Holiday Traditions

To me, the holiday season is always about tradition.  Growing up, nearly every holiday was spent with my cousins.  Now that we're older, we've started an every other year schedule which allows us to spend time with other sides of the family on an "off" year but means that if it's an "on" year, pretty much everyone shows up.  An off year still leaves me wishing it was an on year.

This year, Thanksgiving was an on year and Christmas was an off year, meaning we jam pack nearly 30 people somewhere to stuff ourselves with turkey, all of the fixings, booze, and dessert.  And then we try and pin down a handful of littles for a picture.

Thanksgiving with Mike's family always means lunch with Grandma Wanda with whoever is able to make it into town and then a Black Friday gathering with his mom's side of the family.  There's guaranteed to be basketball and cookie decorating.

Not only are traditions for family but for friends.  We are fortunate to be raising Lily (and soon to be baby girl) in a community which provides us with fun opportunities and blessed to be connected with such good friends with kids the same ages.  As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I allow Christmas festivities to begin - but not a day sooner.  Lucky for us, the Ada Christmas Parade and Chili Cookoff is always the weekend following Turkey day.  And Santa always makes an appearance.