Traditions

Me on Christmas morning 1974. I was 13 months old.

Today is Christmas Eve. A day that will be filled with new traditions in the Krasnow home. And this will be the first time in 38 years that I haven't spent the night at my parents house and woken up in their home on Christmas Day.

Before moving to Kansas in 1982 we lived in Blountville, a small town in Tennessee. We would spend Christmas Eve at home but would load up Christmas morning, after checking out all Santa brought, and made the rounds to ALL of the grandparent's homes. It was long day!

Upon moving to Kansas, our holiday changed. Since it was just the three of us, our traditions are fairly simple. My dad and I would go shopping for my mom on Christmas Eve. We would put out cookies and scotch for Santa as dad assured me we were the last house on Santa's route and he would need the drink. Christmas morning was a quiet morning of opening gifts followed by playing all day.

In my adult years, I moved back to Kansas City after college. My parents lived in Jefferson City, MO so I always went home for Christmas. Again, sleeping and waking up there. New traditions were created. Joel would now join me on the trek. If Hanukkah happened to fall during the same time, we would light the menorah and open Christmas gifts as if everyone celebrated that way. When my parents moved back to Kansas City, I would make my husband pack a bag and off we went. We made Santa's Sleigh cocktails, watched White Christmas and headed off to bed so that Santa would be sure to stop. And he always did! 

There are two memories that I will always cherish about my childhood at Christmas. Every Christmas Eve Santa called my house. Seriously! Santa called me every Christmas Eve, asked me what I wanted for Christmas and said that I had been a good girl that year and he would be sure to visit. Years later, I found out that it was actually my grandfather, Granddaddy as I called him, who made the call. My grandfather passed in 1993 but I still hear his voice as Santa on Christmas Eve. I have asked my dad, McKinley's Granddaddy, to start that tradition for him. Will it be this Christmas Eve? Probably not. Hopefully next year he will make the call and I can't wait to see McKinley's face as he hears Santa's voice on the other end.

Christmas day, and this tradition will continue on with McKinley as well, is all about my dad. Even today, I am not allowed in the living room until he has turned on the tree lights and made sure that Santa has truly been there! My parents plan to spend the night with us on Christmas Eve this year, a new tradition, and hopefully one that continues. They too want to see McKinley's reaction when he sees what all Santa brought him.

 

McKinley on his first Christmas morning! Could this face be any sweeter??

Playing with his loot!

A tired baby boy on Christmas morning!

We're not fancy people when it comes to Christmas. We open gifts in our pajamas while drinking mimosa's and answering the phone from family members miles away. We don't dress up for Christmas dinner but say a small prayer for the gifts we have received though not in the literal sense. And we end the evening with hugs, kisses and thanks for wonderful a day.

I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season full of happiness, love, and above all, peace.