"Christmas-time is here....happiness and cheer...."
I won't be posting tomorrow morning since it'll be Christmas morning, and we'll be busy celebrating with family and what not, but I wanted to wish everyone out there in blogland a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
It truly has been a blessed year. T and I have so much to be grateful for during this holiday season. We get to spend the holidays with both of our families, we are healthy, happy, and looking forward to a promising new year. This year has brought us the blessing of being united in marriage in September and getting the chance to share our love and happiness with everyone we hold dear and going on a dream vacation to Dublin for our honeymoon. We look forward to 2011 and everything it will bring - a new home, hopefully some career changes for the both of us, and maybe a few surprises along the way (Hopefully all good ones!). I hope everyone out there reading this shares the same happiness we do this holiday season and enjoys this time with family and friends (and lots of food, of course!)
Our Christmas Eve tradition is to spend the evening at my parent's house, enjoy a late lunch, watch the kids open their presents from Grandma and Grandpa, head to Christmas Mass and then go over to my parent's neighbor's house for a Christmas Eve party. This year, T and I will be spending the night with my sister and Roo so that we can wake up Christmas morning after waiting for Santa to arrive with all of Roo's presents. It'll be fun. I haven't done Christmas with a younger kid in a long time, and I know T never has, so we're looking forward to it. My family also has a tradition on Christmas Eve that was started by my father a few years ago. Our late lunch consists of a soup smorgasbord...normally my Dad picks the kinds of soup we have, but this year, he unfortunately has to work part of Christmas Eve so we're all pitching in to help. T and I will be bringing Hamburger Soup, which is always tasty. It's a fun tradition, and you get to try all sorts of soups that you normally wouldn't necessarily have.
After dinner, we let the kids unwrap their grandparent presents and then change for mass. We do something that might seem odd to others, but...it's a family tradition. Before we leave for mass, the adults (those not driving) do a pre-mass shot. Last year, I think it was a shot of Bailey's, but this year, after our weekend downtown, we decided to supply Irish Car Bombs for everyone. It's all in good fun, and well, we're Irish Catholic so...it just seems natural. Plus it makes dealing with the normal Christmas mass crowds (from all of those Easter/Christmas Catholics who suddenly come to church) that much more bearable. (I'm totally not a crowd person by any means).
What sort of holiday traditions do you have with your family that you do on Christmas and Christmas Eve?
Happy holidays everyone! I'll be posting next week, since I do have to work (sad face...) but for those of you who will be away for the holidays, have safe travels and enjoy this time with loved ones!
We're new with Christmas traditions... Since we're newly married.
ReplyDeleteThis year we're spending Christmas Eve at MJ's parent's house. Then Christmas morning we'll be at our house! Opening presents from Santa! And eating lots of goodies I've prepared for our families!! Yummy!!
But I don't know what we'll do next year!! Maybe we'll spend Christmas Eve at my parent's or maybe at home. Who knows...
P.S.: Happy holidays!!
ReplyDeleteNow that pre mass shot sounds like a plan to me!
ReplyDeleteOh kids are adorable, I'm sure you guys had a blast spending Christmas morning with Roo. And it sounds like you guys have great traditions! It's sad your father had to work. That hamburger soup sounds interesting, and good!
ReplyDeleteSince you are Irish-Catholic, I think a shot would definitely be in order ;-) Isn't it funny how people show up only twice a year for church? but it's better than nothing.
I'm glad you had a good holiday!