Ahh Christmas Traditions

Yeah, nice week for the Clarks. I was in a car accident on Monday (apparently my fault). On Tuesday I was sick enough (and Jared along with me) that I stayed home from work entirely. By Tuesday evening, Michelle felt like she was missing out and decided to get sick too. At this point, too, my mother in law and brother in law came to visit. I stayed home from work on Wednesday, and took short days yesterday and today. Michelle is still sick enough that we missed out on a Christmas boat parade (in lieu of a street parade--or even decorating houses--there's a segment of the population here that deck out their yachts and parade them around for Christmas).

Ahh, but why complain--especially with Santa watching. It's Christmas time, and the Spirit of the Season is more than sufficient to swallow up my troubles.

With Christmas Day now just over a week away, I've been wanting to share what Christmas traditions Michelle and I keep. See how you stack up.

• Making and Eating Gingerbread/Sugar Cookie Houses: I think this started when I was in first grade or so. The Bryant's came by on Christmas Eve in Mohawk, NY. Their boys gave me their old toy matchbox trucks (which I thought were terrific) and we mowed down a sugar cookie house either my Mom had decorated or that the Bryants brought. Few things are quite as delightful as ripping apart a candy laden sugar cookie house on Christmas Eve, and eating a big hunk of wall or part of a roof with a nice glass of milk. Of course, now my family has turned it into a family contest (everything has to be a contest with the Clarks or we lose interest) but this tradition has remained solid through the years.
• Reading a Christmas Carol: This is a relatively new tradition. I remember at one First Presidency Christmas Devotional on my mission President Monson mentioned that he reads A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, every year. That seemed like a good idea, so when Michelle and I got married we decided to do the same. We usually start on December 1, and read about 5 pages a night, getting us easily through the book by Christmas. This perhaps is the only tradition of ours that would give any hint of refinement.
• Posole and Subs on Christmas Eve: My parents raised us on the tradition of Onion Soup and sub sandwiches on Christmas Eve, the latter I think being established in my lifetime (though I bet I only ever actually tasted the onion soup once or twice). Posole, hearty Mexican soup with shredded pork roast and hominy, was a Christmas time tradition in Michelle's home--so combining it with Subs on Christmas Eve has given us the best of both worlds.
• The Airing of Grievances: At the Christmas Eve dinner table we all sit around and talk about the problems and annoying things we've found in those present. (Oh wait, that's Festivus).
• Christmas Eve Program: As long as I can remember, on Christmas Eve my Dad put together a brief program of scripture reading and carol singing, not unlike many Christmas Programs, that ended with us singing "Silent Night" and kneeling in prayer. We've kept it in our home, even when it was just the two of us.
• Announcing Pregnancies/Giving Birth: We found out on Christmas Eve 1994 (during the Christmas Program) that my little brother Peter would be joining us. The news came as quite a surprise (since I was 16 and the Tripletts were 6). It was actually quite a solemn moment for me. In 2002, Michelle and I thought we'd follow that up with news of our own, announcing Michelle's pregnancy with a miniature stocking labeled "Baby" following the Christmas Eve program.* The next year we followed that up with Michelle laboring with Jared all through Christmas Eve and into the morning on Christmas Day. For Christmas Eve 2004 (last year), Nathan and Nichole (my brother and sister in law) let their daughter open some pajamas with words across the chest "Big Sister." We might have done the same this year, but people probably would've been suspecting it, which ruins 80% of the fun for me.
• Up EARLY!: The funny thing about the Clark house is that my Dad is often the first one up. He's an early morning person to begin with, but Christmas morning just makes him giddy and anxious. Don't be surprised then, if you're walking by our house at 3:30am or 4:00am Christmas morning and find him stirring about with Christmas music on, probably the George C. Scott version of a A Christmas Carol on TV, and generally stewing and poking the presents. It's unheard of in our home to sleep past 6am on Christmas morning, and if anyone tries (including those newly wedded to the family) a brigade of Children are usually marshalled by my father to pester the recalcitrant family member until sleep is impossible. This is facilitated in part by the fact that no one is allowed to open their stockings or any presents until everyone is up. Always good times.
• Wearing Santa Hats to Open Presents: A recent tradition that helps hide my "bed head" from photos.
• One Gift at a Time: Maybe it was because there weren't that many gifts going around in the early days, but in my home it's always been the rule that someone hands out the presents under the tree, and then they're opened one at a time so everyone can see and everyone can "Oooh" and "Aaah." It also gives each gift its own special moment. In a family of 9 kids, with a father who always gets too much for everyone, this means that present opening can last for HOURS. Certain of our grandparents have fallen asleep during the middle of it. A few times we've even taken breaks to eat breakfast before resuming.
• Aaron overspending on Christmas Presents for Michelle: Each year Michelle and I set a budget on how much to spend on each other for Christmas presents, and each year I summarily take liberties to spend well in excess. I feel no shame in this.
• Cinnamon Rolls and Farmer's Breakfast: Breakfast on Christmas morning is usually far more elaborate than it need be, since our bellies our usually half full with Candy or Christmas Eve leftovers by then already, but a few Cinammon rolls and some Farmer's Breakfast (Eggs mixed with just about everything--ham, eggs, cheese, peppers, mushrooms, potatoes). It's always delightful.
• At Least One viewing of A Christmas Story during the marathon: I think this one came entirely from Michelle, though I'm not opposed (I'm not sure I'd even seen it all the way through until we were married). We even managed to keep this tradition while Michelle was in labor--that is, before she and the doula decided she was in too much pain for me to be able watch any more TV. Yes, I'm still ticked about that.

Hopefully you have Christmas traditions that you're equally fond of.
*Only days later, Michelle miscarried. That made things rough for awhile, and awkward.