Christmas Traditions
Today I am thinking about all the Christmas traditions my family has had for as long as I can remember. Traditions that have been passed to me by my mother and I have passed to my children. Also new ones that I have added over the years.
There were certain things that we could count on. Our stockings always had a homemade popcorn ball, an orange (which was a treat in the winter) and a candy cane. We knew we would get knitted or crocheted slippers in a variety of colors to keep our feet warm on a cold winter night.
My grandmother always sent the fruitcake. What child likes a cake with alcohol and dried fruits and nuts? I guess not many adults either, as to this day I will not eat fruitcake. Putting alcohol in sweets just seems so wrong.
My mother always baked so the house smelled of fresh baked goods. All of us wanted to eat it as soon as it came out of the oven, but knew that we would have to wait. Bowls of nuts were on the table as well as freshly made fudge. So many treats to choose from.
When my girls were growing up I did my best to continue all of these traditions for them. Although I can tell you I never did get into the crocheted slippers - those I bought. A couple of things were added to the old and became tradition for me and my girls. One was the reading of The Polar Express each holiday - many times over. This has become my favorite Christmas story. Another thing I did early each Christmas morning was to ring a bell which signaled that Santa had arrived. It would bring my girls down the stairs every time. When they were a bit older and times were a little lean I decorated a potted plant for our tree. I still decorate the same plant every year now - it would not be Christmas without it.
Now my role has changed since I am a grandmother. I still like to bake special treats for Christmas, but my most precious gift is to spend time with my children and grandchildren. It is now time for my daughters to carry on family traditions and share with their children. I hope that many of these things will carry on for many generations to come.
Christmas traditions are a wonderful gift. What traditions will you pass on?
There were certain things that we could count on. Our stockings always had a homemade popcorn ball, an orange (which was a treat in the winter) and a candy cane. We knew we would get knitted or crocheted slippers in a variety of colors to keep our feet warm on a cold winter night.
My grandmother always sent the fruitcake. What child likes a cake with alcohol and dried fruits and nuts? I guess not many adults either, as to this day I will not eat fruitcake. Putting alcohol in sweets just seems so wrong.
My mother always baked so the house smelled of fresh baked goods. All of us wanted to eat it as soon as it came out of the oven, but knew that we would have to wait. Bowls of nuts were on the table as well as freshly made fudge. So many treats to choose from.
When my girls were growing up I did my best to continue all of these traditions for them. Although I can tell you I never did get into the crocheted slippers - those I bought. A couple of things were added to the old and became tradition for me and my girls. One was the reading of The Polar Express each holiday - many times over. This has become my favorite Christmas story. Another thing I did early each Christmas morning was to ring a bell which signaled that Santa had arrived. It would bring my girls down the stairs every time. When they were a bit older and times were a little lean I decorated a potted plant for our tree. I still decorate the same plant every year now - it would not be Christmas without it.
Now my role has changed since I am a grandmother. I still like to bake special treats for Christmas, but my most precious gift is to spend time with my children and grandchildren. It is now time for my daughters to carry on family traditions and share with their children. I hope that many of these things will carry on for many generations to come.
Christmas traditions are a wonderful gift. What traditions will you pass on?
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