'Tis the Season

This Saturday night, I finally gave in to the urge to decorate for Christmas. I love the magical feeling of sitting in a room with only the christmas lights on.

While I was decorating, I started thinking about some of my favorite memories and traditions from this time of year....

I remember as a kid scooting under the Christmas tree and looking up at the lights, or eating the ornaments - not only did my mom put candy canes on the tree, but we also had ornaments that looked like gumball machines with REAL gum balls in them. Those didn't ever last very long.

I remember the different themed Christmas trees my mom would do every year. We had the teddy bear tree, the musical instrument tree, and of course the old school ornament tree.

I remember my dad getting up on the roof Christmas Eve and stomping around and jingling jingle bells - this was an elaborate attempt to convince us kids that Santa was here and he wouldn't come down the chimney until we were in bed. This worked for many years, until the year my dad slipped and fell off the roof cussing the whole way down. We didn't know Santa talked like that! And don't worry my dad was fine.

I remember going Christmas caroling and coming home to hot chili and cinnamon rolls.

I remember sitting up on Christmas Eve and playing card games with my family and eating carmel popcorn until my teeth hurt.

Thinking about the traditions my family has makes me even more excited for this time of year and the chance I get to go home and celebrate it with them.

In loo of Cheney tradition, I cooked up some chili and wassail and decorated my house with my roommate Bree and Mike...