Every family has their own traditions that they practice around the holidays. Whether it is baking great grandma's famous sugar cookies or opening one present on Christmas Eve, they become traditions that get passed down. Growing up, my family had a couple of our own traditions. Some haven't stuck around and others seem to be glued into my mind. When it comes down to it, the traditions may come and go, they may change over the years, but the warm feeling you get when the family comes together never changes. These traditions would mean nothing without the people you love sharing them. So here are a few new and old traditions that I have the pleasure of sharing with my family and only hope to pass down.
1. Driving around on Christmas Eve to look at houses decorated in Christmas lights.
I don't really remember how this started, but my first full memory of it was when I lived in Boise, Idaho, and it was my parents, my grandma and me. It would always be past my bedtime and I'd be in my pajamas, but we'd hop in the car and drive until we found neighborhoods filled with decorated houses. There was and always has been something whimsical about Christmas lights to me. I'm easily enchanted and captivated by them. They bring a lightness to my heart.
2. Writing a response letter from Santa Claus to my child.
I know right now half of you are saying, "What, there's no Santa Claus?!" Maybe there is and maybe there isn't. But I know every year I got a letter in response to the one I sent him. It was probably the thing I looked most forward to opening every year. I'll never really know who wrote them, but my gut always told me it was my dad. Even when I stopped writing to him, I still got a letter from Santa in my stocking every Christmas morning.
3. Baking goodies with my mother to give as simple presents.
You know it's Christmastime in my house if the smell of chocolate and peppermint fills the air. My mom has always made dozens of goodies every year and it's not just to satisfy our shared sweet tooth. She gets adorable tins and fills them up to hand them out to almost anyone that touches her life on a daily basis. Our hairdresser, the mailman, my old teachers and the neighbors. It's a simple thing, but the smile people get after receiving treats that they know you've spent time on and made with only the expectation of a smile in return is quite something.
4. Writing the Christmas letter from the dog's point of view.
I know this sounds crazy, but every Christmas, our dog Maggie writes a Christmas letter. It's something different, and it's always pretty funny! She has a voice all her own with just a tinge of my dad's sarcasm in it.
5. Watch "It's a Wonderful Life," "White Christmas" and "Polar Express."
These three movies are my all time top Christmas movies. I know ABC Family has that "25 Days of Christmas" marathon and there's always the Hallmark channel, but I want to curl up with a couple of hot cocoa and a blanket with my family and watch specific movies that have a special meaning to me without those lovely commercial breaks.
6. Going to see a Christmas-themed live show.
After we moved to Murray, I went on a mission trip to Chicago and fell in love with the city. Ever since then, my family and I spend a couple days of Christmas break there. It's kind of become our thing. Every time we go there, we pick out a show to go see. One year, my dad sat through the Joffery Ballet's "The Nutcracker" to see me smile from ear to ear. Something about getting dressed up and going out to dinner followed by something you might only get to see once has always made the tradition seem incredibly special. Plus, it's always wonderful being able to share that feeling of excitement and bliss with my parents (they also clean up pretty nice).
While these might only be a few holiday traditions in my family, I cherish them dearly. Take the time to think about your own traditions this season and really welcome the familiarity of them. If you can't think of any, it's never too late to start one. Big or small, you just can't beat the feeling you get when you share traditions with the ones you love. Happy holidays, everyone!
