Christmas Traditions

Over the years we've made had traditions and made new ones.

When our children were small, we stayed up half the night putting together toys we'd purchased, one time we had just finished by the time the kids were awake on Chirtmas Day. We insisted the children open one gift at a time so we could see everything that was received. They always got lots of present from my parents too and they needed to be able to thank them.

When my sister and her family all lived here in Springville, we also had a Christmas gift exchange and party usually at my house, though when the family got too big, we went to a recreation room at a mobile home park. That tradition ended when my sister and her whole family moved to Las Vegas.

Once the kids all grew up, we changed our Christmas gift opening to Christmas Eve. We soon realized that it was much easier to have something simple to eat before hand and have the big meal on Christmas Day when that's all we had to concentrate on.

Our church always has a Christmas party for the adults, finger foods and an exchange of Christmas ornaments.

My writing critique group gets together with spouses and significant others for a dinner out.

This year we're adding something new. Our church is going to provide Christmas dinner for anyone who doesn't have a place to go--not just church members but anyone in the community. It's been publicized in the paper and posters have been put up around town. Our church is small--it's a great day if 30 show up on a Sunday morning. No telling how many will show up for the dinner, but many have promised to bring turkey and ham and various side dishes. If it turns out well, I suspect it'll become another tradition.

Our town is more of a village than town. We have lots of wealthy retirees, but there is also a large low-income housing unit that once was a TB sanitarium for seniors and the handicapped. We also have some down-and-outers of all ages who might like to have a home-cooked Christmas dinner.

Once thing that I've learned over the years, change is inevitable. This one sounds like it will be a wonderful change no matter how it turns out and I'm looking forward to it.

What are your Christmas traditions?

Marilyn

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