Leavener Family Christmas

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
Series: Holidays

Rusty's Notes

1. What is/are your past Christmas Family tradition(s)?

Jeremy & Danielle - On Christmas Day, we and  Jeremy's family gather at his parent's house.  Jeremy's mom starts our festivities by inviting everyone to sit in the living room together while she reads to us from her bible.  She is very intentional about the passage that she chooses and beautifully ties it to family, Christ's birth, and all that is on her heart.   We then eat together, do a white elephant exchange and play games/cards.
Scott & Jenny - Christmas Eve service all together @ 11:00 after family  gathering.
Bill & Anna - Traditions are spending Christmas Day together with the family and cooking Prime Rib
JD, Beth & Hannah - when our children were younger, we would always let them open one gift. Not their biggest gift but usually something they could play with.
We would go to the grandparents (Jd or Beth’s parents depending on where we were that year) and have Christmas with them, then go to Christmas Eve service. Service always seems to bring us back down from the chaos of the season and really focus on what’s really important.
JD and Beth would always end up staying up wrapping presents well after midnight. (You might call it procrastination)
 

1. What is/are your current Christmas Family tradition(s)?

Jason & Sasha – Getting read Twas the night before Christmas before bed. We still do this with our kids, even in teenage years they are excited for this.
Jeremy & Danielle - Even though the kids are grown, they still spend the night at our house so that we can get up in the morning together.  We usually have lasagna or chicken paprikash for dinner, play games, do a puzzle, watch a movie...
Jerimiah & Lynnae - We have a lot of Christmas traditions! We start off the season doing Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes with the kids. We also always find a way to give and be generous in some way.  The kids have a "Cousin Christmas" with their cousins and they all buy and exchange gifts for each other. We always wear coordinating or matching Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve and Day. We do Christmas activities as a family (Christmas at the Zoo, Winterlights, driving around looking at Christmas lights).
Jonathan & Monica - We wrap matching pajamas for the kids to open on December 1st. We do morning cookie baking with grandparents each mid-December. We love driving around and looking at neighborhood Christmas lights on random evenings and visiting White River Christian Church's drive up light show. We dance party to Christmas music after dinner alot of evenings. We do Christmas Eve with grandparents at their house.
Jayci & Silas - Currently, we go and see family on Christmas Day. However, since I have met Jaci we have made it a tradition also to see her grandparents, somewhat distant family, her dad and stepmom, and also her mom.
Brandon & Madison - Celebrate Christmas adam (dec. 23rd) with madison's family . Christmas eve we split between madison and brandon family - so we will do christmas eve afternoon with madison family and then go over in the evening to brandons grandmas. Sleep at our own house and split christmas day between the pruetts and cartwrights.
Frank & Lisa - Baking day with my daughters and their families with the highlight being having the 6 grandchildren ages 2-11 to ice sugar cookies. Always a fun mix of pools of icing, generous sprinkles, spit and snot. There is always a yellow snowman in honor of my dad.
Gathering with small group for breakfast-for-dinner pitch in, reading of the Christmas story, and white elephant exchange with gifts like the most difficult jigsaw puzzle (a box of sawdust) – See Photo
 

1. How have you incorporated Luke 2 into your Christmas season?

Jason & Sasha - Luke 2 was always recited by my Grandmother (by memory) up till her passing.  The next year my Nephew took the helm (on his own) and has recited it ever since
Bill & Ann - As far as Luke.  Incorporated in a informal way.    Watch Charley Brown Christmas
 

1. What is the greatest present/gift you have ever received at Christmas?

Jerimiah & Lynnae - We got engaged on Christmas day! So that was definitely our greatest gift.
Loren & Lee – Well our anniversary is the 21st,  so I would vote for that. 
Jeremy & Danielle - Jeremy's favorite childhood gift was an Evil Knievel!
Frank & Lisa - Schwinn Sting Ray 20” bicycle
One of my most memorable gifts growing up was a set of 4 snow tires stacked next to the tree for the 1970 Nova that I was driving. Now that’s love!
Giant gifts from Frank!  So far, an apple watch (which may have saved my life because it let me know I had atrial fibrillation), an engagement ring and a honeymoon cruise. Can’t wait to see what he gets me this year 😊
Brandon & Madison - Madison - engagement ring, Brandon - first bobble head
 

1. What is the first Christmas gift that you can remember receiving?

Jayci & Silas - Jaci’s first Christmas gift that she can remember receiving was a toy vacuum cleaner.
Scott & Jenny - A dollhouse that my Dad made for me.
Jerimiah & Lynnae - Jerimiah - Thunder Cat sword
Lynnae - Baby Alive doll or Barbie mannequin head that I could style her hair
 

1. What is the one thing you look forward to during the Christmas season?
   Jason & Sasha - We both look forward to time with family, even the distant ones that for the rest of the year we don't mind their distance.  ( lol) and I look forward to the Fried oysters and oysters stew.

