Tradition!

Christmas is made up of traditions. Some of our favorites are, in no particular order:

1. Picking out a Christmas tree. Walking through the aisles as the local tree lot out in the cold was so exciting. We'd pull out different trees, and Mom or Dad would veto it for one reason or another (price or a hole in one side or too tall for our house). When we picked the winner, it was exciting to get it back to the house and upright in the living room so we could decorate it. Which takes us to No. 2...

2. Decorating the tree. Every year, the kids would get a Christmas ornament. The year was written on each one. As we'd pull them out of the bubble wrap and faded newspaper, we'd separate them out into individual piles. We could put them on as soon as the ropes of lights were up and working on the branches. And that process was an ordeal as seen in many a holiday movie: Lots of ... well...we'll call it "frustration."

3. Leaving treats out for Santa. We had a special plate for Santa's cookes. We'd usually leave a few carrots out for his reindeer, too. They were working hard on Christmas Eve!

Traditions are passed down, but sometimes they morph as the years go by. For example, real trees have changed into an artificial one that is stored in a box in the basement. I'm allergic to pine. And while I have started the tradition of adding a new ornament every year for our kids, they haven't been around long enough to fill up the whole tree.

But that's the beauty of traditions. They have to start somewhere. And this year, "Kundersanterbleebin" offers a fantastic new tradition. If you ask author Bret Hickenlooper, he'll tell you that his children have found "Santa's magical sign" on Christmas morning for years. And now you can start a tradition in your family with this Christmas book.

It's on sale for $1.99 from Monday, Oct. 24 through Sunday, Oct. 31. Click HERE to buy!

And don't forget to visit us on Facebook, our web site or follow us on Twitter for a chance to win a limited-edition print from the book.