Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Wedding Quilt

Here's the quickie wedding quilt I made for the Bride and Groom. I thought it would be fun to help them start a family tradition with a quilt and a couple Christmas books. They can add a new book to their collection each year.

I almost forgot to take a picture but, here it is.

I used a 120 different Christmas Fabrics without one repeat.

Here's the two books I bought for their new collection.

Here's the Quilt Label I put on the back of the quilt.

This is a copy of the letter I wrote and stuck in one of the books.

Christmas Family Traditions

Dear Skyler and Lauren,

As you begin your new life together I thought it would be fun to share a family tradition from our Family. Each year I add one or two Christmas Books to our family's collection and I also buy a Christmas book for my married childrens family's too. So, I thought it would be fun to start you both out with two Christmas books for your wedding and each year I would encourage you to add to the collection I've started for you today.

The first book has classic "Christmas Songs" that you can sing with each other at Christmas time and then as you welcome children into your home you can sing with them. The second book is a story book about Bob the Snowman. It can be a lot of fun reading Christmas books to your children and I've found some really special ones over the years.

Here's what we do with the books. Each year I wrap the books we have in different Christmas wrap and then put them in a nice box or container of some sort. Then depending on how many books we have we start reading them before Christmas Eve. So for example, if you have 10 books then you would let a child pick a book each day starting 10 days before Christmas. So each year as you add a book to your collection you would just add a day out from the previous years days before Christmas (example: 11 years before Christmas) and so on and so forth. This gives the kids something to open each day before bedtime and then they get to read it or have it read to them. I like to gather the family together, have hot chocolate, read the book and share special Christmas Memories. This is a great way to do that. The memories grow as the years go by. Another fun idea is to make a Christmas Binder that you add pictures, cards, family letters, document family service projects and neighbor gifts and whatever else you'd like. Make it your own! It's a fun way to remember and the kids will love looking at your family's book every year.

Start NOW to make your family traditions!!!

I've also given you a Christmas Quilt that you can use during your family reading time. You may have to add Christmas Quilts for each child as they come into your family or just take turns with the one I made you. Maybe the reader could be the one to use the quilt.

Another fun idea is to make Christmas pillowcases for each child that you put on their pillows at the beginning of the Christmas Season. My kids have really enjoyed this tradition and I made pillowcases for all my nieces and nephews a few years back.

We love making Sugar Cookies and giving out neighbor gifts. This can be a great family tradition and teach children about service and doing kind deeds for others. We have lots of wonderful memories when it comes to giving service to others.

I hope you will enjoy this gift for many years to come and will remember how much your family and friends love you!

With Love Always, The Walus Family

Mark, Kim, Natalie & Family, Mark, Ariel, and McKenna
Wedding Day August 2, 2008

7 comments:

Lily Boot said...

what a lovely and so thoughtful present! I have bought Christmas books for our family since we Abby was a baby and we now have a lovely collection to put in the basket by the sofa each Advent but I've never thought of wrapping them - what a fabulous tradition. I'm definitely doing it this year! Isn't Christmas just the best.

Nedra said...

What a great idea to give a Christmas quilt as a wedding present! I'll have to remember that one!

Nanette Merrill said...

Oh Kim, what a great idea. I love it. Its something you KNOW they won't get a duplicate of. And something you KNOW they will use and cherrish. Good for you.

Melody said...

What a BEAUTIFUL quilt!! Looks very festive.

Loved the quilt label too. SO cute!!

Thanks for sharing!

Jo-Anne said...

What a wonderful idea for a wedding gift!

Thimbleanna said...

What a great idea! And great timing for us -- I was planning on making our newlyweds a Christmas quilt this year -- now I can start them on books too! Thanks!!!

bingo~bonnie said...

you are an awesome gift giver!!! :) I love that you shared this here for us to read. I'm gonna start that traditon in '09 with opening a book each day/night before Christmas... I've already been buying and collecting books.. I jsut never thought to wrap them up and let the kids pick! COOL! and I'm gonna share with my frined Heidi too - she will love this idea.

thanks -as you can tell with all of these comments I've left tonight popping up in your email, I have enjoyed myself looking thru your blog. :)

Love from Texas! ~bonnie