 

1. Do you have a favorite or sentimental decoration or ornaments that you look forward to displaying?

Frank & Lisa – There is a globe ornament Lisa and I bought at Disney that is sentimental.
I bought a craft kit to hand sew and embroider an angel tree topper. I quickly realized that I was in over my head and asked Grandma if she would finish it for me.  She agreed. Later, she gave me the beautiful topper wrapped in tissue in a gift box. My gentle Grandma who never, ever cussed said “Here’s your damn angel, don’t buy any more kits.” The angel is on top of my tree today, and she is much loved. –
Jerimiah & Lynnae - Jerimiah- Penguin stuffed animals and decor and my dad's Christmas mug
Lynnae- For our first Christmas married, my Nana (grandmother) made me a beautiful Santa with her mother's, my great grandmother's coat who I was blessed to know and loved very much. I love it because it has a piece of each of them.
Boys also have ornaments and a few for us over the years and those are always fun to look at each year.
Scott & Jenny - Our nativity set, our youngest daughter always sets it up. Our handmade ornaments that we have collected throughout the years.
Loren & Lee – We hide a pickle in the tree and the child who finds it gets a gift.  Lee - See photo
Jayci & Silas - We enjoy displaying our Christmas villages. Jaci’s mom has a tradition of gifting her a new village each year and it is fun to open the new villages each year and display them the next Christmas.
Jonathan & Monica - Monica: Snowbabies, nativity, and snowman collection / Jonathan: Christmas ornaments personalized from my preschool and elementary school principal each year.
JD, Beth & Hannah - we have a cabinet of Lenox Santa figurines that we have received from JD’s parents over the years and we keep them out all year long.
Jason & Sasha - We have a tree that was my Grandmother's that we still set up. And our glow mold nativity scene that was my Grandfather's
 

1. Do you have a funny Santa story or pictures?

Jeremy & Danielle - Jeremy's Grandma made us a tree skirt for a wedding gift.  We still bring it out. We have a nativity that we have put out for over 25 years. Decorations come and go, but the nativity has always been a staple in our house.
Brandon & Madison - Madison - my dad stomped on the floor making it sound like Santa had landed on our roof. Brandon - Mom called the jewelry store at the castleton mall to see if the "real" santa was the one there that day so we could go get our picture taken with him.
Frank & Lisa - December 24, 2010- Audrey had yet to see Santa that year, so we set out to correct that problem.  We loaded a jolly group in the car and set out to find him.  Who would have guessed that he would be only a few blocks away waving to passersby on the side of the road!  We pulled over and asked Santa for a chat. Once we provided a chair, a life-long memory was made. Perhaps a bit of a traumatic one for Audrey. – See Photo
Loren & Lee - Loren - When I was 8 or so, I had become a doubter.   But that Christmas I got a left-handed catchers mitt.   I had looked everyone and never saw one.   Also, it was an expensive gift,  and my family was strapped.  So,  I was back in the believer camp for couple more years.
Show video
Bill & Anna - Best Christmas story.  When Mike was about 5.  Bill took him to meet Santa   Mike is sitting on his lap.  Santa says what is your name.  Without batting an eye, Mike says if you were really Santa you would know my name. 
JD, Beth & Hannah - when our children were small, JD would dress up in his Santa suit and go into their bedrooms after they were asleep. One year, we were at Beth’s parents and they lived on a busy street, JD went out to the street and waved at cars going by around midnight. It was corny but fun!
Jonathan & Monica – See photo
Jason & Sasha - We have a picture of Caleb and Grace on Santa's knee where Grace was balling her eyes out. Little did they know that the scary Santa was one of my uncles. – See photo
 

1. What are you looking forward to this Christmas?
   JD, Beth & Hannah - JD - just being with family, and enjoying Christmas with Addy (and having hot water finally🤣)

Beth - Giving gifts to others, spending time with family, and our family games
Hannah - serving others, worship and games with the family.
Jerimiah & Lynnae - Jerimiah - This year, like every year, I'm looking forward to spending time with my family. Lynnae - I'm looking forward to my mom and siblings being in town. We are so spread out now it makes me very happy when we can all be together.
 

1. What is your favorite Christmas carol or song?

Jonathan & Monica - Monica and Kids: Little Drummer Boy performed by For King and Country and Mary Did You Know by Mark Lowry / Jonathan: Welcome To Our World by Chris Rice