As you start your own family, you combine the traditions of the past and create new traditions to share in your own burgeoning families.

I do have a word of caution about traditions though. It’s easy to become a slave to them, and while there are many wonderful things you can or should do during the holidays, sticking to tradition can kill the spirit of Christmas if you let it overwhelm you.

For example, this year we missed out on one of our favorite traditions – going to the drive-thru Live Nativity in nearby —but in the end I enjoyed staying home and spending time together relaxing even more. We’d had a busy day full of holiday fun but too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.

I find that when I fill my life with too many things – no matter how great they all are – I rob myself of the joy that those bring me. So, as a word of warning, be cautious biting off more than you can chew in the name of having a great Christmas. I’m sure my kids appreciated their mom being happy and fun far more than they would’ve appreciated The Live Nativity with their stretched-too-thin mother.

Keeping that in mind I wanted to share a few of our favorite things we do and hear your ideas on what your families do. Here are a few of our favorite traditions that we’ve carried on and/or adapted for our own little nucleus.

· Every Christmas Eve, as a little boy my husband would always receive a few early gifts. One was always a good, long book and the other was always a new pair of pajamas.

· My family always celebrates St. Nick’s Day (Dec. 6), a European tradition, where you open one small gift and enjoy some candies or cookies. (We adapted this and always give our children an ornament to put on the tree. We usually decorate the tree on or before this day each year so it’s perfectly timed.)

· We give each girl an ornament that reminds us of who they are at that time. It’s so fun each year to pull out the ornaments from year’s past and remember why we chose the ones that we did. We always write their name and the year on the back too. Someday when they have their own “First Christmas Tree” I’ll bestow their ornament collection to them.

· We act as a Secret Santa. We choose a family in need and buy them gifts to help lighten their load – financially or emotionally. This year we weren’t so secret and the kids lamented over how sad they were that they didn’t get to doorbell ditch anyone. (So glad they felt the spirit of service as much as deviant doorbell ditching.)

· We go caroling. I’m not much of a singer but husband and children sound great. I just get to blend in these days. We visit older people and widows in our neighbor and carol to them. It’s a lot of fun and really helps us focus on the important parts of Christmas instead of the commercial, hectic nature of the season.

· We make cookies for Santa. It’s a great chance for me to make some of my Grandmother’s recipes. It helps her feel close to us even though she’s no longer with us.

· We make assignments. Each year someone gets a different special job. One gets to go on Dad’s shoulder’s to put the star at the top of the tree, another gets to dole out the gifts on Christmas Eve, and another get’s to do it on Christmas morning. The kids look forward to this all year round.

Question: What traditions do you enjoy as a family during Christmas?