8. A WARM AND WOOLLY DISPLAY
The nativity scene set out each December in the Lancaster family's Knoxville, Tennessee, home serves as a reminder not only of the holiday's true meaning, but also to do good deeds, particularly during this special time of year. Mom Susan fills a small bowl with short bits of yarn and places it near the Nativity. Each time one of her three sons, ages 4, 10, and 13, does something kind, he gets to take a piece of yarn from the bowl and put it in the manger. On Christmas Eve, the family gathers around the scene, its manger now brimming with yarn, and each person tells stories about some of the good deeds he did. "We talk about how being kind is like giving a gift to God in gratitude for God's gifts to us," says Susan.
9. CHEERS FOR A GREAT YEAR
For these two families, looking back on the previous year is an ideal way to kick off the new one. f As the year comes to a close, the Haddads of Holt, Michigan, create a Year in Review list, recording the year's activities from A to Z. Their three kids -- ages 5, 7, and 15 -- pitch in, and together they decide what event best represents a (astronaut costume), b (building our house) and so on. Throughout the year, the Eshnaurs of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, write down special events and "momentous moments" on pieces of colored paper to stick in a "memory jar" that sits in their kitchen. On New Year's Eve, the family reads them aloud in chronological order, then saves them in an album. "Even though my sons are now 14, 18, and 20, they still love the family jar," says mom Dawn. "It's fun to go back and remember what you thought you'd never forget!"
10. THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS CONTEST
As the Welkers of Canby, Oregon, drove around town viewing holiday displays one year, Kendyl, then age 7, was so impressed by one house's light setup that she suggested giving a prize to its owners. The idea stuck, and now, three years later, the annual tradition is going strong. Each year, the Welkers drive around searching for the house with the most beautiful display. When they reach a decision, they all jump out of the car and present the home owners with a prize of homemade treats that Kendyl, now 10, and her brother, Carson, 7, help make beforehand. "One family was so excited, they even invited us inside to meet their entire extended family!" mom Kelly says.
