Christmas traditions...

Growing up, our families celebrated Christmas in very different ways. Hubby's family had a Christmas Eve celebration with presents and food into the wee hours of Christmas morning while my childhood Christmases were very different. It has become very important to me to build some traditions into the family we've created. Here are some of my favourite things to do at Christmas:

1. Christmas lights drive - Our very first date, we went around town to look at all the lights. We make sure we do it each year. Sometimes it's on the anniversary of our first date, sometimes it's Boxing Day (although we do usually try to get there before Christmas day)

2. Decorating the tree - one person picks the colour scheme, we all decorate while listening to Christmas music, being silly and having fun. This year Mr Z picked the colours and we were able to use the very first decorations we ever bought, 13 Christmases ago (blue)

3. Gingerbread - Whether it's trees or men, N and I have come to enjoy doing this job together. This year we made some for Z's classmates, next year we'll need a whole lot more!

4. Church - this year we went to Christmas Eve Mass with Hubby's family.

5. Food! The kids each get to choose something to eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Miss Piggy chose kiwi fruit and chocolate cake, Mr Z wanted pancakes and blueberries.

6. Recording our memories - the kids line up so we can mark their height on the pantry door, and everyone gets a picture taken under the tree.

7. Our new tradition - now we're a complete family of five, I want to choose one special decoration to hang each year. This year we went out and bought a silver snowflake - after much umming and ahhing (and bickering). Not quite the relaxing experience I was looking for, but you have to start these things and let them settle in to tradition... or not! We'll see!