No real traditions for us that I can think of. When my sister and I were younger, she would sneak into my bed after the folks went to sleep and she would keep saying how she thought she kept hearing someone. A quick peak would confirm that presents were now under the tree, so Santa must have slipped in and out real quick like. He's magical that way... Nevermind that we didn't have a fireplace. I guess that magic dust really does work! One funny thing, well, funny in a terrifying sort of way, is that my mom would tell us that if we got caught awake when Santa Claus got here, he'd put pepper in our eyes! Is that funny or what?! :laugh: Once I figured out what was going on, I had to keep the secret for a few more years so my sister could still enjoy the suspense. In the morning, about 5AM, we'd go pester the folks till they got up. That all changed when we were in our twenties. The folks would be calling us up at 0600 telling us to get dressed and get over there! Now, we're right back to the original plan-Dad retired almost ten years ago, and they don't get up too early for anyone! My sis has her own family now, husband and my two nephews, so it's all about them now. :thumb: Time to spoil someone else's kids as payback for being so bad when we were little!
One of the semi traditions is that my mom makes all sorts of "party foods" for the day. And the next few days. Hot wings, pizza rolls, mini egg rolls, bagel bites pizzas, little smokies mini weiners (kinda like Milk's...), etc. Starting around noon, we just pick at that stuff all day. Oh, and chicken salad. My mom makes the world's best chicken salad, bar none! :)
This year, we had our Christmas day shindig on Saturday the 20th (my birthday) since my sister and family are spending the day in Sioux Falls, SD with her inlaws. One year here, one year there. So later today, some family friends we've known for 30 yrs or more are coming over to hang out with their kids, and pick at the party food. Rumor is they're bringing a smoked turkey, too. New Year's Day we'll have a ham dinner or something in the fancy eatin' room at the parents', or maybe over at my sister's house. My mom rationalizes having it over there so "she can clean up the mess!" Two boys and two labradors tend to cut a swath of destruction wherever they go!
Thinking back, like I always do on Christmas, I count my blessings. I have a wonderful family, and another wonderful family here at DRN. I only ever spent two Christmas's away from home and family in my entire life-both while I was in the Marines. Other than the four years I spent in the Marines, and five years working on govt. contract for the military, I've been in the KC area my whole life, and I always managed to get vacation and make it home for a week for Christmas while working contract.
So, that's about it. Nothing too exciting. We get together, we eat, yell at the kids, yell at the dogs, wrassle with the dogs, and kids, open presents, eat some more, go outside, wrassle some more, then do some serious industrial cleanup! (I'm washing the mashed potatoes off my Fox sweatshirt from Saturday as I type this!)
Mare Crimmus, DRN!