Let’s talk traditions for a minute. This time of the year is full of them – and regardless of how traditional or how silly your traditions might be, they are so important! I got this in an email from my Mother In Law earlier this week, and it got me thinking:
“Last weekend we made cookies. As always, we used the candy cane and holly cookie cutters I have used since I was a kid (they were my Mom’s), but a small piece of plastic broke off each one this year for some reason (getting old is hard even on cookie cutters, I guess). Luckily, I found exact replacements online at Etsy. I was so glad. The holly cutter is my very favorite. I would have been very sad if I couldn’t use those anymore. Family traditions do matter!”
In my husband’s family the tradition is all about having fun with the gifts and the opening. Every year involves one crazy box that is hand crafted for the occasion. It all started with a triangle box that they had made many (many) years ago called the cheese-head box. When that box finally un-boxed it’s last gift, they decided to keep the idea going with new and exotic boxes. There have been olives and space ships and safes and even ones with sound effects! My oldest son is looking forward to the year he finally gets to open a gift in one of the crazy boxes!
Back in 2011, my Sister-in-Law made a box that was actually a puzzle. It had an instruction book “Opening this Package for Dummies,” as seen in my husband’s hands and required a lot of effort to open as opening the wrong spot did not result in the finding of a package!
This year, it was a paper mache olive (which contained a bottle of fancy olive oil…..)
In my family, it was a little less complex – we always grew up getting a pair of pajamas on Christmas Eve. It was the one package we got to open early! As a mom, I totally get it, and have continued this tradition with my kids! It gets them all wearing nice pajamas, looking cute and photo ready for the next morning! I’ve adjusted this slightly, and now the pajamas come from our Elf, who delivers them to Grandma’s house (since that’s where we spend Christmas Eve) – but it’s a pretty fun and special one for me!
Well, they’re dressed picture perfect, even if it’s not the perfect picture! “LET US OPEN PRESENTS!”
I would love to hear stories of some special traditions in your families! Be sure to swing by theStudio to pick up some new digital supplies to scrap those traditions and moments with! And, don’t miss out on the blog train!
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