Growing up we celebrated all the holidays by having a family dinner, usually at my grandparent’s house. My grandma made a pie for all holidays, Washington’s birthday, President’s day, Fourth of July, and so on. We also regularly had Sunday dinners. Christmas time was always my favorite. I always spent a lot of time at my grandparent’s, especially at Christmas time. My grandma played Christmas albums, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” was one of my favorites. I can still hear my grandma singing it every year. She had a beautiful singing voice. We backed dozens and dozens of cookies from chocolate chip to snowballs. Big batches of fudge, divinity, peanut brittle, chocolate-covered cherries, and fruit cake that only Aunt Mable would eat. Grandma would lovingly package them up in tins and boxes to gift, mail down south to my cousins, and of course, send them to our house. On Christmas Eve we would have ham sandwiches with all the fixings, cookies, and eggnog. After dinner, we would get to open our one gift, Christmas pajamas. On Christmas morning my grandparents would get up before dawn and be at our house when we woke up. We had presents for days under the tree. My mom and grandma would spend hours wrapping and making the most beautiful bows. My siblings and I would spend the day in our pajamas playing with our toys. My mom and grandma would cook a huge turkey dinner, There was always my granny’s Christmas salad. Marshmallows, walnuts, pineapple, maraschino cherries, and fresh whipped cream. Our stockings were hand sewn by my mom and grandma. My mom drew her own patterns. My brothers and I still have ours. As we got married and had babies of our own, stockings were made for them. As our children have married and or had babies of their own, more stockings were made.
When my babies came along we continued all of those traditions, lost a few along the way, and added a few of my husband’s family traditions, and began some of our own. Gingerbread houses are a major tradition in our house. For 30+ years I have made gingerbread houses. As a stay-at-home mom, I would design, create plans, and bake our own houses. It would take me one whole day. Then, we would spend another day assembling and decorating. As the kids got older the competitions began. My husband passed on his competitive nature to our children. There were covered porches with chopped firewood on them, pathways made of candy that looked like rocks, stained glass windows, bricks chimneys made of cinnamon gum, and so much more. The first year our oldest came home from WSU, he designed, made the plans, and baked his house to look like the clock tower in Pullman. There were years when girlfriends, boyfriends, and cousins were here. Another tradition that we began with our children was a new themed ornament every year. Our kids also loved making Santa countdown chains every year too. And of course the candy advent calendars too. Now, I bake cookies and build gingerbread houses with my granddaughters when we are together for Christmas. Their daddy is in the Army so they always live far away. This year they will be here and I cannot wait! I have only put up a tree twice since my husband died six years ago and haven’t put out all of the decorations. This year… we will be doing all these things. Lights on the house, all the decorations, cookies, gingerbread houses, ham dinner, tree farm, and more!
After my husband died I have had a really hard time keeping up with traditions. Sometimes I feel guilty… my youngest is almost 25, he was only 18 when his dad died. I feel like he missed out on so much. He didn’t live at home for a few years as he was battling his own problems. It still didn’t keep me from feeling guilty. This is the first year that I have been this excited about the holidays in a long time. Now, making memories is more meaningful to me than dozens of packages under the tree.
Many people in my community, extended family, and immediate family share the same culture. They hang stockings and bake cookies and fudge. Have large family dinners of turkey and ham. Open new pajamas on Christmas Eve so everyone matches for pictures. All families have their own traditions and beliefs. Their own culture. We might now celebrate the same way or even the same holidays. What we do the same is make memories. We laugh together. We cry together. We love together.
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