Somewhere
along the way the holidays came to mean lists, lists and more lists. Frenzied crowds in the shops or the mall. Long line-ups. Clogged parking lots. Baking and wrapping and cleaning and
planning. Too much to do and never enough
time, no matter how early one got started.
Which is when learned to I step back, take a breath and concentrate on
the traditions I look forward to each year.
Our local yacht club hosts a "Sea of Lights" with the sailboats all decked in lights reflecting off the endless dark ocean. Honey and I bundle up and watch it from the beach every year with mugs of (spiked) hot chocolate.
For the largest truck parade in the country, Heavy Equipment Operators catch the Christmas spirit by decorating their huge work trucks with lights and driving them in a massive convoy through downtown with carols blaring and horns honking. I usually open the sunroof and stand on my seat for the best vantage point as they drive past.
A nearby world-famous garden trades its flower bulbs for light bulbs in December. Gardeners spend months decorating to the theme of the Twelve Days of Christmas. My gleeful inner child loves to ride the carousel. Thank goodness I can still fling my leg up and hoist myself onto one of the critters.
More
than ripping into gifts in the morning, my family and I look forward to playing
games on Christmas Eve. Our recent
favorite, Cards Against Humanity, always turns into a laugh fest. The simple act of being together with my love
and my adult children is all I want for Christmas, and I give thanks every year
that we all still enjoying being together.
Comment
below and share some of your holiday traditions. And don’t forget to enter our
raffledraw. This month’s prizes are
bigger than ever.
If you’re a fan of box sets, my SEVEN BRIDES SERIES Volume 1 is now available. It contains a bonus novella not available for purchase outside of the set.
If,
like me, you have a penchant for cowboys, check out these heroes in cowboy
boots, all available to read for free in KU.
Most
of all have a safe and happy Holiday Season, however you choose to
celebrate.
Kathleen, what great new traditions. Games on Christmas Eve sounds like lots of fun and easy to do with everyone. Heroes in cowboy boots sounds like fun too! Happy Holidays to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nora. Christmas is much more relaxed with the focus not on what's under the tree.
DeleteLove, love, love cowboys!!! There's something about them that makes my heart flutter!
ReplyDeleteI bet those cowboys of the last century or two would laugh if they knew we had turned them into popular romantic heroes.
DeleteI'm from Texas, of course I love cowboys!
ReplyDeleteWe might be starting a tradition now that hubby and I live about 23 miles from our daughter and her family. She's coming over and we'll be baking iced sugar cookies and peanut butter balls. The weather is just cool enough that we should have fun.
That is so wonderful. My daughter doesn't live close enough to have a baking date. Maybe one day she will.
DeleteLove all your traditions. And I agree, being with your family is better than any gift. About ten years ago, due to finances, we decided to stop doing presents for everyone. Our youngest was only 14, but he was okay with it. They loved it. No stress of shopping, and everything that goes with it, meant a happier mom. And they got to give all their attention to family and being together. They've never wanted to go back. So now Christmas is all about presence and not presents.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. That's my linw with my kids as well. Presence, not presents.
DeleteThese traditions sound wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing your, Satin.
DeleteI love these Western historical romances of yours, Kathleen. Merry Christmas and keep on enjoying the holiday with family and lots of laughs.
ReplyDeleteSome things never change, Bonnie. Like no one wants to help take down the tree.
ReplyDeleteWe also love the same gardens and carousel as you! Add in cooking decorating, a fire truck light parade through our town on Christmas Eve that also blasts carols and our town’s little light up parade early in the month along with a train ride at our Forest Discovery Centre and it’s sure to get me on the mood. I also have a group of friends that gets together to do hampers for a couple of less fortunate families. Some years I can contribute lots, some years not so much but I’m always grateful I can do something. As for the cowboys, you know I love them!
ReplyDeleteBusy gal as always, Shelley. But it makes the holidays special.
DeleteI love traditions at the holidays, and the more music and lights, the better!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Liz. We drove around a bit last weekend, disappointed not to see more houses lit up. But the ones that were went all out.
DeleteMaking memories "makes" the holidays, Kathleen! I'm with you. The best things about Christmas never come from under the tree. And, heroes in cowboy boots sounds great. Merry Christmas to me! Happy holidays to you and yours. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such happy memories. Wishing you and yours more of the same this year and every year.
ReplyDelete