Matt and I are staying put this year for Christmas. Poor Mattchew only gets one day off for the holidays. This is sad, as we both LOVE Christmas and LOVE traditions and LOVE our families. But the bright side is that we won't be battling the *cheerful* holiday airport crowds. This is the first time in eight years I won't have to fly for Christmas. However, I am hopping on a plane soon after Christmas to meet my family in Colorado for my cousin's wedding. So, traveling. I guess that's tradition #1 - you must spend hours in airports.
Our families have lots of traditions, some which we've continued to do in our own new little family
My family dresses up their dog, Tucker.
Two can play at that game.
What a versatile Halloween costume.
We put up our tree the day (or the weekend) after Thanksgiving.
The Andersons open one present on Christmas Eve and it's always pajamas.
Christmas in the Nagle's house, Kenya 2008
Last year Matt and I got PJ's from my mom but I haven't heard if we get to continue that tradition or if I've got a little more Christmas shopping to do to keep the ball rolling . . . Carol?
I've also continued in the traditional way of making favorite treats to eat and give away. My favorite job is assembling the cookie platter - whether that be from a stocked fridge in my grandma's basement or cutting through masking tape in my mom's freezer . . . it's always a grand show of two dozen kinds of cookies. Yes, my mom and grandma really do make that many, and yes, my mom tapes her cookie boxes shut to keep us away. I've only made a couple types of cookies but that is really in our best interest. Self-control is not a strong point.
Last year Matt and I decided we'd start a tradition of Christmas in the City, since we live so close to NYC and all.
(also I just happened to bump in to the Pioneer Woman)
:)
But this year Matt is on call two of the Saturdays before Christmas and I had a church thing on the open Saturday. We could venture in on Christmas Eve but that really doesn't sound that fun. CROWDS. Crowds are the enemy. Also COLD. An even mightier foe.
3 comments:
I'd be interested to know what the 2 dozen cookies are. I'm looking for things to make for Dex's family next week. Of course, we don't have an oven yet, so that'll be a challenge! I'm hoping to get his family into decorating sugar cookies. . .maybe that will be a Mulandi fam tradition! No pets for us to dress up, unfortunately.
Of course, there is Russian tea that we make and drink only at the holidays.
And cookies...
And decorating the tree and thinking about all the ornaments and what they remind us of, when we got them, who gave them to us, who made them. I especially like the "Sunday School" ones with a child's picture stuck on a star (you get the picture!) It just makes me realize, as we do something we've done every year, how very much has changed.
My very favorite is Christmas Eve and the time after we come home from church (always church on Christmas Eve) when each person opens one present, we drink tea and eat treats, and by candlelight, Coty reads the same two stories we've read every. single. year! And he still gets choked up at the same place every year. It wouldn't feel like Christmas without that!
sweet post.
ok, so family traditions...
my family always goes to college church's midnight candlelight service on christmas eve. if you can swing it, it's wonderful. ah.
another one is that my aunt always has a short Bible verse on everyone's placecard that we read at dinner. prior to that, we all write down God's greatest gift to us that year on notecard. we read ours to the family and put it in this box with all the previous year's cards in it. lots of choked-up uncles and laughter, too. :)
and also singing of christmas carols. it's a must.
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