Scrapable Blog Challenge

Christmas Traditions. For me I have always loved this time of year. The holidays really are marked by my birthday 12/1, by then the tree(s) are up and normally decorated, lights are on the house and decorations are abound! This year is a bit rough though, we lost my father suddenly on July 15, he and my mom really made the holiday what they were. Today was very hard for me, my first birthday without him here with us. We are doing the best we can, my mom is holding up, for the most part. They were together for 38yrs! So this year we will attempt to keep things as similar as possible if for nothing else, for my son Quinn. He is the light in the house nowadays, while those 3yr old temper tantrums are getting old, we would be lost w/out them!

Usually by the middle of December we've made a ton of cookies and goodies! We're planning on starting our cut-out sugar cookies on thursday! So, onto some traditions! We have our big dinner on Christmas eve followed by driving around and looking at lights (sometimes depends on weather), then we open gifts. As a child we went to Christmas eve service and Santa always came while we were there, I've since started following a different path in my religion so we have moved Santa to coming during the night while the kiddos sleep! Christmas is also my moms birthday so we've taken to doing easy snack type meals of BBQ's and such and just hanging out and enjoying each others company. I really want to make it special for her this year, it will be the hardest for her yet I'm sure.