Tradition

At no other time of the year do I think about "tradition" more than during the holidays, from Thanksgiving through Christmas. I do like the sense of timelessness that traditions afford, reminding us of past Christmases and the people or places we cherish most.

As much as I love the traditions of years past and years to come, I think it's healthy to miss or change traditions every now and then. My own childhood was filled with traditions for Thanksgiving and Christmas, as was Jeff's, but I also recall the experiences when traditions were put on hold or changed, sometimes intentionally, and sometimes for reasons beyond our control. I suppose it's the same for all of us as we grow, move, lose, and gain. Not that I go out of my way to disrupt any plans for my family now, but rather, to remind us that life doesn't always go the way it has before and we can enjoy the time together no matter what.

Having our own family caused Jeff and I to decide on what would be traditional for us; our move two years ago required making adjustments to traditions (we still prefer our Portland pumpkin patch over our current options). This Christmas season, Jeff and I tried to keep up with most of our holiday traditions (keep reading), but had to let go of a few things we usually enjoy; for example, we did not set up our Christmas village this year, which brought Nathan to tears tonight -- two days after Christmas.

Tradition: Following Thanksgiving, we took advantage of a chilly, sunny day to visit a local tree farm for the third consecutive year. Bought by a new family two years ago, the farm is coincidentally named "Traditions". Hiding amongst the trees, we found a lovely sleigh and some Dr. Seuss inspired friends.

Tradition: the first Thursday of December is a tree lighting ceremony in Maple Valley. The boys love seeing the lights go on, the fake snow, and Santa cruising around on a firetruck. We arrived early enough for the four of us to climb into a tractor led "train" that snaked the parking lot a couple times. While it wasn't the Polar Express, it was magical enough for the boys.

New Holiday Adventure: While I was enjoying a holiday tradition celebrating with dear friends from high school, Jeff took the boys to Gene Coulon Park to enjoy dinner out and a light display. Jeff sent this and a few other pictures to me as I visited with my friends, and I was sorry to miss the outing. But I'm grateful for the time with my friends, the time Jeff spends with the boys when I'm doing so, and seeing their joy in time spent together. 

 Semi-Traditional: All four of us attended a presentation of the Nutcracker ballet put on locally. Nathan and I enjoyed the same performance two years ago, though I think he did nod off a bit after the battle with the Rat King. Both Nathan and Andrew appreciate the music and now recognize it when playing on the radio. We finished the evening by reading a book copy of the Nutcracker story before bed.

New Holiday Adventure: Jeff's sister Jennifer, her husband Brett, and growing boy Parker, generously invited us to celebrate Christmas early at their place in Vancouver. Along with Jeff's parents, we shared gifts, we enjoyed a delicious family dinner, and found light displays nearby to enjoy. Given that we cannot always be with family on Christmas, it was nice to find a way to feel like a family Christmas (Jeff's brother and his family were definitely missed). I did not seem to take any pictures of that weekend together unfortunately.


 New Holiday Adventure: Our church hosted a family ice skating night. My mother always enjoyed ice skating and took my sister and I on several occasions. She used to tell of skating on frozen ponds in New Jersey during her childhood. My skill set is limited to the basic oval of the rink, but I have fun doing that. I appreciate that Jeff was a good sport about trying something he's not comfortable with. With the help of kid-friendly supports, the boys made it around several times and seemed to have fun.

Tradition: If you review Christmas blog entries from previous years, you'll find several pictures of the boys meeting Santa during the Model Train Festival. Hosted by the Washington State History Museum, we have enjoyed this event for five years now, a love that my dad joins us each year. Santa spends just three days at the train festival, so this outing is one of the first added to the calendar. Attending on a Monday morning this year meant there was only a short wait and Santa was ready to meet the boys. After a visit and pictures, we toured the model trains, looking for both familiar sights and new additions. 

 Tradition: Cookies and milk for Santa (Nathan threw in the candy cane), as well as a carrot for the reindeer. Nathan even added an extra note for Santa, to which he kindly responded.

Scoping out a new gift from Santa.

 Tradition: on Christmas Eve, while Jeff wraps gifts, I make cinnamon rolls for breakfast the following morning. For years I've used a recipe from friends of ours, but this year, I opted to try a new recipe that was a little easier, allowing me to finish preparations earlier than usual. I think it made a fine alternative, though Jeff struggles with change more than I do. And of course, mimosas for the adults on Christmas morning.

Tradition: time with family is the highlight of my Christmas. First, watching the boys excitedly wake up and treasure their new gifts. Then, having family come and celebrate with Christmas feasting on cookies, prime rib, and mashed potatoes (Note: I used the Magnolia Table recipe for mashed potatoes and they are seriously the best I've ever made...the 2 sticks of butter definitely help). This year, we felt even more grateful to have a second round of family arrive bearing dessert. The day was full but so good.

New Holiday Adventure: we spent the day after Christmas around the house. The boys enjoyed their new gifts, while Jeff and I read, napped, and snacked on leftovers. In the evening, we left the house and almost immediately, they observed the absence of Christmas music playing on the car radio. It was sinking in that the holiday season is ending. Yet in our effort to sustain the magic of the season, we filled our bellies at one of my favorite restaurants from childhood, Old Spaghetti Factory, then we checked out the Zoo Lights display at Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma. I couldn't help but recall the many Christmas outings to Portland's Zoo light festival, a tradition we enjoyed for several years from when Nathan was six months old. Moreover, Jeff's sister Jennifer was missed as she always joined us for Portland's Zoo Lights. 

Andrew declared Zoo Lights our new tradition that should be repeated in the coming years. I love how much he loved walking around checking out the colors and images hiding in the trees.  It was impressive and perhaps, it will be a new tradition for us. But if we miss it one year, that's okay too.