Oct 28, 2007

holiday traditions exchange 2007

holidaytraditions2007large

I couldn’t help myself. I have no self-control. I tried and tried and tried. But I just couldn’t wait.

I broke out the holiday music.

I know, I know … I haven’t even given Halloween and Thanksgiving their due respect. I never have, really. I am that zealot who lobbies for tree decoration as soon as I’m finished with my third piece of pumpkin pie after Thanksgiving dinner.

I feel this way because as a child, my family’s holiday traditions were plentiful and cherished. Of course I enjoyed the stockings and the presents – but looking back, it’s not the presents I remember. It’s the feeling I got during that time of year. The warming smell of gingerbread drifting from the kitchen. The songs sung while decorating the house. Drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows out of my special Christmas mug. Traipsing about in the woods with my dad in search of the tallest blue spruce – one that would barely fit in our house and would be sure to elicit eye-rolls and grumbles from my mother, a fan of the short and stocky tree.

As I consider the source of this wonderful feeling, I understand that it originates with my family’s own small, yet meaningful traditions – not with the decorations at the strip mall, not with those “feel cozy and buy this thing you don’t need” holiday commercials, and not even with the opening of gifts, lovely though they may be.

So I wonder … how do other families experience the holidays? How do they nurture that warm, holiday feeling? How do they make it special for their own children?

Let’s find out! Sign up for the first annual Holiday Traditions Exchange!

The Holiday Traditions Exchange is a swap that will incorporate craft, cultural sharing, and thoughtful reflection about what the holidays mean to your family. It’s an opportunity to celebrate all that is non-commercial in this holiday season – and an opportunity to adopt a new, fun tradition for your family’s holiday repertoire. Here’s what you have to do:

Let me know you want to participate. I will pair you with one swap partner. You will send your package to your partner, and this same partner will send a package to you. Hopefully, you will make a new friend in the process!

To your partner, you will send:

1.) One handmade holiday decoration. Decorations made from any kind of medium are acceptable – from fabric to yarn, paper to paint.

2.) Your favorite holiday recipe.

3.) A “Tradition” Tutorial. This is description of one of your family’s special holiday traditions. If needed, you should provide step by step instructions. (For example, if your family makes graham cracker candy houses each year, you would provide more concrete instructions.) You might also consider sending along a couple of photos of the tradition in action.

In addition, you could send a mix CD of your favorite holiday tunes, or a special book that is a seasonal classic in your family. Feel free to go above and beyond the three requirements, but please don’t skip! When putting together your package, think about the kind of package you would like to receive. The backbone of this whole exchange is that it should be meaningful and come from that tender place close to your heart.

Are you in?? Send me an email at montessorirevolution@gmail.com with the subject Holiday Traditions Exchange 2007. No need to include your mailing address – once you receive your partner’s name, you can exchange your address with them directly.

The sign up deadline is Sunday, November 11th. Soon thereafter, you will receive an email from me with your partner’s name. It is then your responsibility to contact your partner, introduce yourself, and exchange mailing addresses.

Packages must be sent out by Monday, December 10th. If you are sending internationally, you might want to aim for an earlier mailing date. But wait!!! Before sending your package, be sure to take pics and post them to the Holiday Traditions Exchange 2007 Flickr Group!

I look forward to your emails, and I sincerely hope that this exchange will, in some way, make your holiday season a little merrier!

xo,

Meg

P.S. You can place the Holiday Traditions Exchange button in your sidebar by copying the following HTML code:


39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't feel bad about the music--- on our nightly walk tonight we discovered one of our neighbors has their tree up, lighted and in their front window for the world to see!

Love your blog.

Kayte

Jaime said...

Great idea Meg! And I am SO with ya and all the Christmas time feelings. I can't wait for December and all it's goodness! I have had Christmas songs running through my head for the last couple weeks...:)

Ali said...

I'm so excited about this - I LOVE hearing about other families' Christmas traditions. It's a great chance for us to reflect on what makes Christmas special in our house too. Off to e-mail you straight away.

Herbal Tonya here said...

I would love to participate in this swap......sounds like holiday fun

thanks
-t

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

I started weeks ago on the Christmas music... it just sets a happy mood that I craved. Looking forward to the swap and thank you for th e pretty badge!

macati said...

this idea is great!
:)

Anna Willett said...

i would like to join!! thanks!!! i am so excited now!!!

Anonymous said...

I would love to be a part of this! I adore Christmas and all of its traditions!

Anonymous said...

Count ME in!

picperfic said...

I think I sent an email...this sounds like fun!

Grace said...

after i read the bit about the *feeling* you got as a child, i raced down to leave a comment before even finishing the post. i know just what you mean! i had that feeling when i was growing up, too. so special! i hope to create some of that for my own little ones. now back to read the rest of the post.

Lissy said...

I would love to join in but have a baby due in 5 weeks so think I may not have time! It sounds like lots of fun - enjoy :)

angharad handmade said...

This sounds fantastic. I would love to join in as I am a fully signed up member of the I-love-Christmas brigade!

Anonymous said...

Yes please. Sign me up!

Amanda said...

sign me up!

Scarlett said...

I sent you an email the other day, did you get it, I want to sign up. How neat to share familial traditions and share.

Anonymous said...

Lovely. I'd enjoy taking part. Such a busy time of year, but this is a great way to help keep the spirit of the season. Thanks!

Lucy said...

How exciting. I wanted to do a swap like this but lacked the courage to start it. I was so excited to find this!

carolyn said...

I emailed you too---I'm up for this swap, sounds like fun

tess said...

I'd love to join in

dottycookie said...

Oooh, yes please! I will email you.

Anonymous said...

I love Christmas or Kerst( in the Netherlands) Great idea!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful idea! How fun!!!

You're not alone in beginning to listen to music already -- my oldest son (13) has started listening to it too! He LOVES Christmas and would listen to holiday music all year round, if he could!

Also, this year, I started planning for the holidays in July! :D

Robyn said...

Oh neat! I want to participate! Please include me in on the fun.

Unknown said...

Can a newbie join in? I just found your lovely blog from Eren's and I think this holiday tradition is a lovely idea! Should be fun! Thanks!

The Pea said...

I am a newbie too I just hopped by via Chroniclers place but I am in as well! How fun.

scj said...

This is such a great idea. Thank you for doing all the hard work of pairing up etc. It's going to be such fun to swap things with another.

I am new to blogging (in the last couple of months)and it is all very exciting!

Sheila

Karen said...

I'd love to sign up - but I missed the deadline.
If there is space can I still join?

My Artful Heart said...

How exciting! I feel bummed that I missed the deadlne for this....Just now saw your blog :) Would love to do the one for next year, keep me in mind.

Mary G said...

Hey Meg, just wanted to say I sent my package out yesterday to my swap partner!

Melissa said...

I so want to join this swap next year. Please do it once again!

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

Sigh... I keep hoping to see some indication that my swap partner received the package I sent. I never received anything from her. I sent a little something to you too, and I am wondering whether I possibly made some huge mailing error, or have I grossly underestimated international postal times? I sent both packages on December 10th. Any clues? Thank you.

scj said...

I am having the same problem as Natalie. I sent out my package but have heard nothing despite emailing to ask if it had arrived and no parcel this end.

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