Audge

Traditions. The epitome of the holiday season. My family and I have so many that I could write for hours telling you. But....I will not. For, in this case, I do not have hours. So I will give a few of the major ones that I keep close to my heart. 

My first most favorite (that's great english) is Christmas Eve. Ever since I was a small kidlin, my mom's entire family (now approximately 70 people) gets together every christmas eve at my grandma's house in Sandy, UT. And we do a number of things. Things have changed a little bit, but I'll give you the general agenda. First, we all get there around dinner time, and we eat Pasoli (PAH-soul-EEE), with tortilla's or fresh baked breadsticks. Delicious. And we talk and listen to christmas music. NEXT comes the time for caroling. My family loves to carol and sing, no matter how off key most of us are. My grandma will usually have a few plates of goodies to take to some people while we sing. In recent years, my father has provided a "hay-ride" trailer that we can all sit in, while he drives, and it has been great fun. We then return back to grandma's house, cold and ready to gather together. Then, (this happened more when I was younger) we would put on a talent show, or the nativity. Many, many, MANY great home videos have come from this tradition. From kids dancing around to christmas songs because they think they can dance (cough*cough* me*cough), or to my uncle singing his very own "Flannel Pajamas" song that he wrote for Christmas. It's classic. We have great times together. And THEN, the final most exciting part of the night for all us kids, is opening up our Christmas Pajamas. You do not understand how great this is until you experience how I've experienced it. I remember as a little girl not being able to contain myself with excitement. Especially since all the parents would ALWAYS make us hold our presents, but not open them, for at least FIVE MINUTES! TORTURE! But, we would finally open them, hearing giggles and screams of joy everywhere. All of us would hurry to go put them on, and then line up for the "Official-Annual Christmas Pajama Parade". This is the only time we young kids get cameras and video recorders flashing all around us like movie stars. It's wonderful. And then, slowly, everyone gets their stuff gathered and we head home. It's a great thing.

Well since that took a lot more space then expected, I'll keep this brief. Another tradition I love, is on Christmas morning, we wake up my parents bright and early (yes, EARLY, I have four younger siblings the youngest being 3, so you can't expect the whole family to sleep in because of me ;) and we have to wait for my father, to slowly go downstairs and turn on all the lights and what not. But while he is doing that, my mom reads to us "Jolly Old Santa Claus". One of the greatest christmas books you will ever read. The illustrations are beautiful. The story is wonderful. I highly suggest purchasing it for you/ and your future children. We then have to sit on the stairs and wait ANOTHER five minutes. And then, finally, our father will yell out to us, "Sorry kids, I think Santa came to the wrong house." We all roll our eyes, and race into the family room, and from there on out, it's wonderland. :)

Well, that is but a taste of my favorite traditions. It could continue on, but I will not, for your sake.