Holiday Family Traditions

I love the holidays. It was always a cheerful and happy time growing up. Our parents always presented the Christmas spirit in a beautiful, sentimental way. Now that I’m an adult, I appreciate that we did so much more than open presents.

We made homemade ornaments and spent an entire day making cookies, fudge, and candy.

We all loaded up in the station wagon to go to the Christmas tree farm. We held hands around our tree and sang “Oh, Christmas Tree” before cutting it down.

We packed all nine of us in a car so that we only had to pay one admission into the Avenue of Lights.

We decorated the tree, yard, and house as a family.

We made a trip to town to drive down Maine Street and look at the lights.

We jammed out to Christmas carols and made jokes about someday doing this with kids of our own.

And now the holidays that we joked about ten years ago are actually upon us.

We now have the opportunity to share all of the beautiful and happy memories that we cherish, with our children.

Christmas was always so much less about gifts, than it was about spending time with family. No matter what was going on, Christmas was always the ultimate uniter.

I’ve witnessed so much love, forgiveness, and acceptance during this time of the year. It’s as if the magic in the air guides everyone back to where they belong. Grudges vanish, judgements cease, and love conquers all.

At least that’s what Christmas is and always will be for our family.

I’m thankful to now be able to feel what my parents always felt while spending time with us during the holidays. I can feel a smile buried in my chest when carrying on traditions that I shared with my family as a child.

2020 isn’t stopping my Christmas cheer! 🙂