Christmas traditions - past, present, future

"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny [expletive] Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white [expletive] down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of [expletives] this side of the nuthouse." - Clark Griswold, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

I love Christmas. Love it like Clark Griswold. So is it any wonder that all of my favorite family traditions happen during Christmastime? Here's a list for your holiday tradition enjoyment:

1. When I was still living in Georgia, Mom, Dad, and I would watch A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas together, every year, on TV, and then decorate the Christmas tree with Andy Williams, Perry Como, Anne Murray, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing in the background.

2. Every Christmas since I was two years old, my grandmother has spent Christmas at my parents' house. My grandfather died when I was just over a year old, so she has always come to visit us during that time. Mama Nell coming up from Howard, Georgia in December always signaled the beginning of Christmas for me as a child.

3. Like fellow barmaid Ashley, my family always opens one gift on Christmas Eve. As I've mentioned in Ash's comments, this was not so much to start the Christmas celebration early as it was to placate me, little miss impatient that I was (and still am!).

4. On Christmas Day, my father would not let me come downstairs until he was able to go down the steps first. Every year, he'd pretend that he was afraid that Santa hadn't come. When you're young, this is the scariest 5 seconds of your life, tearing down the stairs, praying to God that Santa did, in fact, show up. I used to think that Dad was messing with me - just for kicks - I later learned that he was making sure he had covered up all clues that they laid out the gifts and not a fat man in a red suit.

5. Finally - after all the presents are opened, and we've all settled into the morning/early afternoon, my mother would make pan-fried steak, scrambled eggs, and her fabulous, yummy cream grits. These grits are not mixed with water - oh, no. They're cut with a stick of butter and half and half. They can be eaten with a fork - and they're best topped with her homemade red eye gravy. (I am literally salivating right now.)

In 2006, I spent my first Christmas away from home - though I shouldn't say that - because I spent it with my now-husband, Chris, in our new home together. It was wonderful and fun, but it was also sad. I missed these traditions that our little family had started - and I wanted to carry them through to my new family.

So we did - and Chris brought his traditions to our home, too. We decorate the tree with his childhood ornaments. We go out to eat somewhere new on Christmas Eve and have a hot toddy or an Irish coffee to toast the holiday. And, we watch "It's a Wonderful Life" on Christmas Day. With Mom's steak, eggs, and grits on the table. :)