Thursday, December 9, 2010

Traditions




The Vanley family has a LOT of traditions, especially during the holiday season.  It starts with the menu for both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and spans the gamut.  I thought it might be fun to share just a few of them with you.

1. Holiday (Thanksgiving and Christmas) Menu -  Must include: Broccoli casserole, Cran-Raspberry salad, stuffing made from home made bread, biscuits and cornbread, Shipwreck (another concoction made with jello, crushed pineapple, cottage cheese and cool whip.  No, we haven't a clue why it is named "Shipwreck". 
2. Fresh Cinnamon Rolls on Christmas morning.
3. New Christmas PJ's- The only gift opened on Christmas Eve.
4. Christmas Cookies:  Nutcracker Suites, Cherry Winks, Grasshopper Bars and Gingerbread Men, Whoopie Pies and Wish Cookies (if Rachel is with us)
5. Other Baking: Cranberry Orange Bread, Pumpkin Roll, Mincemeat Pie
5. All white Christmas Eve dinner:  New England Clam Chowder, fresh yeast rolls, Egg Nog.
6. Christmas movies:  The Santa Claus - Always watched on Christmas Eve.  Other movies: Christmas Vacation, Elf, Home Alone.  (I never could get anyone to watch "A Christmas Carol" with me so I just watch that by myself!)
7. Every year the kids get a new ornament for the tree.
8. Recently, I've been adding to Brian's Christmas Moose collection.  (He was given the nickname "Moose" by a family friend several years back.)

Traditions are a wonderful way of building family and strengthening the ties that bind you together.  They are a part of your family story.  No matter how old my children get they still seem to cling to these family traditions and even get upset if I try to "mix it up" a little bit.

What traditions does your family have?  I'd love to hear them!
Sue

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