Family Traditions

Family traditions are passed down from generation to generation.  They create in us a sense of closeness, a tie that binds us together through the years, the glue that holds us together.  When I was a child, we had many traditions on which I look back now with fond memories.   

Christmas breakfast was a big to-do for us.  All of my mother's sisters and their families would gather at my aunt's house next door, and we would eat eggs, homemade biscuits, fried oysters, bacon, and country sausage.  After breakfast, we would exchange presents and visit, oohing and aahing over all the goodies that Santa had brought.  That evening, we would again gather around a table for Christmas dinner.  After dinner, my mother would play Christmas carols on the piano and we would all sing.  We laughed a lot when we didn't know all the words (we never knew all the gifts in the Twelve Days of Christmas), or when someone sang a bit off key. 

As a new mother years ago, I wanted to carry on some of the old Christmas traditions and make new ones for my little family.  Every Christmas Eve my children would open 2 gifts.  The first gift would be new pajamas, so they could wear them on Christmas morning for all the pictures.  The second gift was a movie or a book, so they could settle down and get to sleep, while I was making last minute preparations.  When morning came, the gifts were all wrapped--red paper for my daughter's gifts, and green paper for my son's--and under the tree.  Every year my son asks what color his gifts are, and we laugh!  We again eat a big breakfast together, and our menu always includes fried oysters.  Christmas afternoon, we gather with our extended family for a party.  Our family has gotten too big for a formal dinner, so we have finger food, and no gifts are exchanged now, but we still sing.  My mom is no longer here to play for us, but one of my cousins has stepped in and we still laugh when we don't know the words or someone sings off key!  Except when Jesus Loves Me is played, and we all get emotional remembering the many, many times my mother played it for us so that we could sing.  I cannot hear the song without crying.  Heck, I'm crying now. :)

We also try to get together for Thanksgiving every year, but different families have branched off to do their own thing.  This year there were 12 of us at my house.

Our table was set for 10, as we had two come at the last minute.

I used pumpkins and fall-colored flowers in the centerpiece.

I sometimes buy a plant, such as a mum, and cut off the blooms to use in arrangements.  It's much cheaper than buying cut flowers.

You have seen these salad plates many times.  I paired them with my mom's china, which I also used last Thanksgiving.

I used these frosted leaf glasses, which were also my mom's, and Park Lane wine stems.

I found these candle cups at Goodwill.  They have a hole in the center, to use with candlesticks, or in this case, with decorative candles directly on the table.

Oops, I missed a candle!!

With all the chaos, I'm surprised I remembered to take photos!

I know I'm a week behind with my tables, but I wanted to spend time with my children and family while they were here.  I will be back visiting with you this week!  Thanks for taking the time to look!  I would love to hear sometime about your family Christmas traditions.  I always appreciate your kind comments!!  On to the Christmas holidays!!