Our Christmas Traditions
By Alisha, age 22, Massachusetts
Christ was bornHot chocolate
Reindeer
Immanuel
Saint Nicholas
Tinsel
Mistletoe
Angels
Snow
Christmas time is a joyful time
Family gatherings and present openings
Laughter and smiles
Hugs and kisses
Whether you're 5, 10, or 25, the first sighting of the presents under the Christmas tree is always going to be exciting.
It has always been a tradition in my family that every year we get together and just be together. Ever since my sister and I were little, we always spent time with my grandparents and my mom's brother and sister. With each and every gathering, the laughter and smiles always seem to be what brings us closer together.
There are so many memories that have been made over the past 22 years that it would be really hard to choose just one. The two I remember the most are, first, always singing Christmas carols, whether just one or a handful of them. We sing anything from "Jingle Bells" to "Silent Night," whichever songs one of us can play on the piano. The second memory is always watching the different Christmas shows on TV that morning, from Frosty the Snowman to Rudolph. Besides watching these Christmas shows, we also watch the Christmas Day Parade as a family.
Christmas for the past two years has been a little different than years past. Ever since my grandparents moved to Florida back in 2009 we have been having two smaller Christmas get-togethers. We have a small get-together, usually the weekend before Christmas, with my uncle (my mom's brother) and his family, and we exchange gifts, and if there is a football game on, we watch part of it. Then, my parents, my sister, and I fly down to Florida and spend time with my grandparents and exchange even more gifts.
I can remember growing up and getting a lot of presents and feeling excited to open them, but as I got older the number of presents under the tree became fewer. Now I am old enough to know that it's not all about the presents you receive or the ones you give to others; it's about spending time with the people you love and the ones who love you in return. It's about the laughter, the smiles, and the memories that are made.