For Me The Holidays Are All About Traditions

It is Christmas Eve. Arguable the best day of the year.

Today is full of promise for what COULD be tomorrow. Anything is still possible.

The best part about this time of year are the traditions. The things that you and yours do to make it a special time. I love traditions.

We have a few around here. Some older than others.

A new one that I started this year is sausage gravy for Christmas Eve breakfast. I mean, look at this:

That is happening again next year.

Another tradition around our house is there must be a Christmas tree smelling candle burning at all times. Well at least whenever we are awake. We aren’t trying to burn the house down or anything.

We have an artificial tree because I am way too OCD for a real one. But I love that real tree smell. So I always make sure that we have a candle that smells just like sort of like a real tree.

So imagine my surprise when the candle that I have burnt for three years now, suddenly…..went out last night.

The horror.

I sent the hubby on an emergency run to buy another this morning. I had such high expectations. He had to bring home THE perfect tree smelling candle. He almost cracked from the pressure. So he brought home two:

I mean I can see his dilemma. Sparkling Spruce or Glistening Pine? These are hard questions.

He absolutely made the right decision.

Which brings me to my confession. I get so nervous when all the stores close. I am so spoiled by things being so accessible. So suddenly when the big retailers just…..close…..it is extremely disconcerting.

For example, I realized that we only have 12 rolls of toilet paper in the house. And Target is going to be closed for something like 12 hours. What if everyone in this house simultaneously contracts a horrific stomach bug? And noses start running like faucets?

What if we run out of toilet paper? The fluffy, cushiony stuff that’s like a cloud for your private places? How will we continue to be functioning members of society?

That could absolutely happen.

I get worked into a frenzy rather easily. So this particular tradition is now referred to as Mom’s holiday toilet paper panic.

A happier Bell tradition is the 24 hour viewing of A Christmas Story. You know that channel that plays it over and over beginning on Christmas Eve?

If you didn’t know that happened….you are welcome. And come out from under your rock.

Whether anyone is watching or not, every TV in the house must be tuned to that channel. Just in case I walk through the room. That way I can catch a minute or five.

It just never gets old.

Dad was a little hard to convince at first, to love this tradition. But I won him over.

Because no one likes to hear Mom nag on Christmas Eve.

Tonight the kids and I will make cookies for Santa. Then right before bed (because I am a rebel) we get to enjoy some of those cookies along with a mug of hot chocolate.

That one makes everyone happy.

Once the cookies are finished, the kids are off to bed and I am off to work. Historically any wrapping that needs to be done, is done on Christmas Eve. Most years I am awake until 2 AM.

But not this year. This year I got a jump on it. I did it last night.

Yea me!

The problem is hours of sitting on the floor, hunched over wrapping paper and bows has taken its toll.

As in my back is in a knot today. If I bend over, it takes a good minute to get straightened back up. And everything is so incredibly stiff. I don’t remember that happening last year. That may be a new tradition.

Note to self: Stop waiting until the last minute to do all of the wrapping.

It will all be worth it tomorrow though.

Tomorrow is the big day. Christmas.

The kids will wake early. Race to the tree. They will tear open presents like they are mad at them. It is what I have looked forward to this whole month. Their faces. The squeals. Their hugs.

That’s the best. All the back pain will be worth it.

As far as the rest of the day goes, we will spend it doing nothing very productive. No one will change from their pajamas.

We will play. And play. And play.

I will work on Christmas lunch. Because someone has to feed us all.

But I don’t mind. Because I will be with my family. And everyone will be drunk on happy.

Then comes Dad’s favorite tradition. The yearly breaking down of all things cardboard. With four kids, if you are not careful, the cardboard mountain can take over your house.

Dad has got skills when it comes to putting cardboard in its place.

(That’s what I tell him anyway. Because I really cannot stand to touch cardboard. It is evil.)

I love Christmas.

I know that as my kids get older, then will begin to buck the system. Our traditions may begin to seem silly to them. They may even prefer that we do away with some of them.

That is fine. I understand. Kids grow up.

I am sure they will get over watching their mother cry on Christmas Day.

(Mother’s guilt is my right)

Here’s to another year full of traditions. I hope you and your family/friends have a wonderful holiday season.

What are your favorite traditions?

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