Every family has some kind of holiday tradition, I think. Whether that is Christmas or Hanukkah or Festivus or Football, I think most of us grew up with traditions and then added to or edited as we started to celebrate on our own. Before I got married my favorite and best Christmas tradition was me waking up in a quiet apartment on Christmas morning, listening to Christmas songs while I drank hot chocolate, curled up on the couch, reading Christmas stories and/or Luke 2. Extra bonus points if it was snowing. I would always go visit family for lunch and spend the day with them, but Christmas morning was mine.
Of course, when you marry into a family with a couple of half-grown kids you really cannot justify such a tradition on Christmas morning. So, presents and breakfast and noise and giggles and laughter are the order of the day. And when you move to a new state a few weeks before Christmas and are not actually spending the holidays in that state anyway…well, Christmas everything is reduced to a minimum.
I hung a wreath because I found it while I was moving.
We have a large poinsettia on the dining room table.
For the first time I am sent Christmas cards, more than 100 of them!
I have loved the ones we’ve already received at our new house and hung them all up (with a very fancy string+command strip hooks situation, best idea ever).
I’ve been listening to Christmas music all day, loudly, because there are no coworkers nearby to irritate
I have finished my Christmas shopping, and most of the gifts are wrapped…but they are all in Utah still because I didn’t see any point in hauling them 700 miles south only to turn around and haul them back again for unwrapping.
But, no Christmas tree this year, no lights outside, no growing pile of presents. And honestly, it’s not terrible. I mean, I would love a really tall fragrant fir in the living room and twinkly lights in all the windows and piles of Christmas cookies and everything. But ultimately, that’s not what Christmas is actually about. It’s about love, Christ, spending time with family, and showing kindness and charity to others.
So, I’m reading the Bible and Christmas stories, researching charities and places to donate to help others, and enjoying a much simpler Christmas overall. I’m sure next year I’ll overcompensate with the biggest tree Arizona can offer, but for now, my poinsettia and Christmas tunes will do.
What are your Christmas/Hanukkah/Festivus traditions? Are you having a traditional holiday this year? Or are you doing something else?
My family is loud and boisterous, but no matter what, my mom used to put on the Mahalia Jackson Christmas album first thing. Now that I’m a province away from my family, T and I have started our own things. We host Christmas Eve dinner (because his family does nothing on Christmas day. We’ll order Chinese food with them.) I’ve had my tree up since mid-November. No lights this year as the baby bump has got climbing up on the roof a bit of a no-no and T could care less. He bought me little light up trees for outside so I think I’ll try to put those up today. It will be interesting once we have our daughter what changes and what stays the same. 🙂
I love making new traditions with your own little family. Two of my siblings have a STRICT rule that they will always spend Christmas morning at their own homes, because they want that tradition for their children. And I really love that.
xox
Oh, Christmas cards… why don’t I have your address?? Sign up here (there is still time :D)… https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17utgYITmvH2R74jjgGsE1rTix2-SCPVAB6YEA4h4Q9k/viewform
Also, our Christmas is going to be really low-keyand quite too this year. I wish I was traveling home to see my family, but that wasn’t in the cards… so we’re making the best of it.
Happy holidays!
Low-key and quiet holidays are kind of my favorite. I’m all down for a party any other time of year, but I get exhausted of all the noise/people/expectations really quickly. (See: favorite tradition of being alone on Christmas morning. Ahem.)
xox
No more snow for you either, but I’m betting you can hang lights on a cactus.
Happy Christmas to you, H.
Oh, I have big plans for cactus-trees next year! 🙂
xox