So, I finally settled on a theme for my 2009 Christmas Journal. It's called "Where is the Magic?" I used a Club Scrap Field Journal from their Natural Resources Kit that I had laying around. I plan to alternate journaling/photos with tags from Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas project. The first tag, "Find the Magic" sits on the inside cover, next to my first page of journaling, which reads:
"Henry and Clara are too old to believe in Santa Clause. Truthfully, they've been too old for a while, but we still went about celebrating Christmas as if the whole Santa Magic existed. This year, I don't think that will work. You see, they're teenagers (okay, Clara's not technically a teenager yet, but she may as well be one, given the way she acts). So, my challenge this year is to find Christmas Magic that works with a family that now includes teenagers instead of children. I hope this journal will help me find and record the new magic."
So, that's my journal idea for this year. For this weekend's giveaway, help me meet my challenge. Let me know what works to bring Christmas magic to teenagers. If you don't have teenagers, do you remember what worked when you were a teen? Post a comment with your ideas, and I'll enter you name in the drawing. A winner will be picked at 9:00 p.m. Sunday night (California time). The winner will receive an assortment of ATC's featured in yesterday's post.
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11 comments:
Rinda, I'm 7 years older than my youngest sibling - I had to help keep the magic alive for a long time! I think maintaining some of the more juvenile traditions actually helped us all - Dad's old football socks used as stockings at the end of the bed, children's Mass on Christmas Eve, carrots, shortbread and beer laid out for the weary travellers ... I obviously could go on - as adults these are still some of our favourite things to do!
What a super start to your Journal. I have one teenager (15) and one younger (10) and this is the first year no-one believes in Santa anymore, we still intent to do all our usual Santa stuff though, stockings etc, it just wouldnt be Chrismtas. Sometimes I think teenagers like the excuse to act younger!
It's one of life's mysteries how teenagers....who the rest of the year insist they are adults....can suddenly revert to being children again at xmas.
My 19 yr old still wants an advent calender....both girls adore their xmas stockings full of girly bits.....and DD2 is now in charge of the xmas decorations.....which she loves and does very tastefully....and making xmas biscuits on xmas eve is obligatory.....and that's a tradition that has come from my own childhood.If I ever suggest that they're too old for any of this....the looks on their faces says it all!!!!!!
I completely agree about keeping it going! I have a 14 year old who happily wrote a letter to Santa this year. And every year we still track Santa with Norad..I wouldn't miss doing that for anything.
Sorry....I also meant to say I love your xmas journal idea.
Oh Rinda, what a fab idea for a journal! And good luck :-)
I think maintaining rituals does help, even if they claim to be completely cynical about it. The rituals and traditions may change a little, but just having them really makes a difference. I plan to hang stockings and leave sherry and a mince pie out for as long as possible and beyond.... ;-)
The part of the Christmas celebrations that captured the magic for me was always our school Carol Service. I started that school age 11& was always involved in the carol service, as part of the choir. We had particular items that were performed every year - both pupils and parents expected it and it was part of our Christmas traditions. I have wonderful memories of those concerts. Once I was 14, I was allowed to join the Senior Choir's procession into the Hall. We walked from the dining room, at the far end of the school, down the long corridor, into the Hall, down the aisles, onto the stage. We sang the old carol "Past Three O'Clock" and carried candle-lit lanterns. It was exciting, but also rather solemn. For those listening in the Hall, it was a truly magical experience.
Once I left school, I missed that tradition very much.
Later I had the chance to join the "Christingle" services, first with my nieces & nephew, then with my son.
Then there was the school Christmas Service at my son's school.
I think the traditional carols and stories of Christmas, and having your own version of these, are what really keeps the magic.
I love your snowman he is so cool:)
Love the theme of your album. Sounds great! I've been through some teen-aged Christmases w/ oldest kids, wish I had advice besides just grin and bear it! lol Take care.
Rinda, I think anything fun that includes the whole family and friends make wonderful Christmas memories. I live in the snow belt, so many of our memories include having sledding parties, building a snow village, etc. If there's no snow where you live, alternatives might be getting a group together to Christmas Carol, volunteering in a shelter or a home for children, adopting a family, etc. The most important part for my children was the entire family coming together for fun or a project. Go play on their level...it makes for great memories. Merry Christmas...love your blog! Julie S.
We still have the same traditions we've had since our oldest was a toddler: the same Advent calendar, the annual cut-down-the-tree trip, the 11:00 Christmas Eve service, lots of cookies, familiar decorations. . . Sarah is now 29 and this is her first Christmas away from home. One of her first purchases this year was an Advent calendar, and she and her husband cut down their tree. As for cookies, she's hoping I'll mail her some, although once all her papers are handed in (she's a Ph.D. student) I imagine she'll bake a few herself. Enthusiasm for the holidays has never waned here, I'm happy to say.
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