Our family has several Christmas traditions and throughout this month I will be sharing some of these with you all.
Special Ornaments:
Our 1st Christmas tradition began in 1974 which was the year I was born (the first grandchild). Granny selected a special theme for each one of her grandchildren, and each year we would receive our special ornament when we decorated our tree. The list is as follows:
Me: Angels
Allison: Mice
Ashley: Rocking Horse
Aubrey: Toy Solider
Andrew: Bear
Special Ornaments:
Our 1st Christmas tradition began in 1974 which was the year I was born (the first grandchild). Granny selected a special theme for each one of her grandchildren, and each year we would receive our special ornament when we decorated our tree. The list is as follows:
Me: Angels
Allison: Mice
Ashley: Rocking Horse
Aubrey: Toy Solider
Andrew: Bear
Here is my first Angel from 1974
When I started dating David my mother choose a special ornament for him. David had no idea 16 years ago that he would look so forward to finding out what his special ornament would be each year. Davids theme is NFL players / sports.
David's favorite NFL ornament
DJ: Snowmen
McKinley: Barbie Doll
Brayden: Elfs
Beth: Cats
Maddie: Dogs
J.T.: Santas
Reagan: Pooh Bear
Jesse: Toy Soliders
DJ's first snowman
Brayden's first elf
As each of my sisters got married there husbands also started to receive a special themed ornament for each of them.Jason: airplanes
Scott: sports
I love getting my ornament as does David, DJ and Brayden. I am sure my Granny had hoped that this tradition would continue forever and ever, but I think it has far surpassed her expectations. I am sure that she is smiling down on us.
2 comments:
CUTE!! I do Hallmart ornaments and they are sooo expensive!! I spent over $100.00 this year on only 6 ornaments!! I like that theme idea maybe next year I will start that instead of the Hallmart theme...
We appreciated Amy’s history of Christmas traditions of the Abel Clan, and would like, if we may, to add some traditional aspects from the eastern side of the Atlantic.
You might be surprised, but you wouldn’t get a Christmas tree anywhere in Germany (or France) today. But just 60 miles west of us, in Holland, they sell trees and tomorrow (Dec. 6th), Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) will come to their homes bringing presents. This is an old Dutch tradition, that has survived in the Dutch speaking countries (Netherlands and parts of Belgium). In Germany Santa Claus brings little presents for the kids. They have to put a shoe or boot in front of the door and will find chocolates in the morning.
There is no Santa on Christmas eve, but it is the “Christkind”, the Christ born that day, usually represented like an angel, all golden and with wings. Christmas trees are decorated on Dec. 24th, or as we did, on the day before, and only by the parents. The room, if available, will rest shut for the day (24th) and only be opened on the evening after church (usually at 4 p.m.). There is another mass at church at midnight, when the kids are in bed. In France the tree is there on the evening, but the presents are only under the tree the next morning (25th). In France you go to church after a good family dinner in the evening (usually around 11 p.m.).
The protestant (Lutherian) part of the population keeps the Christmas tree till January 6th (Epiphanias), whereas the catholic part has to care for the tree till February 2nd.
The usual decoration of the Christmas tree consists of candles and apples, the latter have been replaced by red glass balls. We usually keep our tree in yellow (candles of beeswax and some golden balls). In France you have the manger and the usual staff (new born Christ, Maria, Joseph, ox etc.) under the tree. This is catholic so most churches in Cologne have their Christmas trees and their special presentations of Bethlehem. It is always worth touring and looking at the different styles and fashions.
We wish you a happy Christmas time.
Hannspeter & Annie-Claude
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