More Christmas habits

I ended a recent post mentioning the sign in our Christmas tree indicating what year it it. It comes in handy when everyone's looking at pictures a few years later--no one can ever disagree what year it was when there's a paper sign in the photo!

We usually videotape our Christmases now, and after going a little batty holding the camera, Robert will set it on a chair and point it generally toward the middle of the room. Every year, we talk about how we'll make copies and send it to our families, but we've never actually done that.

Holly and Trevor are the only two grandkids on either side of the family. With lots of grandparents and aunts and uncles, the kids can get a little overloaded on Christmas and birthdays. Of course, they would never admit to that!

So the videos always show me in a bit of hysteria. I will repeatedly shout, "SLOW DOWN! Who's that from? WHAT was in it?" as I try desperately to keep up a list of what they open and who's sent it to them. "WAIT! Don't open anything else yet!!" I tend to get a little shrill. And hoarse. No one ever seems to listen, but I always manage to get my list done.

(Because we usually know ahead of time what most of their presents are from our relatives, Rob asked me this year if I just wanted to write it down ahead of time. Brilliant idea. But I was in the midst of my favorite thing--not--, wrapping, and I gave him one of those you-want-me-to-do-what-else? looks. He incorrectly of course interpreted it as my withering stare look, and he quickly decided this was a tradition we needed to again maintain this year. I haven't had to write anything down yet. But I'll be ready.)

I have always been responsible for wrapping the kids' gifts. Usually that includes gifts that others have sent but weren't able to wrap for various reasons. I don't mind wrapping; in fact, I like to use ribbon and bows and be creative. I like to make the presents look pretty. But I procrastinate with Christmas presents. Many years ago, I was once up until 2 a.m. on Christmas Day still wrapping. (Holly was probably 2; I doubt she would have noticed.) Since then, Robert has gently encouraged me to start early; he's even wrapped a few things. (Before you start thinking that HE could be doing a lot more to help, you have to know that he's been there, done that, and doesn't want to risk offending me. I don't take to this kind of help well. At all.)

The other night, he practically dragged me enticed me into our bedroom and locked the door. He had that look (whatever that is) in his eye and began pulling out boxes, wrapping paper, scissors, tape, ribbons, bows and tags. The two of us, together, spent what seemed like a few hours getting everything wrapped for the kids. It was great, it was fun, and it was not rushed. It was almost romantic. It was like another great date.

These aren't all from us.

Last year, while visiting friends on Christmas Eve, they shared one of their own Christmas, er, habits. They played us this this song. I will never forget their two year old, laughing and slapping his knees--imitating everyone else he'd seen as they listened.

You can see that these don't really fall under the category of "traditions." They are quirky little habits, the silly things we do year after year--the silly things that I joke about.

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But of course the Truth is that all of this happens as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who came to earth so that He could die for us--we prepare to celebrate the wonder of the gift we have received, His gift of everlasting life.