On Saturday after Thanksgiving we put up some of our Christmas decorations. We had a good time. The kids love to help put the tree up and we seem to have our own little family traditions already. I really had to get used to the idea that the kids get to see the tree before Christmas eve and on top of that they get to help set it up. When I was a kid my grandma used to pick me up early in the morning Christmas Eve and she took my sister and me to her house. At some point we would go to the "Nuernberger Christkindl Market" and look at all the Boothe's and every year she would buy me a prune guy (they are little men made out of prunes. They even have clothes on). We would drink "Kinder Gluehwein" eat some brats and have a great time. Late afternoon we would head back to my parents house and my sister and I had to go straight upstairs to our rooms and get dressed in nice clothes. Around five p.m. My parents would call us downstairs. They had the bells ringing and we all (uncles,grandma,...) would wish each other "Merry Christmas". After that that's when I would see the tree for the first time and I just remember thinking every year that this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was almost like magic.(In my mind the Angel brought us this tree and that's what I believed for the longest time). My Mom always had the nicest decorations and every year the trees were just beautiful.I don't even think we went straight for our gifts. The tree was the first big thing!
I hope even though we do combine our traditions now that my kids are going to have their own special memories about how we celebrate in our family.
This really makes me miss my grandma. She passed away when I was 16 and Christmas is still sad without her.
Here are some pictures of our tree. I think the kids did an fantastic job!
