Tradition! Tradition! (Fiddler on the Roof, anyone?)

The house is all decorated, the ornaments are on the tree, and the stockings hung. In addition to the traditional Christmas decorating, we decided to not be Grinches this year and participate in the neighborhood tradition of erecting a real Christmas tree in our front yard, complete with little white lights. All the houses on our street place a medium size Christmas tree a few feet from the road and then decorate it with white lights. Every night when the sun goes down, everyone turns on their tree. It's a neat effect and people from around town come to check it out. I'll have to get some pics and post them later.

I think my favorite Morlandt Christmas tradition (Tony Morlandt family tradition) is hanging up the ornaments on the tree. Every ornament has a meaning or was given to us by somebody special. As we hang them up we discuss the places we bought them or the special people who gave them to us. Sophia is enjoying the tree this year. I am surprised, to be honest, that she is treating it with such gentle care. She walks up, touches a few ornaments, and then says, "no, no." I wonder where she's heard that, before? Another favorite tradition in our little family is chicken parmesan on Christmas Eve (because it's red, Tony's Italian, and it makes a pretty presentation on the plate :) ).

My favorite tradition on Tony's side of the family is lounging around in the living room, stringing popcorn and cranberries, listening to Christmas music, while snacking on the sweets tray that has candies from all around the world. Also, sweet potato casserole and lots of it.

Favorite tradition on my side of the family? Sitting in the "Texas room" reading the Christmas story followed by what Tony has come to call "The Hughes Family Christmas" - a time where we all sing Christmas carols from The Baptist Hymnal accompanied by my mom on the piano. Sometimes there are solos because there are a few singing stars in the family. This would not include me. But, Tony has been secretly practicing 'O Come All Ye Faithful' in Latin, as was previously recorded by Bing Crosby, with the hopes that he might someday make his debut. The cat's out of the bag, babe. This is the Christmas! He is going to kill me when he reads this.

Last year at Christmas Sophia was just a little newborn. She was still colicky so we spent Christmas Eve taking turns bouncing her on the huge exercise ball while singing Christmas carols with my grandparents and mom over the phone. Somehow I managed to make the chicken parmesan too. Sweet memory but I'm glad that we will be headed to Texas for a full week this year!

And to complete this little post on Christmas traditions, the great American tradition of taking your child to sit on Santa Claus' lap. We didn't take Sophia last year since she was only 6 weeks old and the world is crawling with germs at Christmas-time. So this was her first visit. She did a great job - no crying, just confusion. Santa was at the little shopping area next to Cool Beans (my 2nd home coffee shop). It wasn't too crowded and that helped Sophia, I think. She mostly stared at Santa and then back at us, completely bewildered. I expected her to comment on Santa's boots. We have a small stuffed Santa in our house and she loves to walk up to him, point to his shoes, and say "boots." Purses and boots - we may have our hands full in a very short time. :)

"Daddy, I see Santa!"

"I'm not too sure what this is all about."