Traditions

i was just talking to my brother and thinking about all of our family traditions. my Mom made pretty much the same foods every Christmas eve and then we all opened presents. She didn't even make us wait until the dishes were done to open presents, not that i remember, anyway.

When we were little we were ushered upstairs to the living room and my Grandma read The Night Before Christmas while Santa visited in the basement. Santa had a very jolly laugh, much like my Grandpa, who was also very large and jolly himself. Huh, strange. =) When the story was over my Grandma told that it was time for gifts. i only remember this happening one year, i'll assume it was more than once.

In later years when there were grandchildren, my Grandma (their Great-Grandma) would take them to the living room and read The Night Before Christmas from the very same book, from my childhood, while Santa visited. my Grandma was the best story teller i've ever known. When the coast was clear, Santa's jingle bells would ring and Grandma would tell the kids that it was time. Although the kids were anxious for their gifts, Grandma was captivating and no one was ever in a hurry to leave her side when she was reading. Often times it wasn't just the kids who would go listen to Grandma read, the adults would go listen as well. =)

Somewhere along the way someone, i'm not sure who, decided that the opening of gifts was just going too quickly, it may have even been me. So we started going one gift at a time, oldest to youngest, youngest to oldest, it didn't matter. Yes, it took a while but we all got to see who got what and from whom and we didn't fly through the gifts like it was a race. It also gave us time to appreciate the day and the gifts more. People spend so much time shopping, choosing the right gift, that it's all over in 10 minutes. Why not take a while to enjoy it all? So we did and we still do to this day, with Master's family as well. We love it and now we all get to see what we all got. It also gave my brother a chance, every single year to cheat. He unwrapped every present out of turn, swore he didn't then would try to wrap it back up before anyone would notice. We have several pictures of him doing just that.

Master and i have made many new traditions that i love also, we open one present on Christmas Eve and save the rest for Christmas morning. Every year we watch Emmet Otters Jug Band Christmas which is amazing!!! So there's no way i could pick a favorite holiday tradition. i would love to hear your favorites or just something that you do that you particularly love!

Peace, joy and love to you and yours this Christmas!

MD's treasure