The best traditions are the ones that make memories…here are a few from some Rhea Lana franchise owners around the country:

From Lauren, Rhea Lana’s of Jonesboro:

This is a candle my grandmother bought from Montgomery Ward in 1948. It was a pretty candle and she thought it would be nice on the dining table that year. It has now been burned every year since then, on Christmas Eve. My daughter is the 5th generation of this family to enjoy this candle on Christmas Eve. On my daughter’s first Christmas, we lit her Christmas candle for the first time and will do so every year. I even added to the tradition and started a journal. When we light the candle, we write in the journal about the year, our blessings and family stories. It’s so wonderful every year, to read about our past years. This is a family tradition I am proud to pass along to my daughter and I enjoy sharing.

From Sarah, new owner of Rhea Lana’s of Leavenworth-Platte City:

We have a tradition in my family of making Christmas ornaments. It started when I was a baby out of necessity. My parents were just starting out in life and didn’t have money for extravagances like Christmas ornaments. So my Mom took Christmas cards and cut the pictures out and glued them on mason jar lids with ribbons and lace. She even made a star for the top of the tree out of foil. Each year these ornaments were still hung on our family Christmas tree and my brother, sister and I added many more of our homemade ornaments. When my husband and I married, my Mom gave me all of the ornaments that I had made over the years, including the foil star from my first Christmas. That foil star means so very much to me. It reminds me of where my family started and how important the love and support of a family is. I knew I wanted to continue this tradition with my own daughter. I wanted it to be a fun tradition and that one day I will be able to give her a collection of her “special” ornaments. This year we did white snowflakes with her handprints on them. She was not too impressed with the wet paint on her hands! But I love the little imperfections in each of them and I know they are cherished gifts by her grandparents and family.

From Melissa, Rhea Lana’s of El Dorado:

Each year I trace & cut my 3 boys’ handprints out of Christmas fabric & fuse it onto a felt tree skirt. It’s a tradition we started when my now 12 year old was 2. We love looking at their hand prints each year to see how much they have grown!

Love these! What traditions make the most memories at your house?