Christmas 1981Here are some things our family does to celebrate Christmas.
__ reads the story of the birth of Jesus
__ puts on the Nativity play
__ goes Christmas caroling
__ Trims a Christmas tree
_X hangs up stockings for Santa Claus to fill
__ does anonymous good deeds for people
__ bakes goodies for friends
_X gives presents to each other
__ has a special Christmas dinner
__ has a party for our family or friends.
I forgot to mark down other things. On Christmas Eve, Dad would read the Christmas Story out of the Bible for us, reminding us of the reason for the season. We would attempt to not fight and to sing some Christmas Carols around the piano. (There would be fighting AND pouting.) The stockings were not hung by the chimney with care, as the mantle wouldn't handle it, plus there was a wood fire going on. So, they would be hung off the staircase with care -- over the piano -- or placed on the piano. The tree had already been trimmed sometime after Thanksgiving, but the angel placement was always a big deal to Mom (and what an angel it was!). As I've mentioned, goodies had been baked and already distributed to the neighbors. The parents probably had done anonymous good deeds, but since we were little, we didn't realize that what was going on. Our special Christmas "dinner," was more of the family tradition of a late Christmas Day brunch of pancakes and/or omelettes (made by Dad), followed by "grazing" around the table throughout the day -- on fruit, cheese and crackers (Chicken in a Biscuit are a must!), veggies, candy, and odds-and-ends.
Every family has their own traditions. Now that we're all scattered, new ones are developing, based on childhood nostalgia and new family dynamics. Enjoy your Christmas, my little nieces and nephews, knowing that one day you'll look back at your family traditions through rose colored lenses.
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