Well the countdown to Christmas is on! Just a few more shopping days left.
The weather’s getting colder, the stores are getting busier, and the parking lots are packed. I may have to brave the crowds one last time to get a few little details finished but other than that I am done.
Topher and my unnamed child are getting a little weary of the non-stop Christmas music but they can deal with it because it makes me happy.
As we were wrapping presents here the other night, we were talking about family traditions.
As a child I remember we always went to my grandma‘s house on Christmas Eve. We would have a big dinner, (Grandma would even sneak out the peach schnapps and make herself a drink), then we would open gifts, sing carols at the organ, and all try to keep our eyes open at midnight mass. I remember one year my grandma, being the doll collector, tied tiny little dolls (I think they were called Kiddles) all over her tree. As a little girl I thought that was the most magnificent Christmas tree I had ever seen.
Now we still do my side of the family on Christmas Eve. Instead of midnight mass, our church has a 4 o’clock children’s mass which we go to, and then we have a gigantic dinner after that. We take turns hosting it. If it’s at my mom’s house, my dad grumbles about everything my mom is having him do, while my mom sighs a lot. It also isn’t a Christmas at mom’s until something catches on fire in the kitchen (accidentally). We actually take bets on what time the smoke alarm will go off (mom claims it’s just overly sensitive to smoke). After dinner we play games, (my family can get way too competitive) open gifts, and stuff ourselves with desserts.
Christmas day is just my immediate family. We open gifts in the morning and then have a great brunch. My hubby’s family varies on the day, but they are only an hour away, so we typically find a weekend adjacent to the holiday and spend the afternoon stuffing ourselves and walking through their woods.
What are some of your Christmas traditions? Are you traveling or staying at home? Any unique traditions?
Our tree has been up since the week before Thanksgiving, and I forgot I haven’t shown it to you.
Beautiful tree!