Tuesday, November 16, 2010

What do "The Holidays" mean to you?

We hear it all the time. In passing, in department stores, on the radio, you name the place, and around this time of year you'll probably hear more than your share. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, but it just got me thinking about what do "happy holidays" mean to me? I made a list-ofcourse.

-It's getting the family together for meals
-It's the turkey candle that sits in the middle of the Hordan family table every year that is never to be lit. (except by Bry on accident, he didn't know Mr. Turkey candle was a decoration, not an illumination object
-It's my mom and my joke about putting on our "turkey pants" 
-It's waking up at 3am the morning after to go Black Friday shopping, everyone in the world still seems to be sleeping, except us
-It's the lighting of the Christmas tree in downtown Seattle and watching it snow (with bubbles) in Westlake Center
-It's Bryan surprising me with a Christmas tree the first year we had moved out, I didn't think we could afford one but he knew how special it was to me
-It's decorating my very own tree with blue and silver ornaments and white twinkly lights
-It's starting our own traditions
-It's buying gifts and struggling to wrap them -I suck at it! I would rather get gift bags but can't bring myself to do it because watching your family members unwrap gifts seems much more magical
-It's spending Christmas eve with my mom's family, going to church and singing Silent Night by candle light-that's magical
-It's sugar cut-out cookies like Granny makes
-It's spending every Christmas in Las Vegas with my step-dad's family before my grandpa passed away, I know I complained every year, but some great memories were made
-It's the Tom and Jerry drink and breakfast casserole that Bryan's step-grandma makes the morning of
-It's the look on everyone's faces as they open gifts
-It's Christmas evening with Bryan's mom's family - 3 Christmases every year and I love it!
-It's our first holiday season together as a married couple
-It's looking forward to the many to come when we can wake up with our children and watch them open their gifts

These were just a couple things that came to my mind... What does this season mean to you? What traditions have you started with your family? Do you love wrapping up presents while drinking hot cocoa? I hope so :) It's such a lovely time of year, isn't it?

-Bryan and I at Christmas last year [Please note my flip-flops in December!]


PS - 365 Days in Pictures - Seattle Windstorm 2010 :(


10 comments:

  1. Your list got me thinking of my list, and now I have too many to name! I think I'll make my own post when I have time later today :)

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  2. I love this! :)

    The Holidays to me are:
    Champagne breakfast with my best friends on Thanksgiving morning and Christmas Eve morning.

    Christmas tree hunting up in the mountains the Sunday after thanksgiving.

    Going to midnight mass on Christmas eve with my god-family.

    Trying to schedule our four thanksgivings, and four christmas's, and every year me swearing that we're going to go to hawaii or mexico instead.

    creating our own traditions.

    last year, the first christmas in our new home, we woke up christmas morning, turned on christmas music, opened presents, and had the sudden realization that this home, this living room, will be the place we have these traditions with our kids someday. :)

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  3. Wow your list just made me REALLY excited for Thanksgiving and black Friday, YIPEE!!

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  4. i can't believe you were wearing flip flops in december girl!!! were your toes not cold?! lol! your list made me excited for all the festivites of the season. :)

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  5. This is a great post!! It is so important that we all remember what the holidays are truly about...Love, Family, God, Thankfulness... Have a great day :)

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  6. Great idea, Amanda! :) I think you've inspired me to make a list of my own.

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  7. LOVE this! What a wonderful idea, I must make a list as well ;)

    Ca-ute blog girl! Can't wait to have you join us for the Christmas blog challenge!

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  8. We've struggled to create our own traditions because we spent so much time just being a part of our family's traditions. But we're doing it--our kids deserve their own home traditions just like we had!

    Some of ours
    --Christmas decorations/lights (except for tree) go up Thanksgiving Weekend
    --hunting up and cutting a tree from our own property
    --decorating the tree as a family
    --Children's Christmas Cantata at Church (and special family dinner with grandparents that come to see their little performers!)

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  9. AHhaha you would have flipflops on :)

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  10. Very sweet list. Now that you are married, even sweeter memories to be made. Thanks for sharing.

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