Christmas Traditions

A new baby brings new christmas traditions. While a four month old has no idea what is going on, we are beyond excited to have Santa come to our house this year. Today, let's talk about some traditions of the season. 

Stockings. Our first married christmas I made us some stockings. They don't have our names on them and they're really small. Of course H needs a stocking this year so I decided to get us all new ones. I searched everywhere for them. I really wanted the Landsend needlepoint stockings, so we could all have a different thing on them. However, the nutcracker stocking they used to have has been discontinued. C loves nutcrackers and I felt like if I couldn't get him one it wouldn't be the same. I found a few on eBay, but of course they had other people's names on them. I couldn't convince him to change his name to Jeremy. I found these at Kohl's and I really like them! They're classic and simple and no matter what I do for a theme, they'll go. 

Choosing what to put on them was quite a dilemma. Had we got them before we had H, ours would have our names. Putting our names seemed weird now that we're parents. I know most of my friends' stockings say "Mom" and "Dad." My parents' stockings growing up said "Mama" and "Daddy." We don't call them that now, but it's still cute to see. Having a 4 month old, I'm just not ready to be "mom." Makes me think I have a teenager. I know all you mamas out there can relate to the fact I'm not ready for my baby to not be a baby. 

Christmas movies. Like pretty much everyone we love watching Christmas movies! Our favorites are Christmas Vacation, 4 Christmases, Home Alone and Home Alone 2. I love the old movies like White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Going My Way and The Bells of St. Mary's (Bing Crosby plays the same character of Father O'Malley in both. These are great feel-good movies!). Christopher's Favorite is A Christmas Story. I think it's cute and I'll watch it one time but I don't see why it's shown for 24 hours. I mean it's no White Christmas! I love that movie so much I even used it for our "Dress as Your Favorite Christmas Character" bunco night.

Books. Every year I read "Promise Me" by Richard Paul Evans. 

 

It's so good! It's hard to explain what it's about without giving it away. Here's the review from Booklist:

"Popular Evans offers up another magical novel, this one set in the 1980s, in time for the holidays. Beth Cardall’s life seems charmed, until she finds out that her perfect husband Marc has been unfaithful to her, and that their beautiful daughter Charlotte is sick with a mysterious illness that baffles every doctor. Then Marc’s unexpected and swift death from pancreatic cancer leaves Beth in financial straights. So she’s in no mood for romance when she meets an enigmatic, handsome stranger on Christmas day, but the man, who tells her his name is Matthew, is both persistent and charming in his pursuit of her. He tells her he’s a widower still grieving over the loss of his beloved wife, whose identity will shock Beth––and readers––to the core. The unexpected twist propels the novel forward, making the book impossible to put down. Though the ending ties everything up a bit too neatly, Evans’ many fans will enjoy this inventive, heartwarming tale." --Kristine Huntley

I was surpsied when I read the reviews on Amazon.com. Everyone seems to hate it. It looks like however they're all big fans of the author and this book isn't typical of what he normally writes. This is the only thing I've read by him so I have nothing to compare it to. 

Last year for Christmas my mom gave us all a childhood gift. Mine was the book "The Pink Maple House," by Christine Noble Govan.

Here's the description from Amazon:

"Polly wasn't sure she wanted to move to the new house for she suddenly realized that she and her best friend, Jenny, would not be going to the same school. They would no longer share the same seat. They wouldn't be walking home together. How sad life would be! However, Polly found that life in the Pink Maple House was anything but sad. The fun of Jenny's visits more than made up for the daily separation. There were so many new and pleasant experiences to share. "The Pink Maple House" is the story of the childhood of almost any little girl who grows up in the country. The author has caught the feelings, the foolishness, and the anguishes of little girls. Such incidents as the attic adventure, the doll scrapbook, the playing at 'Indians' in the barn, the school experiences, the baking of cookies and wrapping of Christmas presents, etc., are not only amusing and interesting, buy heartwarming, satisfying and comforting. "The Pink Maple House" is somewhat reminiscent of "Little Women" in that it is a family story in which the characters are kindly, natural and sympathetic. The story moves right along for the incidents are believable and the details are those about which little girls especially, enjoy reading." 

I have added it to my annual Christmas readings. I got excited when I went in Amazon, as I saw there are 2 more books and it's a series! I better buy them soon as one of my New Year's resolutions is to read all the books I already own before buying or reading any others. More on that in another post. 

