We have alot of unspoken traditions in our family...things that we just do each and every year around the holidays...and I LOVE IT.
1. The Houses: Every house holds a holiday, Christmas Eve=my house. Christmas Day=Aunt Candie's(front yard aunt for those who are following along). Thanksgiving= grandma's house. White Elephant Gift Exchange =Aunt K's House (backyard Aunt)..at First. You see, when Aunt K got her house in the back yard, she decided that she wanted a tradition at her house, so we decided to have a white elephant gift exchange there on Christmas day. We actually only had it here once. The first year. Now we have it in front yard house.
2. Grandma and Bradley make a birthday cake for Jesus every year. A cookie cake to be exact. We used to sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. However in our late teen years we began singing in a more begrudging fashion so we nixed it.
3. I make the relish tray every year. This started when I went off to college and they decided that I need to contribute to the holiday meal. However, I generally cannot be trusted to bring a food item, it will either be sick or weird.
4. When we gather around to say the blessing Aunt Candie (front yard) always asks me to say "The Blessing" like Uncle Lewis says it to Aunt Bethany at the Christmas Table on "Christmas Vacation"
5. After we eat, go to church, open gifts, eat again, talk about our gifts and then clean up we read the Christmas Story from Luke. Papa (grandpa) reads it. Except this year, he had lost his voice and sounded like a woman so I read it.
6. In the past few years, we have opened presents with the whole family on Christmas eve, gone to bed and then found our "santa" presents in the morning. Mom and dad (mainly dad) decided that he didn't want to wait for us to go to bed, nor did he want to do the obligatory wake up in the morning (we were in college for crying out loud) So, after everyone leaves, brother and I go upstairs, mom and dad set "santa" presents out. They call us and then we come down and receive our Santa Gifts.
7. We have this set of reindeer antler complete with a santa hat. Each year we try to put them on the dog. She takes them off within 2 seconds. We then try again...and again and again. Hoping that she will keep them on and be real cute for all of Christmas eve. It never happens and she usually ends up with a red bow around her neck.
8. We take family photos...well photos with all of the kids each year. This always takes way too long. One of the boys won't smile, someone keeps trying to leave or sit down in the middle of the photo session, we are acting too goofy, not goofy enough, we try to build a pyramid because that might be a fun new photo etc. This year I was amazed because all of the women had digital cameras. They also all have access to email...however, they ALL needed to take pictures on THEIR OWN CAMERA. This lengthened the process significantly.
9. Each year, the day after Thanksgiving, we (and by we I mean aunt candie) decorate our house and then watch Christmas Vacation at Aunt Candie's house. Inevitably on of the adults forgets how much swearing the movie has.
10. While opening the presents the line "That's the gift that keeps on giving Clark" from Christmas Vacation will be used at least 10 times.
Oh the Holidays...I guarantee that if you came to join us for a holiday...all of these would take place....and I like it that way.
