Tradition - Custom Santa Cookie Plate

We all love a tradition, right? It's just fun to talk about the things you remember from your childhood and then carry those over to your "adult" life ... I could go on an on, but when I think of Christmas, I think of huge candy canes in my stocking, many many car trips to see Christmas lights, making fudge & party mix, my brother's peanut butter cookies (which are so much better than any i've ever made), a candlelight service at church, celebrating with one set of grandparents at Thanksgiving, and celebrating with another on Christmas in a room where literally the presents were waist level around the room's perimeter (that was fun!) and so mucn more.

When I had kids, traditions took on a whole new meaning for me. I wanted to make sure to do fun things with my kids so that they'd have memories of fun family activities that we do year after year. 

Last year, my great friend Jaclyn and I decided to take our kids to As You Wish Pottery to have some custom Santa cookie plates made with our kids foot & hand prints. As You Wish has this awesome program (especially awesome for moms with 2 very young, very close in age, very squirmy kids) where you pay a little extra, and the good people at As You Wish actually paint the plate for you! It's great ... you show up, let your kids look at all the breakables for a while, stare at the paint and what not, and then all you have to do is orchestrate a hand or footprint. I love it because the plate turns out awesome and becomes a great keepsake.

Last year was a success, so this year we did it again. This go round, we were joined by a couple more little families who are starting the tradition too. It was fun, especially when coupled with a lunch at On the Border afterwards and a visit from your favorite out of towner from Florida!  :-)

My oldest thought it was aweome and incredibly ticklish to have her foot painted ....

My youngest on the other hand was terrified for an unknown reason ... she had to be talked into cooperating!



Last year's plate - little sis feet, big sis hands = perfect christmas tree!