Christmas Traditions

We stayed home for Christmas this year.  Alan and I are so tired and worn out from everything that happened in the fall that we both mutually decided to stay home.  His family did come to our house to celebrate.  This is the first Christmas without Grandmother Sue and Grandmama.  I sensed from Pam (my mother-in-law) that she wanted a change in the way they have celebrated Christmas. She came to the right place.

When we celebrated with Alan's family, Menaw and Grandmother Sue ruled everything.  We had Christmas Stew on Christmas Eve and went straight to opening presents and that was it.  Christmas lunch was Turkey, dressing, vegetables, bread, etc.  It was like that every year.

I grew up where things changed from year to year which makes it easy for me to remember which Christmas is which.  However, even though things changed from year to year, my parents had certain traditions we did not leave out, and if they tried, I told them we HAD to do it.

When the four of us celebrate Christmas as a family, I bring traditions from both sides.  I had fun planning out the activities for the two days and the food.

  One of the first things we do, is Andrew and Anna make and decorate Christmas cookies.  This year Nana Pam joined us on this fun activity.  Before that I made some rocky road candy that my mom use to make each Christmas for Dad.  It brought back memories for me.

After that, Alan read our last Advent lesson and we lit the final Advent Candle.  Andrew and Anna went ahead and put baby Jesus in the manger and put the shepherds in the stable with Mary and Joseph.  This is something Alan and I have added in the last few years that is new to our family.

We then had Christmas Soup (formerly known as stew but changed for health reasons with some of the family members) and cornbread.  This is a 100 year old tradition that Pam's Great Grandmother started and Menaw continued.  Pam tried to encourage me to change it, but I told her that was one tradition that I have kept in our family and want to continue to do so.

Once everything was eaten and everything put away and cleaned, we did a right left game.  Each person has a small gift and you pass it right or left every time you hear the words right/left.  This is something that my Grandparents Johnson like to do every Christmas we got together.  I read the story of the WRIGHT family. 

Once that is over, we gather around and Alan usually  reads the Christmas Story from Luke.  This year Alan asked his Dad to read it.  This is something my Mom and Dad made sure happened every year  before we opened presents.

Then of course we had to take pictures of our cute kids!

Once the presents are opened, and paper and boxes are put in the trash, the kids get their pajamas on, I pop popcorn and make hot chocolate and we all watch the Polar express.  Another new tradition I added Christmas 2007. 

One more tradition that I wasn't going to do, but woke up to on Christmas eve morning is greeting each family member the words "Christmas Eve gift" before they say it to you.  This is another one of Pam's Great Grandmother's traditions that has to date back over a 100 years ago.  Then on Christmas day, you say "Christmas Gift" to each family member before they say it to you.  Pam said it was something they have always done and it became a contest among family members.  The first year I spent Christmas with Alan's family 14 years ago and witnessed this, I thought these people had lost their minds.  Everyone was so busy trying to say it before anyone else did, they forgot to tell me what was going on.

CHRISTMAS DAY!

Growing up in our house, the stockings were the most fun!  I could not wait for the stockings, in fact I never could sleep, because I could not imagine what cool stuff my Mom was going put in my stocking.  Each year was better than before.  I of course, still love stockings and attempt to do the same thing for Alan, Andrew and Anna.

Christmas Dinner:  We had Ham with a homemade sugar honey glaze, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans with crunchy bacon, green salad, fruit salad (using the bowl Grandmama gave me a couple of years ago) and rolls.

The red glasses are the ones that my Grandmother Johnson used for company when she used her white dishes.

Andrew said yesterday, "I wish Gran and Granddad could be here too."  Well in some ways they were here.  They were both here in the traditions just like both Alan's and My Grandmother and Granddad were also here in traditions passed on.  My Mom was here in what she taught me how to do growing up.  My Mom taught me how to do many things like how to cook, sew, dress, clean house, wash clothes, be a hostess etc.  I physically had to do these things growing up and while I may have griped and complained, I am very grateful to her for making me learn those important things.  Another thing that my Mom did, was she modeled how to make Christmas special and meaningful.  The look on Andrew and Anna's face on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Morning is absolutely a tribute to her creativeness that I have always longed to be more like her.  Thanks Mom!

Merry Christmas!
from The Weavers