It’s almost Christmas! Have you been running around like a chicken with its head cut off? That seems to be par for the course around the holidays. But what is most important? A perfectly decorated house? Cookies worthy of the Food Network? Gifts you can’t afford? No! It’s family time! Do you think your kids are going to remember what they got for Christmas every year? I can guarantee they won’t. But they will remember the holiday traditions you create with them.

Holiday Traditions

From the year I got married, we’ve been decorating our house Christmas while we watch Home Alone. It’s one of my favorite traditions because it became one of my kids’ favorite movies. It still is and they’re 21 and 24! I mean who can resist Kevin McAllister.

Another tradition we have is driving around to look at the “pretties.” It’s not Christmas without a drive to look at how beautiful (or tacky) people have decorated their homes for the holidays. Before my husband passed away, he used to go hunting. One thing the kids would do while we looked at the lights was count the deer (you know, those light up ones). If they counted more than 100 deer, they said dad would get a buck. If they counted less than 100, he’d get a doe.

No matter what your family’s holiday traditions are, they all have one thing in common…time. That is what makes the holidays special. Without family time, nothing else matters. Time is one thing that you don’t get back. Childhood passes so quickly. Make sure you carve out time to spend making memories with your family.

Some family Christmas photos from the old days

I found a few photos of me and a couple of my kids from Christmases long past! One thing they revolve around is family.

The first 3 pictures are of me when I was probably 3 or 4. The ones on the top were at my house and my dad’s parents were over. I remember getting my Hi Dottie doll, and I still have her. She’s missing her phone and her clothes, but what can you expect after 40+ years. The first one on the bottom is at my mom’s parents’ house. We went there every Christmas until my grandma moved, and by that time I had my own kids! The last picture is of me when I was 6. And I got a game! Games, family and Christmas just go together!

Christmas Fun in Five Minutes

Are you panicking about time? Don’t. I’ve got some downloadable activities that you can do with your families, and they only take five minutes!

Go here to download your Christmas Fun in 5 minutes

The activity we did is called “What the heck is in that stocking?” For this activity, they suggest putting an object in a stocking and have each person guess what it is. Whoever guesses correctly, gets to keep whatever is in the stocking. Now, I’m not sure about that type of competition among little children because someone is probably going to end up having a fit. I taught preschool. Trust me! If I were doing this with little ones, I’d just take an object from around the house and not have a “prize.”

Classic Games

Board games, card games, games games games! I am sure we’ve all gotten a game or two for Christmas throughout the years. We’ve probably gifted them too. Thanks to CATHOLIC CENTRAL, I got some classic games, and you can win some too.

For more on Catholic Central Visit them at: http://www.catholiccentral.com

Find more board games here: 30 of the Best Board Games for All Ages.