Traditions

As it is the holiday season, one of the things I've been thinking about lately is traditions. Traditions feel and seem so important. But how do I start traditions within my own new family?

Growing up, we did not have many holiday traditions. For a few years of my youth, my mom would take out Christmas decorations such as her Department 56 village, and I loved setting it up. My sister and I also had the annual Christmas card picture posing to look forward to. We actually hated the day my mom took the Christmas picture because it would mean standing in the same position for at least an hour while she tried to get us in the right pose. But looking back on those pictures now, I see how creative she was and how original a lot of those pictures were. We also loved decorating the Christmas tree, and every year we looked forward to unwrapping the different decorations, and trying to find our favorite ones. One of my favorite parts of Christmas morning was opening my stocking, as it was often hidden and my sister and I had to find it. Once we found it, that was the one thing we were allowed to open when my parents weren't with us. So, we often opened them together...very early in the morning. But other then those few things, we didn't do much. And after we found out about Santa Claus, and got involved in skating, and my mom went back to work...we didn't decorate at all. In fact, even the picture Christmas cards stopped. And for a time, so even, did the Christmas tree (which made no sense...since we sold Christmas trees). The only thing that stayed constant was that we would spend Christmas with the family, always going up to my dad's brother's house.

Right now, I am finding myself in an entirely new place in life. This is the first year of my life that the family is not selling trees...which means I actually have to go out looking for a tree...but also that I can decorate my own place for once. The first year I will not be home in Delaware for the month of December, or even for Christmas for that matter. It is the first year that I actually have a house to decorate, and the first year I will spend with my husband...as our own little family.

So what traditions to I want to try and start? What traditions would I eventually like my children to look forward to every holiday season? Every Christmas morning?

I am actually having trouble thinking of many. I do not know what kinds of things to start. I DO know that there are a few that have taken hold of me in one way or another...I have no idea how. I LOVE having Pillsbury cinnamon rolls for breakfast on holiday mornings. Thanksgiving and Christmas especially. They taste yummy, and aren't so filling that you ruin your holiday dinner. I've continued to make them as we've had our first holidays together. I want to decorate the house at some point...probably not too much this year, as we don't have many decorations, but in coming years after we have time to hit sales. I want to go Christmas tree hunting every year on the same weekend, and have fun ornaments to put on our tree. I want to have fun, homemade Christmas picture cards...not the ones that get made at Walmart or other photo places. But ones I put together at home, like my mom and dad and even my grandfather did. But other then that...I can't think of anything else. It is something I will continue to think about this year and in the coming years...and that I hope B contributes to as well. I'd love to carry on traditions that were prevalent in his family.

What traditions did you have in your family during the holiday season that you always looked forward to? I've seen so many as I've blogged...I'd love to know how they got started, and why you love those traditions. What new ones did you start when you began a family of your own? I'd love to hear your stories, as I begin to look for my own.

P.S. We have by the way, at least continued with picture Christmas cards. I do not have the time or ability to put together the kind I would like this year due to many factors, but we did our own. It represents me and B quite well...we love each other and one of the reason we love each other is our ability to be goofy and make each other laugh... :) So, here it is:

What's in a Name?

As the wedding draws closer, the one thing I'm still struggling on deciding is whether or not to change my name. I never used to think it would be such a difficult decision for me...in fact, the first time I was engaged (yes, I was previously engaged), I had my mind all made up that I would be changing my name. Since then though, so much has happened in my life that I'm just not sure...

Reasons for keeping my name:
1) I like it. :)
2) It is very high up in the alphabet
3) Not having to go through all the pain of changing everything that has my current name on it to a new name
4) It is me. I truly feel in the past few years that I have really become who I am. My name is a part of that. It's how everyone knows me...
5) I feel it honors my dad. There are no males in our immediate family and our last name is dwindling...(there aren't very many with our last name anywhere, really, but only one male within even my extended family...).

Reasons for changing my name:
1) I think B would appreciate it, even though he tells me it wouldn't bother him if I didn't take his name
2) Makes it easier for other people. Ha!
3) Taking his name shows that we've come together to start our life as a unit...

I dunno. I'm not against it for all the feminist reasons, really, I could care less about those (no I don't hate feminists. This is the second time I've brought them up in posts...) I guess I feel like maybe I'll be losing something I feel is a part of my identity. How I see myself. But maybe how I see myself shouldn't be wrapped up in something so small as a name... Do others see me as a name? Those that don't know my name certainly don't, and I'd hope that those who do know me see me for all the other things about me.

I've still got time. Maybe the answer will eventually become clear.