The smell of Christmas cookies, the feeling of getting out of work/school for the holiday vacation, the memories of Christmas shopping with your family – there’s all kinds of memories that flood us when this season comes around, and that’s what makes Christmastime so special for so many people.
Our office has been reflecting what our favorite Christmas memories are, and today we’re going to share them with all of you.
Razonia – My favorite holiday traditions include: baking—especially with my mother and son, our family hay rides around the neighborhood as we sing Christmas carols, spending time with family playing games and eating great food, and watching Christmas plays.
Korryn – I have always had a love that knows no bounds for this season. My favorite memories all involve being with my family. Whether it was with my mom each season at Nana and Papa’s house being forced to take pictures (moms, am I right?) or getting in the way of helping my dad put out the yard decorations, I was always just happy to be in this season. When I lost my mom, I realized even more than I already believed, how sacred and special that time with your family is around the holidays. Every year I look forward to watching cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies (even when I can guess the plot within the first 5 minutes) with my Nana and Papa or enjoying the mountains and cabin with my Noni and Pops – as long as I’m with my family during the season there’s nothing else I could ask for.
Sarah – I my favorite traditions are watching A Christmas Story on VHS in pajamas, ten times in a row. It was the only time a year where my brothers and I would team up together, only to make sure my Dad didn’t get to play another version of A Christmas Carol. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great classic, but if I have to watch something on repeat, it’ll be A Christmas Story every time! My family also does something else just a little different. We never had a fireplace or a mantle, so instead of hanging stockings we’d all use our favorite pair of boots. I don’t mean cute riding boots, or the latest pair of suede over-the-knee heeled boots (if only… that’s so much space for stuffers!), I mean real cowboy Texas boots, for horses and ranching and livestock shows (did you know I used to competitively raise rabbits and grew up riding horses at Grandpap’s? Now you do!). Every Christmas Eve, we’d get to open just one present -which was typically new pajamas to wear the next day- and line up our boots together near the tree.
Audrey – My favorite Christmas tradition is our not so normal Christmas day. We do the traditional feast for Thanksgiving but for Christmas it was always our family of 5 so we started our own fun tradition years ago. The morning of, we open presents, drink coffee, and watch the parade. We always go see a movie at the theatres all together in the afternoon and then our Christmas meal is my parents special Cheese Fondue. We have family friends that are European and gave us their ancient cheese fondue recipe and we go all out Christmas day every year with the special cheeses and breads. I LOVE this tradition of ours because it’s perfect for us. I always miss the typical turkey and ham days but there’s nothing like gathering with my family around the melting pot.
Amber – My family has a TON of Christmas traditions. For starters, my mom and I always go to either the Nutcracker ballet or CASA home tour. We then make sugar cookies that are so ugly my friends always think my snaps of them are hilarious. My favorite Christmas tradition is going to Christmas eve service and then having going to a fancy dinner at the Melting Pot with my family. The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant similar to what the Funky Door is here in Lubbock. Afterwards, we always look at the lights in the River Oaks area of Houston, where it is extravagant to say the least. On Christmas day, we always must wait until the whole family is up before we can start opening presents. Usually my grandparents on both my mom and dad’s side are in town. We put on Christmas music and always let our dogs, Coco and Penny, rummage through their stockings first. This year, we will have my cat Bella join in on the celebration and my brother’s dog Bodack (LOL) there too. We have a big breakfast and as soon as we are done cooking that we begin cooking for dinner. We always make a cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus and then play a family game of some sort.