The other night Moosette and I went to see a performance of the Nutcracker. We have done this every Christmas season of her entire life. Well, there was one year that I was really sick and we couldn’t go but we won’t talk about that…
It all started when she was four months old. All the women in the family went to a Nutcracker performance and had a nice lunch. I sat on the end of the row, ready for a quick exit, because I just knew a four month old could never last through an entire ballet with loud music. I was wrong. Moosette was entranced through the entire performance. My sister-in-law was so impressed that she exclaimed “well, there’s your new tradition” and that was that. Over the years we have seen large production numbers, small town ballet schools (that was this year!), modern dance version and even a comedy. Each year through the teen years I would always hesitantly ask if she wanted to go again and each year she has enthusiastically said yes. WooHoo! Score one for Mommy/daughter time. What holiday traditions does your family have?
When I was in high school, my family, and our closest friends, all went to the Christmas Eve service at church, then we\’d all head to the Chinese restaurant, bringing along whomever was visiting the families for Christmas. It quickly became a tradition, lasting till just a few years ago. Well, long after I\’d married, and had kids, we moved away, and didn\’t get home for Christmas very often. We always looked for a Chinese restaurant to eat at on Christmas Eve (and a church to attend the Christmas Eve service, if our church didn\’t have one). On Thursday evening, after the service, we will all head to the local Chinese restaurant. Last year we took the pastor & his wife, and another couple with us.