Holiday Memories in the Making
Do you have specific holiday traditions? I believe in making the most of every day and creating memories. Whether it’s an official holiday or a movie marathon, these memories often start in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking and making treats. However, my treat-making started because of food allergies. It’s a challenge when you have a child or children unable to eat “regular” snacks. I chose to rise to this challenge. My kids rarely felt “left out” because I’ve always ensured they had something “safe” to eat.
For many years, we didn’t have a tradition of our own, which is typical for many military families juggling deployment schedules and living far away from extended family. Even after separating from the military, we took a few years to find our “groove” and create our traditions.
Each year, I “make” the kids take a Christmas lights picture. This goes back to the year my daughter was born, though she was not in that first picture. My son is now a reluctant participant (but I think he secretly enjoys it). After we have our light fun, we do the rest of the decorating – AFTER Thanksgiving, not before.
Some of our traditions begin leading up to December 25, like watching Christmas movies and making snacks and cookies. On the first day of winter, we watch White Christmas (though we rarely get one here). On Christmas Eve, we watch A Muppet Christmas Carol. On Christmas day, we eat a good breakfast and then go to the church building to serve our community. Everyone who comes gets not only a home-cooked Christmas dinner with all the trimmings but also a gift bag with essential hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, chapstick, deodorant, feminine products). We also have blankets, gloves, socks, hats, and scarves for all ages. We even have diapers, wipes, and a small toy for all the kids! Each year, this ministry grows. Yesterday, we served 235 people!
My family knows that this meal is not about us, but about others who maybe don’t have enough. If we get to eat, that’s a bonus, but I make a big deal about cooking our Christmas meal. After we get home, everyone can eat from the many snacks then we open presents. For many years, I’ve used Christmas to replace the kids’ pajamas (though this year, they’ve been growing faster than that!) and add to their book collections. They also get other fun gifts from their list. This year we also added an experience gift. While we eat supper, we watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
How do you celebrate the day? What are your favorite traditions?