Christmas traditions...........................

Now that my children are adults, it is time to tweak some of our family Christmas traditions. On the chance that you are looking to do the same, I thought I would share what we have done.

For as long as I can remember, it wasn't Christmas until the picture with Santa was acquired. Great children that I have, they continued to comply with my wishes, all through high school, college, real employment... Last year when we showed up at the mall for the annual picture, Santa was on a coffee break. Not wanting to hang around waiting, we came up with the idea that I would be Santa (a MUCH cuter version of course), so I sat in his chair, the kids climbed up beside me and we had a stranger snap our picture. That is when we decided we would move from the traditional mall Santa to more adventurous ones each year. This year we went to Home Depot and posed with one of those blow up lawn Santa perched high on a shelf. I cropped out the faces for blog safety, but here is what a kind stranger captured for us:

It's that great? We are already thinking up next years adventure.

Also, for as long as memory serves, my Christmas Eves included the reading of the traditional Christmas story of Baby Jesus's birth, and being able to open one gift which ALWAYS happen to be new pajama's so we would look good in Christmas morning pictures (took me years to figure that one out on my own). Over the years I maintained this tradition, passing it down to my children, regardless of what I did the rest of the evening with my various partners. Last year I added one more piece that I hope my grand kids pass on to their kids (Wait! Dogs and cats can't talk...Maybe someday...)

About six weeks before Christmas (so no one could come up with the excuse of not having the time) I told everyone that between the reading of the story and the opening of the presents that we were starting a new tradition of sharing a memory from our past. I picked the year the memory was to have occurred in, and the only rules was that it needed to be something that none of the rest of us knew about the person. It was wonderful listening to each other bust on themselves. I totally blew my kids minds when I shared my one and only experience of trying a cigarette. Not their mother! This year I have picked age five, and totally plan to gross my kids out with what I am going to share. It will be great!