Christmas Traditions

Every family has traditions around the Christmas holiday, our family is no exception.  The exception is that our traditions have changed over the years.  I have already mentioned our Christmas tree tradition that has changed in this post and the fact that I decorate by myself.  There are some other traditions that have changed as well, I will be sharing a few of those over the next several posts.

Some families put presents under the tree before Christmas day. 

We don't. 

We wrap all of the presents ahead of time and hide them, then on Christmas Eve after Haley has gone to bed I put them under the tree. 

Haley must open presents. 

It doesn't matter if the present is for her or not.  If I wrap a present for any gift giving occasion I need to hide it immediately.  I know this from experience.  Haley has opened many presents that I have wrapped that were never intended for her. 

If I go to a party and bring a gift home that I have received I have to immediately take it out of the wrappings and hide them away before I bring it into the house.  If she sees the wrappings she launches into "Present, present, present." 

Actually, truth be told, Haley must open boxes.  They don't need to be wrapped.  She always wants to know what UPS brings even if I tell her it is only soap.  She has to see it.  I have several boxes that I intended to keep to store things in that have been unceremoniously opened.  So no unopened package is safe.

My favorite thing about Christmas morning when I was a kid was to come down the stairs and be blown away by the amount of presents under the tree.  I remember a few presents under our tree before Christmas day.  They were usually the ones that my brother and sister and I gave to each other, but all of the other presents were saved for that big surprise on Christmas morning.  We are keeping that surprise alive in our house, I think there is some value in that tradition.