Traditions
The month of December, or after Thanksgiving, I tend to start to think of all the traditions that we have. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of traditions that happen year round, but during the time leading up to Christmas, I sometimes feel they are extra special. I tend to hold my little kiddos tighter each day. I tend to let certain things go and just want to be with the family as much as possible. And I’m learning not to over book ourselves during the month of December. I don’t want to push us over the limit. I want to have the quality time with the family, relax and enjoy it.
Since around 2012, a day or two after Thanksgiving, we have been going to a local event with my husbands family. This included my husband’s parents and his sister and her husband. I’m not even sure how it became a tradition, but in my mind, it definitely has been. We meet at this event, the Sea Festival of Trees, which is held at a venue on the beach. Local businesses get to decorate trees for all to see and you can enter raffles to win the tree that you like the most! We walk around, admire the trees, and put some raffle tickets into the bins. We put as many raffle tickets in our favorites, but there are always so many trees to see!
Santa also visits this festival. There is a mailbox, next to a table with paper and pencils for the children to write to Santa with what they wish. This year, our oldest (who will be 5 on Christmas Eve), actually wanted to write his list to Santa. He has never wanted to do this before. This list included a motorcycle, a snowmobile, and a jet ski. YIKES! Big things to ask for, as an almost 5-year-old. It didn’t matter to our youngest to write a list. But since Santa was there, we tried to get the kids to sit on Santa’s lap. They wanted nothing to do with it. The only way I could get a picture with my youngest was to hold him and stand in front of Santa. That somewhat worked.
Also at this festival, was an indoor ice skating rink. Now, it’s not your normal ice skating rink. It’s one of the ones that you can put down on top of the existing floor to make an indoor ice skating rink. It’s really cool. My oldest couldn’t wait to get out there. He and his cousins had a blast. They went back and forth. They want around in circles. They just loved every minute of it. So when we told our son it was time to get off, he was very upset and eventually threw a tantrum. It was not pleasant. And we were that family that had the kid that had the meltdown. Ah well. It happens.
Well by this time, it was time to go. But our day didn’t stop there. We went back to my in-laws for pizza, chicken fingers and a movie (at least for the kids). The kiddos get to start the holiday season and watch a Christmas movie, or whatever movie they choose. After being out and about the family, it was nice to just kick back and relax with everyone.
That is just one of the many traditions that we have. A couple others:
- Watching the Polar Express the night of Thanksgiving
- Putting up all the holiday decorations starting the day after Thanksgiving and by Sunday night everything is up!
- Watching White Christmas on Dec 23. (I’ve probably watched it one time prior to that date)
- Watching as many Christmas Movies we can by Christmas Eve (this includes the classic Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty The Snowman, Frosty Returns, The Year Without a Santa Claus, It’s a Wonderful Life)
- Spending quality time with family
What are some of your traditions during the holidays season? Tell me!