Building family Christmas traditions

The lovely and oh so talented Katy over at The Singing Runner recently posted about her wonderful family Christmas tradition which involves Christmas ornaments.  This inspired me to write about our own Christmas tradition. 


Growing up, my sister and I each got a new Christmas ornament each year.  Mine were usually Goofy ornaments, because I am a huge Goofy fan.  In 2007, the year Chris and I met, I ran my first half marathon which he also ran.  We got these fun Christmas ornaments to remember the event.  My mom even found a special ornament which she had specialized just for me.

In 2008, I graduated with my Master's degree and Chris's family give me a Dr. Seuss ornament based on the book "Oh!  The Places You'll Go!".  Chris's roommate had moved out that summer and Chris brought an artificial Christmas tree for us to decorate.  We decided on an artificial tree (which looks quite real in my opinion) since he lives on a third floor (without an elevator) and had two kitties at that point.  We bought some plastic ornaments, knowing that the kitties would probably knock them down.  We hung the nicer ornaments on the top.

 In 2009, we went on a cruise and our trip to London, and I moved in with Chris.  While on the cruise, I saw Christmas ornaments for sale and came up with the idea of collecting an ornament from the different places we travel.  This way our Christmas tree will be built of memories of the places we've gone together.  We also purchased an ornament in London and found a London-related ornament in a store after we got back.  Unfortunately, that year the cats discovered that they could climb the Christmas tree.  Ashe broke my 13.1 ornament, but luckily Chris had a matching one, so we still have one.  The video below of Simon's Cat reminds me of Ashe.  We decided that the next year we would get a second smaller tree just for our special ornaments, and that tree would be kept in a kitty-free room.

This is our first Christmas together being able to refer to each other as fiance.  I could not be happier!  This year, I knew I wanted to get an ornament in St. Augustine where Chris proposed.  We searched all over and found a few ornaments.  We kissed under "The Love Tree" and got an ornament to remember that too.  This year both Chris and I had huge work and/or school projects, and since we are not going to be in town for Christmas we decided not to put up our tree.  Instead we decorated the balcony with Christmas lights. 

 

These last three were part of a buy three for $10 deal.  I thought the heart was appropriate after the proposal.

One for showing the location of our happy moment.

And Chris just really liked this gecko.  Go figure.

Next year I plan to buy the 26.2 ornament.  We will see what else we find to build our Christmas ornament collection.  I love spending the holidays with our families and learning about the traditional foods his family cooks for the holidays (all delicious I must add).  I love that my mom still stuffs our stockings full of tiny little gifts that she wraps individually.  I look forward to the years where we celebrate holidays in our own home filled with all of our family, buy and fill our own stockings, and continue to create our own traditions built upon the traditions of our families. 

What are some of your own holiday traditions?  How do you build new traditions?


As a final note, I ran 3 miles with my co-worker Bala yesterday (in 31:54).  Then spent the day Christmas shopping with Chris.  I am finally getting into the holiday spirit.



Simon's Cat in "Santa Claws"