It's Tradition Time...

So, with December 24 hours away, I thought I'd do a post about Holiday Traditions...

When I was little my favorite time of year, like most, was Christmas. It was also my father's. It started the day after Thanksgiving and went the entire month!

Let me explain.

My dad grew up poor. Dirt poor. He used to say he never had more than two nickels to his name as a kid much less an actual tree during this time of year. And forget presents! Back then, he was lucky to get a new pair of socks, or a pair of pants and new shoes on December 25th.

So, he never wanted me to feel that way...

From the earliest time I can remember we had a big tree with lots of presents under it! Now, I also grew up in a time when there weren't a *lot* of electronics. Not like today, so most of my presents back then were toys that you actually played with, not sat and stared at all day!

I got Hot Wheels cars and Tonka Trucks from my dad, along with horse related toys and books from my mom. And naturally I got the usual clothes...but you get the idea. They were all the things I loved and I have plenty of fond memories of opening said presents.

Yes, I was a bit spoiled but my parents also made sure I understood that not everyone was a lucky as me and at some point during the season we always went on a separate shopping trip and bought a cart full of toys and clothes for Toys For Tots. It truly was the only name in giving back then but that day was one of the highlights of MY year too! I loved, loved filling the cart with all the latest cool things - for my time anyway - and dropping them off on collection day with the Marines...

It's a tradition I still carry on to this day. Although, with so many charities out there I do try and spread it around. I spend a couple hundred every year and drop them off here and there so that everyone has some.

Anyway, the other big tradition in our house was to have the tree up, decorated and presents wrapped and tucked under it by the time I went back to school on Monday...

Well, for me now it's work on Monday, but you get the idea. On Friday I put up my tree and by today I had all my presents wrapped and safely tucked under it.

See?

And before you say it, not all of those under there are for me. Some of them are, but most of them are for friends and/or my small bit of remaining family up in Ohio. I took this before I shipped off a huge box to them on Saturday...*laughs*

These are the ones I wrapped that I'll open on Christmas Day and will have forgotten what's in them and be happily surprised! 

 

Yes, I'm old and my memory is that bad! Don't judge me!

 

Now, I hear you saying, but if you're single, why go to all the trouble?

Well, I guess in a way it allows me to connect with my folks again. As I was decorating on Friday, a song I used to sing as a kid kept running through my head. I sang it to Deck the Halls and called it "Deck The Daddy with Icicles...fa la la la la la..."

I was perfectly content to run amok covering my poor father with Icicles. You know, the silver ones that get everywhere no matter what you do? Yeah, I was a weird child...

 

So, now that I've given you mine, share some of your Holiday Traditions with me. In a comment below, tell me what you do, or did that really starts the season!

Is it shopping on Black Friday? Maybe it's the cooking or the family arriving...

Come on now, share!!! Cause my year is basically done...*laughs* At least until the 25th when I open things and enjoy a few new toys...

Oh and since we're in that giving time of year, I'll pick a winner from the commenters and send you a set of Signed Paperbacks from the Dragons, Griffons and Centaurs, Oh My! series. I'll even wrap them so you can stick them under your tree!!!!

 

Thanks as always for stopping by!

Until next time...

Margaret Taylor