This is our tree. I still can't get the hubby to put the photos of the house on my computer, but at least you can get a glimpse of our new house. This is a portion of our great room. Next year we need to get a bigger tree. I want the angel up to the ceiling!
According to NORAD, Santa is just entering North American. He'll finish up in South America before he hits the US. My kidlets are so excited. They can't wait for Santa. Of course, we had our family Christmas this morning at my parents house and Santa really doesn't need to show up tonight. Every year I ask that my family (parents, sister and brother-in-law) keep the toys to a minimum. Every year I'm ignored. This year my parents gave each of my child 5 gifts not counting the Gund Pooh tied to one of my youngest's gifts. I lost count of the gifts my sister and her hubby gave them. I appreciate their generosity, but does my five year old really need a decorate your own hermit crab world? What exactly is a hermit crab? And is it something my cats are going to want to eat?
It's become a tradition for them to pick toys that will annoy me. I'm not kidding. One year it was a real toy vacuum cleaner that when turned on made so much noise it scared the cats and had the neighbors wondering what was going on inside our little house. This year, a monster truck that plays "We are the champions" while lights blink and flash wins the award. Though the American Idol Barbie that sings and stage comes in second.
Holiday traditions can be both frustrating and comforting. When we used to have a big Christmas dinner with all of us together, it just wouldn't be right if the fire alarm didn't go off while my mom was cooking or if they television wasn't on with my dad reclining in his Lazy-boy watching football. Going through the photos taken this morning, the TV is on with a football game. Some things never change!
A tradition I've carried over to my family is opening one gift on Christmas Eve. After we get home from Mass and have eaten dinner, we each get a gift to open and every year it's the same thing--pajamas. The kids still don't realize that each year they get pjs on Christmas Eve. I'm wondering when they will remember!
Other traditions we've developed over the years:
1) Driving the track at the Portland International Raceway to look at the Winter Wonderland Lights
2) A visit and picture with Santa Claus
3) A box of Mrs. Prindable's caramel apples from QVC
4) Advent calendars full of chocolate
5) An Advent wreath to light each night
6) Dinner at the Rhinelander for all the December birthdays
7) A walk through the Grotto to see the lights and puppet show
8) A walk through Zoolights at the Portland Zoo (though the weather and illnesses have made this a sometime tradition)
9) Watching all the Rankin-Bass holiday shows, Holiday Inn and It's a Wonderful Life
10) Reading The Donkey's Dream by Barbara Helen Berger (the birth of Jesus from the perspective of the donkey)
11) Tears at Christmas Eve Mass (tonight only two of the kids cried. That's better than all three!)
12) A birthday cake for dessert on Christmas Day.
