Before I start with today's planned post, I wanted to participate in my great friend Julia's weekly "Working Mommy Wednesday":
This week, she's asking us to share our Christmas card photos... and while this picture didn't get on our Christmas cards this year, there's a very good reason for that...
...just take a look.
Yeah... maybe next year...
At the end of one of my favorite movies of all time, Dorothy Gale clicks her ruby-soled heels together and chants...
There's no place like home,
There's no place like home."
She was right, you know...
And it's never a truer statement than at this time of the year...
You didn't think I meant
my parents home, did you?
Last year, we tried doing it my mom's way. We packed up 3-month-old G, car-sick-prone Ducky, and all our gifts and made the eight hour drive north to celebrate Christmas in my childhood home.
The dog threw up four times along the way...
My mom yelled at me for not waking G up at the crack of dawn to open presents...
And the baby came home with a double ear infection.
Needless to say, we're NOT doing that again this year.
Growing up, my parents always made sure I woke up Christmas morning in my own bed. Last year, G wasn't really sleeping all that much to begin with, so I didn't really think it mattered where she slept (or in our case, didn't sleep). But this year, our little nuclear family has its own habits, its own peculiarities, its own preferences.
So, we'll miss out on my mom's annual Christmas morning feast. We'll pass on the smoke-filled house crammed to the rafters with the cousins, aunts, uncles, and other various family members we rarely see. We'll skip on the midnight Christmas Eve mass and enjoy the afternoon children's service instead.
We'll do things our way...
What traditions-- new or old-- are you most looking forward to participating in (or, like us, maybe starting) as we head into the holidays?
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Hi Elizabeth! Yes, it's best to start your own tradition with your own family.
When I started my family, we skipped the midnight mass and instead went to the morning mass. We stayed home and prepared food for whoever guests who wants to drop by. And that number of guests grew each year. So now, it has been a tradition to hold a mini-Christmas lunch party in my home.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
a wordless wednesday indeed!! my daughter has never liked santa. took her last year and she cried. saw him this ear and she didn't even want to attempt to sit on his lap.
glad you're doing your own traditions. sometimes traveling can get so darn hectic, especially with a baby. enjoy your first christmas as just your family!!
I don't blame you one bit for wanting to stay home!
Oh my gosh, the look on Santa's face is almost a priceless as your unhappy baby.
We live less then an hour from both my husband and my families so we end up visiting everyone on Christmas day. They've been predicting bad weather for Christmas so we might get "stuck" at home. Is it bad that I'd love that?
Ugh!! I definitely would not be making that trip again! My parents are actually coming to stay with us this year - so things should be interesting to say the VERY least!
~WM
I am not close to my family, emotionally or geographaically, so we don't spend any holidays with them. I am, however, big on tradition, so we have come up with our own. Christmas Eve is typically spent at our own home, going to church somewhere (we don't have a church home so it is any church with a Christmas Eve service), then come home and eat smokef pork chops and slamon and junk food, watch a movie, then get the stockings all set out. Christmas Day, we wake up early and open presents, eat buckwheat pancakes and bacon, then go to Steve's parents to open presents there. We would typically go to my dear friends' hosue to eat, but this year we are changing it all around so we are going there for Christmas Eve and to Steve's parents' to eat. I am a little wierded out by the change, but it will be good.
Love the picture!
Sometimes it's awkward (more for our parents than us) but it's important to start our own family traditions.
Glad to hear you're passing on the infections, barf and stress this year and opting for a festive tradition-starting year in your own home.
PS: that Santa photo is priceless.
That picture is so stinking adorable. I mean, you hate to say that about a crying baby, but it just is!!! I hope this Christmas goes well!!!!
We're locking doors, turning off computers and cell phones, building a fire and enjoying some uninterrupted couple time. Starting 3:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. And next year, when our Little Nubbin' is a whopping six months old, he/she will be snuggled happily in his/her own bed on Dec. 25. They've worked around us or done it without us. And that's what we're sticking with!
I am really excited about my mom's new tradition of having a Christmas Eve party at her house. We've celebrated with get-togethers every Christmas Eve with other family members, but this year she'll be hosting, and you know that means it's sure to be great!
I think it will be so nice to enjoy Christmas Day at home! We also think that is so important and in the years to come would much rather spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the comfort of our own home. We did the 7+ hour trip last year, too, and it was a little much with a 7 month old...
I love the picture of G with Santa! That's another tradition I just love. :) And it's the same Santa we saw last year! We're taking Gracie this evening, so we'll see how it goes! Merry Christmas! I'm looking forward to seeing you soon!
