Though I try to keep our holidays as uncomplicated as possible, there are certain things that I just have to have my way come holiday time. I know, I know, sometimes I have to remind myself to just take a big girl pill and go with the flow. There are just some family traditions that I hold dear to my heart that I’m trying to hold on to as long as possible (read: until my kids finally rise up against me and flat-out say no). Here are some of our favorites:
–The annual Christmas photo: since most of our family and friends are out-of-state, this one is a must. It’s the one time of year when everybody gets a current photo of the kids and an update on how we’re doing.
–Picking out a tree: I grew up in a home where plastic trees were the standard, but my hubby just LOVES the smell of a fresh tree. We load up the car with the kids and pick out a favorite.
–Christmas Day dinner at home: as a rule, we stay home and have a quiet dinner on Christmas Day. Frankly, we’re usually burned-out and over-partied by Christmas Eve, so it’s typically just the five of us (the four of us plus my mother-in-law).
–Baking cookies: those of you who follow my GFCF posts know that I’m nuts over baking at holiday time. I give them away as gifts and it’s gotten to the point where people now put in requests for their favorite varieties. Just ask my mailman: he waits for the Italian Meatball Cookies and Poppy Seed Cookies every year.
What about you? What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?
This will be our third year spending Christmas morning by ourselves at home and seeing family on the weekend. It is wonderful!
I love the smell of real trees, but I live in a condo and we can’t have them here. My parents always had Christmas dinner at home and we would always go to my grandparents for supper with the whole family.
This will be my fourth Christmas away from home. Now I spend Christmas with my guide dog and guide/service dog in training. I still have turkey and call home, but it isn’t so bad. I spent the first year away in the hospital, so I guess it lightened the blow of spending the Holiday’s away from home a bit.
One thing I do every year ever since I was very young is watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. I know it word for word! Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without watching it.
With any luck by next Christmas, or at least the next year I will be a mom and can start some of my own traditions!