Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Christmas/ Holiday Traditions
Ok to start with, yes I know I said "Holiday". Well this isn't just about Christmas. It may be for me, and for many others. But someone out there that reads this may not celebrate Christmas. They may celebrate a "Holiday". SO....... let it go.
Traditions. As a kid I can't remember a lot of Christmas traditions around our house. The ones I do remember are sort of dear to me. I'll list them below, not necessarily in order of importance;
We always watched "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown". The other shows we always watched were Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is coming to Town, and many, many others.
I remember the smell of cinnamon Rolls and Fresh Bread. My Mom made the BEST fresh bread and cinnamon rolls. The rolls would have rich icing dripping off them, hmmmmm. I think I'm going to have to call Mom now.
We always opened "just one present" on Christmas Eve. Now I know Mom and Dad said this was to quiet us down, but I believe they wanted to open something too.
(This has made me remember one of the best Christmas ever. I'll write it later.)
I don't remember much about putting up the tree. I remember icicles. Lots and lots of shiny, foil, icicles hanging on the tree, and little toy ornaments. The toy ornaments were all over the tree. Toy soldiers, trains, a rockinghorse. So many different toys I can't possibly remember them all.
That for traditions is really about it. Like I said before, we didn't have many, but those we had are dear.
Now I have my own family. A beautiful wife, and two wonderful kids. And you still don't have real traditions. Now, when I say "real traditions", I'm thinking Bing Crosby Christmas Wonderland, (without smacking the kids behind the camera of course).
We put up the tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. My daughter is rarely around to help with it. It's a fake tree. We've done the real tree for a few years. And well honestly, we just hate cleaning up needles. So we put up the fake one. For many years we would start by laying the piles of color coded branches out across the floor. Trying to match them up and moving a few around that we were "not really sure what that color was supposed to be". Now we have one that all the branches stay on. It's a much easy tree to put up, (but between you and me ... I miss the fun we had looking through those piles).
I always lay all the lights out on the floor and check each one to make sure they are all working. Last year I let my son help me with this. I hope it was a big deal to him, it certainly was for me.
After getting the lights on the tree all the Toy Ornaments go on. Some of these are the same ones that I hung on the tree when I was a kid.
After the toys comes the fancy bulbs. These are the pretty ones with pictures. Some have sparkling flakes so they twinkle when the lights hit them.
Around the bottom is the plaid fur trimmed blanket with the moose, deer, and elk embroidered on it. And the Mickey Mouse circus train.
And of course topped with a star.
Throughout November/ December the presents begin to build under the tree. Everyone, except me of course, trying to sneak a shake or two and guessing what it may be. My role at this time is to move the misplaced ornaments and adjusting the lights, to make it all look, "just a little better".
Along comes Christmas Eve.
My daughter spends Christmas morning with her mother, (first marriage), so we open all the presents on Christmas Eve. When my son was younger there were the Mom and Dad presents, which were opened on Christmas Eve, and the Santa presents which would show up magically over night and be real Christmas morning. These were never wrapped. Santa had no need for wrapping, but would often place large bows on things. (And it made for a nice picture). All the toys from the night before laid under the tree along with the ones that Santa brought.
Much of Christmas day is spent going to the relatives houses. We would go to each one exchanging little gifts and chatting for a couple hours. Each year we would get to Laura's (my sister-in-law), and she would have something for each of us. She loved getting gifts for people. Her eyes would twinkle as they were opened. She is going to be missed very much.
We always have a dinner of our own, even after the relatives make sure, "we get something to eat". We have Ham with all the fixin's. And lots of cookies and pies that my wife baked the night before.
New Traditions_
Is it ever too late to start "new" traditions? I hope not. Now we have a house with a great fireplace. I picture sitting in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve playing my whistle while everyone sings carols. My wife baking those cookies and pies. My daughter will be married one day, (not until she's thirty of course), and maybe her and her husband will be able to be there too. Maybe I can get that team of Llamas I want and a sleigh. And one day there will be grandkids.
....AHHHHHHHHHH ..... Sorry, I must have dozed off. I started having a dream about being really, really old.
I know I promised to tell the story of the best Christmas ever, but I should be going now. I will come back and tell it, I promise.
