It's a Family Tradition

Kids grow so fast and mine are no exception. Over the year I have tried to work in many traditions that they can carry on when they have their own family.

My parents never really had any traditions that I can think of at the moment. I take that back, they tried to have a few. We would open all the presents from our parents on Christmas Eve. Then Santa would come and we would have our big presents that morning. But our Santa did not wrap our presents. So one year, I informed my parents that I did not like it that way. I wanted to only open presents on Christmas morning and Santa had to wrap the presents and if he did not, my parents needed too. For some reason, they listened. Eventually I allowed every one to open one present Christmas Eve. Not sure why the took orders from a small child, but atlas they let me run the show when it came to Christmas. I am destined to be a CEO one day.

I know most people are surprised, but I am just as bossy in my thirties.....shocking I know. 

Here is a list of traditions as of 2010:

Secret Santa
This is our favorite tradition because it was inspired by my limited budget. Every year on Thanksgiving, we throw all our names in hat. We choose a person to be our Secret Santa. Then on the Saturday before Christmas, we go out as a family and buy our person a present. That present is opened on Christmas Eve. One of the benefits to this is the fact that we do not have go nuts buying each person a present from each person. I am all for simple. It is a fun night, that usually ends with us having dinner at the end of the night. I generally end up knowing who each person has because no one can keep a secret. Joey loves this tradition and adheres to it except the secret part.

This year we added a twist, we put a theme behind the present. So some has a sports theme or an "As Seen on TV" theme. So we will see how it goes this year. It could be a diaster.

Fondue before Santa
I hate to cook and I am generally bad at it for the most part. So on Christmas Eve, I do not have to make a mess cooking dinner,instead we have fondue. I get a dark beer and some blocks of cheese, and every one eats fondue. The kids love it but it never fails that we spend about ten minutes trying to fish out the bread Joey loses in the cheese. The best part, easy clean up.

Pajamas for Everyone
The boys are not a fan of this one, but every year Taylor and I buy everyone one jammies. We go get coffee and head to JCPenny. She picks out my jammies and I pick out hers. Here is another present I let the everyone open on Christmas Evee. I do this for two reasons, one it encourages the boys to wear pajamas and two they are dressed for pictures in the morning. It is really fun to just have daughter time. I would like to say this is an original idea, but I totally stole this idea from my old boss, Sandee at Arredondo Farms. I totally told her that I stole the idea.

A Christmas Story
It is just does not feel like Christmas Eve in the Rupp's house until we hear those bells ring and see the Red Rider BB Gun in the window. The music comes on and that voice starts off the monologue about how little Ralphie wants to get his Red Rider for Christmas. When his mother tells him that he will shoot his eye out, it is officially Christmas in our house. It is our subsitute for snow. Christmas Story plays over and over throughout the night and all is right with the world.

Those are the basic tradtions we have, we add to them every year. This year Joey and I went out to buy a stocking for everyone. I am pretty sure that will turn into our own little tradition.

Well time to make the bread, so I am off. From my family to yours, I hope every one has a safe, happy holiday and a super merry Christmas.