cheer: traditions past, present & future

I am excited, today, to be sharing with you my Christmas traditions past, present, and future! I am a very sentimental person, so it makes sense that I absolutely LOVE traditions. To me, they represent my love for family and holding onto things that are dear. To me, traditions are memories that have been held onto in the form of repeated actions. So, please forgive me if I have a lot of them :)

PAST

My entire family - from my great-grandmother down to me - is all about decorating those Christmas trees. I remember my great-grandmother would have 2-3 ornaments on every branch. EVERY branch, people. Not to mention the 3000 lights and tinsel. Now, my grandmother and mom have toned it down a bit, but the spirit is still there. LOTS of ornaments. LOTS of lights. LOTS of gorgeousness. It must be genetic. ;)
Every year, my family had an Advent calendar that my mom made. (Similar to the one I made here) This Advent calendar was the focus of every morning before school when my siblings and I would figure out whose turn it was to put the ornament on the tree.
On Christmas Eve growing up, my family would cook a really nice dinner - usually filet mignon, homemade potato fries, green beans, and Sister Schubert rolls. Mmmm mmm good. We would dress up the dining room, which we only used for special occasions, and my mom would bring out the Christmas dinnerware and crystal glasses. Sometimes my grandparents would come over to eat with us or we might invite someone who had no where else to go. Afterwards, we would watch The Nativity Story. Once it was midnight, we would go to the candlelight service at church.
Christmas morning, my sister and I would wake up early and go jump on my brother's bed shouting, "IT'S CHRISTMAS, IT'S CHRISTMAS!!" I'm sure my knee in his ribs was his favorite part, too ;) Once all of us were awake, we would sit at the top of the stairs while my parents got everything ready. Then, when my parents said it was time, my mom would take a photo of us on the stairs and we would head down to our "spot" in the living room. I loved that my family would take turns watching each person open one present at a time. In the middle, we would take a break and eat some yummy breakfast and eggnog.

PRESENT

Since this is my first Christmas as a married person, we are just beginning to form our own traditions. This year, we started with going to get a real Christmas tree and decorating it while listening to old-time Christmas music and drinking hot cocoa.
I have made my own advent calendar and also have an Advent wreath that we use to remind us of hope, joy, love, peace, and Jesus. I love the anticipation and excitement that it brings.
Every year, we want to take Christmas pictures and get a Christmas ornament. Thankfully, this year we did both! Thanks to my mom for this year's ornament she made with a picture from our wedding and our anniversary date. I'll show you a picture soon! And thanks to Danielle for our Christmas photos. I love capturing the year together in these ways.
For Christmas Eve this year, Drew and I plan to make a fancy dinner, watch a Christmas movie, read the Nativity story, make some hot cocoa, and maybe go to a candlelight service. This is our main time to be together and celebrate the season.
On Christmas morning, Drew and I will make homemade cinnamon rolls and open presents. Afterwards, we are heading to his parents' house to celebrate Christmas with them. Something I love that Drew's family does is they are required to give each other either handmade or pre-owned gifts.

FUTURE

When we have kids, I would love to add on the handmade or reused gift requirement among them that Drew's family does.
I would also love to take a photo Christmas morning before they open their gifts like my mom did of us on the stairs.
When we have a fireplace, I would love to make some cute decorations for everyone's stockings and decorate our mantle. I would also love to have a fire in our fireplace every night in December!! okay... maybe just a lot of nights in December.
I would love to start taking a trip in December to go ice skating and to drive around looking at Christmas lights. I remember doing this a few times growing up and it was always so much fun!

If you haven't checked out Savannah's traditions already, you should!