Traditions

I'm not sure if it's a mom thing, a woman thing, or just a some people thing, but I love traditions. I have lots of them and I like to create new ones when new things arise. Maybe it's my type A personality now that I think of it.

During my single mom years, I liked to create all kinds of traditions for Brooklyn and myself. I wanted there to be so many things that she would remember from year to year that we did together. As you would expect, we had lots of traditions when it came close to the holidays. We always had fall pictures taken that would go on our yearly Christmas cards. We would go see Santa at the Enchanted Forest and take pictures with all the themed trees. Every Thanksgiving evening we would get out the Christmas tree and drink sparkling apple cider from "fancy" glasses while watching some Christmas themed movie.

Christmas Card pics
Now that she is getting older, I am starting to realize some of our traditions are going to have to change. Seeing Santa isn't exactly on the top of her list this year and neither is the Enchanted Forest or Festival of Trees. But some new things are on her list like going to the Christmas shows with me and shopping for presents. This is the first year she has gone without being mad about it. And she actually asked to run a holiday 5k with me this year.

Enchanted Forest 2009
Other things are changing too. I used to be a strict "no trees before the bird" person. I didn't mind seeing everything in the stores because that's just what retail stores do, but I was "never" going to put up any red and green before Thanksgiving evening. Well, I am going to eat my words this year. Now that I am married, we usually spend Thanksgiving with my family and then go to visit Jeremy's family the following weekend. Because of that, I am starting a new tradition. We will now be those people that put their trees up before Thanksgiving. I cringe a little. But it works for us. So this weekend I am going to get all the trees up in the house, with lights, ribbons and toppers. The ornaments are not going up on the trees until Thanksgiving night though. I had to hold out until after Thanksgiving for something.

Now tell me how crazy I am! Or telling me some of your favorite traditions. It doesn't even have to be a holiday tradition.