Growing up we had many holiday traditions that I continued through many years. One particular favorite was buying sparkly wrapping paper and cutting it into snowflakes. These would then adorn the windows throughout the house. It was always a great thrill when one of us learned the magic way to fold the paper to create the six points of the snowflake. I passed the tradition on to my children. Truth be told I got lazy this year and purchased stick-on snowflakes.
I’m not sure when mom started putting candles in the windows, but I have done it for many years. Not exactly a tradition as some years it happens and others it does not. This year I discovered a battery-operated variety that time six hours on and eighteen off. It does feel like a bonus having them automatic.
A personal favorite of mine is the hallmark snowmen. Every year we buy the latest. Yes, we do own the entire set. These lively animated novelties are situated in year order, typically on the staircase. At this point there are more snowmen then steps. The extras take up residence in other corners of the house.
When my husband and I joined our Christmas decorations, we discovered he had animated characters that coordinated with mine. These lovely figures take up residence in the living room window.
He has placed a Lionel train set under his tree for as long as he can remember. This tradition has been added to ours.
The outside decorations were always kept low when I would decorate, since climbing a ladder is not my forte. We have these to plastic soldiers ( replicates of the wooden soldiers in March of the Wooden Soldiers ) that were purchased the first year we did outside decorations. They have withstood time and weather and still stand guard at the front door.
The year my second husband and I were building a house, we took the girls to the lot and decorated a tree out front than stood around it and sang “Welcome Christmas”. Silly – yes, but a legacy moment non-the-less.
Outside decorations seem to need replacing more often. We had an outdoor nativity set that Jesus disappeared from, since then I’ve been more incline to stick with fun ornaments. A neighborhood favorite was when we had the six-foot snow globe. Time and weather, ultimately taking their toll. We had an exquisite animated skiing bear, that was incredibly adorable. He unfortunately, literally froze his butt off. The rest of the mechanics also gave up the ghost, when the timers kicked in to start the animation after a deep freeze. Since than there have been lighted penguins and trees that fill the yard.
To wrap up the Christmas season each year we’d cuddle together and read ”A Visit from St Nicholas”. When the grandchildren were quite young, my mom had given each a copy of their own. Just last week I mailed my girls their copies in hopes that they continue the tradition with their children. These generational legacy moments will live on forever.