Friday, December 5, 2014

Honoring traditions


Our traditions at Christmas time begin with a trip to Evergreen Tree Farm in Nokesville, VA to cut down our tree the weekend of Thanksgiving.  (Every tree no matter the size is $40-$60!) It was a glorious day followed by lunch and drinks.  



 I thought this car in front of us was cute with their pup.  Between Bethany and I we have 5 and no extra room in our tiny truck, so no one went with us, sadly.


A Thanksgiving family tradition in our family involves a trip to Bethany Beach, DE on Saturday for our annual Seafood Feast.  We all bring a seafood dish and graze all day, visit, play football on the beach, and end the day with singing Christmas carols and songs from our eldest aunts and uncles' childhood, like " Stormy Weather", "Mack the Knife" and "Bicycle Built for Two"- all of which echoed my mother's voice as I remember these sung by her.  Oysters fixed in every imaginable way, salmon, crab and various goodies were enjoyed by all.  I hadn't been in a few years and really missed being with my husbands side of the family.  These are the warmest, most loving and sharing cousins. This year renewed the importance of this tradition for me.  


Here are those drop dead sunset views from our Uncle Jack's home, and here he is at the table.  


Now I'm decorating our tree, mantles and rooms with another goal in mind.  Our family Christmas party is at our house on the 14th, where we host about 50 relatives on my husband's side.  If this doesn't get a fire lit under me to get it done, nothing will.  Then my side of the family meets the following weekend for our Christmas party at my sisters house nearby, with all of us bringing food and desserts and presents.

I love to decorate for Christmas and have been taking all week, savoring each moment.

 I often have had themes in years past like peacock colors and feathers, or, to stretch out the turquoise, I used copper with it last year, but this year is going to be my throwback Christmas.  I am bringing out old family decorations and putting the odd assortment of the most loved and cherished memory-filled ornaments on our tree.  It has really been a joy to relive those memories as I decorate the tree.


I'd love to hear about your traditions !
More to come with my decorations....have a wonderful JOURNEY TO CHRISTMAS!

10 comments:

  1. Your holiday sounds perfect! Traditions are the absolute best! Happy Friday ladies!

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  2. Lovely traditions, Nancy. That sunset is a showstopper! I look forward to seeing your trees decorated. We are hosting my family this Christmas, and I'm a bit behind on the holiday decor. We just received a new shipment. Gotta go and help the crew unpack :) xoxo

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  3. Every year is a throwback Christmas at my house. I am just so sentimental about my childhood Christmases and the vintage ornaments bring back the memories of those days.
    I love that you have so much family around to celebrate with.

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  4. Great trees! That Sat Seafood Feast sounds like an amazing day - when my husband and I move I think we're going to start that tradition for our families. xo

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  5. Love your traditions, you cute thing ~ there's nothing better than family you enjoy hanging out with! Looking forward to seeing your throwback Christmas!

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  6. Of the world to friends.
    Will present the Christmas music.
    Mariah Carey - "All I Want For Christmas Is You" - Christmas In Rockefeller 2014 http://wp.me/p3YsMF-4z @Sakamoto2Ryouma

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  7. We are traditionalists too ... I try to "up" the theme and we all just are happy seeing the ornaments made by my kids at vacation Bible School, Girl Scouts, etc. I still have many ornaments from when Don and I grew up. They are the absolute best! Love the family traditions!! xokim

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  8. Dear Nancy what a great tradition with Bethany and the rest of your family! It seems that the older I bet, the more important these times are to all of us!
    Xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena

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  9. Oh Nancy, you have such wonderful traditions that are truly worth treasuring and emulating even! How I wish I have our families around too, but since we don't most of our Christmas traditions so far center on our kids! We just started Elf this year and he is awesome! No more trying to wake up my little Aidan. We also have our Advent Calendar, and do Chrismtas eve mass as a family then wait until midnight (not Chrismtas morning ) to open all our gifts. Even if our kids get gifts early on, we pile them up under the tree and open all together. This midnight ritual is capped off with Philippine Hot chocolate and off to bed for the kiddos. Christmas morning is followed by more gifts from Santa!

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  10. That is a huge tree Nancy! Can't wait to see it trimmed up! I'm sure it'll be beautiful.
    Love your beach tradition - so nice to have everyone get together!

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