holiday traditions

Christmas is a HUGE deal at our house. Growing up my parents made the holidays extra fun for us kids, whether we were eating frozen lasagna at Euro Disney (that happened) or we were getting the extra special treat of having extended family with us

the year my parents were building their dream home

last year ( our significant others were missing)

Our Christmas traditions has evolved over years but it starts the minute we wake up Christmas Eve. On Christmas eve morning, we bake a cake for Baby Jesus (I mean, Christmas is a birthday after all)  and scramble to wrap gifts in our individual rooms (true story, it's rare if all the presents are wrapped much less under the tree, we are always running up to our hiding places Christmas morning to get presents). Before we head to church we have a fried chicken dinner. I kid you not. Once upon a time, my mom asked us what we wanted for Christmas Eve lunch, and one smart ass kid (me) said Popeyes. Since that fateful day, we eat fried chicken every Christmas Eve from a take out place. After dinner and church,we have drinks, appetizers and eat birthday cake while opening our one present and finding the pickle on the tree.

evidence of drunk, poor wrapping in my parent's redneck rental ( I mean that lovingly)

Christmas is the real shebang. I am the first up, and wake up twinner. When we were really little, we would try to sneak into the living room to see what Santa brought (no cigar, mom and dad would boobytrap the entrance) and then go back to my room to play until Momma and Daddy woke up. Things are a little different now, everyone tries to stay in bed so I run downstairs to make a huge pot of coffee and deliver cups so people move faster! The most important part of Christmas morning is the question. My dad makes a trivia question that we must answer before going downstairs which gives him more time to drink his coffee in peace.  We finally make it downstairs and get to open stockings and watch my mom open the first gift. My family likes to take turns so we can see what everyone received and their reaction. Then we eat the cinnamon roll Christmas tree and watch war movies (you read me right) until dinner which everyone must help make. There is usually a wrestling match or two after dinner because we are mature like that.

the Christmas we got engaged! 

That is a usual year. This year is special, none of us are going home for Christmas for the first time. My older brother is in Afghanistan, twinner is with his fiancee planning his wedding until he leaves for survival training, and well, we are in Washington. It's different but I have a plan. A fondue pajama party for two Christmas Eve! On Christmas morning we can Facetime my parents while we are opening our gifts!
I will show you my plans for fondue on Monday!