Holiday Traditions

It's the middle of August. Why am I posting about holiday traditions? Well, why not?

I'm going to be sharing some of my favorite traditions from many different holidays, but I'll start by saying that my all-time favorite holiday is Easter. More on why that is later.

I'll start with New Year's Eve. For many years we've gone over to the house of some friends. We might play games or watch a movie and several times we've done a theme. Past themes have included Japanese and Italian. When it's almost time for the ball drop, we pause what we were doing, watch that and ring in the New Year (with sparkling drinks), and then we go back to our activity.

One year, we were watching Captain America: Winter Soldier. My brothers mentioned that we would finish it "next year", and my mom thought they meant the next NYE party. Actually, they were just being goofy about starting it in one year and finishing it after midnight, in the "next year". Poor Mom. She just wanted to go home and go to bed!

Valentine's Day was so fun as a kid. My homeschool co-op always did a little party with the kids passing out valentines and some sweet treats. It was a blast to see the creative containers and cards people came up with. After all the valentines were passed out, we'd all sit in little groups and look at them, laughing at funny ones and exclaiming over the unique ones. I have great memories of those times.

Easter. This is my all-time favorite holiday because it is so joyous! People who know me would probably guess Christmas as my favorite, because it's in the winter, but it's actually Easter. We go to church in the morning and it's my favorite service of the year. There are flowers everywhere, the sun streams through the windows. All the choirs and instrument groups play. It's loud and joyful and wonderful! My family spends the day together with some extended family and it's a great time to just be together. When I was a baby, we went to Indiana for Easter, but I don't remember that, so for me, it's basically always been with my mom's family here.

Memorial Day and Labor Day I'm putting together because they are basically the same deal, just on either ends of the summer. We go to my grandparents' house for a cookout and family time. The baseball game is on the TV and radio, it's the first and last time my Grammy makes deviled eggs (one of my favorite foods!) and we open/close the pool, usually.

Fourth of July became bigger in the last five years or so. The same friends who invite us over for NYE, live in a town that has a great parade on the 4th. Their house is right on the parade route and they invite friends over to watch the parade and swim. We've always spent the evening at my grandparents' house (are you seeing a theme? :), with more swimming and a campfire.

Thanksgiving has been with my dad's family in Indiana for my whole life. It started at my great-grandma's house, but I only remember it at my dad's cousin's house. Over the years, it's gotten much smaller; last year it was just the four of them and the five of us! My granddad used to carve the turkey every year and he'd wear a really girly apron. It was so funny! I'm glad I got a picture of it one year.

And finally, Christmas. When I was little, we'd wake up, do our Advent calendar, open presents, go to church, and then go to my grandparents' house to do gifts with them and my aunt and uncle's family. It made for a really crazy day. I don't remember when, but at some point, my immediate family started doing our Christmas on Christmas Eve. We have lots of fun traditions, some from when our parents were kids and some that we've started as a family. Christmas Day then is church and the day at our grandparents' house.

Holidays revolve around family. No matter what we're celebrating, we make it a priority to be with our loved ones.

I could expand on holidays if you would interested in knowing more about our traditions. Let me know if that's something you'd like to see by leaving a comment.

Now, I want to hear from you! What's your favorite holiday and what is a specific tradition that makes that day so special?

Blessings,
Sarah