Christmas china. One of my favorite things about this time of year is getting put my Christmas china. I have Holiday by Lenox. We eat everything off of it, even pizza! Why have it if you're not going to use it? 

What are some of your family's Christmas traditions?

Oh How I Love a Theme Party!

Y'all I am so late on this post it's not even funny. Today is February 1st and I'm posting on Christmas. But I loved this so much I didn't want to not post on it. So, let's turn the clock back and go back to December. My friend Ashley (be sure to check out her blog At Witz Inn) had a girls' Christmas movie night at her apartment building. She and her hubby live in this very posh building downtown that has a theatre room. Not only was it girls' Christmas movie night, but it was combined with a cookie swap.

Lasagna and Caesar salad dinner made by our hostess

It's my fault Ashley loves Lambrusco now. :)
How cute are the Mason jars?

Yep, that's right. She had movie candy on all our chairs.

We watched "It's a Wonderful Life," which has to be one of the greatest Christmas movie of all time.
I was excited to introduce it to a few friends who'd never seen it.

All the yummy cookies!

 See? Wasn't that totally worth going back in time? Adorable little get together! Thanks, Ashley for a great time!

Least Fave Months of the Year

Last night, we took down our Christmas decorations. Go ahead and judge because if you're one of those crazies who posts incessantly about how you can't wait to decorate for Christmas and have it all up by Thanksgiving yet get it all down once the presents are opened I judge you. No, seriously. I don't get it, you're so excited to get it all out yet you can't stand it once the day is over? I digress. Last year, we didn't get our Christmas decorations down until almost February. Or maybe it was February I don't remember. The biggest reason we didn't take them down was shear laziness, but we'd come home and turn on the tree and it was so nice and peaceful why take it down? We also don't put our tree up until December 1st, or right after Thanksgiving. This year those dates happened to coincide. We decided to keep the tradition going this year and keep the decorations up through January (most of it, at least). I mean, why not? If all the crazies can put their decorations up a month (or more) before Christmas why can't I leave it up a month after? I don't want to put them up before Thanksgiving because I like my fall decorations. But after Christmas there's nothing to look forward to. So, the tree keeps up happy. January and February are the most depressing months of the year. It's still freezing, yet there is no Christmas to distract me with (or birthday). It's just cold and miserable. March makes me happy because even if it's still cold, you know it won't last long. At least not in Memphis. People ask me why I don't live in Colorado anymore. Hello! Because it snows in March and April there. Come Easter, I want to wear a new spring dress to church, NOT wear pants, sweater, coat and gloves. Okay, but off my soap box now. Here are some pics of the Christmas decorations we took down that have sent me into my winter depression.

Ignore the open coat closet. I love the caroller figurines on top of the entertainment center.
My mom painted those a long time ago. She has a set too and they have always been part of our Christmas decorations.

Tree in our room. My mom also has this as well, that she puts in the guestroom I stay in at her house.
You saw it here.

Made this from Pinterest this year.

I LOVE how we wrapped our presents this year!

Recycled my pumpkins

Light looks nekkid now

Oh, Christmas tree

I admit, the Christmas china is still out. It should get switched out today. We'll see...

 Only 10 1/2 more months till I get to get it all out again! And only 2 months and 1 day till the first day of spring! The Broncos play the Patriots today. GO BRONCOS!!! Make Brady cry!

Christmas Traditions

 

Merry Christmas, everyone! I was reading my friend Ashley's blog (go check it out, it's adorable)  the other day about Christmas traditions. She talked about how her family doesn't have any real set traditions as far as what they eat, where they are, etc. It got me to thinking about my own Christmas traditions. As a kid, my family had several things we did year after year. We always go to church on Christmas eve. Christmas eve dinner consisted of party foods and hor d'ouvres (sausage balls, raw oysters, peel and eat shrimp, summer sausage, you get the idea) and we'd always play a game. As we got older, we'd stay up late playing intense games of Trivial Pursuit. When we were younger, my mom had no problem getting us to bed. We were the kids who when we were tired we went to sleep. We actually are both still that way. I barely ever make it through a movie! Christmas morning we opened gifts in our pjs, after being woken up at an extremely early hour. Little brother would get us up so early all the presents would be open by 6:30! I'll never forget the year that changed. I was back in Colorado for Christmas and went upstairs Christmas morning to find my parents dressed! In all my life, this had never happened. They told me my brother was still asleep so I could go get ready and then we'd do presents. This was so bizarre to me, but I went ahead and did it. Then I ran in his room and jumped on the bed to wake him up like he used to do to me.Stockings were always opened first. We tried to take turns opening gifts so it lasted longer. Breakfast usually consisted of a breakfast casserole of some sort (after we'd eaten half the candy in our stockings). Christmas dinner (which usually is eaten a few days after Christmas because we're so full from candy and snacks from Christmas eve) is surf and turf. We have prime rib and crab legs. This is probably my favorite tradition!

