Tradition

Merry Christmas everyone!
NOW it really feels like Christmas. I had a really hard time this season feeling that it was actually the time of year, but today was certainly a great day!
Traditions can be pretty great. True, tradition tends to many times become sacred cows in our lives that limit us rather than uplift us, but when they are kept in a way that doesn't keep one in bondage but rather creates memories and deepens our recollection of what really matters, they are quite useful.
My family would have no traditions if it was not for Christmas. I really enjoy them, and I thought I'd share a few with you today! Leave me a Christmas tradition of yours on my facebook as I'd love to hear yours.
So here are a few:

*Christmas Eve is always spent with my mom's side of the family, even before my dad passed. Up untuil this year it was always at Grandpa and Grandma's, but this year we moved to a bigger house because there are too many great grandkids that have tipped the scale!

*Christmas Presents. Around my family, getting a gift for eachother is more important than getting a gift for eachother on our birthdays! Christmas actually supercedes birthdays! lol. I get at least one gift for each of my family members and everyone else does the same. Not just cheap gifts -- we really bring out the big bucks. Could be why we rarely get eachother anything for birthdays. lol.

*Christmas Breakfast. My dad used to make this massive buffet of ham, eggs, hasbrowns, toast, bacon, and more. We've done this as long as I can remember. Now my brother Justin cooks it, and Tyler and I assist. Great and yummy tradition!

*Christmas Cookie Buildup. Mom cooks all kinds of cookies (that we are not allowed to have before Christmas...but I sneak them anyways) and unleashes them for feasting on Christmas day.

*Do NOTHING! On Christmas Day we dont go anywhere. Every other holiday we keep that option open, but Christmas Day is reserved for just our family. This is priceless to me!

*Grandpa and Grandma. They come over and see what we got for Christmas, and Grandpa plays with something that we bought. Today he tried to put together Tyler's puzzle that has 300,000 possible ways to put together wrong. He didnt get very far, lol.

So in times like these I wonder how many of these traditions I will keep when I have a family of my own, and also how many we will make. None of these are sacred cows to me, but they are special at this point in my life. I'm looking forward to when I have a family of my own and we can have special Christmas' together!
It's been a wonderful Christmas and I hope yours was too. May you have wonderful memories with your family -- they are precious gifts from God!

...And to all a goodnight!

Love,
Chris