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Keeping in Touch:  Family Traditions...post your stories here!  |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 28 2007 : 10:20:17 PM
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After reading that one of the next magazines having "Family Traditions" as a "Keeping in Touch" focus, I thought it might be fun to have a place to post any stories, tales, ideas around that topic. There are so many ways you farmgirls have of making life meaningful for you and yours - tell us about it!
I wrote about this in another post, but at our house, growing up we always had a "red plate" that we would get to eat our meals and snacks off of on special days - it was SUCH a treat! I thought that it sort of had magical powers when I was little - that it somehow would make your whole world good on a "red plate day." Since then, I've found a red plate for my own home, and I am beginning to use it with my boys. They are so little - the oldest is almost 4 - that they don't know what it really is, but as they grow up, I hope it can be a little bit of magic in their lives, too. When they have their own homes, I think I'll give one to each of them, also...
What are YOUR family traditions?
XOXO, Libbie
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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beckels
True Blue Farmgirl
237 Posts
becky
warrington
pa
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2007 : 7:38:19 PM
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When I was little for our birthday each child would get to go to breaksfast with dad by themselves (my sisters were gipped because they were twins and went with dad together)
we didnt go anywhere special just a local diner - the place local joes,farmers and truckers went for a cup of coffee and a cheap meal.
I dont remember if went every birthday - but we went at least once a year. I try to do something like that with my daughter we go somewhere for her birthday something simple.
p.s. and we still go with my dad (her poppop)
beckels |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2007 : 05:54:24 AM
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We always had a play hookie day for everyone in the family once a year. At that time we had 6 kids in the family. We'd do something special, if it was warm we'd go swimming all of us & bring a picnic. One winter day when I was about 9 my dad decided we'd have our hookie day. I didnt realize it then but he did it because we were so broke, had no heat & not enough lunches for us to go to school. It was w/out a doubt one of the best days I ever had. We had a fireplace but was out of wood so he chopped up some chairs in our living room & dining room & made a game out of it, we all took turns w/ his help of course. We had marshmellows & roasted them, had tea, played games etc. To us it was like camping out. Hookie days still exist in my home w/ my family. If its your birthday, you take of that day then we all take a day together at least once a year, sometimes more. I am a firm believer in play, for everyone including adults. Life is short & has many problems so to me it's important to play as much as work hard. It was & is a great family tradition.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2007 : 8:03:24 PM
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Isn't it fun to carry on traditions or make your own? I know that there is something truly comforting about traditions and routines in my life, and I sure hope that I can instill that in my little ones lives, too. I love the hooky day tradition. What a wonderful thing to be borne out of necessity on that winter's day, Michele!
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2007 : 9:42:43 PM
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My family when I was growing up spent alot of time together fishing and camping and like that. One of our traditions..still going on today....is that when we fish the last person to catch their first fish of the day cleans all the fish everyone catches that day. It is so fun to catch that first fish and KNOW that you don't have to clean it cuz someone else hasn't caught a fish yet!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 10:29:42 PM
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Now, that's my kind of tradition (assuming I'm the lucky one!). I love to flyfish, but cleaning? Ummmmm...it really is unpleasant - worth it, but unpleasant. Jenny, maybe could I come fishing with your family?!?!?!
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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Mikki
True Blue Farmgirl
1510 Posts
Mikki
Austin
Indiana
USA
1510 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2007 : 6:48:12 PM
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I just love,love,love, family traditions. We started a new one about 6 years ago, where all the women in our family meet for dinner and a week or two before Christmas. It's our own little Christmas party. We buy a gift for everyone instead of exchanging names. We try to keep the price for each gift low. It's a really special time. The first year, I had some Bibles that my grandmother used when she was sick, you know the Gideon bibles in the hospital, and I gave one each to my two sisters along with a teacup and saucer. Grandma has been gone for 16 years now, so that was very special to them. I have grandma's family bible. Then one year my youngest sister went shopping in grandma and grandpa's basement befor grandpa passed away, and she gave to me that year one of grandma's small teapots. I just love it, and I use it often. Then this year I started a new Christmas tradition. We met at mom's and made homemade christmas ornaments to share with each other. That was fun. Another tradition we have, each christmas someone is chosen, and receives a special gift and my dad writes these little riddle/clue type things and we end up all over the house outside everywhere till we finally found it. It started with my husband buying me back a bracelet that he had bought me years earlier for our anniversary. I'd had to sell it because we got in a hard spot. I didn't tell him I'd sold it till later. Well, 6 years later that bracelet ended up back in the same shop and he surprised me with it on Christmas with the wild goose chase lol. When I found it and gasped, there wasn't a dry eye in the house, we were all in tears. Wow, we're big Christmas people huh, lol. I just love Christmas, it's a time for miracles I think.
