Tis the Season

[syd18]

We are rushed on Christmas. We travel 6 hours home on the 23rd, then spend Christmas eve with my parents. On Christmas morning we make a 30 minute trip to my grand parents for the whole family, then that afternoon about 2 we go to my husband's mothers house. Then on the day after we travel 6 hours more to his grandmothers house. We will spend a couple of days there and have a 9 hour journey to home to recouperate from our vacation. The truck is usually so loaded down with presents that there's hardly room to move.
At my grandmothers, there's probably 30 of us, and we do a 'garage sale item' swap. Everyone brings one garage sale item from their home, wrapped, and we each pick one. This hideous plastic orange plaid round cooler has been passed around for a few years. The kids also have an auction for small gifts (usually around 50 cents).:rudolph

[nlmcp]

Our traditions have changed over the years.
We do an advent wreath through December. We do a huge sugar cookee baking the Saterday before.
Now that we are living closer to my husband's family and my sister, we do Christmas eve with my husband's family with Christmas morning at home with Cinnimon rolls and presents from Santa and our family. Christmas afternoon we go to my sisters home. In my family the adults do not exchange gifts, it's just for the kids. In my inlaws family we draw names to give a $50 dollar gift and my mother in law buys everyone an orniment from Hallmark to either mark the year, or for a hobby or interest.

Christmas used to be more laid back when the kids were younger and more likely to be ill plus we had a longer drive to relatives homes. So often we just stayed home and went to relatives homes for New Years. I do find I get sadder this time of year because in 2000 I was sopposed to have a Christmas Day baby but lost it during the summer, so there are some things I have trouble doing (like going to church or listening to some Christmas carols) But I find keeping myself super busy over the two days helps alot.