It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

We all have memories of our Christmas past. For me, it revolved around family.  When I was young my grandparents always hosted a big family get-together. There was a family friend who would dress up each year like Santa and he always made a visit to their place.  It was years before we found out who the mysterious Santa was. We opened our presents on Christmas Eve and even though we had a large gathering everyone was courteous and would wait their turn before opening their presents.

As the years went by and my younger siblings came along we began to add our own family traditions.

We decorated our freshly cut tree with bubble lights, garland, and icicles. I would put those icicles on one at a time and then my brother would begin to throw them on the tree and I would get so aggravated with him. 

I remember the year my mom bought one of the new silver trees with a disco light that would shine on it. That was "way out" from the traditional tree.

We started the tradition of opening our presents on Christmas morning. I loved watching my brothers and sister open up the special gifts they were wishing for. 

For extra Christmas money, my mom would make beautiful fresh wreaths. Whenever I smell boughs I always think of her and Christmas.

We also made homemade cinnamon rolls and banana bread for gifts.

My sister and brothers loved their Christmas presents

My mom's silver tree with the disco revolving light.

When I got married I remember our first Christmas without snow. I was raised in northern Michigan and we always had a white Christmas. My hubby and I had moved to Daytona Beach, Florida and it was all green and warm that Christmas. We bought a tree and decorated it and then went to a candlelight service at the church.  Even though it was warm and lacking snow I loved our first Christmas together.

When we had our children we began to make new memories and start new traditions. I loved taking my little girls to the mall to sit on Santa's lap and take their picture. In all of my 48 years of marriage, I have always had a Christmas tree and baked special recipes. Two of our favorites are cut sugar cookies and peppernuts also call pfeffernusse. They are a German cookie recipe from my husband's side of the family. 

My daughters visiting Santa

My daughters styling in their matching dresses and boots!

Now we have grandchildren and new traditions have started as well as hanging on to the old ones.  

Each year we have a Christmas family photo taken. 

2013 Family Christmas Picture

My seven grandchildren!!

Our children and grandchildren help us put up the 10ft long Colonial Christmas village.  

 

Some of the other things we do are watch the classic and Hallmark Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music. A day and evening are set aside to make and decorate cookies. As a family, we attend a candlelight Christmas Eve service. On Christmas morning we go to their homes and watch the grandchildren open their gifts. On Christmas afternoon we have our children and extended family over for dinner and my husband reads the biblical account of Jesus' birth in Luke 2:1-20. Then we play board games, laugh, eat dessert, and enjoy each other's company.

There are other things we have done throughout the years such as attend the Nutcracker Ballet, Rhema Lights, Festival of Trees at Philbrook, Christmas shows, and Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, and Victory Christian Center's Christmas Illustrated Message, but it always comes back to the time with family.

I have found my daughters and their husbands have kept some of our traditions but are also adding new ones for their individual families. With each generation comes new expressions of celebrating Christmas.  

There is one aspect of the Christmas season that we all celebrate and that is the birth of Jesus. He truly is the "reason for the season."