I have been thinking about this a lot lately so I thought I would blog about it. My childhood is full of wonderful memories especially Christmas memories. I remember on Christmas Eve, Miranda, my sister that shared a room with me, and I  would deep clean our bedrooms to get ready for all the fun things we would receive the next day.  I know that doesn’t sound like fun but somehow that is the only time it was fun maybe it is because it would keep us busy and make the day go faster. While we cleaned we would listen to Christmas stories and music and talk about what we would get the next day. Then my older brothers would take us to the movies and afterward we would go to dinner to give my parents time to get things wrapped and ready for Santa. When we got home we would start our Christmas program. We would drink hot cocoa out of our personalized Santa’s mugs, snack on ritz crackers, summer sausage and cheese and play games as a family.  Then we would dress up to play our parts in the story of the first Christmas.

Now our kids act out the first Christmas.

As my Dad would read it out of the scriptures we would act it out. Earlier that month we drew one of our siblings names, with seven brothers and sisters this was easier on all our budgets, but it also gave us a chance to really focus on the person whose name we drew. We would be a lot more attentive to their interests, their personality and their desires so as to pick the perfect present for them. 

Its perfect!

 I always loved my gift and it did seem very perfect for me. Then off to bed we would go to what seemed like the longest night of the year. Waiting until finally the sandman would reach you only to wake up to early Christmas morning. We would run and jump on our parent’s bed and they would send us in to brush our hair and teeth to look nice for the pictures that would be taken.  Then we would line up either oldest to youngest or vice versa, which didn’t matter much to me since I was one of the middle children, and we would walk into the front rooom to find gifts everywhere.  My mom always tried to have us open one at a time, but like I said we have a big family, and after a while it took too long and  in our frenzy paper flew everywhere. In our stockings we would find a small box of cereal to tied us over until Christmas dinner that afternoon. I loved it. The days leading up to Christmas were just as fun. I remember one time going up into the woods with my Dad and brothers and sister while my Mom sat in the car with the kids that were too young to look for our Christmas tree (this was before the days of my Mom’s allergies). We looked forever, walking past some of the prettiest tress only to bring back a Charlie Brown tree to hang our ornaments on. My Mom would give my Dad a hard time and he would always say,  “I felt bad for it.” It makes me smile just thinking about it.  I loved those times. Of course I am older now and have children of my own so our Christmas Eve program has been changed to whenever the family can get together. Now Santa and occasionally Mrs. Claus comes to give the grandkids gifts as well as  us older kids.

Santa and Mrs. Claus- 2005

We have changed our tradition this year instead of each person drawing a name, it is now couples draw couples names and kids draw kids names. We still play games and now instead of going to a movie we do other activities  and eat a big dinner as a family.

Coasting behind the car-2007

 Now that I am older I have another family to spend time with and enjoy their traditions and experience the fun things Tyler grew up with.

Poppers on Christmas Eve.

I know when the time comes we will take a little from each of our families and make it our own and I will be interested to see how our children do things with their own children.

I hope each of you have a Merry Christmas.