WeWriteRomance's Blog

Years ago  – more
years than I dare actually admit to,
when it was my son’s very first Christmas,  and I was planning  how to make everything special,  my mother  warned me
to be careful what I planned. Anything I did this year, she said, would
become a ‘tradition’  for the future.
Something the family would expect to happen again and again and again.

And she was right. As I prepare for
Christmas 2011, many years away from that very first time,  I remember when I first thought some of these
ideas would be  lovely – or exciting – or
just plain fun  and that now they have become a vital part of
a family Christmas that I must remember and that  – well that just mean Christmas to us.

So the cats must have their fancy glitter collars to wear on Christmas Day.
This was a  fun idea  and it worked fine –  with those first cats.  They were sweet natured, middle aged cats who
were used to wearing ant flea collars and identification. This year we have
Flora and Charlie – both still young, who have had anti flea injections and
micro-chips – they HATE wearing collars! And the day is spent watching them tug
off the offending thing and throw it aside.
Though they don’t mind the other tradition which is that the cats always
get a large packet of cat nip  in their Christmas
stocking – OK – yes – the cats all get stockings as well as the humans in the
house.  Stockings are vital  – one of the best parts of Christmas . Even
though my son is now grown up  and living
in his own home,  I still have to get out
the old pillow case I decorated for him when he was  3 – before that we had a smaller home-made
stocking -  and fill it with lots of
silly gifts.

At least I no longer have to deal with the goodies set out
for Father Christmas and the reindeer.  I
(or rather my DH) never minded helping with the mince pie that had to be eaten –
but there also had to be a carrot for the reindeer – all 12 of them!  So there were always the ends of the carrots
left with teeth marks in them to show that Rudolph and his friends had enjoyed
their snack  too.  And the rest of the carrots went into the
dinner a day later but no one noticed.

Being a veggie household, there is always a nut roast to
make.  Some recipes are a bit dry and unexciting
but  years ago I found a tasty recipe
with breadcrumbs, nuts, red and green peppers . . .  and it’s something we all enjoy.    Except for the cats of course – another Christmas
tradition is that they go next door for some leftovers of the turkey the  meat-eaters have enjoyed.

We always eat our Christmas dinner in the evening but in the
morning we have a  special breakfast  at the carefully decorated table. Fresh
rolls, boiled eggs, coffee – and there must always be Morello Cherry jam. Not
Black Cherry – Morello Cherry is a very special taste, This one dates  back to my own childhood. My mother had spent
some time in Switzerland and loved the taste of Morello Cherry jam so each year
we had to find some for Christmas.  Back
then it was often difficult to find – but this year I have 2 large jars ready
and waiting.

Oh, and talking about food – when my son was little he was
often too excited  about the thought of
Christmas  and those presents all wrapped
and placed under the tree to eat properly. So
in his stocking he would always find a small pack of a sandwich and
a  nut bar or something similar – left by
Santa as a  thank you for the mince
pie!  At least this way he got  some food into him. (These days I have no
trouble getting him to eat anything!)

And one final tradition  about those stockings – they always, always
contain a brand new, unread book. In the past it was always an annual – Dr Who
or something similar. The rule was that we knew he was going to wake up early
(doesn’t everyone?) and find that Father Christmas had sneaked into his room
and left an exciting stocking at the foot of his bed. The whole family open their
stockings together , with a mug of tea to hand, when we’re all awake. But  the book/annual could  always be opened first – and reading it would
give us parents a few extra minutes or more of sleep.

So these are some of my traditions  at
Christmas  – there are more but I’d be
here all day!  Traditions are what  make Christmas special  and that leave us with memories  when all the excitement and feasting is over.

So what about you? This post is Day 4 of my Countdown to Christmas and I have a special giveaway to send to one lucky commenter  just in time for Christmas. Today’s prize is the 3 in one volume The Alcolar family (you can find the details here on my
blog http://www.kate-walker.blogspot.com/

So tell me about your family traditions and you could be in
with a chance to win. And if you visit my blog every day for the rest of the 12
Days of Christmas, there will be another giveaway every day – just comment and you’re
in with a chance.

And I can’t end this post without wishing you all the happiest of times at Christmas – I  hope you have
a truly lovely day with all your loved ones – and lots of great books in your  Christmas stocking or under the
tree.

Happy Christmas!  See you in 2012!

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