Christmas Traditions

Second visit with Santa didn't go so well

 When you grow up, you follow the traditions of your family. But what about when you get married? When Adam and I were first married (2009), we spent Christmas with my parents in Annapolis. I was just pregnant with our oldest. We didn't have any traditions of our own, so we followed my parents' traditions.

In the summer of the next year, our daughter was born. But once again at Christmas time (2010), we ventured to Annapolis. We once again followed the traditions of my family. Now before I get too much further, let me just say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with my family's traditions. I loved them growing up and I still do. We've incorporated a lot into our Christmas this year in fact.

The next year (2011) was our first year of spending Christmas at our house. We didn't go to my parents' house until after Christmas. It was a departure from the norm and something we weren't at all used to. We'd never spent a Christmas without our family up until that year. We developed some of our own traditions, but since our daughter was just 1, we didn't really think about those lasting traditions. We spent the holidays going to the Post Tree Lighting Ceremony, where they shot a cannon to light the tree. It's one of those cool Field Artillery things! Of course, we had our annual St. Barbara's Ball to attend. That's a whole other subject, but so much fun to get all dressed up and go out with the hubs for a night of dinner and dancing. We did the Christmas Eve service and because Christmas was on a Sunday that year, we opened stockings then went to the Christmas service and came home to open more presents. We did create one tradition that year that will most likely stick around, the burning of the boxes and wrapping paper.

Christmas 2012, we again stayed at home. I had just given birth at Thanksgiving time to our son and there was no way I was traveling. It was also probably our saddest Christmas as I just didn't have the energy needed to decorate properly. Did I mention that I love to decorate at Christmas. We have special dishes, Santa's galore, and lots of lights for outside. Christmas that year was fun, but lacked a lot.

This year we are once again spending Christmas at our home. The house is fully decorated, both inside and out. We have four trees, Christmas dishes, and garland and lights outside. Our house kind of looks like Christmas exploded all over it. I even have special Christmas wine and martini glasses; although the only time I drink martinis is when I am out and not at home. Wine is a totally different story.

So now we are faced with building our own holiday traditions, ones that our daughter and son will remember for all their lives. The house decorating is only one of those traditions. We created a Christmas Eve box which is a departure from our own family traditions and one that is new to our little family. It is stuffed with Christmas jammies, a movie to watch on Christmas Eve, popcorn and hot chocolate for the movie, reindeer food, a book to read before bed, a letter for Santa, cookies for Santa, and adult beverages for Santa and Mrs. Claus for after Christmas deliveries are done. In my house, we weren't allowed to open any presents until Christmas morning. The one and only exception I can remember is one year getting to open a small item because we got home from the Christmas Eve service so late. Adam's family always opened one present, but it was the pajamas they would wear that night.

Traditions are a hard thing, especially when you are merging traditions. Adam and I were both fortunate enough to grow up with great parents and great traditions. So what do we do now that we are really having to create our own. We've kept some of my family traditions (for example, Adam's job is to buy and wrap gifts for me and my job is to buy and wrap for everyone else and kids putting coins in the Salvation Army bucket). We've also kept some of Adam's family traditions (for example, we do the Christmas Eve pajamas and Adam and I watch National Lampoon's A Christmas Vacation). But we are trying to think of new traditions for our family.

So far, we've got Christmas Eve Church and the Christmas Eve box. We made Christmas ornaments, as we will every year and every year, the kids and Adam will get an ornament for their tree that has something to do with something we've done or somewhere we've been that year. We will open stockings first and then open presents. We will eat brunch eggs. By the way, if you've never had them, you should ask for the recipe because they are the best breakfast meal of all time. But, even two days before Christmas, we are still trying to decide how to do the gifts though, mainly the big ones. Do we have them out for the kids to see when they come downstairs, do we wrap them, or do we have them laid out elsewhere for the kids to stumble upon?

The hardest part is not pushing all your own traditions on your new family. I love my family's traditions, but it is now time to start our own family traditions. It's time to be open to change and embrace all the possibilities of what could be. I'm extremely excited for Christmas this year. I'm excited to see my kids' faces as they open their presents and play with their new toys. The best tradition that we can pass on to our kids though is knowing the true meaning of Christmas. We want them to be generous and kind to others and to always remember the reason for the season. I guess time will tell if we are doing the right thing during the Christmas season, but one thing is for sure, we will enjoy the faces of our children experiencing the joy and magic of Christmas.

Merry Christmas!