This morning I stood in the kitchen and got down all the recipes I would need for the next few days. They're the same recipes I used last year, and the year before. And probably the year before that too. You see, it's been awhile since we've been with family for the holidays, which has provided Joe and I the wonderful opportunity to create our very own family traditions. A lot of them are from our own childhood, but adapted just a bit. And some are brand spankin' new. Some, I'm sure barely qualify as a tradition because they're so small. And some, the girls already look forward too.
But I had this feeling while I was looking through my recipe book that I needed to record our holiday season traditions. Because some are very specific and I don't want anything forgotten about being a young family and building traditions.
So for you children, here's how it all began...I'm sure you'll remember things differently when you're older and have your own families, but hopefully you'll remember the fun we had. Take these traditions (I'm sure I'll forget to write down all of them) from your childhood, and make them your own.
- Making holiday treats for Family Home Evening to deliver to friends and neighbors. We always make great grandma Mable's secret peanut butter ball recipe. It's quality time that is my favorite part of the holiday.
- Getting out the Elf on the Shelf book and looking for "Freddie" every morning. (I highly recommend this if you have a 20 month old, so fun). This has made me think though, I need to get about 6 copies of this story to pass on to you so you can have it for your family, because I'm sure in 20-25 years this book will be long gone. I'd love for you to have the same little elf you did as children.
- Slumber party by the tree and watching a Christmas movie. Growing up, we watched a Very Brady Christmas. But we've watched Polar Express and Santa Claus. Henry wasn't invited this year, but I'm sure next year we'll have no choice!
*Christmas Eve Traditions*
- Christmas Eve movie. This is a new one Joe and I started ourselves. It's a great way to spend (aka distract the children) the afternoon of Christmas Eve. 2007: Enchanted. 2008: Bolt. 2009: The Princess and the Frog. This year: We're off to see Tangled!
- Make and decorate sugar cookies for Santa. Always way more dough consumption than actual cookie making.
- Cinnamon rolls. A Christmas morning must. Those get made in our down time on Christmas Eve. The recipe is to die for.
- Big Christmas Eve dinner. The menu is as follows, and hasn't changed since we started doing our own dinner a few years ago...Garlic Prime Rib cooked to medium..Parmesan Smashed Potatoes made with red potatoes..Pan fried Asparagus that only I really like, but daddy eats anyway to be polite..and lots of Martinelli's, our absolute favorite.
- Read from the Bible. This year we'll act it out and watch the recorded one we made in Arizona with all the cousins in July. It's gonna be awesome.
- Open 2 presents before bed. 1. Ornaments. This year we're all getting a character from Wizard of Oz. Guess who's getting the Wicked Witch? I like to give ornaments that having meaning from the past year. I think Wizard of Oz is appropriate for 2010. And 2. Pajamas. I'm adding slippers with this year's gift. It's cold in Kansas.
*Christmas Morning Traditions*
- Lay all the stockings on the couch with the unwrapped gift from Santa staring from youngest to oldest. Stocking must haves: an orange, tic tacs, and a bag of pistachios. Plus all the other random stuff Santa brings.
- Have Christmas music playing. If Elvis can be playing, that's preferred. It reminds me of my mom.
- After we open stockings we break for delicious cinnamon rolls and egg nog.
- Then it's onto the real present opening. We sit around the tree and daddy plays "Santa". He passes out the presents and we take turns opening them one at a time. It's okay if it takes us 3 hours to open all the presents- it's super fun that way.
- Christmas breakfast is next. Growing up my dad always made omelets. We've done that in the past. Last year we made Eggs Benedict. This year, it's crepes with Nutella, strawberries and bananas. Yum.
- Then we sit around in our pajamas all day and hope to get in a nap.
I know there are a million traditions I didn't include, like reading Christmas stories each night by the tree and shopping for secret Santa gifts for those less fortunate. I hope to add more as the years go by. Maybe I'll add yours...what is your favorite holiday tradition?
It's a good Christmas when you hear footsteps sneaking down the hallway at 4:11 am. Gabs and Gwen came quietly into our room to tell us Santa had been here. I could see Gwen was barely able to stand she was so tired. She couldn't stop rubbing her eyes. I asked which one of the girls woke up first. Gabs said she did. She woke Gwen up because they had made a pact on Christmas Eve that the first one awake was to wake the other. 
