Christmas past and present

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Hey there!

And Happy Christmas Eve!!!!  Remember the good ole’ days when Christmas took forever to get here?  That’s definitely not the case anymore.

Thankfully there are still many Christmas traditions that help keep the spirit alive.  Some of them have ceased, but a few have stuck around..and probably always will.

For one, our tree always goes up right after Thanksgiving, getting decorated with a collection of ornaments from all over- some older than myself.  There are little Santas, angels, souvenirs from family vacations…just about anything that can be an ornament (even tiny story books!) is hung on the tree. It’s also filled with colored lights, ornaments my brother and I made in elementary school, candy canes, and occasionally even a flood of tinsel.   It’s not one of those tidy “themed” trees…but it’s the most beautiful sight in our house come Christmas time.

To finish the tree, it’s my dad’s duty to top the tree with a bright white angel once the ornaments are hung.  As he’s always been the one tall enough to do so.

One of my favorite Christmas Eve traditions is going to Midnight Mass.  The music is amazing, the people are so cheery, and it’s so peaceful.  Plus, looking out the windows to spot Santa’s sleigh flying across the sky was like a little game.

Another religious tradition were the Christmas pageants in elementary school.  Whether it be playing a cow in preschool, an angel in 1st grade, or the mother of Jesus in 6th grade…they were always a part of the holiday season and made such great memories. 

Of course the baking can’t be left out.  Ever since I was old enough to understand what was going on in the kitchen, my mom and I have baked more cookies than we can handle over Christmas.   Being sure to set a few out next to a tall glass of milk for Santa to enjoy when he stopped by.

Speaking of Santa, going to see him was on the top of the list.  After all, talking to him in person’s much better than through a letter, right? 

Truth be told, I was quite scared of seeing Santa…although I seem to hide it fairly well.

But regardless of being scared to sit on his lap, I was brave enough to try to stay awake to catch him coming down the chimney.  I’d plant myself on the couch, right in front of the chimney every year…sure that that year would be the year he was spotted.  No dice.

I’d always fall asleep halfway through the night and wake up to find the gifts nestled under the tree with a few name tags signed “Santa”.  Dang, maybe next year.

~~

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays!).  Enjoy the time with family if you’re fortunate enough to be with them, enjoy the time off work if you have it, cherish what you have in life, and live in the moment.  These are times for making memories and enjoyment…don’t let any holiday stress bring you down.

**What are your holiday traditions/memories?

**Did you ever try to catch Santa?

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Tagged as: Christmas, Life, memories, old photos, Rambles, traditions