My Favorite Christmas Tradition

I recently asked my children, “What is your favorite part of Christmas?” My daughter’s answer was so well written, I am sharing it with you here today.

Christmas time is my favorite part of the year. I love the holly jolly feelings, the Christmas cookies, the holiday music, the gift wrapping, and celebrating Jesus’s birthday. My family has so many special Christmas traditions, it was hard to pick simply one to write about. But, after a lot of thinking, I was able to pick my favorite Christmas tradition of all. My favorite Christmas tradition takes place on Christmas itself.

When I was REALLY little, I used to sleep in on Christmas. And once I finally woke up, it was often by my brothers. But, as the years went by, that changed. For the past 5 years, I’ve been the first one up on Christmas morning. I always tiptoe out of my room and towards wherever we put our Christmas tree. It always makes me giddy to see the beautiful tree, all decorated and flashy with gifts of multiple colors, sizes, and shape organized neatly.

Depending on how early it is, I either sit down and gaze adoringly at the tree, or I run to my stocking. The next one to come down the stairs is either Joshua or Daniel. They open their stockings no matter how early it is. Then, when Mom and Dad finally wake up, mom calls down for me to make the Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast. Yep, I make breakfast every Christmas Morning. Anyway, most people are too excited to eat. We all sit down as a family at the table and light the Christ Candle, then Dad does the Advent reading, then we pray. After the small Christmas Devotion, we all make our way to the tree. Dad has Daniel or me organize everyone’s gifts, then take the pile to whomever it belongs to. Then, going from Oldest-To-Youngest, or sometimes Youngest-to-Oldest, we take turns opening one gift. We then burst with happiness and shrieks of joy are made. Each year we always can count on getting three things; One, Our very own personal soda packs. Two, a box of our very favorite cereal that none but you can eat. And, third, socks and/or underwear (Somehow I can see y’all laughing or smiling in sympathy). Anyway, when we’re all done with our gifts we spend about five minutes cleaning up the Christmas Mess…. But then, BOOM!
Everyone’s off and playing with their toys.

I truly love Christmas. As a certain song in a claymation movie starring a red-nosed reindeer sung by Burl Ives goes, “Oh by golly, have a holly jolly Christmas this year!”

Merry Christmas!

~from Bekah~