My Most Un-Pinnable Christmas Traditions

We are not doing any sort of Christmas advent this year. We do, however, have a little green and red construction paper chain hanging in our dining room. Does that count? I think this is more of an un-pinnable  Christmas

Since Thanksgiving, our three-year old has been asking every morning if it’s Christmas yet. So as a means to get away from having to disappoint her for the next twenty-five days, we taped a shoddy little chain together and tacked it up on the wall.

 

That’s not to say that I’m not excited for Christmas, because I am.

 

But it’s just one more thing to keep track of in this already busy month. In fact, I’m all for a good advent. I’m really hoping I can be better at planning and possibly incorporate one into our schedule for next December. But for this year, we will have to settle for another one of my tattered little chains.

There is a part of me that wants to categorize this as a mommy fail. Maybe even a Christian fail. On the other hand, I kinda like this little part of our family that’s tacky and imperfect.

 

Un-pinnable Christmas

 

In our world of HGTV and Pinterest we get so caught up on things being done a certain way or looking just right to fit someone else’s definition of how things should be.

β€œMake sure you come up with the newest Elf on the Shelf poses!”

β€œDo this advent this year, it’s the best one!”

 

β€œMake this burlap wreath, but don’t hang it up… until you paint your door red!”

 

Ever read the book, β€œIf You Give a Mouse a Cookie”…? Or maybe your story sounds like this, β€œIf You Give a Mom Pinterest…”

On the days I walk past my paper chain and have a twinge of discontent, maybe that’s just my immaturity hanging on for dear life. And possibly even more immaturity when I think of all the other moms I know who are doing a cool advent for this year. But, maybe there’s a little hope in my aging heart when I get down on my knees, and in an excited voice, encourage my little ones to take one more link out of the chain. Remembering that this is our family and our special little thing.

I’d like to encourage you to be you today. Every family has their own quirks and silly little traditions that will probably never be pinned on Pinterest. Kind of like my pathetic little chain. But I’m thinking these are the little things that make us all unique and fun.

Tell me about one of your ‘less than Pin-able’ traditions! And maybe, if you’re lucky, I’ll do a DIY on my lovely, construction paper Christmas chain. 

 

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What is your most un-pinnable Christmas tradition?

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10 Comments

  1. We love paper chains! Don’t sell yourself short! We do a Christmas activity every day in December, and paper chain day is always everyone’s favourite. We keep the chains every year (until they start to look ratty) and have enough now to stretch from one end of the house to the other. So what if it’s a little tacky?

  2. Social media has definitely amped up the mama comparison and guilt factor. I love the tacky and simple things, and keeping the Christmas season relational rather than tying to make things look perfect. ? Thanks for keeping it real!!

  3. I love this so much! We used to do chains like that too when I was growing up, but I haven’t got around to making one with the kids yet. I agree, sometimes we need to let go of the Pinterest expectations and just do the things that are special for our own families! I think our not-so-pinteresty tradition is going to a little old-fashioned Christmas parade with the kids, and my husband and I drinking sparkling cider together on the couch after we put the presents our on Christmas Eve! Not things you can really photograph, but those are the parts I really look forward to every year.

  4. Paper chains were one of my favorite family traditions growing up! I did one with the kids this year, but we only got ours up last week. haha. So, you did better than me this year πŸ˜‰ Very often it’s the smallest little traditions that will mean the most to your kids.

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