Monday, December 1, 2008

Christmas Traditions

As we've put out Christmas decorations this year, I've started to think about traditions that I've held close over the years and have thought about beginning new traditions. I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorites and find out what others' favorites are!

1. We've ALWAYS had an Advent Wreath at Mom's house. Every Sunday night we sat down and had a short devotion and lit a candle...up until a few years ago that is. One evening we were all sitting around the kitchen table when John got up, went to the cabinet and got out a bag of marshmallows, and proceeded to roast one (during the devotion!!!) over one of the advent candles. Unfortunately for him, he hasn't yet lived that one down. He'll kill me for even mentioning it! :) Now Mom puts the wreath out but I can't remember lighting the candles for quite a while!

2. Also at Mom's we go to the Christmas Eve service at church and have lots of family friends over for a Christmas Eve Party afterwards. It's always SO much fun to get together with everyone! I'll miss you this year, MB!

3. At Dad's house one of our traditions started when we were really little. I'm not 100% sure how it started but John had a video called "Santa's Surprise" that we always had to watch. The video is completely worn out now so last year I got on the internet and found a DVD version of it. It's not quite the same as the original, but it'll have to do!

4. At Dad's we usually got to open one gift on Christmas Eve (although Christmas Eve isn't always on December 24th!). That gift was usually a movie of some sort - and the movies were always given to us by the cats!

5. No matter where we were for Christmas, we always had to take a picture in our pajamas (or BA-jamas as Mom says) before we could see our presents...and it was usually on the stairs. I remember that all the way back to the "blue house."

6. Mom has the tradition of giving everyone in the family a box of Cracker Jacks in their stocking. I think that tradition started with her Mama...although I don't know why. She also used to give us an apple or orange...I don't think those ever got eaten!

7. Christmas breakfast must consist of some of the following: Monkey Bread, Breakfast Casserole, sweet rolls, and oranges and grapefruit.

We're talking about combining some of our traditions (one of Eddie's favorites is a birthday cake for Jesus) and coming up with some fun new ones! Tonight we watched "Shrek the Halls" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Eddie had never seen the original Grinch before!!!

Aunt Melly sent me a stocking today that matches one that she gave Eddie last year for Christmas. It's fun to be included in a new family's Christmas!

I have to share a CUTE Christmas story that I'll never forget about Bess. When she was little she asked her mama one time if they would be able to have colored lights on their Christmas tree when they got rich. I don't think I've EVER seen their tree without colored lights! Love it! How sweet!

PS - I looked for some fun old Christmas pictures of Hasty children but I couldn't find one. My favorite is one where we're dressed in footie pajamas at the top of the stairs and you can tell we have vaseline smeared on our faces (thanks, Mom!).

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You better hope no one tells John what you wrote! He would kill you! Mom gave us the apple and orange because when Granddaddy was a little boy those were considered luxuries! That tradition goes back several generations!
My favorite tradition was going to see Santa and getting a picture with all three of us on his lap!

Anonymous said...

you got it right! I was like 3 when that happened & can never live it down. Moma had the entire tree up & decorated when I made me request & we immediately went out and purchased colored lights that she just wrapped around the whole thing. I have allowed her to decorate her tree like 'poor' people here recently w/ white lights :)