Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas afternoon.....ahhh....the craziness is over, the clean up begins (and never seems to end!!)
It's hard to believe that one day I might actually miss all this craziness, but I think there is a chance I just might.  PLEASE note....I am not an expert at filming, so please forgive me for I am still learning!!  The unsteadiness of the camera adds to the craziness of the morning and gives you a feel of what its like when you are actually there!! :)
Loudly yours,

Alicia

Tradition: part one: The Jesse Tree

Traditions are a favorite here at the Bozza home.  Christmas has to be one of the most traditional holidays there are.  I don't want to bore you all at once, so I am going to post them a couple at a time. Today's installment starts with the Jesse Tree. 

The Jesse Tree is an interactive tribute to the lineage of Jesus from the creation of the world to the birth of Jesus.  Each day has a reading that goes along with a symbol which is hung on the tree each day.  Every day, someone reads the reading and a Bozza kid gets to put the symbol on the tree. Each day is different; for instance, the 10 commandments are pictured at the top of the tree in the picture below. The reading is from Deuteronomy (in the old testament) and tells of how the 10 commandments were given by God.
The tree allows the kids to understand the true meaning of Christmas and see the Family Tree of Jesus.  I took shinky dinks and copied the symbols from a couple of different sites online in a thin permanent marker, then the kids helped me color the symbols.  I added the reading passage numbers, punched a hole in it and popped it in the oven to shrink. The little tree was purchased at a craft store or wholesale garden center. 


I detailed more of how it is done on this page;
http://www.ehow.com/how_4706474_jesse-tree.html
Be sure and see the RESOURCE page as it has the patterns there.


It's not too late to start this new family tradition yourself!

Loudly yours,

Alicia

Another 5 questions...

Hey there!  In a time crunch today, so in order to save time, I am yet again stealing the 5 questions from none other than Amy!

Here they are:

1. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Depends.  On Christmas Eve, we open our presents from my parents, usually at their home and 

on Christmas Day at our home in the morning, then at Grandpa's in the afternoon.

2. What is your favorite Christmas cookie (or candy)?

I love the cookie cake Christmas cookies that my Sis in law Christina usually makes. They are so yummy!!

3. What’s the worst Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

Probably a grab bag gift of some sort....it was bad enough not to remember.

4. Christmas song that you love?

Oh, my gosh, there are so many....It came upon a midnight clear, Go Tell it on the Mountain, O Holy Night....I can name more, but I will not bore you...

5. How many trees do you put up?

We put up one big one, that has the lights built into it (the best investment, ever!!) and our Jesse Tree, which I will tell you more about in my next entry...hopefully tomorrow~

Loudly yours,

 

Alicia

More or less.....

The other day, the kids and I took a little detour to peek at a house decorated to the max, similar to the one above.  I had to chuckle at the house next door, which was completely dark, not even a light on in the house. It was ironic, that the one house was over-done and the other empty.  The scene stuck with me and made me think about how sometimes, life is just that way.  

Driving near the street this morning, Vincent asked; "Mom? Why did you laugh at the house that had no decorations?"  I quickly turned down the Christmas tunes playing loudly on the radio, and explained that I was not laughing so much at the house because it had no lights, as to how one was over decorated and the other not.  I told him that maybe the family who lived there did not celebrate, or did not have enough money to pay for all those decorations;  how maybe that family did not like Christmas.  Vianne chimed in...."What!?  Who doesn't like Christmas?!?" I explained to her that they could be Jewish or that Christmas did not bring happy memories to some people...they hate Christmas because it makes them sad.  She was still confused, but I think my answer satisfied her for a second or two.  I told her that she was very lucky to have a family, Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles who loved her...that there are some little girls who don't even have a family.  

Its funny how life sometimes gives us a lot of "decorations" in our lives....how some have what looks like overabundance and others have none.  It would have been nice if the one decorated house on that street shared some lights so they both could shine. It would be a good lesson in sharing....but maybe the house wants to stay dark and I guess that's ok too.  Every house has its purpose, and maybe that house is not lit to let the other one shine. 

Loudly yours,
Alicia