I’m not sure why, but lately I’ve been super sentimental about the Christmas season. One major reason could be that for the past three Christmases we haven’t had a finished home to celebrate in yet. 2014 we were tiling the bathroom floor Christmas Day. 2015 we were in the middle of replacing the sub-floor downstairs. This year we will be traveling to Rochester to spend a few days with Brandon’s family which I’m really excited about. It just feels so unreal to me still that we’ve done so much to our home, but yet still have so much to go.
Another reason I’m feeling sentimental is mostly because of today’s calendar day. Growing up, my parents hosted an annual Christmas Caroling Party on December 23rd. I looked forward to that day even more than Christmas itself. There is something really special about going door to door singing old fashion hymns like Silent Night and Oh Come Let Us Adore Him. We would all bundle up and walk to the nearest community near my parents and sing carols to the different homes. After the caroling, we would walk back to my parent’s to eat chili and Christmas cookies til we couldn’t move. Some of those nights I remember staying up with my friends past 3AM.
These are a few of my favorite things.
While my parents no longer throw the caroling party, I still look forward to events that fill up the calendar in December for the Holiday celebrations. When our home is complete, I fully intend to bring back the tradition of that party. Who knows, maybe next year we will be caroling in my neighborhood. With it being Christmas this weekend, I thought I’d share some of my favorite memories from the past.
Growing up as one of seven children, we would open our gifts one at a time starting with the youngest. Each person would have the spotlight as they opened their gift, and then the next person would go. It would take several hours, but no one cared. Afterward, we would have homemade waffles that my mom made.
Amy Grant’s albums were a huge part of the holidays in my family. These two albums in particular are still my all time favorites. Some songs that Amy sings that I refuse to hear other artists sing because I love her versions so much. There is this one part of “Sleigh Ride” where no matter where we were in the house, my sisters and brother would run in the room and yell “YOO HOO!!” at a certain part of the song.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is another major part of my memory growing up. My family watched it every year on Christmas Eve or the day of. Holiday themed mugs with hot tea or cocoa as you can see above were a must. My mom has so many of these mugs and she displays them every year.
It wouldn’t be Christmas if we didn’t have someone staying with us who couldn’t make it home to their family. It was totally normal in my house if someone’s roommate, an exchange student, or a friend was with us too.
There’s this tacky Christian pop group called plusOne and they have a song that my brother and I “performed” every year. It became a tradition for us as time went on. “This is CHRISTMAS!”
Wherever you are, whatever you are doing this year, I hope your Christmas is filled with love, laughter and peace. This year, I’m looking forward to spending Christmas Eve with my little sister and her boyfriend at their church. Brandon and I are staying at his grandparent’s house which always feels homey to me.
“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
-Isaiah 9:6.
