Reflections

Isn't it amazing how the holiday traditions affect everyone? Each of us has a vision of what we want Christmas to be and we all work towards that vision. I would guess that none of us have the same vision.

 A few years ago when my oldest Ashleigh was in college, I decided that I was tired of the ham and cheesy potato casserole for Christmas Eve dinner. I wanted to change it up a little and shared with Ashleigh that I was ready for a change. When I mentioned that I wanted to make something besides cheesy potatoes she began to cry. To her the potatoes were a sign of Christmas. Since I do not want to be the reason someone's Christmas is ruined I backed down and prepared the potatoes. This week, I mentioned at dinner that I was thinking about kicking it up a notch and preparing twice baked potatoes. A good friend of mine had said she was making them for her family and I thought that sounded delicious. To my surprise, my youngest child began to cry at the possibility of losing the cheesy potatoes at our Christmas dinner. At this point, all I can do is through my hands in the air and yell "I GIVE!" Cheesy potatoes it is until the end of time.

 For me the stockings are my Christmas "have to". I think the stocking is the very best part of Christmas. Morning comes and the most excited person in the family gets up and wakes the rest, the coffee pot is started the orange juice is poured and we plop down by our fireplace to open our stockings. Mark has said that the stocking is the most expensive part of Christmas because of all the small items you have to buy, but I know that Santa fills mine and he never worries about the cost. I LOVE Santa!

 My vision of Christmas has evolved and changed as the years have gone on. When Mark and I first married we would enjoy big noisy Christmases with his Mom and Dad and his five siblings and families. Now we have a quieter Christmas at our home with our children. I am certain that in the next few years even that will change as my girls grow older and their lives change. No one vision is wrong or better, because they are all part of tradition. To me traditions are the best parts of your holiday that are stuck in your heart. Even if they change those traditions will always be a part of you.

 It is time for me to get busy. Avery and I are planning to make our cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning today. This is just another of our traditions that all of us look forward to. Well, all of us except Aly who claims she does not like cinnamon rolls (go figure). But you know what? It's OK because maybe Aly will come up with a better vision for Christmas morning someday. We will just have to wait and see.