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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Christmas Traditions



When Braden and Dalton were just babies I had seen this Christmas Tree skirt where you have the kids put their handprints on it each Christmas. I needed a new tree skirt anyway and loved the idea of this precious keepsake. The kids look forward to it each year and it's fun (and sad for me) to see how much they've grown each year.

We have a few other Christmas traditions like new pajamas on Christmas Eve, making reindeer food to leave out for the reindeer, milk and cookies for Santa, baking cookies.

When I was little, I remember going over to my grandpa and grandmas so that my mom and grandma could do all their baking and making Christmas candies like fudge and divinity. Mostly though I remember the red and green popcorn balls everyear. I loved those!

Every year, someone different in the family would hold Christmas Eve at their house. If it wasn't at our house, we'd load the car up with all our gifts and head over to my uncles or grandparents house. Then, just as it was getting dark, my dad, grandpa and uncle would gather all us kids into the car and we'd go "looking for Santa". We'd drive around and point out unidentified ligths in the sky that we were sure were Rudolph and his team. We'd drive around for a while before heading back. I didn't know at the time, but this little diversion gave the women in the family time to fill our stockings and put the Santa presents under the tree. It really was a well rehearsed scene and they had it down perfectly! I remember the feeling of pure magic when we'd walk through the door and see all these presents Santa left and our stockings filled (we always got oranges, apples and bananas in our stockings, along with a few goodies). My mom would always say "oh, you just missed him" lol.

We always celebrated on Christmas Eve because parts of the family couldn't get together on Christmas day due to other family obligations. On Christmas Day, we'd then go over to my grandparents to eat our big Christmas meal which was ham, scalloped potatoes, and beans. And pies. My grandma always made the best pies. Lemon Meringue was my favorite and I remember she'd have them cooling on the wash machine as we'd walk in the door and I could never resist the temptation to sneak off the pretty little peaks of meringue as I walked in. She'd also have to make a Minced Meat pie for my grandpa (he was the only one who liked them) and usually she cooked something like pheasant too that my grandpa got while out hunting.

Our little Christmas traditions have changed now but I know our new traditions will always hold special memories for my kids as well.

Today we have a potluck dinner at Nick's work at noon. Nick volunteered me for the cornbread dressing so I now have a pan of cornbread in the oven. Why couldn't he volunteer me for something super easy and way less time consuming like napkins?

19 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading about your Christmas traditions Tanya. I especially liked the one about driving around looking for Santa and I just might have to start that one with my 2 little grandbabies!

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  2. What a sweet post full of memories. I love the tree skirt! Dressing? That's major work.
    He must think yours is the best so he's showing it off (and he wants to be sure there will be something he likes at the potluck)! :)

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  3. Great memories, thank you for sharing them and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

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  4. Isn't it nice to have our traditions to link us to our families and personal histories? Thanks for sharing yours!

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  5. Love the tree skirt and your traditions.. I snagged a copy of the photo and e-mailed to my daughter so she could see it... she likes crafty items for the kids and thought maybe they would like to do something like your tree skirt.

    Di
    The Blue Ridge Gal

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  6. Thanks for sharing you wonderful Christmas traditions, Tanya. I wish you and your family the happiest Christmas!

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  7. I so love cornbread dressing. And we opened presents Christmas eve at two homes plus got some very cool stuff the next morning from "Santa". Reading your post makes me even more in the Christmas spirit. Great idea on the tree skirt. Merry Christmas to all!!

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  8. like the christmas skirt...great idea ^..^
    and...enjoyed reading about your christmas traditions. And yes, i am sure you will have many more new ones to begin living here in virginia. have a happy holiday neighbor.

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  9. Thanks, Tanya, for this story about your Christmas traditions. The memory of those childhood feelings never dies, does it? Now I have to go thank my husband for always volunteering me for the napkins!

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  10. Wonderful memories! Thanks for sharing. That tree skirt is a great idea - your family will treasure it forever!!

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  11. I see you take Christmas very seriously having all those traditions year after year. Glad you enjoy them.
    Your last paragraph made me laugh! Hope you didn't have much work with the non-napkin thing... :-)

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  12. you have a wonderful home life! I have snow filled nativity scenes!

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  13. I beg your forgiveness for my cutting and pasting – yet constantly reworking – this comment, but there was no way on Earth I would be able to make it around the whole globe to wish everybody a Merry Christmas otherwise.

    You cannot know the pain it causes me to admit that I am a mere mortal (and that the magical elves on my staff have little respect for my authority or their salary packages. Consequently, the reindeer are all filthy and out of shape and the elves that have shown up for work all seem a little worse for wear, if you catch my drift. All they seem to do is sit around smoking, playing cards and telling dirty jokes! Rudolph is livid.

    Anyway, from myself, Henry and Ezra, have a Merry Christmas/Winter Solstice/Hanukkah/Festivus and a happy New Year!

    I hope that all of your holiday photos turn out to be triumphs, your stocking is stuffed full of lots of tasty treats and not coal and that all your gingerbread men/women come out smiling.

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  14. I think half the joy of Christmas is all those childhood memories. We all remember warmly the little things that were so very special to each of us. I really hope that you and all your family enjoy this Christmas and, incase I don't get back here, have a very merry Christmas Tanya.

    marley :)

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  15. What a wonderful Christmas tradition. I love that tree skirt!

    I love your childhood traditions too. What fabulous memories.

    Have a very Merry Christmas.

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  16. Merci de ta visite.
    merci pour ces traditions familiales
    Joyeux Noël !

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  17. Divinity says it all, doesn't it? My generation doesn't do that....

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  18. Thanks for sharing your Christmas Traditions. We recently created a podcast on this subject, in the Generations podcast “Three generations of Christian women share their thoughts about different issues and aspects of life.” We have some traditional ones like the Christmas pj,’s that are opened on Christmas eve, and Jesus’ birthday cake, retelling of the Christmas story. But there are some unusual ones like, Misfit Christmas, and upside down Christmas tree, a pickle in your tree, and some wonderful traditions to share with the kids. We also included some recipes. Thanks so much for sharing yours if you want to listen to ours here is the link to the podcast. http://godswordcollectibles.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-podcast-inspirations0016-christmas.html

    Blessings this Christmas and a wonderful New Year

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  19. Wonderful memories Tanya. Nice of you to share the. Thanks. - Dave

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Hi! I'm so happy you've stopped by and always enjoy your comments :)