Christmas Traditions

It came without ribbons. It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.

 Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store?

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

~Dr. Seuss

Photography by Danielle Lamoureaux

                One of my son’s favorite traditions is opening a Christmas present on Christmas Eve.  I always give him a beautifully wrapped box with a new set of pajamas, a new Christmas book, and a new Christmas movie inside.  The pajamas are for mostly selfish reasons.  I love that I know he’ll look good in Christmas photos but he actually loves wearing new warm pajamas to bed on a cold winter night.  After he changes into his pajamas we snuggle up on the couch, drink hot chocolate, and watch his Christmas movie.  Finally, when he goes to bed I lie down with him and read him the Christmas story.  I’ve always loved reading him stories but now that he’s ten years old Christmas Eve is one of the few times out of the year that he actually wants me to read to him.  This has become such a bittersweet, beautiful tradition because, as he gets older, I know it will fade.  There’s only so much longer he’ll want to cuddle with me or have me read him stories and someday he won’t even be waking up in my home on Christmas morning.  Although this makes me sad I hope that he’ll pass this along to his children and hopefully we’ll have new traditions of our own.

What are some of your cherished family traditions?