Christmas in a family….

            In millions of families around the world Christmas is celebrated.  Some people will start their Christmas traditions right after Thanksgiving while others wait until Christmas Eve.  People’s traditions are based mostly on what they grew up with.  In my family for example it is traditional to put up the Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving.  From then on there are several traditions that follow.    Family Christmas traditions vary from place to place.  I am unfamiliar with many Christmas traditions but I know my family’s traditions have become deeply ingrained in me.  For me the problem came when I got married and had to incorporate my husband’s family traditions into my family traditions.  This can be very difficult or can run very smooth.  In my family it is always the husband that puts up the Christmas tree….in my husband’s family it is the wife that puts up the tree.  So I had to get used to setting up the Christmas tree myself.  Now, starting this year, my life will get much easier setting up the tree since I am getting a pre-lit tree so I will be saved a lot of headaches.  This is followed by the whole family getting together to decorate the tree.  This is a favorite part of Christmas for me.  I love having the Christmas music playing and the whole family decorating the tree. 

Once the tree is done it’s up to me how I decorate the rest of the house.  I can do anything I want and my husband doesn’t complain.  He likes to see what I do differently every year.  Sometimes I will miss one of his favorite decorations and he will gently remind me that it is missing.  It’s his way of being involved in how the house is decorated. 

            Once the house is decorated I move on to other family traditions such as making peanut butter bon bons, baking Christmas cookies and so much other baking.  I bake enough for three families easy.  But I give away a lot of baked goods to those I know love them.  My father-in-law’s favorite is the bon bons while my mom’s favorite is the Christmas cookies.  I prepare for that.  I also like to take a few things to a neighbor who is a shut in and too old to go out and doesn’t bake for herself.  The poor woman has no family and she’s in her 70’s so Christmas is extremely lonely for her.  I try to brighten her Christmas by taking her something.  Everyone should look out for someone like her on the holidays. 

            On Christmas Eve everyone gets to open one present.  That is absolutely fabulous.  The kids’ eyes light up and they get to choose one present from under the tree to open for that day.  They know that while they sleep Santa will come and leave them so much more.  So that one present that they get on Christmas Eve just makes their day. 

            Christmas morning we are awoken by little voices saying “Santa came, get up”.  We all gather in the living room around the Christmas tree and daddy and I get our coffee to wake up for the morning.  We get out the video camera and start taping the bright faces of our boys for Christmas morning.  All of Christmas day is dedicated to our boys and what ever they may want to do.  Once all the presents are open and the boys are playing and having fun it’s off to make Christmas dinner for me.  I always have all the family over for Christmas dinner.  I love that part of Christmas more than all the presents.  Presents are nice, but to me having all the family around me is the best part.  We close the day with everyone together and relaxing over coffee and treats.