmas Eve, whose children they have known all their lives. This strategy proved successful for these friends; on Christmas Day, the reindeer left a trampoline as a thank-you for the treat.
Last year, they made a jar for their friends to take across the state line, and it seemed like it might travel well,l too.
We will be the family that takes a bottle of wine in one hand and a glass of reindeer food in the other because they’ve already asked us to bring a glass to a number of different Christmas parties. After all, they’ve already asked us to bring it.
As they enjoy decorating the tree, it has become a pre-Christmas tradition that they look forward to. Every child or every child within a child has the potential to succeed…