We used to trade off holidays with my fam and the inlaws each year. When our first born had his first Christmas we were in TX. My hubs fam did their celebration on Christmas Eve. So on Christmas morn....we were stuck in a hotel with nothing to do. And nothing was open. It was a horrible, miserable day. It was also the day we decided we would ALWAYS wake up in our own home for Christmas as long as our children were still living with us. Now my parents come spend the night with us and anyone else is welcome to do the same. We do the extended family thing on Christmas Eve. My children are happier...and that's what it is all about!
We did the same thing as you last year... and are doing the same thing as you this year. STAYING HOME! Especially with the nasty weather, it is a good call this year.
I find it challenging to figure out what to do on Christmas Eve! It is so odd to be home, I am just at a loss.
I am sure I'll do some cooking, cleaning & watching of Rudolf.... there are new pj's to be worn. Perhaps I will make my "annual" xmas ornaments made from Z's hands & feet. But it still feels rather empty w/o my favorite wrapping paper fight at the in laws....
What traditions will you guys do?
New traditions sound wonderful!
We do Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas Day with mine but Christmas Morning is just for us. Reading the Christmas story from The Brick Testiment: The Story of Christmas (a Lego book) is a must for us and other traditions are still forming.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Doing a lot of driving really kills the holiday spirit, especially when there is vomit involved.
You will enjoy the day so much more from your own home!
Merry Christmas!
yeah we like to be in our won space too!that santa picture is too cute!!
We always have Christmas morning breakfast and other than that we don't do anything else.
Starting your own traditions is always a great thing!
I agree about staying in your own house. Last year, we had Christmas in our house and then flew to my in-laws the day after. It worked out really well.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Now following you!
Traditions you ask? Try as I might, it's pretty hard to come up with old traditions of mine that I can remember. Or at least ones that might be something you'd call that. When I was growing up we spent Christmas morning and day at my parents house. My grandparents drove in for the holiday every year. We were only allowed to open our stockings before anyone got up. We had to wait for EVERYONE to wake up and gather around the tree before opening a single gift. Pretty much torture when we were really young. My grandfather was our "Santa", passing out the gifts to everyone. This was hilarious though, cause as he got older he'd give the gift to the givee instead of the receiver. Wow. Now that I write this out, I really miss the old times.
But it's time to make new traditions with my children. Since my daughter was born we have celebrated Christmas morning at our home. We attend the Christmas Eve service at our church and always attend a Christmas Eve party before heading home. I can't wait for this Christmas. It will be the first time in years that I will be able to celebrate it with both my siblings and their children.
Once we had our second son, we took back the holiday, and decided that it was worth the driving to have our kids wake up at their own homes, in their own beds, on Christmas morning.
We go to my in-laws and do it all over again on the 26th. It's working out great.
Merry Christmas to you. The pic is hilarious, and I have a few similar ones in my own album.
Love the pic, Santa looks scared too!
We plan on going to the children's afternoon service too. Then over to my sister in laws on Christmas day.
Merry Christmas!
Oh, and Congrats on 13,000 visitors! Woo Hoo!
We are staying home too. We are also having Christmas dinner at 11:30 (my son's lunch time) so we don't mess with nap time.
Little ones need a routine!
Stopping by from SITS!
So I'm wondering how much they pay those mall Santas considering they put up with screaming, crying kids all day. It's either a lot of fun or a lot of pay. But that's a cute picture anyhow!
My boys just stared straight ahead like "What the heck is going on?!" Good times, good times!
Hope you have a good holiday - hope you got my email about the Boogie Wipes package, too.
Tamara
www.theunexperiencedmom.com
Good for you!!! As we are still without children it is hard to put off our multiple Christmases (5 this year!!) but I have already made it fully known to the hubs that the mountain is going to have to come to me once we have kiddos. I want my traditions in my house! Hugs for standing up for what you wanted!
It's so hard breaking free into your own and making your own traditions, but you HAVE TO! For your own little family. For years to come.
Good luck this Christmas:)
That photo of her on Santa's lap is ADORABLE! It sounds like you made the right decision to stay home and I hope you have an awesome Christmas...
I think starting your own tradition of staying home for the holidays is a great one. We're several hours away from the closest family member and none of the grandparents live in the same city. We have two young kids and the thought of driving all over the country just for a quick visit just doesn't appeal to me at all.
Love the Santa pic - his expression is priceless!
Thanks for visiting over at my place :)
That is so funny! That is the same thing that happened this year with my daughter. She is 16 months. Maybe next year she will at least sit there and I wont have to be in the picture!! Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
That picture is hilarious! You are very smart to spend Christmas in you own home. We have been doing that for the last few years and I won't ever travel during the holidays again.
Why do the little ones hate Santa so?
One of my favorite traditions is the ham I put in the oven on Christmas Eve. I put it in on on low heat right before I go to bed and then we have ham and rolls ready in the morning for breakfast.