Traditions

This holiday season I have been thinking a lot about family traditions and what my child will experience at Christmas (hopefully next year).  Christmas is still pretty magical with my family.

Christmas Eve evening is always spent with my mom's family.  My sister and I host dinner now and it's not exactly the same as when we were kids but the spirit is still there. I know Granny and Pop are smiling down on us.

After Christmas Eve dinner, my sister and I plus the hubbies and now my baby nephew head to my Dad's house to spend the night. Yes, we are well into our thirties and still spend the night with my Dad on Christmas Eve so we can wake up together on Christmas morning.  We eat cookies in our new Christmas pajamas and wait for Santa.  At 6 am Christmas morning, we are awaken by loud Christmas music and are greeted by my Dad and Linda wearing Santa hats. We are promptly given coffee (a new tradition).  We sit around the Christmas tree, open presents and smile for photos.  Between you and me, I secretly get up a little earlier and brush my teeth and hair so that I will look somewhat presentable during these photos.  Then we empty our stocking and I'll eat a Reese's peanut butter Christmas tree or whatever candy is in my stocking to hold me over to the next event which is Christmas brunch at Grandma's.

Then it's over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house, well that's what it feels like anyway.  We've had Christmas brunch at Grandma's probably all of my life.  Everyone is there by like 9:30 am. We have Christmas cheer (somebody has always brought a new cocktail that you have to try) and sausage balls and coffee cake. By 10 am, we are all feeling relaxed and laughing.  At Grandma's, we open presents first, then photos and then we eat.  We tear into the presents at lightening speed.  After presents, it is time for the annual cousins portrait on the couch.  The cousins are six girls, I am the oldest.  We have posed for the same picture for over thirty years, adding a new cousin along the way.  I really need to find a picture of us for each year, it would be pretty cool to see us grow up on the couch.  Or at least find the first one with all six of us. We take the traditional picture, but now we do another one with the husbands and the kids, etc.  Finally it's time to eat!  We have oyster fritters, breakfast casserole, angel biscuits with sausage gravy, homemade jam, bacon, ham, grits, potatoes and so many delicious things that I can't even think of.  Then you are so FULL that you want to fall into a Christmas coma.  But there is no time for that. Dishes are done and we are out the door to the next visit on our list.

We take a "pretty" one too, but this one is funnier.



This is the only old photo I have, not from the couch series
but we don't we look festive?

We spend the afternoon with Marlon's parents.  They are low-key and I am thankful for that. We sit and talk, maybe have a cocktail and exchange presents.  It's always a nice and relaxing visit.  We need it because we are not done with Christmas yet!  Christmas evening we go to my aunt and uncle's house for appetizers and cocktails.

By the time, we get back to wherever we are staying, we are EXHAUSTED.  Too tired to even check out our loot, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  Christmas is about spending time with those you love.  I can't wait for our kid to experience our family's Christmas magic and start some New York holiday traditions as well.

Merry Christmas to all!