Christmas Traditions

This post is probably more for me; for when I have dementia or alzheimers and I can't remember what we did when my boys were young.

We have adopted many Christmas traditions from Jesse's and my families but as a little family of our own we have our own as well. I LOVE Christmas time!! Like I was telling my Grandma last night "I would be just as happy on Christmas Day if no presents were opened" -- meaning the sight of the gifts under a decorated tree is more exciting to me than the unwrapping. Why is it that for one month out of the 12 people are more generous, more courteous, and more family oriented than the other 11? No need to analyze I guess, just enjoy.

Here is the list of Christmas traditions we have:

Black Friday shopping with my mom (and sister and Thang if they come; but mostly its my mom and me who are the troopers)

Putting up our tree the weekend after Thanksgiving (two trees actually: due to my OCD I have a tree I decorate BY MYSELF with certain decor, in our entry we put a smaller tree that the boys decorate. This year I wanted my kids to experience the hunt and cutting down of a real tree. Jesse and I enjoyed it more but at least they can look back on it)

I have my boys pick out one ornament each every year (hopefully it reflects what they are interested in that year). I write their name and the year on it. By the time they are adults they should each have a tree-full of decorations. Their tree is decorated with their ornaments. Jesse said their wives will probably put the kabosh on using the childhood ornaments; therefore they will always be mine :)

We drive around Leigh Hill in Cedar to look at all of the Christmas lights. There is a house up there (you all know what I'm talking about) that looks brighter than Las Vegas Strip. Each year we are more impressed than the last. Jesse is more impressed with the amount of extension cords there are running across the driveway.

I listen to Christmas music in my car from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day. Jesse hates it, the boys L-L-LOVE IT!!

We put together a gingerbread house. The boys eat most of the candy, Jesse tries to make it as structurally sound as possible, and I just revel in the activity.

I make TONS of Christmas goodies to give to friends and family. The boys help with the sugar cookie cutting out, and of course, the taste testing. Jesse demands an individual batch of "Addiction" for himself. If you haven't tasted it, you are missing out!

We are SO lucky: Santa visits our house (PERSONALLY) before Christmas to find out what the boys want. Most years their cousins are here to visit with Santa too.

On Christmas Eve the boys always get to unwrap 1 gift. So far they have unwrapped pajamas EVERY year ;)

We spend Christmas Eve with Jesse's family. The BIG family (Jesse's aunts, uncles, cousins) have dinner together, play games like bingo and "Christmas Toys", and the kids dress up as the nativity as someone reads the Christmas story from the Bible. After the BIG family party, we meet at Jesse's parent's house and have a gift exchange with Jesse's parents, brothers, and their families.

On Christmas morning the kids aren't allowed into the front room until I am ready with the video camera and Jesse with the still shot. THEY HATE THE WAIT!! But its all documented; every single year.

They enjoy what Santa left for them and then we take turn unwrapping gifts----one person at a time so that we all see the reaction and what they got. Stockings are saved for last. Some years we have breakfast before all the gifts are unwrapped, then it seems like the morning lasts forever!!

In the afternoon we go to my parents house to exchange gifts and visit and for dinner we go to my Grandparent's house to gather with all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins. We have a buffet of sandwiches and salads, exchange gifts, and just spend quality family time together. There are A LOT of us in a small, small area but we wouldn't have it any other way.