Traditions

     When I was a kid way back in the olden days, our Christmases carried the same traditions every year.  Without fail, I knew that we would go to church on Christmas Eve.  I would recite a poem, sing a song or act in a play.  After church we would gather at my grandparents' house where each family would take turns having a picture made in front of the Christmas tree.
     Once the big celebration was over, we would go home (I grew up across the pasture from my grandparents' house so we didn't have far to go) and open our gifts.  For some reason the excitement of the night always seemed to be followed by an extra cold bed and sometimes I would pay my younger siblings to warm my bed for me!
     Anyway, we would get up on Christmas morning and open our stocking gifts and later go to my other grandparents' for Christmas one more time.  Every year.  Pretty much.  Every year the same traditions.  Well there was that one year our house burned on Christmas night but that's a story for another time.
     Traditions.  They have never been this way for our kids.  We have seriously done Christmas in the spring with one set of grandparents.  And because of dad's work schedule, each year has been different at our house.  I've wondered if it has been difficult for our kids, but they've never known any other way.
     While it would be nice to have a set plan each year, a tradition, not being able to do that has certainly done a number on the control freak in me.  In fact, she has pretty much had to take a vacation every holiday!
     Typical traditions or not, I am blessed with an amazing family.  We've had a crazy year and I'm sitting here alone in my empty nest.  Everyone else is either at work, church, traveling here or enjoying their own home.  We've celebrated on Christmas Eve Eve.  We've celebrated in a whirlwind because time was limited. We've celebrated for two days!  But this year our celebration is 'scheduled' to happen very late.
     Yet we must carry on.  One son has helped me with the menu and will do some of the cooking.  A couple of the boys helped me grocery shop. (Now THAT was a real adventure!)  When we arrived at home after shopping, a dog walked up to us.  Our usually sarcastic son couldn't rest until we had gotten the dog safely back into the neighbor's yard.  That boy.  He tries to be so tough but he has a heart of gold.
     The main reason we are waiting to have Christmas so late?  Our youngest son volunteered to work a double shift both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  He works at a hospital two hours away.  After coworkers found out he had volunteered, they thanked him.  One with tears in his eyes.  He told our that son he had never gotten to spend Christmas morning with his child because of the job and was so thankful to finally get to do that.
     Traditions.  Well we may not have normal traditions like everyone else.  But I sure hope the tradition of service, love and giving is something all our kids carry on for many years to come.  Somehow I believe those things are a better gift to our Savior than a strict holiday schedule anyway.