For me, Christmas is about memories and traditions and being with those you love.
We have gone to Virginia Beach for Christmas for five out of the seven years we've lived in Stanardsville. We love going down there and being with our families, having Sauerbraten and acting out the story of Jesus's birth on Christmas Eve with the Niepraschks, having Christmas morning pictures with the Monteiths, giving and receiving gifts, playing games, making and eating the holiday treats we have enjoyed since we can remember, and if we are lucky, catching the fourth Advent with the Niepraschks. We LOVE it!
Many Niepraschks have moved away from Virginia Beach. This year there will be only 4-8 Niepraschks for Christmas Eve instead of 60 plus. There will be less people to play games with and probably no Advents. I guess it will never be the *same*. I loved having predictable traditions with my extended family and I am sure my siblings and cousins will miss them too.
I've been thinking over the years about this and I have decided that we need to stay home for Christmas at least two years out of every three. I want to create holiday memories and traditions with my own family. I believe it is important for families to have traditions for the children to look forward to every year and my children already have many. (Right now they can't wait to make pumpkin shaped sugar cookies to decorate!) Also, I want them to want to come visit me (once every few years) for the holidays when they are grown with families of their own. I plan to go visit them for the holidays too. For me, Christmas is about family.
It doesn't matter where you are for the holidays as long as you are with the ones you love-- creating memories that won't easily be forgotten.
Just for fun here are some pictures of my early Christmases:
Here is a picure of John's second Christmas. Adorable! Don't you think?
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Here is a Monteith family Christmas morning picture. They take pictures on the couch every Christmas morning BEFORE opening their presents.
We have gone to Virginia Beach for Christmas for five out of the seven years we've lived in Stanardsville. We love going down there and being with our families, having Sauerbraten and acting out the story of Jesus's birth on Christmas Eve with the Niepraschks, having Christmas morning pictures with the Monteiths, giving and receiving gifts, playing games, making and eating the holiday treats we have enjoyed since we can remember, and if we are lucky, catching the fourth Advent with the Niepraschks. We LOVE it!
Many Niepraschks have moved away from Virginia Beach. This year there will be only 4-8 Niepraschks for Christmas Eve instead of 60 plus. There will be less people to play games with and probably no Advents. I guess it will never be the *same*. I loved having predictable traditions with my extended family and I am sure my siblings and cousins will miss them too.
I've been thinking over the years about this and I have decided that we need to stay home for Christmas at least two years out of every three. I want to create holiday memories and traditions with my own family. I believe it is important for families to have traditions for the children to look forward to every year and my children already have many. (Right now they can't wait to make pumpkin shaped sugar cookies to decorate!) Also, I want them to want to come visit me (once every few years) for the holidays when they are grown with families of their own. I plan to go visit them for the holidays too. For me, Christmas is about family.
It doesn't matter where you are for the holidays as long as you are with the ones you love-- creating memories that won't easily be forgotten.
Just for fun here are some pictures of my early Christmases:
Here is a picure of John's second Christmas. Adorable! Don't you think?
.JPG)
Here is a Monteith family Christmas morning picture. They take pictures on the couch every Christmas morning BEFORE opening their presents.
5 comments:
Christmas!?!?! It isn't even Halloween yet....Just kidding. I totally agree that you need to take traditions and make them your own with your own little family. Take ideas from both mom and dad and make new traditions for the kids.
One more thing...so my suspicions were correct, John was forced to grow up isolated from the world in a cinder block shelter....JK, cute picture, but that's the last time I ever want to see John without any pants :)
Was that a Strawberry Shortcake play kitchen? I had one of those.
Christmas!?? Wow, I can't get past having this baby much less think about Christmas! ;)
So true about having traditions. Most of ours are simple daily things. Our "big" holiday tradition is that we don't celebrate the holiday on the day the rest of the world does (because Daddy is working). haha
Oh man, I remember that basement in Omaha. It was fun to go through all the storage stuff, but it was always creepy going down there -- not because of the cinder-block decor but because it was the tornado hideout. Kind of tainted the feel of being shut in there.
And I remember those photo sessions. It got harder and harder to sit still every year, while Dad seemed to become more and more determined to make us hold on for "one more shot" before presents.
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