Traditions...

Last night I wrote about family traditions. I've deleted that post because I really upset my dad and I did not mean to, so I decided to explain my thoughts a little better.

Last night I wrote that I didn't have any family traditions and I was wrong. Very wrong! I was thinking more about traditions with my family, Jason & the kids. As my Dad reminded me, I have lots of family traditions and have started some with my kids and didn't even realize it. I think in my head, I've been thinking I don't have any of those WOW traditions. Sadly, I think I fell into the trap of wanting to be like other people, when really my family is pretty awesome and we have lots of fun and meaningful traditions.

My parents reminded me of some wonderful traditions we had growing up. We use to always get our tree from the Blank's Christmas tree farm. We would trek through their fields, past the kettle hole (I never did understand what it was), to find the perfect tree. I always wanted a TALL tree because our family room had a cathedral ceiling. My parents let us get those every few years! My dad said we then would go look for branches to make our own wreaths. Sorry Dad I don't remember that one, which I'm not surprised since I'm not that crafty. I bet Amy remembers.

Every Christmas Eve we went to my Grandma's house in Ellington. I remember loving my Aunt Susan's presents because she always made my sister and I something really special. Doll house furniture, mittens, poncho's...she'd fill a shoe box with really fun stuff too! Uncle Tom always called Santa and we got to talk to him! I know....very cool!! To this day I don't know how he did it. I remember at my wedding I asked him and he wouldn't tell me!!! After my Grandma passed away we started a new tradition of going to our family friend's home, the Clark's. Mr. Clark always played Christmas carols on the piano. My parents still go to their on Christmas Eve.

Jason and I started a tradition early on of spending Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas Day with mine. My sister actually started that and we followed suit. I love to spend time with both families. Jason's family is referred to as the Honey Pots, so as the planning is going on all the emails are titled to the Honey Pots. We've gotten together at houses over the years and we always have delicious food! A few years ago we stopped giving gifts to each other and instead started a Yankee Swap. I LOVE a good Yankee Swap! It's lots of fun to see what everyone brings and what the HOT items are. Last year it was Ryan and Amy's Lemon Cello. So yummy!!! This year we head to Paul and Marcella's to see their new home! I wonder what will be the HOT swap gift this year?

On Christmas Day we head up to my parents house and my sister and her family are there. The kids (5) all wait anxiously as we get all the stockings ready in the living room and my Mom runs about in her Minnie Mouse Headband getting her last minute things in order. Yes, she wears a Minnie headband. The kids giggle, scramble for their places on the couch and act like little angels as Nana hands out the stockings. Then it is pure delight listening to the cheers and excitement as they see what Santa and Nana left! Next it's time to eat. The kids eat fast...presents are downstairs by the tree waiting. They must hurry, but the grown-ups, we take our time enjoying whatever delicious meal we've all helped make in some way. Oh yeah, I'm no longer allowed to sign up for bringing shrimp. It's a tradition that I forget it at home! Then later that night, neighbors and friends float in and out for an open house which is always lots of fun catching up with everyone.

One of Jason's favorite Christmas traditions is to watch Christmas Vacation which he always watched with his best friend growing up, Jerry. Whenever we'd see them around the holidays they'd start resiting lines from the movie. Early in our marriage I thought this was, well juvenile. Now, I can't wait to sit and watch it and wait for the squirrel to JUMP out of the tree! I've seen this movie 20 times and still jump when it happens!

Speaking of Jerry, he and his wife Stefanie have been hosting a Christmas Party for the last 10 years at their place. 10 years...now that's a tradition!!!!

So, yes, I do have lots of traditions that I'm passing on to my children. Thank you Dad for helping me see that. I LOVE YOU <3

I'm passing on going to look for a tree. For the first 5 years of marriage we went to a Christmas tree farm and hiked in the mud, snow or grass looking for the perfect tree. Then we found a place 3 minutes from our home. Jason was elated. He never understood why I wanted to drive 30 minutes, walk through whatever in the cold to chop down a tree (he grew up in New Haven). I fell in love with this new place though. It was a family that had a lot of trees and he only sold about 20 a year. He always had a smile and the second year we went, he remembered us and Katie and saw that we had a new little one in tow! Well, then we moved and I wanted to drive back there but Jason found another "family" tree place...3 minutes down the road from our new house! Guess what? I now LOVE going there and he remembers us each year! Ben loves to climb on the rock walls and chase his chickens and Katie takes after me and looks for the biggest and tallest tree. She takes forever...just like me and it drives Jason nuts as I'm sure it drove my Dad nuts so many years ago.

I'm tearing up just writing this.

I can't believe I couldn't remember all of this last night!

So this year we are starting a new tradition. As I shared last night, one of my very best friends Kathy gave me this idea. Lisa Whelchel wrote a book, The Adventures of Christmas. It goes through in a kid friendly way, all the traditions of Christmas and relates it to the birth of Jesus or how it relates to his life and how he died to save us from our sins. She also has different baking projects and crafts that relate to the tradition. Check it out, it's really fun and interesting stuff too. Each night (start early in December) we sit and read a chapter (1-2 pages) together. After we do that they each get to pick a book from a basket I filled with Christmas books. My friend Kathy wraps her books up for the girls to open, but I hate to wrap so I have the kids close their eyes and pick :)

Thank you again Mom & Dad for your help jogging my memory!

So do you have any fun traditions you can pass along?