Happy Holidays
Christmas is my all time favorite holiday! I love everything it stands for. And let me tell you WHY!
I grew up in a modest household with 4 kids running around and 2 parents trying to manage it all. Christmas was and still IS a very big deal in my childhood home. My parents made a way to surprise all of us on Christmas morning with some of the coolest toys and gifts ever! How they managed I have no idea. We weren't poor, but we damn sure weren't rich either. The smell of cookies baking, watching my mom wrap gifts into the wee hours of the morning, and watching my dad get all excited to break out his old school r&b Christmas albums to play for us. (Cue in The Temptations, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and more!!!!) It's always been my favorite holiday. If you ask my family some of them might say it's my favorite because I'm spoiled and I like gifts!!!!! Well as a child, YES this is why I loved it the gifts but now as a thirty something adult the traditions mean so much more to me than anything anyone could ever give me.
I'm a stickler for tradition! It means something to me to be able to celebrate the holidays the same way every year with a few minor tweaks here and there.
For instance, my family was never big on Christmas Eve. The most that happened was we (as a household) went to the basement where the tree was, sipped eggnog or cider while my folks and perhaps some of their siblings came over for a Christmas cocktail. We were rushed into bed no later than 10pm and were told NOT to come downstairs or else Santa Claus would pass over our house. We all stayed in our beds….not moving a beat as we heard the Christmas music getting louder from the basement. As I child I thought my parents were masking the sound of Santa's reindeers so we wouldn't come out of our rooms, now as an adult I can only hope that my parents were enjoying one another's company, laughing and smiling and getting excited to see our blended family of 4 open presents the next morning.
On Christmas morning, I would wake up the ENTIRE house no later than 7:00am. I was impatient I could not wait to open those gifts and play with my brothers and my sister. They all hated me for it lol.
But as I got older, my parents started making breakfast and that meant making ME WAIT!!!!!! No bueno guys….this was not cool.
But as we all got older my siblings left the house 1 by 1. Christmas morning just wasn't the same anymore. I missed them terribly. My brothers were married and had to split their holiday up and I realized that life is so short. Our youth doesn't last very long which is why tradition means so much more to me now.
How has Christmas changed for me since marriage?
Taking on the traditions of your spouse's family is VERY important. No one wants a spouse that isn't interested in how sentimental the traditions are. The first year was an adjustment. But it got easier with each year and I love what my husband's family does for Christmas. We celebrate Christmas Eve at my in law's house, we dance, sing, play games and then at 12:00 we exchange presents then everyone goes home to sleep and we reconvene with the majority of his family in this area for Christmas breakfast. Our first married Christmas we hosted the breakfast and it was such a great memory. CHAOTIC catering for 25 hungry men and women and I was absolutely exhausted by the end of that day but it's something I will remember forever. After breakfast we head to my parent's house for more gift exchanges, dinner and we play a game that lasts into the night. Then that's it Christmas is over!
Just a plate of Christmas cookies homemade by yours truly
Playing the game at my parents home
My grandmother and mother preparing the Christmas spread
Hubby and I at Christmas Breakfast with his family
My sister and I modeling the stockings from our childhood that my mom still puts up
So I wish you all a Merry Christmas, I hope that you take pride in the traditions that you have with your loved ones. Life is so short, so we must cherish it and celebrate it often.
Our 2013 Christmas tree!!!! Honoring traditional red and green
