Kendrick Christmas Traditions

Christmas is the best time of the year. It's the time for traditions. It's the time of year when the family is all together and when you make memories that last forever. From before I can remember my family has always had certain traditions that I've grown to love and I plan to continue with my future family.


Throughout the years, about a week before Christmas all of us kids put one shoe on the fireplace before bed. This tradition comes from many European Countries. During the night Santa hops from house to house carrying a book of sins in which all of the misdeeds of the children are written. If they have been good, he fills the shoe with delicious holiday treats. If they have been bad, their shoes is filled with twigs or coal. The Kendrick kids were told the elves came and put the treats in our shoes. It was probably because we thought Santa was too busy and it didn't make sense to us.

Treats- We always made yummy sugar cookies before Christmas and seemed to eat half the batch by the time we were done. Yum! My mom usually bakes bread, cinnamon rolls, homemade carmel, and delivers them to neighbors as a little Christmas gift which everyone of course loves!

PJs- On Christmas Eve we each open up one present which is our new set of pj's. Then we are all cute and wearing our matching pajamas in our pictures on Christmas Day of opening presents.

Dinner- My mom would make homemade Clam Chowder and homemade bread on Christmas eve and it was delicious! Wow!

Santa's Plate- Before bed we had a plate for Santa with cookies and a carrot for his reindeer with a glass of milk. I always thought we would get more presents if we treated him well. :)

Morning Rules- Everyone had to wait till every kid was awake and the meeting spot was mom and dad's room and you better not wake up too early! And NO PEEKING down stairs! Oh, and there were a few years when my Dad was running marathons that he would go on long runs and we would have to wait until he got home to go down stairs!! It KILLED us!!! Dad!!!

Stockings first! Oh, and thats not a problem because Santa stuffed those stockings in the Kendrick house! It was always the coolest stuff! I loved it and dumped that sock out as fast as I could!

Breakfast- Strawberry Waffles and Whipped Cream...this is the breakfast you get on holidays in our home! 

Trash Bag- My Dad doesn't like messes (I inherited that trait) so all of us kids know Dad will always be holding a trash bag for all the wrapping paper so there won't be a mess. LOL. Pretty classic in the Kendrick home.

Movies- On Christmas Day we always tend to go to the movie theater once all the craziness has died down and we need something fun to do! :)

But of course, we can't forget the real meaning of Christmas! Here are some great quotes I found:


"So who needs Christmas? We do! All of us! Because Christmas can bring us closer to the Savior, and he is the only source of lasting joy....

"We need Christmas because it helps us to be better people, not only in December but in January, June, and November.

"Because we need Christmas we had better understand what it is and what it isn't. Gifts, holly, mistletoe, and red-nosed reindeer are fun as traditions, but they are not what Christmas is really all about. Christmas pertains to that glorious moment when the Son of our Father joined his divinity to our imperfect humanity" ("Hugh W. Pinnock, Who Needs Christmas?," New Era, Dec 1987, 4).




"The real Christmas comes to him who has taken Christ into his life as a moving, dynamic, vitalizing force. The real spirit of Christmas lies in the life and mission of the Master....

"If you desire to find the true spirit of Christmas and partake of the sweetness of it, let me make this suggestion to you. During the hurry of the festive occasion of this Christmas season, find time to turn your heart to God. Perhaps in the quiet hours, and in a quiet place, and on your knees—alone or with loved ones—give thanks for the good things that have come to you, and ask that His Spirit might dwell in you as you earnestly strive to serve Him and keep His commandments" (Howard W. Hunter, "The Real Christmas," Ensign, Dec 2005, 22–25).

Funny Girl

When I was back home the other week, one night I was watching tv with my mom and she had recorded the movie "Funny Girl" and played her favorite parts for me and I actually thought it was really funny! So the other night, I went to the public library and rented the movie and watched it. It was a classic and I thought it was great! Here were some lines I liked:


Fanny: You think beautiful girls are going to stay in style forever? I should say not! Any minute now they're going to be out! Finished! Then it'll be my turn! 


Fanny: Where I come from, when two people... well, sort of love each other... oh, never mind. 
Nick: Well? What do they do when they "sort of love each other"? 
Fanny: Well, one of them says, "Why don't we get married?" 
Nick: Really?
Fanny:Yeah, and sometimes it's even the man. 


If you ever get the chance, rent this musical. It's awesome! You'll get some laughs out of it! Mom, thanks for sharing it with me! Thanks to Grandpa, he taught you to love those musicals! :)

Chiropractor Craziness

So I decided to go to the chiropractor for the first time this last week. I called a few numbers my insurance gave me and ended up going to Heath Chiropractic and I absolutely loved this guy. Not only does he do the normal chiropractic care, but he does deep massases too while doing the cracking and popping! Ok, but I had a really embaressing experience that I have to share! He told me he could either work on my back over my clothes or without and use lotion.  Well, of course I said without, since I've had the priviledge of having professional massages before and I'm totally fine with letting a stranger rub lotion on my back! Well, so the chiropractor gave me a gown and told me he would come back in the room once I was changed and laying on the table. Well, he left the room and I took off my clothes and put on my gown and laid on the table. The chiropractor soon came in and quickly said, "Oh my, you can put your pants back on!" And shut the door.  He must have thought I was such a perve and weirdo! I don't know what I was thinking! Chiropractors don't give full body massages! At least I had my underwear on! Jeez! So I quickley put my pants back on and laid on the table and we continued with the procedure. That was quite a scene and akward for the both of us! But it ended well and I'll be going back often! :)

The Love of Christ

I read this testimony from Elder Melvin J. Ballard, from "The Sacramental Covenant"  a while ago and loved it so much that I wanted to share it:
 "I recall an experience which I had two years ago, hearing witness to my soul of the reality of His death, of His crucifixion, and His resurrection that I shall never forget. I bear it to you tonight...that I know that He lives, and I know that through Him men must find their salvation, and that we cannot ignore His blessed offering that He has given us as the means of our spiritual growth...

I found myself one evening in the dreams of the night in the temple. After a season of prayer and rejoicing, I was informed that I should have the privilege of entering into one of those rooms, to meet a glorious Personage, and as I entered the door I saw, seated on a raised platform, the most glorious Being my eyes have ever beheld, or that I ever conceived existed in all the eternal worlds. As I approached to be introduced, He arose and stepped towards me with extended arms, and He smiled as He softly spoke my name. If I shall live to be a million years old, I shall never forget that smile. He took me into His arms and kissed me, pressed me to His bosom, and blessed me, until the marrow of my bones seemed to melt! When He had finieshed, I fell at His feet, and as I bathed them with my tears and kisses, I saw the prints of the nails in the feet of the Redeemer of the world. The feeling that I had in the presence of Him who hath all things in His hands, to have His love, His affection, and His blessing which such that if I ever can receive that of which I had but a foretaste, I would give all that I am, all that I ever hope to be, to feel  what I then felt!