Homeschooling and Holiday Traditions

As I think about the 2008 holiday season, I realize that homeschoolling saved my holidays! I have to confess to being apathetic to the holiday season, appreciating the original intent of the holidays, but finding little meaning in the celebrations. Christmas, in particular, was very much an anti-climax. Then there was homeschooling!

Kids love holidays and are motivated to do all kinds of academic stuff disguised in holiday tradition. I needed to find some traditions! Last Christmas, I saw advent calendars and thought that would be a great addition to our holidays. I could create the activities that we would do every day. I also found out about Jessee Trees, a visual representation of Jesus' family tree, almost a biblical timeline of great moments leading up to Jesus' birth. Both these traditions involved several days of doing something leading up to Christmas, and I liked the idea of wallowing in the holiday, of milking it for all it really had. Great ideas, but by the time I got to implementation, Christmas was over!

This year I was ready. We did a combination of advent activities, themed copywork, coloring pages and Jesse Tree craft and discussions for the entire month of December. The kids had a great time leading up to Christmas. I extrapolated meaning for myself from the discussions and activities and felt really good creating these experiences for the kids, and doing 'school' at the same time! So the picture above is of our Jesse tree, symbols drawn and colored by all of us (ignore the date on the camera, please!)

Here are some other things we did:

• We had an actual Christmas tree with lights! And we put gifts under it. Next year it may get some tinsel.


• We put lights on our window and our fence.


• We made Christmas themed soaps for our friends and family as holiday gifts.

So we had a great time creating meaning for ourselves. The kids enjoyed the activities and I have a new set to add, to enrich my traditions in 2009. Like having a Boxing Day box, to collect gifts for the community.....