Long Live Traditions!

I love traditions! Some years I'm better at keeping up with the list of traditions our family has deemed all important than others, but this year I noticed that even the simplest of traditions go a long way to creating the nostalgia that is associated with the holidays.

As my kids get older (and less wanting to help me decorate the house for Christmas) I have found myself cutting corners on the decorating aspect of our traditions. I keep thinking to myself "What goes up, must come down!" This year I almost skipped a few of the decoration boxes. Some of our decorations are now 20-plus-years old (when did THAT HAPPEN?) and are looking more ratty than festive. We have an advent calendar that I made when T was just a little tike. I can still remember those chubby little fingers anxiously moving our Mary and Joseph 'counter' closer to the town of Bethlehem to announce the special day. I honestly didn't think that anyone would notice if it didn't grace the pantry door where it has hung every year since we moved into this house. It's really isn't anything special...

Or it is?

It seems that this calendar is an important part of my kids memories. My 14-year-old was not only genuinely happy to see this treasured decoration, but has faithfully moved the marker forward every day since December 1. In four days he'll move Mary and Joseph to their positions right outside the stable. Once the Babe is placed in the manager, I'm sure his thoughts will turn to the loot stashed under the tree, but at least for a few seconds each day in December, my teenager has been reminded of the reason for the season...and famly.

What are some of my favorite family traditions?

• Christmas Eve pizza
• The Hughes Neighborhood Christmas Concert
• Going downtown to look at the Christmas lights and store windows
• Secret Santas
  
• Having Uncle Earl over for Christmas dinner
• Opening one present on Christmas Eve...and always finding new PJ's!
• Putting out my Woof-n-Poof collection and remembering each gift my hubby gave me over the years

What is the one Christmas tradition that you couldn't live without?

For me, it wouldn't be Christmas without the reading of the first Christmas story taken from the pages of Luke.