I think Steph pretty much took the cake with her post about ugly Christmas sweaters. I'm trying desperately to think up another tacky Christmas tradition, but I'm drawing a blank.
How about Christmas caroling? Bundling up in cold clothes and knocking on doors, standing outside houses and singing songs in disharmony? No. I love that. It makes me smile just to imagine the looks on faces when people open the door and see us singing. Not to mention the cookies we usually come bearing.
Perhaps the cookies themselves? Trying to come up with three new recipes as well as our traditional ones? Perhaps I'm overdoing it? Nope. Judging from the way my husband and two little boys single-handedly devoured two dozen cookies last night (no joke), I can't seem to make enough.
Or how about those Christmas lights? All over the place? Let's be honest, I already blogged about how much I love those.
Secret Santas? Dropping off goody bags and running? Oh, I love that tradition! I always hope we'll be the recipients! In fact, I'm getting some plates ready for tonight!
Christmas cards, then. Such an expense! The family pictures, the stamps, the stationary. But it makes me feel connected to people I love, people I never talk to anymore. And I love hearing from them too.
Pajamas on Christmas Eve? Oh no! I got a matching Thomas the train set for my boys this year!!! I can hardly wait to see them in it!
Reading the Christmas story from the scriptures on Christmas Eve? There is nothing more beautiful than remembering our Savior. Reading about his birth as a family. Honoring his birth with gifts and love for each other, and thus for Him.
Pictures with Santa? My husband hates this tradition. But I loved watching my 3-year-old tell Santa about how he loves Thomas the Train and helicopters. He wasn't aggressive or selfish, just very very innocent and excited.
Let's face it, I love our traditions. I can't seem to think of a tacky one. Tonight I'm taking the boys on the local 'polar express.' We might make a new tradition of it.
I can think of one thing. Don't hate me, it's a personal preference! I think the blow up Santas and snow men are tacky. Sorry!!!! But I'd rather see them on an lawn than nothing. There, all better.
What about you??? Can you think of tacky traditions?
20 comments:
Yes! We have someone who has sooooooooo many lights on his house each year, that his house can be seen from outer space. *nods* It was on the news a couple of years ago with a satelite image. He had to have a brand new service brought to his house (electrician speak for more juice to power these lights) and...*shakes head* I'd severely hate to be his neighbor.
Or the people who cram CHEER down my throat like hot cocoa. GAH!!!!!!!!!!
Or the people who just, over all, have to OVER DO it! Or the ones who have to have everything PERFECT!
I would really love to have MY Christmas with my daughters and just have a low key, fun, easy Christmas with our OWN traditions instead of having to wear everyone else's.
But I do love Steph's sweater thing. Holy PETE! Wow!
Frankie
I should have signed that "Scrouge".
LOL, Frankie! Yes, doing your own traditions is KEY. Not doing what everyone else wants you to do.
And wow! He needs more electricity for the lights??? insane!
I have to agree with you, Tamara, all those traditions sound fun.
Pajamas on Christmas Eve gets on my nerves because that's one that my mom forced on me. I was allowed to open one present each Christmas Eve but I was never allowed to choose which one. It was always pajamas. Ones with cheap, itchy lace around the collar and sleeves. I hated the pajamas as much as I hated being forced to open them but I played along because it was obviously more about her enjoyment than mine. I thought growing up and moving away would fix it but unfortunately she still does it. She send me a nightie of some sort (which I usually exchange) and one for my daughter, too.
But I'm not forcing the tradition to live on. We don't wait until Christmas Eve to open the box and I don't make my daughter wear the jammies if they have itchy parts. We just thank her profusely and keep our rebellion a secret.
But I do love the cookies and the lights, even the borderline obnoxious ones. :)
I agree with SM Blooding. The idea that Christmas has to be PERFECT. Perfectionism is enough of a curse without having all the stress of trying to make one single holiday perfect. People who do that make me crazy, and they take all the joy and sponteneity away.
And your summary of Christmas traditions was wonderful. Great post. It actually kind of put me in the Christmas spirit! I'm getting there slowly but surely.
I think on the whole Christmas is a pretty tacky holiday, but it's all the tackiness that makes it Christmas. If it lasted all year long (like those neighbors I used to have who left their wreath up until July) it might get annoying, but it Christmas only comes once a year, and so I can handle the tackiness. Still, I am hoping I DON'T receive any more Christmas socks this year and I really don't need a Christmas sweater or a Christmas watch!
One word for ya:
Fruitcake.
*shudder*
I love you, Tamara! I love your writing - you are always so funny and clever! ...And I agree with you - I love everything Christmasy!
The tradtions are the best! Even the almost tacky ones, like going out in our pajamas in the freezing cold to feed the reindeer! Christmas rocks.
On a side note, I left a little something for you at my blog ;) http://bit.ly/7PWQT2
The only Christmas tradition we have right now is forcing me to not eat all the candy canes. I, of course, don't adhere to that....teehee.
And you've got a blog award at my place! =D
My word, were you raised by my mother? We are so much alike it's eerie! I have all those same traditions and loves at Christmas time. I even miss those stupid, silver icicles we used to put on Christmas trees. They made such a mess and we always had too many, but hey, I am my mother's daughter!
wow, so many of you do the same things we do!!!
After I posted this I thought of some of the tacky things ya'll mentioned: Christmas socks and fruitcake. Ew!!!!
Christmas is special! But it wouldn't be if we did these things all year long.
Jenni, your rebellion cracked me up. My mom is a Christmas socks and sweaters type person, so she got weird pajamas too. Now my husband picks them out. He's got good taste. :)
Melissa, my husband used to use those icicle thingies. We did it one year and never again!
Carolina--feeding reindeer in the cold? Never heard of that one! What did you do?
Mireyah, you're really not allowed to eat the candy canes? (and you better not have passed that award back to me!!:) )
Jannie--you know, girl.
I think the 3 foot tall plastic nativity sets are a bit tacky, but I love the reason behind them. I love Jesus, don't get me wrong, but the sets look a bit cheesy. :P
Love your post!
I remember talking to a lady who was so excited about what she was planning to get for her lawn: a big lit-up birthday cake that said "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" My first thought was "YIKES, WOMAN," but she was just so sincerely happy about it that I realized IT'S ALL GOOD.
Tacky Christmas Tradition:
SHOPPING THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING! I know some people really like this, but I'm disgusted by all the greed. That's why I make most of my gifts.
Fun post! I hopped over from Laurel's blog. Glad I did. :)
There is a home near mine that must have 10 or more of the giant, lighted, blow-up decorations - and they have a small yard! Ugh!
I agree!! I think the only thing I find Tacky is the sweater and Steph, already covered that. I love Christmas, the colors...I don't like the fruitcake. It was never part of our tradition, but one of our neighbors would give us one every Christmas. My brothers loved it, so they would eat it.
Nice folks here. Nice blog. I will come here often it seems.
Thanks, Shiirazi! I hope you enjoy it here!
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