Traditions!

December starts a long list of traditions in our house.  We seem to add a new one each year.  This year, the girls' Gramma Karen started the tradition of a new Christmas book every day up until Christmas.

The girls take turns each day.  They can pick any book from under the tree to open.  There is no order to follow.  The books are different sizes, so which ever one catches their eye, they open!

On December 1st, Taylor got to open the first book.

It's an awesome tradition!  I'll definitely wrap the books up again next year to do this again!

Another tradition we start on December 1st is our advent calendar.  I made this calendar back in 2009 for the girls.

Again, they take turns opening the boxes.  Because Taylor opened the book, Jaden got to open the box.

Inside, there were two pieces of chocolate; a chocolate gold coin and a peppermint patty.  The girl that opens the box gets to pick which chocolate she wants for herself and gives the other to her sister.

The third and BEST tradition we have is the Elf on the Shelf.

We started this tradition back in 2010 and let me just tell you, if you have kids and are NOT doing Elf on the Shelf, you are CRAZY!  Our elf, Buddy, turns into a real elf at night and flies to the North Pole to report to Santa.  He sees all and hears all.  He tells Santa if the girls have been good or bad.  He has REALLY good hearing and can even listen while they are at school and daycare!  When he returns to our house in the morning, he sits in a different spot and turns back into a toy. He can't talk to us or let us see him fly.  We also can't touch him or he loses his magic and stays a toy forever!  Buddy is great!  The girls have been angels.  They warn each other that the elf is watching when fights are being started.  I.LOVE.BUDDY.

What are your family's holiday traditions?