Tradition...

is the word for Urban Scrapbook's December challenge kit.  I'm sure we all have certain traditions that we do each year during the holiday season.  This month the kit is filled with Teresa Collins paper and embellishments which is so easy to scrapbook with!  We all had to do either a 2-page layout or a layout and two cards, so make sure you check out what the design team came up with!
Our family has a few traditions, but I think we all enjoy going out to Lake Isle every Boxing Day (that's our Canadian "Black Friday" on Dec. 26th) and just enjoying the peace and quiet.  By that time we are all shopped out and need to get away from the commercial side of Christmas.  There's usually a couple of patches of ice cleared on the lake for skating and hockey games, so depending how cold it is, some of us enjoy that.  I love going for walks along the quiet roads.  Last year, three deer ran across the road, right in front of me.  Luckily I had my camera and managed to get a few fast photos!  There's usually a crib game going on inside and someone always brings a puzzle for everyone to work on.  We all get pretty determined to get that puzzle finished, as you can see by my photos on my layouts.  The men seem to think that it's better when they stand while working on the puzzle!  One year, nobody brought one out,   but luckily our niece's daughters got a Miley Cyrus puzzle for Christmas.  It was pretty funny to see all the men gathered around working on that puzzle!

We had a piece of gold vellum in our kits, so I stamped mine in spots with Staz-on ink and a music note stamp, then cut out snowflakes with punches, my Slice and Spellbinders.  I also embossed the bottom strips of red cardstock with a Tim Holtz snowflake embossing folder.  It's hard to see here in the photos, but it embossed so nice!
Tomorrow is December 1st and Tim Holtz starts his 12 days of Christmas Tags!  Even if you don't do the tags, he has some amazing techniques and ideas, so be sure you check out his blog.  I'm sure he will be using some of his new dies and embossing folders, so I am looking forward to seeing what he comes up with.
Also, starting tomorrow; Urban Scrapbook is having 12 days of Christmas specials - so check your emails!  If you don't receive their emails, sign up - because that's the only way to get in on the specials!
Have a great day!