Christmas Traditions

We all have Christmas traditions. And sometimes we don't even realize they're traditions until we miss them one year and it just doesn't feel like Christmas without them. 

For me, it's watching It's a Wonderful Life and White Christmas. It's baking cookies with my step mom. It's church on Christmas Eve. It's being woken up by my sweet little brothers who can barely contain their excitement for Christmas morning. It's not-so-patiently waiting for my mom to finally sit down so we can get the party started. It's hearing my Dad's deep morning voice read us the Christmas story before we tear into those presents. It's been homemade cinnamon rolls (for the past six years at least). It's been cold weather for the past seven.

Many of those traditions are from a different last name ago. Being that my family lives out of state and my husband's job doesn't make it the easiest for us to take off time around Christmas and he has a whole family here that we would miss on Christmas, this will be the second year in a row I'm spending Christmas without my dad, step mom and brothers. And with that, comes saying goodbye to and modifying a few of my old traditions, but also saying hello to some new ones.

I still watch my favorite movies. I bake cookies on my own. We go to church. I skype in for Christmas morning in with my family. I still make those cinnamon rolls (the jury is still out on whether it's happening this year...). I learn to appreciate the 72 degree weather on Christmas.

But I also get the Adams' Family Annual Christmas Vacation Party. Complete with ridiculous outfits, Griswold Family Christmas shirts, movie quoting and always. ALWAYS. a hilarious group photo. 

 {last year's photo}

I get time spent with my new family, who I love so much.

And I get my very favorite Adams family Christmas ornament tradition. Every time you go on vacation and for any special occasion you get a Christmas ornament. We are only on our second Christmas and I'm loving the memories we get to cherish and relive when we put up those ornaments. I can only imagine how many more we'll collect over the years.

Our first one was from our honeymoon.

And then as a wedding gift, we received this one from Brandon's parents. Yes, I fully intend to put a picture in there. Eventually. 

For Christmas 2010, Brandon's sister gave us this beautiful Lenox bride and groom ornament.

And then we got this one from our trip this last June to Idaho to see my little brother graduate from high school

This one from our cruise in September 2011.

 

And this one from Brandon's parents for our first anniversary.

Hopefully one year soon we can make it up to my family's home to celebrate with them, until then, I'm happy with my modifications and I'm glad I have the Adams family to share in the new ones. I'm sure we'll make even more traditions as the years go on. I'm so thankful for all the loved ones in our life. We have amazing families.

Merry Christmas!

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