Like most families (I’m guessing) we have a few Christmas traditions.
The Christmas Tree: decorating the tree in the Panek household is a very specific affair. First, there MUST be John Denver and the Muppets A Christmas Together playing (a tradition carried over from Dave’s childhood.) No exceptions. Also, there are “generic” ornaments anyone can put on the tree, but there are ornaments that specifically belong to specific people and as such must be placed on the tree by them. No exceptions! And in recent years it’s become tradition to share the decorating event with a dear friend. A new tradition we now treasure.🎄
Another tradition from Dave’s childhood – Chex Mix. He LOVES the stuff. A little too much, lol, so I only make it for special occasions, usually just Christmas, which is when he always had it growing up. But, as you would know if you’ve ever made it, you can’t just make a little Chex Mix. You either go all in or you have a bunch of half boxes of random cereal and snacks laying around that will never get eaten. Might as well just make lots of Chex Mix. Like, as in 4 gallon-sized bags of Chex Mix. 😳 The funniest part is how little time that will actually last lol!
Christmas Cookies: Christmas cookies were a huge tradition for me growing up. My grandmother and my mother made tons, and I mean truly crazy amounts of Christmas cookies. Every year my grandmother sent cookie trays everywhere. To neighbors, to work, to the post office, to the telephone company (dating myself there, back in the day when you could pay your land line telephone bill in person,) the ceramics teacher… You name it and they got cookies. And I used to make quite a few cookies or sweets like sugar plums or fruitcake myself during the holidays. But as my work got more stressful and busy, and my mental health got a little more unstable, I stopped having the energy or the emotional wear-with-all to do it. It’s been years since I’ve made Christmas cookies of any kind. But I’ve been desperately craving the pizzelles my grandmother used to make. So I dug out Grandma’s pizzelle iron and spent an hour making delicious Italian cookies.
Christmas Eve: It’s been a Christmas Eve tradition to go out and have a really nice, fancy dinner every year. However, this year, what with all of the medical bills for Alton, we decided to forgo that particular tradition. However, we didn’t just want to phone it in. So we ordered three dozen HANDMADE FRESH pierogi that we can have with some kielbasa for Christmas Eve. A little traditionally Polish food as a nod to Dave’s ancestry. We’re super excited to dig into them!
Christmas movies: We are not big Christmas movie people. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore White Christmas, and I did actually watch it this year, but I don’t do that every year. Our Christmas movie tradition is Love Actually. It will probably be more of a post-Christmas pre-New Year’s tradition this year, but will definitely watch it before the year is out! My favorite story will always be Colin Firth’s, followed by Bill Nighy’s, and then Martin Freeman’s. Laura Linney’s makes me cry every year, and I end up wanting to punch Alan Rickman (much as I love him.) There are so many quotes from this movie that we use ALL THE TIME. Heck, “Eight is a lot of legs, David” make it into our 20-year vow renewal, lol. One of my favorite movies of all time.
So what are your traditions? What makes your holiday merry and bright? 🎄