Traditions

Today at work I was talking with some co-workers about Christmas traditions. It was at lunchtime so much of the discussion centered around food tradtions.

Lots of families have holiday food traditions, at my house, it was a Christmas Eve fondue. The thing that gets me is that I remember some of this stuff like it was yesterday -- a rare feat for me. We'd sit around the table and fondue for AT LEAST an hour, talking, laughing, eating...it was a good time! Then we'd clean up (a little) and open presents.

I've still got this thing about waiting to open presents until it's dark. For me, there's something about opening gifts by the light of the tree and I think it comes from that Christmas Eve tradition from my family -- but that's another post.

My wife had her own family traditions too, so we've had to learn to meld the two and make our own. We made a few and my kids are already appreciating them, which I'm thankful for. I want my kids to have the same good memories I have. I suppose all good parents do, or if they don't have memories of their own, they want to make them for their kids.

This year, we have NO plans on Christmas Day except for church in the morning -- no family, no travel, no worries. In today's 'get-it-all-done' society, I wonder if doing nothing could become a tradition? Is just being together for a WHOLE day with no agenda, no timeframe, and no where to go a tradition? I wonder if I can make it one? I wonder if my kids would remember it fondly when they're older? I know I would.