For have fun, be safe, and Merry Christmas,
Dae
Traditions. As a kid I can't remember a lot of Christmas traditions around our house. The ones I do remember are sort of dear to me. I'll list them below, not necessarily in order of importance;
We always watched "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown". The other shows we always watched were Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is coming to Town, and many, many others.
I remember the smell of cinnamon Rolls and Fresh Bread. My Mom made the BEST fresh bread and cinnamon rolls. The rolls would have rich icing dripping off them, hmmmmm. I think I'm going to have to call Mom now.
We always opened "just one present" on Christmas Eve. Now I know Mom and Dad said this was to quiet us down, but I believe they wanted to open something too.
(This has made me remember one of the best Christmas ever. I'll write it later.)
I don't remember much about putting up the tree. I remember icicles. Lots and lots of shiny, foil, icicles hanging on the tree, and little toy ornaments. The toy ornaments were all over the tree. Toy soldiers, trains, a rockinghorse. So many different toys I can't possibly remember them all.
That for traditions is really about it. Like I said before, we didn't have many, but those we had are dear.
Now I have my own family. A beautiful wife, and two wonderful kids. And you still don't have real traditions. Now, when I say "real traditions", I'm thinking Bing Crosby Christmas Wonderland, (without smacking the kids behind the camera of course).
We put up the tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. My daughter is rarely around to help with it. It's a fake tree. We've done the real tree for a few years. And well honestly, we just hate cleaning up needles. So we put up the fake one. For many years we would start by laying the piles of color coded branches out across the floor. Trying to match them up and moving a few around that we were "not really sure what that color was supposed to be". Now we have one that all the branches stay on. It's a much easy tree to put up, (but between you and me ... I miss the fun we had looking through those piles).
I always lay all the lights out on the floor and check each one to make sure they are all working. Last year I let my son help me with this. I hope it was a big deal to him, it certainly was for me.
After getting the lights on the tree all the Toy Ornaments go on. Some of these are the same ones that I hung on the tree when I was a kid.
After the toys comes the fancy bulbs. These are the pretty ones with pictures. Some have sparkling flakes so they twinkle when the lights hit them.
Around the bottom is the plaid fur trimmed blanket with the moose, deer, and elk embroidered on it. And the Mickey Mouse circus train.
And of course topped with a star.
Throughout November/ December the presents begin to build under the tree. Everyone, except me of course, trying to sneak a shake or two and guessing what it may be. My role at this time is to move the misplaced ornaments and adjusting the lights, to make it all look, "just a little better".
Along comes Christmas Eve.
My daughter spends Christmas morning with her mother, (first marriage), so we open all the presents on Christmas Eve. When my son was younger there were the Mom and Dad presents, which were opened on Christmas Eve, and the Santa presents which would show up magically over night and be real Christmas morning. These were never wrapped. Santa had no need for wrapping, but would often place large bows on things. (And it made for a nice picture). All the toys from the night before laid under the tree along with the ones that Santa brought.
Much of Christmas day is spent going to the relatives houses. We would go to each one exchanging little gifts and chatting for a couple hours. Each year we would get to Laura's (my sister-in-law), and she would have something for each of us. She loved getting gifts for people. Her eyes would twinkle as they were opened. She is going to be missed very much.
We always have a dinner of our own, even after the relatives make sure, "we get something to eat". We have Ham with all the fixin's. And lots of cookies and pies that my wife baked the night before.
New Traditions_
Is it ever too late to start "new" traditions? I hope not. Now we have a house with a great fireplace. I picture sitting in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve playing my whistle while everyone sings carols. My wife baking those cookies and pies. My daughter will be married one day, (not until she's thirty of course), and maybe her and her husband will be able to be there too. Maybe I can get that team of Llamas I want and a sleigh. And one day there will be grandkids.
....AHHHHHHHHHH ..... Sorry, I must have dozed off. I started having a dream about being really, really old.
I know I promised to tell the story of the best Christmas ever, but I should be going now. I will come back and tell it, I promise.
For have fun, be safe, and Merry Christmas,
Dae
# posted by Daeoin Arlson @ 8:59 AM 
Comments:
<< Home
Jeff it is never to late to start Christmas Traditions.
Thanks for sharing this. It gives me a chance to know my Brother better.
Love you
Roxy
Post a Comment
Thanks for sharing this. It gives me a chance to know my Brother better.
Love you
Roxy
# posted by 
: 10:42 AM
: 10:42 AM << Home