Another tradition, and probably the longest held, is Christmas pajamas. I have gotten Christmas pajamas on Christmas eve as long as I can remember. My Mawgie started it, and after she passed away my mother continued. Now, the hubby gets them with us.

Wearing our matching pajamas and playing none other than Trivial Pursuit. I remember I won that year!

The first year I brought C home for Christmas. Little brother didn't think he'd like him. He fit right in!

 

And then the tradition continued.

 

My mom will be thrilled to see I'm rocking pajamas from Christmas past.

Lots of found memories of these traditions I partook in for so many years. So, now that I'm married what traditions do we have now? This is only our second married Christmas, so we're still getting used to the fact that we can start our own traditions. Some things are the same as last year, some are different. Both years, we've gone to church where we attend as a married couple. Both years we've spend Christmas eve and Christmas morning just the 2 of us. We go to his parents later in the day. Last year we spend New Year's eve in Colorado and did Christmas with my family the last week of December. This year, my hubby can't get off until the 13th. I will be travelling to CO alone on the first so I can see my brother while he's there. I will just bring C back his presents. The travelling part I know will probably be inconsistent until we have kids. My philosophy is kids should always wake up Christmas day in their own house. We open our stockings first, stay in our pajamas, then eat breakfast. Last year I made pancakes that were dyed green and stacked to look like Christmas trees. This year, I made quiche. Both years, we have watched Christmas movies on Christmas eve. The hubby loves A Christmas Story, which is not one of my faves, but it's been incorporated into the traditions we're creating. I guess when you get married the traditions you start are some from your family, some from theirs and new ones. I know after kids more and more traditions will begin and continue.

Below are two things I've started as my own traditions that I love. The first is the book, Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans. My mom turned me onto this about 4 years ago. I have read it every Christmas since. I know he has other books, I've just never read them. I love this book. Every year I read it the story is so familar, like an old friend. Yet, like a friend I discover something new each time I read it. Yeah, I know that was corny. Anyway, go and read this book. It's a quick read. I can't tell you what it's about without giving too much away. It's very much fiction and would never happen, and that's why I like it.
 

My other favorite tradition is m using my Christmas china. We don't get our Christmas decor out until December 1st. (Hey! I just found another tradition we created.) This year it was even later since I got the stomach bug on December 1st. Ugh. Anyway, the day after Thanksgiving I was going to put up all my regular china from dinner and thought "Why would I go to all this trouble just have to take it down and switch it out with the Christmas in 2 days?" So, that was one decoration that went up early. My pattern (as a simply southern wife, of course I have "my pattern") is Holly, by Lenox. I love how elegant it is. I use it no matter what we're eating. It's meant to be enjoyed! So even if we're eating frozen pizza, I will use the Christmas china. I have also been known to pour a beer in my Waterford. Why not? I love drinking my chai out of one of the pretty mugs. 

What are some of your family's traditions? Does Santa wrap his gifts or bring them unwrapped? (our Santa never wrapped) Do you get dressed before opening gifts? Do you open presents Christmas eve or Christmas day?  Whatever your traditions I hope you all have a very, merry Christmas! Remember: the ultimate tradition is that year after year we can remember God sent His Son to come to earth in human form so He could be the ultimate gift: everlasting life.

Merry Christmas, y'all!

Here are some ghosts from Christmas past:

 

 



Christmas is coming because Starbucks says so!

Don't get me wrong. I love Thanksgiving. It's the kick-off of the holiday season and I refuse to put up Christmas decorations until the day after. In my case, it's later than that because I am always at my parents' house in Colorado. But I am so excited for Christmas this year! The first thing that gets me in the holiday spirit each year is...

However, another reason I am super excited for Christmas this year is...

Christopher is coming home with me for Christmas!!! This will be his first trip to Colorado. So everyone please pray that it snows this year. I really want him to experience a white Christmas.

Office Shananigans

This is what happens when you're gone the week of Christmas: