Trad-i-tion! Tradition!

We had a little friend over to play this afternoon. She was looking at some snapshots on our refrigerator. "You all went ice skating? I wanna go ice skating!" To which the Pea replied, "We go every year...it's a family tradition!" That got me thinking about other traditions at Christmas...
1. Setting up the tree the day after Thanksgiving...(see previous blog!)
2. Letting the Bug and the Pea set up the Nativity Scene...the same one that I've set up each year since I was a child.
2. Playing Amy Grant's Christmas cassette tape in our jam box.
3. Hanging a Santa Claus stocking and a Snow Man stocking on our mantle.
4. Decorating sugar cookies with all kinds of crazy colored icing.
5. Mailing Christmas cards with a photo of the Bug and the Pea enclosed.
6. Using clothespins to hang received Christmas cards on ribbons strung throughout our den.
7. Interlocking 25 construction paper loops as a Countdown to Christmas...hung on each of the kids' bedroom doors...removing one loop each night until Christmas Day!
8. Ice skating on the outdoor rink outside the church where we were married.
9. Watching the Grinch Who Stole Christmas and singing along.
10. Watching Charlie Brown's Christmas and tearing up when Linus reads scripture.
11. Caroling in nursing homes and bringing treats to the residents.
12. Making gingerbread houses and eating the decorations.
13. Opening gifts the Bug and the Pea bought at school's Santa Shop way early...because they just can't wait until Christmas for us to open them!
14. Christmas Eve candlelight service with communion and caroling.
15. Leaving hot chocolate and sugar cookies for Santa Claus.
16. Waking up at the crack o' dawn on Christmas morning as the Bug and the Pea race into our bedroom screaming, "Santa came! Santa came! We WERE good this year!"