Traditions

What a wonderful time of year this is!  It is so fun driving around looking at all the Christmas lights, wrapping up presents to put under the tree, and relaxing (or studying) to Christmas music.  I must admit, I have been kind of preoccupied with getting my Christmas shopping done and that whole hustle and bustle!  It can be stressful, so it's nice to take a moment and realize what Christmas is truly about.  I am grateful we have this holiday to celebrate Christ's birth.  I also love all the traditions that this holiday brings. My friend Cami made a list of her family Christmas traditions and I thought it was a great idea!  So here is a list of some of ours:

•  As sisters, we always rotated names each year for gift-giving, but this year we started drawing names with the bro-in-laws included.  It's fun having brothers!
  
•  On Christmas eve, we go to Pizza Factory.  There are always the other "regulars" there too that Bill lets in.  
  
• A few years ago, we started a tradition of riding around in my Grandpa's RV to look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve.  One year we all got to pile into my neighbor's Luv Sac hummer limo!  
  
•  We always get pajamas on Christmas Eve.
  
• My mom makes the yummiest cinnamon and orange rolls on Christmas morning.
  
• We go to my Grandma Larson's for a Christmas waffle breakfast (which ends up being lunch for us).
  
• Christmas dinner is always spent with my mom's side of the family.  We have prime rib and all the trimmings.  Yumm!
  
• Ryan's family has never done stockings...so I guess it's a tradition with us.  My grandma has made all of our stockings and they are always chuck full on Christmas morning.  It's been fun being able to fill Ryan's stocking now.
  
• We always left a COKE for Santa with a plate of cookies.  I know most people leave milk, but knowing my dad, you'd understand why it was Coke.  I'm pretty sure we'll carry on this tradition with our own kids too.
  
• My dad is always in charge of handing out presents to us on Christmas morning.  We sit around him and anxiously await a present that has our name on it.
  
• Of course, "Christmas Vacation" is always a must.
  
• There is always a trip (or 2) to Vegas for Christmas shopping.

I'm looking forward to carry on these traditions with mine and Ryan's own family, and start some of our own.  I'm happy to be able to spend this holiday time with family and friends and I hope you are all enjoying the Christmas season as well!