I’m wishing you loads of Christmas Cheer on this #CASEingTuesday231, with the Ride with Me Stamp Set and my last few pieces of Wrapped in Plaid Designer Series Paper. Come play along with the #CASEingTuesday sketch challenge this week.
The tree is up, most of the presents are wrapped, the groceries have been purchased, and our hearts are full of cheer as we eagerly wait for Christmas morning. My family follows German tradition and opens family presents on Christmas Eve, so our tree has plenty of presents under it now. And when the Lad was young, my dad couldn’t stand making him wait until after dinner so our Christmas Eve started right after lunch. It was probably a good thing because he’d open something and want to play with it immediately, before moving on to the next one.
At our house, Christmas takes time. After all, we’re honoring traditions and making memories by being present and in the moment. Presents are opened one at a time, going around the room, with each person oohing and ahhing over whatever gift is opened. New clothes are modeled, passages from books are read, goodies are tasted. There is plenty of food, wine, and Christmas spirits to share. Stories are shared and those who are no longer with us remembered.
Santa arrives on Christmas morning, with more gifts in stockings and under the tree. With cups of coffee and the sweet scent of cinnamon bread baking, another round of love and cheer is shared, usually in jammies and slippers. The days of little feet in footie jammies waking up to see if Santa really came at 4:30 am are long over, but the excitement is still there. Christmas is here again!
Usually, Christmas day is celebrated as most do, with special holiday foods that bring back memories of years gone by. When I was a child, my grandmother would make ham and turkey. Two meats? What a feast! And the house would be full of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. A family Christmas could have 50 or more people! Now, our family is much smaller, and those we hold most dear are on completely opposite ends of the country. But by honoring traditions, we keep those we love in our hearts, even when we’re far away.
This year will bring a mix of old and new. It will be just me and the Lad at home this year. My parents have traveled to California to spend the holidays with my sister and her family. Their holiday will be full of excitement and high energy with my young niece and nephew. I anticipate a much quieter, low key holiday. To keep us from being sad, we’re mixing it up a bit. No traditional Christmas Eve tacos (I am from Southern California, after all!). Rather, we’re going out for sushi! Then, we’ll come home to open presents and watch the Polar Express in front of the fireplace. Tomorrow brings Santa and cinnamon bread, but then a trip to see Star Wars is also on the agenda. Then, instead of ham or turkey, the Lad is grilling steaks.
Traditions, as Tevya says, without them, our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof. What are some of your family’s holiday traditions?
Today’s Tutorial
Want to play along with the CASE-ing Tuesday?
Use the sketch to plan out your card. You can change a lot, a little, or make the card just as it is in the catalog. Then post it to the Facebook thread. We can’t wait to see your cards!
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