Traditions to Enjoy

My girls all came over tonight to decorate our Christmas Tree.  My oldest resurrected an old tradition of getting a new ornament for each family member each year.  She bought little wooden ones, and a stuffed giraffe for her son. 

We have gathered to do the tree together every year except one.  We waited until we could all gather, even waiting until right before Christmas one year.  We have decorated the tree on my husband’s birthday (five days before Christmas), and decorated it the day after Thanksgiving, such as this year.   The memories from this tradition alone are so special. 

When my husband and I first married, we were bringing together two families into one.  Blended families are common today, and they hold unique challenges.  I wanted to give my children and my marriage a chance to overcome the odds.  I knew that, if I wanted to create memories for my children, I had to be purposeful in my actions.  We created some traditions along the way, such as family anniversaries and holiday celebrations... even if it didn’t occur on the actual holiday!

I’m not always in the Christmas spirit. There have been tough years where I decorated the tree grudgingly.  There have been years where I looked at the tree and hated the rampant consumerism the holiday seems to represent.  There have even been years where I believed the Christmas Tree to be somewhat pagan. But always there was a desire to make family memories of togetherness and laughter and joy. We didn’t always have a lot of money, but we had each other. 

This year I just want to be surrounded by my loved ones.  We have had a lot of ups and downs over the last couple of years.  My tears and fears have both flowed freely.  I wondered if I would lose one of my daughters. I wondered how much a family could handle.  All I want this Christmas is to have my children around me and cherish the moments and memories. 

Life goes by quickly.  I think God wants us to celebrate the loved ones in our lives and the times we can be together, making memories.  Traditions are nice in that memories are made in those instances.  We spend time together and laugh. My new son-in-law never helped decorate the tree.  His mom always did it herself.  He said this was a new experience for him.  I am glad he got to be a part of our little tradition. 

Also new to this tradition is my grandson.  He was here last year, but was an infant.  This year his reactions to the lights and ornaments were more entertaining. 

I am the mom all OCD moms dread.  I keep childhood ornaments.  I let my kids hang the ornaments.  None of the ornaments really match each other.  My tree is a collage of colors and themes, telling the story of our family in a hundred little ways.  I still have the Baby’s First Christmas ornaments for each child.  I looked for interesting ornaments for years...  until my tree was full.  

Then I stopped for awhile.  Over the years some of the ornaments broke or were lost.  A flooded basement wiped out all the paper ones we had one year, and so we can purchase some new ones.  I have a smaller tree now than the live monstrosities we used to cut when the girls were small.  This also means less ornaments are needed.

It was an fun night.  I am happy I take the hundreds of pictures and remember the moments that pass all too quickly.   I can remember only a few of the gifts I received or have given over the years, but moments stay with me long for years and years.