Tradition

Tradition:  the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.  - Dictionary.com

December is the month of tradition in my world.  Work wise it's traditionally always busy as clients look to spend the rest of their advertising budgets for the year.  After the mayhem of the first few weeks of December, the studio traditionally shuts down for at least a week between Christmas and New Year's.  I look forward to that break every year.  It's nice to have the time to decompress.  

Our Christmas has become a melting pot of traditions over the years.  When G and I got married, figuring out where we'd spend Christmas day was a bit tricky.  We both agreed that the kids (his niece and nephew) would win out for Christmas morning. We couldn't leave my family out of the picture on Christmas day either so they'd get us for dinner.  We figured once we had our own kids that things would change.   We didn't have kids so these traditions have remained, even though his niece and nephew are now teenagers and are usually still asleep when we arrive on Christmas morning.  Since our families really enjoy hanging out together, we decided to host everyone at our place on Boxing Day.  Christmas eve is our time together.  We open gifts, have a nice dinner and maybe watch a movie.  Christmas day we drive out to Bolton hang out with G's family have breakfast, then around 2:00 we get in the car, make the hour drive to Guelph to hang out with my parents, my bother and my sister and her boyfriend. Boxing Day everyone makes their way to our place in Toronto and we have a feast.  It's two days of crazy that I wouldn't trade for the world.

There are few other Christmas traditions that I love.  Some old, some new.  

* Our friends Christmas party, always the first weekend of December, and always a good night out.  I generally don't make any plans for the next day, ha ha.

Me and my best bud, Sue, at last year's party. 

 *  Watching the Sound of Music - I have no idea why this is a Christmas tradition but it's been a tradition of mine since I was a teenager.  I NEVER get tired of this movie.  I usually enjoy it with a cup of spiced rum and eggnog because that's what you do.  My sister and I will always call or text each other to let each other know when it's on.

* The smell of garlic pork cooking at my parents.  I don't normally partake in it but it is a Guyanese tradition and my dad LOVES it.  Once in a while I'll have a bit but it's SUPER potent.  

* Picking out our Christmas Tree.  After we rebuilt our house, we actually had room for a Christmas tree so we decided we'd get a real tree every year.  So, we usually go out mid December and pick out a tree from a local merchant.   With that comes the changing of the sofa cushions as well, haha.

* Spending a Sunday baking Christmas cookies for my friends and co-workers.  I've done it every year for as long as I can remember.  Sometimes I even do it AT the studio. 

Getting my Martha Stewart on at the studio

The finished product!

* Our food drive and decorating of the Christmas tree at work.  This is something that is fairly new at the studio but I think it's something that will remain for years to come.  This year we're having a snowflake making competition, just to make it interesting, ha ha.

Thanks to Deb Runs for hosting Wednesday Word!   

What are some of your favourite traditions?