starting traditions

Lately I have been trying to focus on living each day as if it were my last. Not to sound macabre, but since Vivan’s birth I have just been so overcome with gratitude for how good we truly have it, that I have to fight off fears that it’s all about to go away. Pair that post-partum anxiety with recent events in the news (and maybe that Mayan calendar thing – kidding) and I have just been all the more determined to enjoy each moment and not let the daily stresses of life bog me down. I am working on freeing myself from worry (which the past year had really given me some practice in) and repeating to myself the mantra that “God has always shown me how he is able to do immeasurably more that I could ask or imagine, and I have every reason to believe he will continue to do so.” In light of my new Freedom from Fear quest, this Christmas season has been especially joyful. In addition, this year is the first year Liam really “gets” Christmas and is anticipating it with excitement. So, we have been thoughtfully creating family traditions that we can enjoy with our kids for years to come.

For several years we have had the tradition of heading out to my parents’ house in Shelton (aka: “Christmastown USA” – the largest producer of Christmas Trees) the day after Thanksgiving and cutting down our own tree from a farm near their house. Rain, sleet, or snow, we always enjoy walking acres through the woods to find the perfect one. It was a lot different this year with 4 little ones in tow (including my brother’s twins) and it took some shuffling to carry all the kids and trees back to the cars.

Liam is my star helper in the kitchen. “Time to put on our aprons!” he’ll tell me. Since the weather has turned colder we have been baking at least once a week, and since I’m breastfeeding I am always hungry so the constant trays of treats on the counter are wonderful! This month we have already made at least six different varieties of holiday goodies.

One thing I was really looking forward to when Liam started school this year was school concerts! Seriously I have always dreamed of packing into a crowded lunchroom and sitting on benches to watch fidgety preschoolers all dressed up try their best to remember the songs they have practiced for weeks. Even before I had kids, I could never watch a group of toddlers sing “Away in a Manger” without tearing up in anticipation that someday that would be my kid. Well, my wish came true! He practiced in front of the mirror for weeks, he put on his sweater vest and suit, he followed his classmates in line to the stage, he rang his jingle bells, belted “We wish you a Merry Christmas”, and he made me proud!

I am so glad we live in a place where there are so many great holiday events to choose from. In fact, there are so many that it is impossible to do all of them. So, we decided that we would pick just a couple each year to do and then rotate. This year we chose “Lights of Christmas” at Warm Beach Camp in Stanwood. We had been there before the first year we were married so luckily this time I knew that it was neither warm, nor a beach. It was a freezing cold walk in the woods to a magically decorated festival of lights, food, train rides, pony rides, fresh doughnuts, and fun. Liam was enchanted. On the way back to the car Phil carried Vivian and I held Liam’s hand as we walked silently through the dark forest in the icy fog. Liam whispered to me, “I love you Mama, this was really fun, thank you for taking me here.”

We decided that it would be a good to start the tradition of letting our kids give each other Christmas gifts. Vivian is giving Liam a shirt that says “Best Big Bro.” She thought he would like it because he has been wearing his “Big Brother” t-shirt pretty much every time it comes out of the dryer, so she thought he needed a long-sleeve version for the winter. When I asked Liam what he wanted to get Viv he knew right away, “a buddy”, he said. He has a special elephant that he sleeps with every night so he wanted her to have a special friend too. One day I sat down with him and let him search online for the one he wanted to get her. After careful consideration he decided on a pink fox wearing a dress. He was thrilled when the UPS man delivered it and he helped me pick out the paper to wrap it in. He asked me how to spell “To Vivian, From Liam” and then put it under the tree proudly. “She’s going to be so excited!” he said.

Wednesday morning I awoke to Liam standing by my bed, “Mama it’s snowing!" he said in a whisper-scream. Even though it was much earlier than I wanted to wake up, his excitment took me back to being a kid and waking up to snow. Then comes the frantic rush to put on snow clothes over pajamas in order to get out an play before it melts. I convinced him he needed to use the bathroom before going out. He nervously rushed in and then came out with his pants still around his ankles, “did the snow go away yet?” he asked fearfully. I assured him it would last at least until after breakfast so he happily went out and played until his fingers froze. Then I dried him off, wrapped him in a blanket and we sat and ate oatmeal, watching the birds take shelter in our birdhouse.

Last night we started another new tradition that I think is going to be my favorite. We went through the usual bedtime routine, teeth brushed, pajamas on, story read, prayer and tucked in. We shut the door and then waited a bit before going back into his room. We asked him if he would rather do something special instead of going to bed. “Yes!” he said excitedly. So we piled into the car with blankets, travel mugs of hot chocolate, and “Christmas popcorn” (buttered air-popped popcorn with mini marshmallows and mini m&ms – I wonder if I am the first to invent this because it is good!). We turned up the Christmas music and drove around to the best decorated neighborhoods looking at lights. It was so much more fun than going to bed!

Today was the first day of Phil’s break from work and it couldn’t have been more perfect. We slept in and then sat around in our pajamas drinking coffee and eating croissants while playing with the wooden train set in front of the Christmas tree and singing carols together. Later we formed an assembly line and made treat bags to take to our neighbors. We made holiday m&m pretzel buttons and peppermint fudge, wrapped them in fancy gift bags, and tied notes to them all. After lunch we bundled up, Liam donned his santa hat, and we walked around the neighborhood visiting neighbors and meeting new ones. We have done this every year since we bought the house but it is definitely more fun with kids!

After a nap and dinner we all snuggled on the couch under a big blanket and watched “Charlie Brown Christmas” together before putting the kids to bed. Tomorrow we’ll watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and then maybe “Rick Steves’ European Christmas Special.” I am loving these new traditions.

Oh, and I finally finished sewing the stockings I started thee years ago! It's gonna be a good Christmas!