Christmas Traditions

I'm linking up with Becky and Aly again to show off my Christmas traditions.  I am actually a day behind, but with all the getting ready for Christmas going on, I just can't stay on track!!  The past two weeks I have linked up my decorations and my wish list.  

I feel like we are in transition with our Christmas traditions right now.  We both have pretty close families and it is hard to get everything in.  However, we are trying our best to get things settled before we have kids so we won't be pulled in a million directions when we do.  We have compromised to not go to several gatherings, not because we don't want to, but because there just isn't enough time in the day to do it all.  We have decided we will do Thanksgiving at one place, Easter at another, and Christmas at yet another.  It sucks having to miss out on some gatherings, but it is also really nice to be able to enjoy ourselves instead of running around all day on the holidays.  

So the Christmas tree goes up in the Smith house on the day after Thanksgiving.  This happens after I return from Black Friday shopping and get myself a nap!  This year, we actually waited until Saturday because I was so exhausted from shopping.  Brent & I put the tree up together.  He usually gets everything down from the attic and puts the actual tree pieces together and I do the "fluffing" of the tree and put on the topper.  We put the ornaments on together. 

Our pretty Christmas tree all lit up

Our church has an advent celebration each year where the kids put on a play and then we eat and do advent crafts.  I make us an advent wreath each year there from some fresh evergreen and holly.  We really need to make a tradition of lighting the wreath each night (or at least each week!) and saying a prayer to better incorporate religion into our holidays.  We will definitely do something like that when we have kids!

Other before Christmas traditions include making Chex Mix, watching our favorite Christmas movies (especially Elf!), and driving around to look at Christmas lights.  The Christmas lights tradition started when I was little...My granddad used to take his kids and grandkids to see Christmas lights in his RV and we would pack snacks and drinks and hit up all the lights in the area.  I really wish he was still here and if he was I would definitely be finding us an RV to ride around in this year!!

Some of our Chex Mix this year

When Christmas Eve and Day come, we are swamped with things to do. We always go to mass on Christmas Eve at either 5 or 10pm depending on which fits best in our schedule.  Christmas mass is my favorite time at church of all year because we sing all the Christmas carols and read the birth story of Jesus and everyone is all dressed up and so happy!  From there, we head to Brent's grandparent's house for dinner.  We always play BINGO there for little silly prizes, but it is always a blast and we get so competitive!  Then we exchange gifts.  We then head to my step-grandparent's house and catch the tail end of their celebration.  They normally have already opened presents and are hanging around playing games and having cocktails.  

We spend Christmas Eve night at my mom & step-dad's house so we can be there when my sisters wake up for Santa.  I have a feeling this will probably be the last year for that since my youngest sister is ten now, but who knows?  We may keep it up!  But when we have a kid of our own for Santa to visit, I imagine my parents and sisters will be coming to us instead. 

On Christmas morning, we see what Santa brought the girls and open our stockings.  Then we exchange gifts with my mom, step-dad and the girls and have a big breakfast.  Usually our grandparents come over for breakfast and check out our gifts.  This is by far my favorite part of Christmas.  You just can't beat Santa and breakfast!  Plus, it is so laid back and I can be in my pajamas the entire time!

For Christmas lunch, we head to Brent's grandmother's (on the other side).  We eat and exchange gifts, then head to an extended family get together on my side for supper.

This, of course, doesn't include Brent's immediate family, my Dad & step-mom, and my grandmother who are flexible with their Christmas gatherings and just do it when possible each year.  So we definitely have a lot going on during the holidays!!

Brent & I also do stockings with each other that we fit in somewhere as well.  We get each other little candies and things, but Bella is the one who really gets spoiled in all this! She always gets some canned dog food, bones, treats and toys.  I don't think she gets it at all when we open her stocking for her though.  She just gets excited that we are excited!  We really need a kid so we can leave her alone!! 

Tearing up her toy last year

We will definitely be adding some of our own traditions in there when we have some kiddos to share them with!  Hopefully next year the fun can begin...