My First Writer's Workshop Wednesday

I like to write. Sometimes I wrote more like I speak, which isn't the best habit. But sometimes my mind goes a little blank ... the dreaded "writer's block."

I stumbled upon something called "Writer's Workshop Wednesday" and decided to start participating. It looks like a fun exercise in writing.

So...without further ado...

I've chosen this topic:
5.) Describe a Christmas tradition that you have started with your own family?

My family has almost always done the same thing every Christmas since I was a baby. We gather on Christmas Eve ... when I was younger we met at Grandma and Grandpa's house, went to church, came home for dinner, and then opened gifts. We'd stay the night and open our stockings the next morning and then head home.

As I got older our family dynamic changed a bit. One aunt and uncle got divorced so their kids had to split their time. Another aunt and uncle moved to Japan for seven years with their kids. Finally my aunt Susie decided that she wanted to have Christmas at her house, once they had finished building their insane 5,000+ square foot home. That change did not occur smoothly as there were some dissenters from breaking the current tradition (*cough* not me of course *cough*).

But for the past seven or eight years we spend Christmas Eve at her house. We eat dinner and open gifts and go home.

My new family tradition started two years ago when my mother in law and sister in law moved out here from Pennsylvania. We still spend Christmas Eve at the larger family gathering, but now we also have a small gathering at our house.

Grandpa, my mom, my brother, my sister in law, and mother in law all come over. We open any remaining gifts and have a late lunch. It's much more mellow and quiet than our Christmas Eve celebration and there aren't any kids (yet...maybe next year). My brother and grandpa usually leave before it gets dark and eventually it's just me and hubby.

Our tradition is fairly mellow I suppose. But I like it that way. The stress associated with the holidays isn't necessary if you insist on maintaining a little peace and simplicity. I am looking forward to this Christmas day.

We're having a little different food this year ... Spatchels (how do you spell that?), sausage, and peppers. =) Sort of a German Christmas meal I suppose.