Morgan's Favorite Holiday Traditions
Growing up in a big family always meant a lot of tradition, especially around Christmas.
Many things were done methodically—making sure opening presents went oldest to youngest or vice versa. Sometimes, these traditions were the most annoying things about the holiday… well, at least until we had grown up and our siblings started leaving the house. This changed the way these traditions worked, and I would like to share some and what they mean to me.
Advent Calendar
The first one is the annual advent calendar. Every December first, we put the first Christmas decoration in the right spot: on top of the piano in our living room. The youngest kid in the house would always go first, and this pattern would continue until we got to the last week. Depending on who was home, we would always make sure that the oldest ended up on Christmas Eve, no matter what.
Christmas Tree Picture
Another tradition that has always been the least favorite, is the infamous picture in front of the Christmas tree. No one has had their morning coffee, everyone is annoyed at whoever woke them up too early, and we all just want to get to our spots. While it’s always been annoying, I think we will be glad when we’re too old for Christmas at our own house and can look back at the progression of all of us growing up in front of that tree.
Assigned Seating
The last tradition that has always been one of my favorites is the assigned seating. Now, I don’t remember where this originated, but for as long as I can remember, we have all sat in the same spots in the living room. In the pictures of my siblings and me on Christmas day, we’re always in the same spot in the living room. It’s my favorite because I have no idea where it came from, but we decided to keep it anyway.
These traditions have always held a special place in my heart, because I know it’s something that will endure no matter who was able to make it home for Christmas. Every family has traditions, and I hope after reading about mine, you’ll learn to appreciate and figure out the ones that mean the most to you.
Happy holidays and...
Be well, Auburn.
