Christmas Traditions

Writing everything out "journal style" is simply going to take too long so I'm just going to forget about that. And sorry, there still is not going to be any pictures even though my sister, Amber, sent me some (Thanks sis!). Apparently they are in an "unrecognizable format" for blogger. Too bad. So instead I thought I would share some of my favorite Christmas traditions.

First there is the painting of Christmas cookies. My mom makes delicious sugar cookies and then makes "paints" out of egg yoke and food colouring to paint the cookies. It really is a lot of fun. This year I won the best painted cookie. I was so proud... Just kidding! Amber won second and my mom won third. I didn't know we ever made it a competition. Who knew?

This year we went Christmas caroling to a couple of my parent's neighbors and we gave them some goodies. I'm pretty sure we usually do that, but maybe I'm wrong? It's fun coming from a family with very musically inclined siblings that are good at harmonizing and without much practice to boot!

Christmas Eve is the very best! Usually we go skiing/snowboarding for the day, but this year we decided against it, which was fine by me. We always have our Christmas dinner with Turkey and all the fixins. So delicious... After dessert and quick clean up we have a little program. It starts with the little ones acting out the nativity while my dad reads the Christmas story. Aubrey and Marik didn't participate very well, but the rest did a great job! Jensen was supposed to play baby Jesus, but he was a little out of sorts, so a doll was used instead. We then open Christmas PJ's and after they are on, my mom reads a Christmas story that usually leaves her (and the rest of us) in tears. This year, it was more geared toward the little children, but it was still good. After that, the small ones go to bed and Santa works his magic. This year, Chris made it to St. George on Christmas Eve which made it even better. I always miss him when we are apart.

Christmas day we wake up early, open stockings, then open presents, and the rest of the day is spent mostly lazing about and enjoying each others company. My mom makes a delicious breakfast casserole and fruit smoothies. So yummy.

Sometime after Christmas day (and sometimes even on Christmas day) we have "fish pond". It's a tradition that has been in the Cahoon family for years. I think my great-grandfather started the tradition or maybe it happened earlier... I don't really know. But this is how the kids get their gift from grandpa Cahoon. Grandpa and Grandma stand behind a blanket with the gifts and all the kids on the other side "fish" for their gift with a fishing pole that is made from a broom handle and a metal hanger. At least is was this year. My dad has one that is a wooden pole with a metal hanger hook but it is packed away in storage. I totally remember doing this as a young child with my grandpa Cahoon. Oh, memories!

It probably doesn't sound like the makings of "the best Christmas ever" and I guess Christmas day itself was just like any other. What made it the best was the fact that all my siblings were together (starting the 27th). We are all spread out across the globe and don't get to see each other very often. And then there was the Cahoon family reunion with many of my cousins. I can't say all because quite a few were missing as my Uncle Dale and Aunt Ann, Aunt Louise and Uncle Bryce and families weren't able to join us. But that is for another post at a later time...