Thanksgiving has always been the opposite of Christmas as far as tradition is concerned, with the exception of the menu. There is always turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, hot sausage stuffing, and plenty of pie. The other sides can vary, and we often rotate which grandmother's house we go to and even that isn't held tightly. I have spent Thanksgiving at a boyfriend's house, I have been sick for a Thanksgiving and missed it all together. I don't mind if Thanksgiving isn't observed the same way or with the same people.
Christmas is a different story. For me, it is magical and precious, and I love everything about the season - from the music to the lights, from the tree to Christmas breakfast. We have traditions that go back into my childhood. Some things I have added or changed now that I have my own children, but a lot of these traditions are in my earliest Christmas memories.
* We have a "rule" that we start playing Christmas music after Thanksgiving or after we see the first snow flakes fly - whichever comes first.
* We always celebrate advent as a family. Each day we read a different activity that we are going to do that day, whether it is decorate gingerbread houses, or go Christmas shopping for each other.
* We always go to my grandmother's on Christmas Eve. This is one of my most treasured holiday traditions. She always has her house decorated so festively, with such yummy food and drinks. She is an amazing hostess and I feel like I am going to a party for the evening.
* We started a tradition about four years ago where we make sangria to bring to my grandmothers on Christmas Eve. We always make it a little differently, but each time it is absolutely delicious. Dangerously so.
* We always listen to Manheim Steamroller on the way home on Christmas Eve. We have it timed precisely of when we start the cd, so that the very last notes of the last song ( Silent Night - my favorite ) are quietly fading away as we pull into our drive.
* We always leave a new book wrapped in tissue paper on the floor so that when my kids wake up on Christmas morning, they can look at the book until it is time to get up and open presents ( I do not condone the 4:30 wake up time on Christmas morning. We start at 7am and no earlier. ) My mom did this with us, so it has always stuck.
* We always wait to bring up the presents to put under the tree on Christmas Even once the kids are in bed. They get so excited to see what Santa has brought!
* Before we open presents, I always read the story of Jesus' birth from the Storybook Bible to my girls. Every year I tear up as I read it. What a gift his birth was (and is) to us! He came as a babe just to die, so that we may live. If that doesn't give you joy and hope, I don't know what does!
* We always open stockings first and they hold a combination of wrapped and unwrapped items. I usually include things they need like shampoo or hair elastics, and I always include a DVD. This way we slowly build our DVD collection over the years. ( Especially helpful as we don't have cable!)
* I number each of my girls' gifts so that they open them in the correct order ( for example, if they get an American girl doll, I make sure they open that before they open the clothes for it. I also make sure that the BIG gift isn't the first one they open.) This also helps to ensure that each girl opens a similar item at the same time so that there isn't any arguing about who got what. I would like to think this would never happen on Christmas morning, but they are still young girls and I don't take any chances.
* After we celebrate at our own homes, my sister and I take our families over to my parents where we have breakfast and then exchange gifts there. We always have "Christmas Casserole' which is just an egg and sausage casserole and all three families make one to bring. We each make it just a little bit differently, so it is fun to try each one.
*My sister always makes hot buttered rum for Christmas morning ( a relatively new tradition, but a great one!)
* In years past, we went to my other grandparents house after this, but it got too busy and a lot of us have to work the next day, so we stopped doing that. (They live quite a distance away). Usually we plan another day to see them and celebrate.
* We always meet back at my parent's house for Christmas dinner. It is always Chinese food, and we always watch National Lampoon's Christmas vacation while we eat. My dad has gotten really good at editing the movie with the mute button at certain parts of the movie. (i.e. after Chevy Chase gets his jelly of the month club "bonus")
Each of these traditions are special and contribute to making the holidays special. I am so looking forward to them this year!
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