traditions

Memories light the corners of my mind………….

It is hard to approach a holiday season and not take a walk down memory lane.  This year I miss my mom.  I talked with her tonight but even though she sounds like my mom, the dementia has taken its toll.  Tonight she informed me that ‘they had made it safely to Florida.’  I didn’t ask her who ‘they’ were.   After all, she has been in Florida for a year and a half.   I just consider myself blessed to be able to hear her tell me she loves me and that she looks forward to seeing me.

It did get me to thinking about Christmas and traditions.

There are traditions that have gone by the way side.  For us, one of those traditions  was the need to have oyster soup for Christmas Eve.    One year  (early on in our marriage) the weather stopped us from going home for Christmas and so I sent Curt out to find us oysters.  We absolutely must have oyster soup for supper.   If I couldn’t go home, at least I could have the traditional meal.   It was Christmas Eve and I don’t remember how many different places he went to before he found  oysters.   Imagine his surprise when I dipped myself a bowl of broth — no oysters, just the broth.   That was the end of that tradition.   Now we have chili.

Then we moved out-of-state and found ourselves far from extended family.   With having a Christmas day service (thus making it difficult to go home for the holidays) we needed to come up with new traditions.  Gone were the big extended family gatherings.  My kids don’t know what it is like to go to Grandma’s for Christmas.  What they lost with that we made up for in other ways.

We created new traditions. 

Decorating the tree means cheese and crackers and Christmas music.   Our tree is loaded with ornaments that the boys  made and an assortment of sentimental ornaments.

The second to last ornament is always Santa and his sleigh, with the last ornament being the tree topper.

A tradition we started when the boys were in school was something we called the ‘early present.’  On the final day of school, before Christmas break, they were allowed to open one present.     This was a big hit.  I still look forward to my early present.

So much of the time pk’s have to share their parents.  We made the decision that the holiday meal would be  just the 4 of us.    It became about family time.    We pull out the china and go all out.

This year we are blessed to have one son home for Christmas.  Our other son and ‘daughter’ will not be here for Christmas BUT are moving back home after Christmas.    Traditions are good but flexibility is even better.

We are blessed.

Merry Christmas!

til next time

black friday shopping can be great!

Black Friday — you either embrace it or you stay far away from it.  We embrace it!

Since we left the house at 11:30 p.m. can it really be called Black Friday?  For the record, I am not a fan of starting on Thursday evening.  Although I am sure that the stores loved it.  There were way more people than any other year that  I have gone.  More people equals more profit.

This year we had hats!  It made it easier to locate which aisle one of us was in and it made people smile.  Making people smile is hugely important when you are surrounded by strangers who might just be a bit cranky.

Black Friday — rule 1 — wear hats!!

    We began our journey at Target.  It was by far the longest line ever.   It was dark but it wasn’t cold. The way to not get  irritated in  line is to look for ways to make it fun.  We laughed and chatted with those around us.  We weren’t interested in the big screen tv’s — good thing because before we even got into the store, people were already coming out the door with them.

Black Friday — rule 2 –it is about the experience not about the items

Expect the unexpected — is a good rule of thumb for Black Friday shopping.  This year was no different.  There was a malfunction with the check out lane in electronics at Target.  Coffee and pumpkin muffins were handed out for us to enjoy while we waited again.  You can either get frustrated or you can relax.  No one likes to wait.  At least no one that I know.  However, it is what it is.

Black Friday – rule # 3 — there will be lines – expect it and make the most of it

It was during that wait that we decided that my sister didn’t know the rule about ‘stranger danger.’  We did learn more than any of us really wanted to know about the person in front of us, but there was lots of laughter!

We did not experience any rudeness.  For that I am quite grateful.

We went from Target to Kohl’s.  Now Kohl’s sets a new record for the longest amount of time waiting in line to check out– 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Wowzer!!

It was at Kohl’s that I got my hug from a stranger.  Guess I didn’t get the memo either about ‘stranger danger.’

Black Friday – rule #4 – it is a great opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.

From Kohl’s we went to JC Penny’s.

Then it was on to breakfast.  All that shopping (or should I say waiting in line) makes a person hungry and very thirsty.

Last we ended up at WalMart.  By this time my niece  was exhausted and really didn’t even want to continue.   She is  now labeled as the “I can’t handle it” girl.

Oh and I mustn’t forget the rings.  Last year it was matching socks and bracelets.  This year it was matching rings and hats!  Another year of fun and laughter — Black Friday shopping — we love it!!

Black Friday – rule #5 –  Keep it fun –smile and laugh

Final thoughts on Black Friday shopping — reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 would be a great thing to do before heading out.

til next time