~~Blessings, Mikki
http://burningmeadowsprings.blogspot.com/
http://strawberriesnapronstrings.blogspot.com/ |
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vintagechica
True Blue Farmgirl
438 Posts
Eren
Poolville
TX
USA
438 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2007 : 08:26:14 AM
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Let's see...where do I start with traditions. I grew up with a breadwinner mom who worked out of the home so on Sunday mornings my Dad would let my Mom sleep in while he made pancakes. MMMmmm...As they would come off of the iron skillet we could not wait to gobble them up. By the time the last pancake was coming off of the griddle we were already all sitting down to eat and the last one usually got burned. That is our tradition now, to burn the last pancake of the batch (which usually gets tossed to the dogs). I still do it with my children today.
Oh, and my Mom always set our Easter table with her fine China and my great grandmother's silver, linen napkins, the works and we always ate Easter (and sometimes Christmas) dinner that way. She wanted us to be able to rough it with the best of them, but also know how to use all of our forks and glasses at a fancy dinner too. Im glad she did. There has been more than one occasion that it has come in handy. Gotta love a gal who can make mulligan stew on a campfire as well as receive from the left and pass to the right.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A sure way to avoid housework...live outdoors.
Visit me anytime at my blog:
www.vintagechica.typepad.com |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2007 : 8:15:39 PM
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Oh, Eren! That is so wonderful about your mother teaching you the "propers" as well as how to "rough-it!" My grandmother always said that, "If you know how to do things correctly, then you can CHOOSE to do them however you want!"
I just love hearing about all of your family traditions. It's inspiring me to create more with my boys - I really want them to have something to fall back on in the "good memories and traditions at home" department! And, Mikki - what great ideas for Christmas traditions! They are wonderful...
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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Barbara Allen
Farmgirl at Heart
2 Posts
Barbara
Kearney
Nebraska
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2007 : 4:00:57 PM
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We had two family traditons for sundays. During the summer it was Pizza and Chocolate Malts made from scratch. The the malts were made in an old white dishpan. Mom filled the pan with ice cream, hersheys chocolate syrup, some milk (from our cow) and half a jar of malt flavoring. Then we all got a turn trying to stir. It took forever! I think we wore more than we drank. For the winter we had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and lettuce and bannana salad. The salad is made with lettuce, sliced banana's and a coleslaw like dressing. Those were the best sunday suppers! Us kids always knew we were in the money when we had those suppers.
With my own children it was a roasted chicken dinner with all the fixin's including green gravy! Its still much requested and the memory of the green gravy is alive even with my siblings!
I have other family memories at my blog please stop bye and visit!
www.aladysrambles.blogspot.com
Barb
Oh and the green in the gravy is poultry seasoning. Yummm! |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
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Barbara Allen
Farmgirl at Heart
2 Posts
Barbara
Kearney
Nebraska
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2007 : 4:04:36 PM
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| Thanks Marybeth! This is my first chatroom experience and it seems so exciting to be able to share with so many women all those things that fill up our lives. |
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PlumJoy
True Blue Farmgirl
50 Posts
joy
Merced
Ca.
50 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2007 : 8:37:56 PM
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I truly love reading everyone's family traditions. My mother who was always so interesting would help all 7 of us kids get through long rainy days stuck in the house by playing "Button, Button, who has the Button?" with us. We would spend hours looking for the button and before we knew it the day was over and not once had we been bored. Mom also taught us how to make hand-made paper dolls and finding their clothes in the J.C. Penney catalog. We had the fanciest dressed paper dolls! Dad would spend those days playing board games with the boys. Little did we know that we were all being taught fair play, honesty, and losing with grace on those long, dark days. I miss my parents so much, but the ones of us who have lost them do don't we? We have all kept these traditions, but now the grandchildren think that they are soooo old fashioned, but they love the hours that they spend playing anyway. Thank you all for sharing.
PlumJoy |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2007 : 10:14:26 PM
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I LOVE "Button, button...!" My grandparents taught me that - probably on a long, rainy day, too. Now, I've taught my little one the same game, but since we have sheep, we jokingly call it, "Mutton, mutton..." Sometime I really should get a sheep-shaped button for the whole thing... I really enjoy reading these. They remind me of what's important to continue on in my home. You gals are wonderful.
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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Mikki
True Blue Farmgirl
1510 Posts
Mikki
Austin
Indiana
USA
1510 Posts |
Posted - Mar 24 2007 : 10:02:01 AM
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Our "Old-Fashioned Christmas": This coming Christmas we are starting a new tradition. The regular gift giving will remain but on Christmas Eve we will start the new one and then spend Christmas day as usual. On Christmas Eve we will exchange gifts, the rule are: Every gift given must be handmade, and must be handmade by the giver. No buying handmade gifts, that would be cheating. This will encourage one anothers creativeness, especially the children, and the gift will have so much more meaning to the recipient. Years from now, when we look at our handmade gifts they will bring such sweet memories and will be very special treasures to pass down to our younger children and our grandchildren. I'm excited about our "old fashioned" Christmas.
