Some Christmas Traditions are Written in STONE

There are certain Christmas traditions in our home that you DO NOT MESS WITH.  I know that sentence is not grammatically correct, but that is basically how it has been put to me by my children.  Or, in other words, no matter how insignificant I may think any of these household Christmas items may be, the directive is that I shall NOT eliminate any of them.

So, I comply.

I'm sure other homes have very similar boxes of decorations which are laboriously carried down from the attic each year and each item is subsequently carefully placed in its designated spot throughout the house. And of course there may be new items added each year.  That's fine.  It's just a problem when somebody notices that something that USED to be there all those years is now GONE.

I'm thinking about these silly written-in-stone traditions, because today the out of town kids start making their way home for the holidays.  I know how this goes.  They will be looking.  They will be checking.  They will notice if I have messed with the traditional Christmas items.

I have taken a last look around, and I think I have most of the required pieces in their proper places.  

There is a wreath on the front and back doors.  Check.

The light up deer and Christmas tree are out in the yard, and most of their lights still work.  Do you think they will notice the deer no longer moves his head from side to side?

The Christmas tree stands in the corner of the living room, and has been all decorated.  I wonder if they will notice that the angel at the top has been replaced with a pickle?

The matching lit up basket of greens is in its place on the end table.

Scrooge the hubby has decorated the mantel over the fireplace with Christmas greens, candles and angels.

Heaven forbid if we were to get rid of those old stinky, musty, faded angels the kids made about 25 years ago in art class.  They've been reglued and repaired so many times over the years, yet we still gently, lovingly pack them away for each next Christmas.  Yep, they would throw a fit.

The stockings must be hung, whether or not anything is ever put into them.  We only hang stockings for those of us still living here at home, and of course there has been some flak over the years from those other kids that have moved away.  Our kids are 34, 32, 30, and 27, mind you!  Yet when it comes to the Christmas traditions, they act like they are still youngsters.

Three plus a small one for the puppy

The little Christmas tree some of the kids used in their bedroom when they were still at home, and then later used in their college dorm rooms at Christmas time, must be in place and decorated.  And, it better have the same 1000 miniature ornaments it always did.

Somewhere in the house there must be an advent calendar or some other sort of counting down device. If not, they will argue among themselves as to how many days are actually left until Christmas.  Do you count today or not?  Do you count the "day of" or not?  They're ridiculous, so the countdown calendar is in place.  I took this photo a while back, so don't let it screw up your "count."

The Christmas card basket is in its place and is getting full.  The kiddos will want to read the letters of  family friends and catch up on all the yearly happenings.  A yearly dose of all those letters from families that had those incredible years full of amazing and exciting experiences and accomplishments is a healthy grounding trip back down into the land of humble pie, regret and inferiority.    

The little leg lamp is in its place.  Yes, they will look for that silly old thing.

The corny Christmas mugs are on the mug rack.  Every year when I unpack them, there's more there than I recall packing away, and I swear they've been reproducing in the storage box.

Even the bathrooms are dressed in their Christmas finery.  I would be reprimanded if I were to skip decorating those rooms.

Red and green snowman/Christmas tree themed bathroom

Blue and white snowflake themed bathroom

And finally, the puppy's mistletoe headband is nearby and ready.  It's not that the puppy would be missing that - again, it's the kids.

I suppose I've brought this all upon myself, by saying over the years "I don't ever wanna grow up."  Well the kids, now adults, have taken that to heart.  And so, I shall NOT upset the kids.  I shall NOT mess with the traditions.

I suppose it's not such a bad thing to be a child at heart.  After all, it was the birth of a very special little child that changed the world forever....