Of course we have traditions.
First, the back in the day traditions. I'm guessing this photo is from 1976. Look at how adorable I was. I got a See and Say that year. Holla.
When I was but a small child, we would go to my great-grandmother's house for Christmas Eve with the extended family. It was a tiny house and my great-grandmother always had a small artificial tree on a table in the living room. My Mammaw Lewis always gave us two dollars for Christmas and our birthdays. The two dollars would be wrapped, in a box, with a note. When I am 80, I will do the same thing. Christmas day was divided between our house and both sets of grandparents. I loved going to my mother's parents' house and loathed my father's. My father's family was all kinds of dysfunctional. Or didn't everyone have an aunt that gave them change in Crown Royal bag for Christmas. Isn't that normal? My dad's parents lived next door to us, so when I was older I would leave well before everyone else. I seldom made an appearance as a teenager.
Present Day: we live close to the hubs' family, so no Port City fam to deal with most of the time (yay). On the 23rd the hubs' father's side of the family has a party and the location rotates. This year I am hosting it. I have never hosted the party. Hope they like Rotel dip. Santa comes to the party and listens to what the children would like and the adults get liquored up. It's New Orleans, there is not an occasion for which not to get liquored up. At least no one gives Crown Royal bags of change as gifts. The hubs' grandmother reads "Twas the Night Before Christmas to the kids. I find that enjoyable.
On Christmas Eve we go to the Christmas service at church and then to my mother-in-law's house. We exchange names for gifts and eat and play games. The kids have a lot of fun. Also on Christmas Eve, I'm usually putting things together to go under the tree and eat the cookies the kids left for Santa while watching an old Christmas movie. Christmas Day is usually for hanging out with the fam. I am all about hanging out. I usually make something wildly delicious like cornish game hens and without fail, the oldest child will ask for a quesodilla or popcorn and I give in because it's Christmas and why not?
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