My mom would always make this season the very best. She'd decorate the whole house; inside and out (Even if it was snowing my dad would be crawling on the roof to tie the wreaths up).
Our house would constantly have that Christmas smell... Momma would spend hours baking cookies and candies, so so so many goodies.
There would be a consistence sound of vintage Christmas music playing... Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis. And occasionally a few family members singing and dancing with it.
We would try our best to create the most artistic gingerbread house... and I think we did fantastic. Every year we'd try something new. I know we made an igloo, a log cabin, a castle, and one year we made the Clinic from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman- and it was SPOT ON! Epic.
Then about a week before Christmas... or two weeks..? Can't remember... but we'd go out into the coal strippins and cut ourselves a tree. We'd walk around trying to pick... It wouldn't be perfect like the ones you buy at Walmart... but it was perfect to us. Sometimes. Like that year the tree was a bit to tall for our basement. So what did my dad do? Well you would've thought he'd cut off the bottom just a bit...
No... he chopped off the top.
Then when Mom freaked out, he screwed it back onto the tree. Then there was those years the tree wouldn't stay straight in the stand; so he screwed the whole entire tree to the wall. "There that oughtta do it..." Oh yeah, it was great.
And of course if there was snow, the whole family would head to the Jumps (a place that is exactly how it sounds- steep hills for dirt bikers back in the woods) for some sled riding.
We'd have crazy fun till our noses would fall off from cold. Not literally... but yes. Dad would hook up a sled on the back of the three wheeler and pull us around.. Then Josh C. would take over and see who he could tip off; mainly Dan.
We'd all trudge back home to have something warm to drink and eat those delicious cookies Momma made.
Then Christmas Eve... my dad would dress up as Santa Claus. That was the best. He used to do it for me when I was a little girl.. I remember it very vividly. He didn't even have a costume.. he had a red jump suit and a paper plate with cotton balls glued to it. But it was wonderful. One year he even was on the roof and came to the window and gave me a present.... then tried to come through the window.... But my mom stopped him cause she thought it'd give me nightmares.
But now, he dresses up for Reagan and Landis. They love it. He can't get too close to them though... cause Reagan is a genius and almost has it figured out.
Just fun for everyone.
Oh yeah.. Christmas was the best.
Now it's our turn to make new traditions. Which I mean we're going on a cruise Christmas week so I can't really make traditions.. but oh well. It'll be a blast. Seeing all my in-laws will be wonderful. I'm so excited for it! And then I get to go home to my familia... so great.
Our tree has been up since before Thanksgiving.. and it probably wont come down till after Valentines day. It just makes me so so happy. I made most of the decorations; they're alot homier and you dont have to spend mega money for decor. And we just started on a gingerbread house..... yeah it's kind of caving in- BUT we're trying.
I love it. This feeling. I love spending it with my husband...and dog. He wore a jingle bell for awhile. I thought it was so festive... but then it got annoying. So we switched to a sweater. Mucho better.
I'm also taking the song "I'll be home for Christmas" quite literally.. although I wont be there on the day I'll still be there for the season. So it's going to be especially sweet this year. And I'll get to hold my newborn nephew Ocean J. for the very first time.... I'm beyond ready.
Until then... I'm wrapping up my Christmas presents, playing festive music as much as possible, and counting down the days till Christmas vacation. But still soaking up that Christmas feeling everyday...
Merry Christmas everyone.
