I have always loved traditions. They are something you can depend on, look forward to, reminisce about and maybe even pass on to others and more generations that follow.
In the dark ages (I am referring to 1997) when Brian and I started dating, we had no idea what beautiful things our life together would create. I struggled with what to get him that first Christmas we were together. Then, I was passing a store window in Michigan
Every year when we get out the decorations for our home, after the lights and garland have adorned the tree, we read this letter that is tucked in a small wooden box with an intricately designed ornament engraved with our names and the year 1997. Since that year we have gotten an ornament every year. The animals have them from the year they came into our lives, we have a family one every year and grandma always gets the girls an ornament with their names on it with the year. All of our ornaments are in bags with the years 1997-2011 marked on them. We put them up in order and tell our story as we place them on the branches. All seven moves we have made in that time span, the four children being born, the funny stories from holidays of the past and whatever else we remember.
Our tree has only those ornaments on it. The very few others we have decorate other parts of the house, but our tree is a special place for only those special memories.
The girls love to come and sit by the tree and just look at it. Skyla is compelled by it in the early dark mornings before school and hatches there while I make her breakfast.
Other Christmas traditions have been created through the years. The hallmark singing snowmen collection we have is fun to break out every year. The girls press the buttons with nearly combative enthusiasm and then dance and dance. Without a beat missed the song is repeated or another snowman is singing. There are times when all four children think a different one should be played and then it is just a holly-jolly mash-up.
There is always milk and cookies put out, of course, on Christmas Eve. They have to be Oreo’s though. We never have Oreo’s in the house… except for in December! The girls like the candy cane ones, but my husband will only go for original.
This is Lana two years ago with an O-r-e-o grin!
There are always pancakes on Christmas morning after presents and then we just play all morning with the new loot.
The new tradition we started this year was the Northview Christmas Concert. It was so fun and the girls did so well during an hour and a half of performances. Trinity was entranced by the singing and pledged she would be up there one day. Journey didn’t scream once, which was an answer to my prayers, and the other two sat quietly and watched in the darkened auditorium. It was a beautiful night and I look forward to going again next year.
Traditions come and go through the years. But, I have a fairytale of a Christmas many, many years from now, surrounded by generations of my family as we set up the tree together. I will reach over and pick up that small wooden box and start with… This is my Christmas Promise and we will hang up that ornament marked with ours names from 1997. We will pull the bags from each year since and dress the tree until not a point of a needle can be seen anymore. We will have a full sized crate worth of hallmark snowmen by then playing in the other room with all the little hands repeatedly pressing the buttons and laughing. I will look around with a huge smile, while nibbling on my Oreo with one hand and holding my husbands hand in the other, right before we all leave for the Christmas Concert at Church.
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