Holidays...Traditions...Family...

So...for the first time in a very long time I've realized the importance of family, traditions, and the true meaning of the holidays. I think that what everyone thinks is important at Christmas time should ring through-out the whole year. What is the most important thing in life? Family. No matter what, your family will always be there.

Traditions are something that is truly a "thing" in my immediate family.

Since 1978 my Dad has read "The Night Before Christmas" story to my sister and I every Christmas eve. (Well...Since 1979 for my sister...1978 for me) When I was one...My Grandma and Grandpa Chellew (my mom's parents) gave me a pop-up book from Hallmark of said Christmas story.

When we were kids, my Dad would read us the story on the couch, while my Mom cleaned up from the snacks and visitors we had that night, (Usually Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, and sometimes neighbors). My mom would always take a photo or two...Every year. After the story was read we would always get cookies and milk out for Santa...we had a big old brandy glass that we filled to the brim with milk, and always had a Christmas type plate to put the cookies on. Then they would sit on the fireplace for Santa to enjoy. Oh and carrot for Rudolph too.

When Cheryl and I got a little older...The P.J. fairy would always visit us on Christmas eve with new pajamas...The photos were much nicer in new P.J.'s than Dads old work shirt and gym shorts. So thru our teenage years, that was a new tradition added to our first tradition of the story reading. Another change to the story reading was that if Dad was interrupted...he would start the story all over again. No matter where he was in the story if we did anything other than move the pop up images on the page...if we said anything, he'd start over.

In our later teenage years...boyfriends and busy teenage girl stuff caused some changes to the story reading time. It was usually late in the night now...after we had visited with our boyfriends families that night. But Dad was always there...usually sleeping on the couch, under a blanket that Mom loved cause it looked nice, but never quite fit Dad's long legs, awaiting our return to the house from our night out...we'd get our PJ gift open, and change into them. Then we'd come out to the living room to find him waiting for us and the story would start. It usually took a few tries to get thru the whole story now, due to interruptions. Also by this time our Dad didnt even have to read the story...he knew if by heart...but he trucked thru it...never missing a beat.

Once Cheryl and I move out of the house...we were always still there on Christmas Eve for the snacks, PJ's and reading. No matter where we were...we always made it home for that event. Again almost always late at night...but we'd always find Mom and Dad up and waiting for us.

And now...this year...well let see, Cheryl has moved out to Three Hills and is getting married in April. Jamie and I were married in June and bought our new house. So basically both of us are starting new lives. With our own new families and Traditions. Cheryl got to see her nieces and nephew's open gifts and was with her family on Christmas Eve and was here with us on Christmas Day. Jamie and I got to start our own Tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve in our first house.

Cheryl and I are true adults now.

So alas...this is the first year that the story was not read to us in 27 years.

On Christmas Day my Dad mentioned that I should take the book home now, since it is mine (mine Cheryl...it even says to Jennifer on the inside cover). But I refuse to take it home cause you know what...hopefully this will be the only year maybe next Christmas there will be a new addition to our family and my Dad will get to read the story to someone new, and my Mom (the PJ fairy) will get to buy new PJ's and take new photos...(no...not yet are either of us pregnant...but maybe soon ;)

But the one thing that I know is the only line we were allowed to say while the story was being read to us was the last line...
"Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!!"