Christmas and Traditions

Christmas was different this year than the other 28 years that I have been alive. My family has always had certain traditions that we practice on Christmas. Everyone gets to open one gift on Christmas Eve, Candle Light Service, Homemade cinnamon rolls, reading of the birth of Jesus before the opening of gifts, the organization of opening gifts, oldest to youngest.

Well this year the grandparents came over on Christmas Eve. Mike, Noel's dad, came with his presents. My parents came over. Noel's mother, Gail and her husband Bobby, where the other grandparents but they were not there for Christmas Eve. So Michael, "pops", gave the kids a bounce house with a ball pit, swing set, and the educational toys that I picked out. My parents helped with getting the children the "your baby can read" program and some other educational toys. Now the kids thought that everything was wonderful and still really do not grasp what Christmas is, but I think that next year will be a blast. Also the children opened all the gifts at the same time, hectic joy.

So the next year Noel and I will have to decide what traditions that we like from our childhood and see what we are going to do with our children. Like we are going to a Jesse Tree next year, but the other things will have to be discussed. Childhood traditions are different when you realize that everyone has different ones. There is a blending that occurs and how much of your traditions go into your own family.

My mother has always had dinner at her house and she is use to that tradition. Well for Thanksgiving we had dinner at my house because my house has the room for everyone. I think that my mother felt that she was being ousted because we did not have dinner at her house. So for Christmas we had dinner at her house. So imagine 8 adults, 10 grandchildren (8 under the age of 3) in a less than 2000 square foot house. My mother at the end of Christmas dinner I think realized that we are not trying to take her tradition but want to keep our sanity through Christmas dinner. So mom we love you and your cooking but just not at your house. LOL

This year was wonderful and I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful gifts of love that you gave my children. Michael, thank you for giving the children something to play with outside since I cannot take them to the park as much as I would like. Also thank you for the educational toys the children will learn and enjoy doing it. We love you very much. Pat and John, thank you for the educational toys for the same reason I gave Michael and for the reading program Elijah and the triplets are really enjoying it. Bobby and Gail thank you for the clothes for the kids, they will always need clothes and it is blessing to know that we have clothes for the next couple years.

A special blessing that I did NOT receive this Christmas was having to make another announcement that I was having another child. Thank you Noel for having surgery. "God bless us everyone."

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year