Holiday Stress

So I started out the month strong with the holiday traditions post but then...the packages, the parties, the decorating, the basement reassembly, the last of the fall leaves and the hospital visits have gotten me STRESSED OUT! For those of you who may not know, My mother in law has been in the ICU for almost two weeks, but she got to come home late last night. So that has pretty much put a buzz kill on the holidays around the house. We have tried to maintain as much tradition as possible but it has been stressful and exhausting. I love Christmas time and with my mother in law home and somewhat healthy now I can slow down a little and enjoy what is left of the season.

I guess I will have to do New Years Eve up this year to make up for the lost holiday cheer! Any suggestions?

Holiday Traditions

This is you guys turn, I want you to tell me about your holiday traditions. For example, We put up (3) trees each year, one in the foyer(white lights & snow man ornaments/theme) one in the living room (white lights and sentimental ornaments, more on that in a minute), and one in Chandler's bedroom (multi colored lights and his personal ornaments).

The sentimental ornaments I referred to are from my childhood, representing Chandler's addition to the family, ornaments he made at school and vacation remembrance ornaments. Each vacation we go on, I have to come home with an ornament the represents that vacation. Example, when we went on a cruise a year and a half ago our first stop was in Key West. So I picked up a ship's anchor ornament with "Key West" written on it. Another example, a couple years ago we went to Jekyll Island and went on a sea turtle watch group. I brought home an ornament made of sand in the shape of a sea turtle. I guess this tradition carries on all year now that I think of it. And I keep threatening to make a scrapbook with a picture of each ornament and the date and story that corresponds to that ornament. Maybe one day I will get to that.

Back to my idea of the post, other traditions we have is every Christmas Eve Chandler and I make homemade cookies together for santa. You know santa deserves the good cookies, nothing store bought at our house. Then right before Chandler goes to bed Timmy reads "The Night Before Christmas" story to him. Then off to bed he goes.

So for this post I am asking what is your holiday tradtions? Let me know, post your tradtions in the comments. I will be checking back.