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Lindsay Metcalf
on May 22 2013 - 06:00 AM
When that tornado siren sounds, I'm in the basement
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mara williams
on May 21 2013 - 06:00 AM
Summer break has this mom on a house upkeep war path.
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I have to admit, I love the holidays. I really do! I love how families, neighbors, and friends come together over food and drinks. I love how gifts are exchanged representing the respect and love we have for each other. I love peppermint, egg nog, and Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra caroling together. It's a tradition of community and friendship, and of celebrating wintertime.
And presents.
One of my favorite parts of parenthood is watching my kids open presents. There is something magical about waking up so early in the morning, only to find that your kids have been up for an hour already waiting for you.
"No presents until I've had my first cup of coffee," I always say. That's verbatim what my dad said to my brother and I. I don't do it on purpose to annoy them, mind you. Now that I'm in my thirties I understand the necessity of coffee before the frey.
"Aw," Marc will say. "Can't we just open one?" His eyes will become two giant blue platters and his lip will hang off the front of his face. How can I resist?
"Nope," I'll say. I can resist. He won't die.
At the last sip of coffee, they'll dive under the tree, head first. "Don't forget about your stockings," my husband might say.
This is our tradition. It's not a fancy one, but I love it. The point isn't to be fancy, it's to spend some time together as a family. We'll have dinner, too, with stuffing, mashed potatoes, some sort of poultry, and of course pie. Somewhere in the middle we'll watch Elf, or A Christmas Story, or Tron or something. Whatever Charlotte will let us watch, really.
And we'll do it all on Friday!
"Wait a minute, Val," you say. "Christmas is on Sunday."
This is how we do it. Marc's father and I are divorced, so we have to share holidays. Marc was here for Christmas last year, so he's going to be with his dad this year. This is fair, and since we are observing the secular Christmas anyway, we simply choose a different day to have our present opening, stuffing eating, Elf watching traditions. Charlotte is two and doesn't notice, and when she's older I doubt she'll care.
What kind of holiday traditions do you have? Have they changed since you were a kid? When I was growing up, my dad would always put a package of new underwear in our stockings. Very funny, Dad! My kids get a can of Spam. It's a long story!
Whatever your traditions are, I want to wish you all a safe and magical holiday this season! Stay warm, and don't underestimate the importance of that pre-present cup of coffee!
Our traditions have evolved and changed as time and situations have called for it. When I was married I used to make waffles everyone Christmas after we opened gifts. When I divorced, I moved to cinammon rolls, they were much easier, and when money was really tight and I couldn't buy gifts, we spent the night at grandma's so they would have gifts to open. The last couple of years I have worked on Christmas day and the kids have to wait until I get home. I do love the traditions of making cookies, decorating the tree and going down to see the Chicago Street lights. Merry Christmas Val!We also make Cinnamon rolls Christmas morning! We worship at midnight Christmas eve and get home late as my teen is part of the music worship group. We always watch Preacher's Wife sometime before Christmas and watch a new release on Christmas Day--the AMC 20 is always crowded so it must be other families tradition. Happy Holidays!In our family, the stockings are the dessert part of the gifts. We fill them full of candies and ridiculously fun toys. Nothing in it costs very much and most likely has been bought at the dollar store. Even if the kids have gotten their most coveted, expensive, high tech gadget from the Santa list, these are what they like the best. Enjoy your family and Christmas, Val. No matter when you celebrate. :) (We have the same coffee rule)Our home traditions vary each year. Timing is adjusted to age and who's together. Stories of Christmases past and those who are no longer here are the consistent tradition, repeated each year with additions as memories bring more smiles and laughter. Even non-family is asked to relate/share a story. So, our major tradition would be The Stories, retold over and over. Makes it feel like more of a Big Family Christmas that way.My kids love to hide the baby Jesus from the nativity, mostly to drive me crazy. That piece went missing for a whole year once. I think a nephew borrowed it and his parents slipped it back the next year. A lot of our traditions revolve around food. Cinnamon rolls and sparkling grape juice for breakfast. (I will have to cut back this year, can't have that many carbs). Lasagna on Christmas Eve and cherry fluff salad with dinner. Pickled beets for DH and Grandma's deviled eggs for DD. This year my kids asked me to make potato salad--think that will be after Christmas. Merry Christmas!
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