My sis-in-law Becca introduced me and the Doutre women during our TOFDW (Time Out For Doutre Women) call on this podcast episode about creating a safe haven for your home using the 5 senses. I loved that concept and thought to apply it for the holidays this year.
It culminated with getting an email workshop from Learn, Do, Become website (done by Power of Moms cofounder April) about making the holidays intentional. She was talking about how our memory is good about capturing moments and holding on to those-they come in forms of the 5 senses essentially.
I may not remember everything that happened this year but I'll remember how my house smelt (whether that was through a burnt meal or apple pie out of the oven!) or through a peaceful moment with just looking at the Christmas tree and talking about life with Austin. I remember doing that last year (pic above). I was pregnant with Dallin and I got all teary-eyed thinking that a year from then we would have a 6 month old. It seemed surreal and sad that our time with just 'us two' was coming to a close. But it was so peaceful and calm and I want to always remember that moment.
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| I'll also remember Christmas at my home with the smell and stickiness of caramel popcorn! |
What I also like about creating my holiday through the 5 senses is that I don't have to stress about doing every little Christmas event/tradition and it feels very adaptable. A lot of things that I want to implement aren't 'events' but what feeling it will create. I know we'll mold traditions as it comes but hopefully this will get us a good start. It's a running list right now and I think we'll plan to do at least two from each group (one that Austin wants and one that I want) and then feel it out from there. And life happens so I'm not trying to stress if it's done 'right'.
This year, I do want to read more about the Savior each night. We've had a pretty consistent pattern of reading as a family a few verses of scripture each night before Dallin goes to bed so I want to continue that habit and incorporate the Christmas story in there. Along with the New Testament, any other resources I should check out?
Here are some ideas we're thinking about for each of the 5 senses:
Taste
Make apple pie together
Drink hot chocolate
Candles at dinner or just have Christmas lights on during dinner
Smell
Scented pinecones
Cranberries with cinnamon sticks on the stove top-simmering all day
Touch
Hugs and kisses after family prayers
Hold Dallin while we read books-try to do as many Christmas books as we can
Snuggle up with our favorite fleece blankets
Hear
Christmas music!
Sing songs around the piano
Listen to A Christmas Carol on audiobook or the Mormon Channel
Sight
Less clutter in living room and bedroom-this is kind of like pre-holiday: try to get rid of a lot of things that are unnecessary and take up too much room
Go see Christmas lights in different neighborhoods and/or the zoo lights
Attend local Christmas concert/play or Messiah event
Watch Hallmark Christmas movies
Have a fire going and turn on Christmas lights as soon as it gets dark
If you were planning the holidays with the 5 senses in mind, what would you do? What are your favorite traditions?
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