My Family TraditionsChristmas was a great time in my family. We would go out and pick a tree and then we would, all, decorate the tree together! Now, in my own family, I get the honors of all the decorating, baking, cooking and cleaning! Gee, I must be a family unto myself--he he he!
When Christmas Eve finally came, we would get our last minute shopping done and gather together later in the evening for oyster stew and then we got to open just one present before we went to bed. Of course, none of us kids would get much sleep that night--he he he! My Mom would be wrapping up the last of the gifts, and us kids would sneak out of bed to catch a glimpse of the presents. I am sure my Mom knew we were peeking because we never saw any presents until the next morning! We would even get up in the middle of the night to check to see if Santa came yet, or not--there were never any presents under the tree--when did Mom put them out? An unsolved mystery to this day!!
Well, as soon as the very first light of day peeked out from the gray skies, we would get Mom up, who was always really tired! We never understood why, till we had our own children, that is--he he he! Ever wondered how long it takes to assemble any toy without directions?? No wonder she was tired! =)
My Mom would get up and we would have all the presents passed out waiting for her to get her coffee! You could already smell the turkey roasting, she had gotten up at dawn to get it ready to roast! We would start with the youngest opening their presents first--there were 4 of us kids! My oldest brother always had to wait till last and he would be just egging us on to open them all at one time--impatient, I guess--he he he! I was the 3rd one to open presents, I guess, I was just as impatient--he he he!
We would get all the mess cleaned up from opening our presents and then get ready to go to church. I love going to church on Christmas Day--lots of beautiful flowers, lit candles, and decorations all over the church! My favorite part of church is singing Christmas Hymns! My brothers and sister would be fidgeting alot, they wanted to be home playing with their new toys!
When we got home there would be plates of cookies, candy, cakes, pies--all kinds of yummy food for us to eat! My Mom was really nuts about putting on the dog--he he he! She would have 4 or 5 different types of cookies, 3 different candies, cakes, and pies! She would fill the table top with all kinds of great things to eat, which us kids would devour like it was nothing! We would end up with tummy aches, we would eat so much! Now, mind you, this didn't include the big meal she was preparing for later that day!! What a culinary feast she made every year--he he he!
We would get a certain job to do for Christmas, mine was setting the table for dinner. There was never enough room for all the plates, glasses and food! We would sit down and say our prayers, then dig in! There would be plates of 3 different kinds of meat--turkey, ham and venison. 2 types of potatoes, sweet and regular mashed with gravy. There were 2 kinds of vegies, peas and what ever my Mom felt like making. There were sweet pickles, pickles, black and green olives. Cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and something to drink.
After the big dinner we would watch some tv, or play with our new toys. Sometimes we got to go outside to play if it wasn't too cold, that is! =) Mostly, we all napped until some one would want more to eat and then we would eat again--he he he!
Now, that I have my own family, we do a few things like I used to as a kid, but, I have added a few more things in the years that have gone by! We now open all our presents on Christmas Eve, instead of on Christmas Day! Christmas Day starts with going to church. Some times I feel like going to a Midnight Mass, instead, but, not very often--he he he! Singing Christmas Carols in the dead of night--outside--doesn't appeal to me as much, any more! Then we usually visit with Family on Christmas Day. We open our presents from Family on Christmas Day. If my sister-in-law hosts Christmas dinner, I make cookies. If I host Christmas dinner--no cookies! I buy them premade then.
Every December 1st, I start the arduous task of decorating--and I do mean arduous, too! I love to decorate for Christmas! There isn't a corner in my house that is safe from being decorated!! Even my kitties run and hide for fear of being fancied up for the Holidays--he he he! My husband thinks I am nuts--he says "You'd decorate the bathroom if you could!" Well, one year--I DID!! =) I save the Christmas cards from the year before and if I really love the card I will tape it up on the wall for a decoration! This year I have enough lights to land an airplane in my front yard!--he he he! I will use them all, too, even tho, my house, last year, was 3 times the size of my current house!! Looks like there will be lights in the bedroom windows, too, this year--he he he!
After the big meal, we no longer watch tv, in quite the same way--we mute the tv and play Christmas Music most of the day, now! We, also, have a big nap and then we go to this beautiful lights display here, in the San Fernando Valley! It is called Candy Cane Lane. Just about every house in a 8 block area is lit up with lights! It is very beautiful--still trying to obtain that award winning photo, tho! I have taken dozens of pics of Candy Cane Lane, but, no keepers, yet! I need a 35 millimeter with a good lens for shooting photos at night! Hey Santa, I need a new camera, Please--he he he!
That is pretty much how my Family Traditions go, but, this year I am going to find a new Tradition and keep adding a new one every year from now on! This year I want to adopt a less fortunate child and buy them a really nice Christmas present. Next year, I want to be able to give away some of my hand made afghans. I need a year to make them, first--he he he!
I have added a message board for submitting your Family Traditions, be sure to check it out! You might find a really cool Tradition that you might like to begin in your family!
To submit, or read, others Traditions click below!
Submit Your Traditions
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