Random Wednesday: Favorite Things - Holiday Traditions

I love the holidays! Starting on September 1, I begin to decorate my house first with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, ending with Yule. I suppose, for me, this is a tradition. I didn't start it until I was an adult and moved to this house, but I love it.

As you can see, the Blogger Girlz are talking about holiday traditions this week. Before I leap in and tell you any more I must share the fantastic pic of the week.

And, you're welcome!

Okay, so when I was a kid a huge tradition we had was going out to get the tree. We were a real tree family. So early in December, my dad would pack me and my sister up and we'd go to find the tree. There were certain lots we knew had the best trees. So we'd go and usually my sister and I picked the tree. My dad was along as driver, payer, and carrier. One year though, my dad picked the tree. It was so cold that year and I guess, looking back now, he didn't want to keep us out. So went to the place we knew had awesome trees and he picked one that hadn't been unwrapped yet (still had the twine around it from the journey from the farm). My sister and I were glad to get it and go. When we got home, he trimmed about 2 inches off the bottom and put it in a bucket of water outside on our patio. We would get the tree one weekend and put it up the next. Let me tell you that over the week this tree expanded and expanded and expanded!!! It was ginormous!! It was the biggest tree I'd ever seen. The branches spread so far I couldn't get out the back door to feed the dog, I had to go around from the side door. 

When he finally got it trimmed up and in the house there was enough left over branches that one of my cousins made wreathes for 4 or 5 families. It was insane. But daggone that was the best tree ever!!

When my dad died when I was 19 the tradition changed. My sister and I went out and got our own tree and did the deal for two more years and then we just couldn't do it anymore. She was going away to college and I wasn't doing it on my own so Mom and I bought a fake tree. Yay! I loved, loved that tree. When we decorate our tree we always talk about where the ornaments came from (who gave them to us, reason, whatever). My sister and I still do this. None of our ornaments match and all of them have stories to go with. 

One in particular is really old. It's a small blue ball with Minnie Mouse on it. I have no idea where it came from, but this ornament meant something when we were kids. Each year my sister and I would take turns hanging Minnie on the tree. Hanging the ornament meant the holidays were here.

Now, my sister hangs it each year since I did it for so many years on my own. It's a nice tradition we both love. And as she hangs it she announces, "I'm hanging Minnie now." We both laugh.

When our Mom died in 2010, that changed things again for us. That first holiday sucked! But what made it so, so, so much better was our best friends Mary and Susan. They drove up from Memphis and we spend the holiday together. I can't even tell you how much better they made the holiday for us. Last year was the first year we didn't all get together and after it was all over we all said, "Never again." It just stunk being apart. So this year they are driving up and Jude and I have already gotten the house all decorated. We're talking menus and desserts and drinks. So much fun!

Anyway, those are some of our holiday traditions. Remind me and I'll tell you about the time my sister and I saw Santa Claus. Not at the mall or whatever, but in our house on Christmas eve. In the meantime, go check out the other Blogger Girlz and their traditions. Oh and in the comments below share some of your holiday traditions. Maybe my sister and I will adopt them. 

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris
Kellie
Happy Holidays!! --GC