Family traditions, doing it big!

Can you believe it's already December?! I'm excited. What's in store for me? Well besides the obvious, nothing much really ;-). I do seem to miss my family back in Hawaii much more too. Normal...holidays...want all my family around...you know the usual thing you hear (which of course is totally true). And who am I kidding...I totally miss the warm weather too :-)

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When I was a kid, every Christmas eve morning we got to open 1 Christmas card that we received. Later that night my sister and I would perform in our church's Christmas program (I always had a solo which I performed for 10 years strong). After church we would go to my aunt's house for some food and family time. We would play games and sing karaoke. Then of course around 11pm we would make our way back home and at midnight, I would go to Christmas service with my grandpa. Everyone else would be asleep when we got back, and he and I would sit on our couch and look at our tree until I fell asleep. I always wanted to stay up, but every Christmas morning I woke up in my bed. Of course after everyone woke up (and if you were not up by 7:30am you would get woken up by my sweet little toes pinching you) we opened presents. 90% of my family lived in Hawaii so every Christmas day for as long as I can remember (and even now that I've been gone) my family gathered and my house for a potluck. Eat, watch the Aloha Bowl, eat some more, play outside, play nintendo, and then around 3:30pm my sister and I would head out to the beach. The beach on Christmas day...I totally miss that. I learned to body surf, then boogie board and then surf all on Christmas days (different years LOL, not all on one day).

Of course, I no longer live in Hawaii and there is no real beach here, but my barbarian family and I have created our very own Christmas traditions. On December 6, we have the boys set out a boot for Kris Kringle before they go to sleep. If you were naughty all year, then in the morning you would find a lump of coal inside the boot. If you were good through out the year, he would leave goodies inside of your boot. Of course, for the past 5 and 3 years, Juju and BamBam have always gotten some chocolate and a small toy. (This is a tradition that Big Daddy did as a kid in Germany). In the middle of the month, around the 15th or so, we make our very own ornaments to add to our Christmas tree. We use anything we already have. Last year we made salt dough ornaments. Not sure what we're going to do this year. On Christmas eve, we do a big dinner. After dinner it's bath time. This is the one time of the year that the dudes love to take a bath because they know that after bath time its "PRESENT TIME! OH YEAH!!!" Yes it has always been shouted just like that LOL. We try to get the boys some cute jammies to wear for the first time on Christmas eve too. Last year I think they had Transformer and Cars jammies. After all the presents are open, we have dessert and sing a couple Christmas songs. It's always Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Jingle Bells. They have the rest of the night to play with all their cool stuff until they fall asleep in the middle of it all on their bedroom floor. Yup true story...EVERY YEAR it happens...I walk in to snoring children toys in hand, laying on toys and boxes, tv on. It makes me smile. (And because y'all know I'm a wuss, I even tear up) On Christmas morning, we get dressed (always in something new we got) and head out to IHOP for breakfast. Yup you heard right. The rest of the day is spent hanging out.

We haven't skipped a beat since Big Daddy and I were married in 2005. Same thing every year. Over the years things may change, and we might do things differently or even add some things now and then...but one fact remains the same...even since I was a kid...my family, OUR family is important. No matter how big or how small, our family will always do it big. Big memories will always be made.

What are your family traditions? I would totally love to hear them...TELL ME. I may have to adopt some of them too ;-)