My Stories, II

My Stories, Part II

On Tuesdays, I'm answering questions from My Mom. Her Stories. Her Words.

Today's Question

Mom, what was your favorite holiday as a child, and how did your family celebrate it?

My favorite holiday is actually a month, the month of December.

December holds so many wonderful memories.  There are the birthdays, the partys, the family, and Christmas Day.

We started out the month on the 1st by turning on the Christmas Lights!  My dad was very specific the lights went on on the 1st and off after our New Year's Eve party.  The hardest part was some years they went up on Thanksgiving weekend and we had to wait to turn them on.  For a few years, we had a huge party and invited everyone, family, friends and neighbors.  December was our month and we celebrated all month long.

Our family had lots of birthdays in December, in fact all of our birthdays are in December.

Grandpa H starts out the two week celebration of birthdays on the 15th.  Grandpa didn't like cake for his birthdays so we had pie or Cherry Cheesecake.  I loved my Dad's birthdays cause of the cheesecake.

There was the year we threw him a huge 40th birthday and it was my job to keep him at the mall.  I wasn't very discreet, I kept looking at my watch the whole time.  What was so funny was as we were driving up to the house someone threw my sister's polar bear in the air.

Last year my dad and I went skiing on his birthday.  I had so much fun and I know my dad did too.

Next up is Grandma H her birthday is the 20th.  For my mom's birthday we often went out to dinner or did some sort of activity.  Most years it was our family birthday party at my Grandparents.  Each set of grandparents would have us over for dinner and celebrate our birthdays.  The other cool thing was my dad would tape lifesaver roll messages on our big picture window.  My mom always had lifesavers in her purse when we were little.

Next up was my birthday, I love my birthday even this year when I'm turning 32.  My birthday is the 22nd.  Because my parents also had December birthdays, they were awesome about keeping my birthday and Christmas separate.

The first party I remember is also the first one my dad video taped, my 5th birthday.  It started with my dad putting a huge 5 made out of wrapping paper on the front door.  I had a few friends over and my grandparents too.  There was ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins and fun presents.

My next most memorable party was 10.  I had 10 friends over and we put on a nativity play.  My dad recorded it and it's very goofy but cute.

After 10, I would invite one or two friends to go out to dinner with me and my family.  For 16, my friends, Annie and Amy went with me to the Space Needle.  We dressed up in formal wear and ordered Salmon for dinner.

For 30, we had a huge party for me, my mom and sister, we were all turning milestone ages: 25, 30, and 60.   

My sister just barley made into December being born after 10pm on the 31st.  My parents always joked that they got to build a deck with their tax refund because she came before the new year.

A New Year's Eve baby ment an awesome party every year.  For a long time she thought that the fireworks on her birthday were just for her.

Now to back track to Christmas.

Christmas Eve was at our house with the Grandparents and Aunts coming for dinner and presents.  My mom always made Oyster Stew with oyster crackers.  I'm still not sure how this became tradition, but I liked it, I just never ate the oysters.  After dinner we would sing carols, read the Christmas story and open presents.

Christmas Morning was about stockings.  We would get up early to see what kind of goodies 'Santa' brought us.  After stockings it was time to get ready for company.  My parents would host Christmas breakfast for family and friends.  They served this awesome breakfast casserole that was probably a million calories per bite.  After breakfast it was off to Christmas Dinner.

Christmas Dinner was rotated between my Grandma and her two sisters.  My dad's whole extended family would gather and eat traditional food and catch up on family happenings.  Christmas Dinner has now moved to the next generation and this year is Mom and Dad's turn.

I can't wait to create new Christmas memories and traditions with my two kiddos.

Next week: Mom, what were some of the best presents you ever received when you were a kid?