This a very special tradition in my family and it was started when my mom was a little girl. My mom grew up in a small Idaho town called Ririe. They were not very well off growing up and they usually only had one gift each for Christmas. They also didn't have a fireplace. Since opening one present doesn't take very long, my grandma came up with this idea to stretch out the fun. She had a small ceramic fireplace and she sewed four small stockings. On Christmas morning the kids would find a small piece of paper rolled up in their tiny stocking. It was a clue. One by one the kids found clues all over the house until they found their present.
When I was growing up, the small fireplace was passed down to my mom and we did the same thing at our house. We were fortunate enough to get more than one present, but the one from our parents was always the one that was the treasure hunt gift.
Now that I am grown and have my own kids, we carry on the tradition and do this at our house. My oldest sister got the original fireplace, so I made my own. I made it out of clay.
The clues would be anything from pictures of things in the house for when we were small, to a scripture verse, to an ad in the newspaper, and a show description in the TV Guide or even a word in the dictionary. It was so easy to silently solve the clues when it was a siblings turn but you turned instantly stupid when it became your turn. Seriously. That is why I don't go on game shows. I know I would blank!!!
This was my favorite part of Christmas morning and now my kids look forward to it too :) Thanks for letting me share.
What a sweet idea.
I love this. Your clay fireplace is great. Thanks for sharing.
How awesome this is! You are so talented to create this fireplace.
Nice to meet you.
What an AMAZING and fun family tradition! So wonderful you can pass that down (and share with others)
I love this story SOOOO much, it's hard to describe. I adore Christmas traditions. Like, love. And not that we'll start all the ones we hear, just that I completely appreciate them. This is one of the sweetest and most original ones I've ever heard. Thanks!
What a heartwarming tradition!
What a cute idea I my have to try my hand at making one.
Holly
That little fireplace is adorable! I love that the tradition is being passed down to future generations!
What a nice tradition; that's something your kids will always remember and probably do themselves one day. Thanks for sharing :)
I LOVE this! What a wonderful tradition!
Just FYI- I didn't get the fireplace. I had to buy my own. Don't know where the original is. Does Mom still have it?
What?! Maybe mom said she was GOING to give it to you. But I swear she said you had it. Maybe I'll beat you to it and put my red dot sticker on it :)
What a cool tradition! And your fireplace is adorable!
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Johnnie
Such a sweet and fun tradition! I love that it has been passed done for generations! I think I might have to start this in my household...maybe next year though when my daughter is older :)
Traditions on Christmas are best!
So fun!!! Thanks for linking up to Thrilling Thursday @ Paisley Passions :) Hope you stop by again soon.
Wha?!!? Wow, I am in awe. Beautiful and so creative. You are so talented!!
~Allison @ House of Hepworths
I love Christmas traditions. This is a cute tradition. My mother always hid our stocking so my parents could sleep in. Only when all of the stockings were found could we open presents. My oldest sister always slept in and we had to beg her to come down and find her stocking.