As I write this article, our family is getting ready for Christmas where we have both old traditions and, this year, a new tradition being added.
When we were first married, we had to blend both our traditions, and to make it fair we would alternate every year going to one side of our family for Christmas as we lived out of state.
Now we are the grandparents, and everybody gathers at our house. I don’t command our children to be at our house, it just seems like our house is best as far as space and location. I would love for one of our kids to step up and have either day at their house.
It is a good thing we all live close. Our daughter lives the furthest away, about 20 minutes from us. Usually, we will get together in the early part of December to celebrate three birthdays and trim the Christmas tree.
This year, two of the birthday people had colds, so we didn’t get together.
Instead, our 7-year-old grandson helped decorate the tree. He already knows a lot of the ornament stories.
Our Christmas Tree Traditions
As you can see from my feature photo, our tree is not your typical little twinkle lights and perfect Christmas balls. My husband and I both agreed that our tree lights must have the big bulbs or C7. This is what we both grew up with and this is one of our traditions.
I call our Christmas tree our memory tree. The star made out of tin foil was from our first Christmas 36 years ago; the cornhusk angel I made when we lived in Michigan, which is probably about 32 years old.
Each ornament has a story, for example, the bead ornament, as seen below, my mom made when she was a little girl and my grandma had two bead people and a necklace on her Christmas tree. All three are on my tree.
The bell ornament I remember my mom and my grandma sitting at our dining room table making all these different colored bells. After my mom died, each of my siblings took at least 5 bells.
Now, our grandson has his homemade ornaments on our tree. So, the stories continue.
For the last few years, we have only a portion of the ornaments on the tree as, because of our ceramic tile floor, we have decided not to take out the old breakable ones that were from my parents and my 3rd-great-aunt Carrie.
Besides having our traditional tree with the C7 size light bulbs and story ornaments we also have other old family traditions
Other Old Family Traditions
A lot of our old family traditions were passed down from my husband’s parents. They were good examples.
Christmas Eve we might make it to church, but God doesn’t mind as long as we gather with family.
On Christmas Eve we usually provide a light supper of soup and other finger foods.
Then we all gather around the Christmas tree, with a little eggnog and a plate of assorted homemade cookies, to read the same passages as my father-in-law did every year and light our Christmas candle that my husband and his brother made with their parents.
Yes, that was him about 50 years ago when they made the candle, but we were never home to light it on Christmas Eve. We are now getting it down where we can see the special coins.
These are the passages my husband reads in this order:
Isaiah 9:2 & 9:6
Isaiah 11: 1-6
Luke 1: 46-55
Luke 2: 1-20
Matthew 2: 1-12
1st Corinthians 13: 1-13
Then we read “The Night Before Christmas“
So, you might be wondering what is our new Christmas tradition that we are starting this year?
New Christmas Tradition
This year, we decided not to exchange gifts with all the adults. Instead, we are focusing on the fun part, our Christmas stockings!
The only rule is you have to spend at least one dollar, but for me I probably spent about ten dollars per person, give or take a few dollars.
It really isn’t about how much, but for me it is so much fun finding small items that I know they would like.
We did buy our kids some gifts, but with our grandson helping to wrap he has signed all of them from him, so in a sense we didn’t buy any gifts.
The reason why I am telling you these stories is to stress that your family stories, traditions and photos matter and should be recorded. Most genealogy companies will let you add stories/memories through either document, voice, photos or video recordings.
If you have a free FamilySearch account, you might want to check out FamilySearch Memories or whatever genealogy company you are using, as I am sure they also have something similar.
If you don’t have any website program, then keep your own recordings. Whatever works with your genealogical style.
For our family, we have old traditions plus new tradition, which will be happy memories to pass on.
I would love to hear about your Christmas traditions. Please leave me a comment or click Contact to directly send me an email.
I want to wish all my readers a Very Merry Christmas!
Nancy Dru