~~Blessings, Mikki Jo
http://burningmeadowsprings.blogspot.com/
http://strawberriesnapronstrings.blogspot.com/ |
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Peg Graham
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Peg
Chesapeake
Virginia
USA
281 Posts |
Posted - May 25 2007 : 11:32:20 AM
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Christmas- we hold our annual sugar cookie baking day (started this approx. 12 years ago), where everyone in the family helps mix batter, roll out dough, cut out cookie shapes, bake and frost (and of course eat)... my favorite sugar cookies past down to me from a dear friend. My children LOVE this tradition and look forward to 'Sugar Cookie Day' each Christmas Season.
btw...here's the infamous recipe:
(courtesy Krissy Nelson as given to Peg Graham)
The Best Sugar Cookies
Mix:
1 rounding cup shortening
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk- (add 1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 c. milk to make buttermilk)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda, (dissolve in buttermilk mixture)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp of each lemon and vanilla extract
Add:
6 cups flour....add a little more until you get a good dough- like consistency. Roll out (on the thick side) on a floured surface, cut with large cookie cutters and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes....do not burn!
Cool and Frost....Makes 8 dozen cookies
Frosting:
The Best Cookie Frosting
1/4 c. Crisco shortening
2 c. confectioners sugar (sifted)
1 tsp almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk....or more according to thickness.
Mix and chill, then spread on cookies and let dry. YUMMY!!!!
miles of smiles~
Peg |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2007 : 9:54:01 PM
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I LOVE the cookie-baking day! What a fun way to get some holiday baking done - I think I'll be adopting this tradition with my Farmgirl Chapter - thanks for the idea, Peg!
At Christmastime at my house growing up my mom would always make rum cakes - beautiful, almond-colored Bundt cakes - and they were SO "rummy," that I really felt like I would have to watch who I breathed on after eating a piece, for fear they'd think I'd been hitting the bottle - at the ripe ol' age of 8 or 9!!!
I was just re-reading this thread and having the Hank Williams, Jr. "family tradition" song getting stuck in my mind. I sure hope I can get it out!!!!!
XOXO, Libbie
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Edited by - Libbie on May 30 2007 9:57:21 PM |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2007 : 10:08:10 PM
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Okay..I can help with getting the song out of your head, Libbie: just start thinking the song from "It's a Small World" at Disneyland. THAT one will cancel out any other songs in your head for a long time..yikes
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2007 : 10:14:02 PM
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JENNY!!!! (Yep, I'm yelling!!!) Even reading the words "It's a Small World" now has that one stuck FOR REAL in my mind. I guess it's better than "Family Tradition"...maybe...
XOXO, Libbie
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 09:08:55 AM
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LOL! Guess what ya'll got stuck in my head this morning! I guess I get to teach it to Nora! LOL
Alee |
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Crafty Chic
True Blue Farmgirl
64 Posts
Melissa
West Plains
MO
USA
64 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 1:55:38 PM
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Well I know it's been a year since there was a post on this topic, but since I'm new I thought I'd share mine. I was raised in church, so I guess you could say that going to church every Sun morn, nite, Wed nite, revivals, singings, dinners, VBS, etc-ANY TIME the doors were open we were there-is a family tradition. At Christmas, my parents would always let me open one present on Christmas eve, and we've continued that tradition with our daughter. We also started a new one after our daughter was born that the 3 of us stay the nite with my parents on Christmas eve so we can open presents all together then we do Christmas later that day at my husband's mom's house. We do Christmas eve or a couple of days before at my grandma's. We also get together at Thanksgiving and Easter.
Visit me at my other blogs:
family-fixins.blogspot.com
wwwmyblessedworld.blogspot.com
Visit our Etsy Store:
Heart2Home
www.heart2home.etsy.com |
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Catydid
Farmgirl in Training
23 Posts
Caitlin
Arizona
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2008 : 10:05:41 AM
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| My Great Grandma Jeanne did thread crochet, and specialized in making crochet snowflakes for the Christmas tree. When my mom and her siblings each got married, Grandma Jeanne made a set of snowflakes for them. These snowflakes have always been the first to go on the tree, and are definitely the showcase ornaments. They aren't quite as starched as the first were, and some of them have started to yellow slightly, but they are still so loved and cherished, especially now that Grandma Jeanne has passed away. When I got married, my mom gave me one of the snowflakes from her set. Now, as much as I love it, since it was from Grandma Jeanne, I wanted so many more so that I could have an entire tree of them. That's why I learned to crochet. I taught myself using easy crochet books, and eventually worked until I was ready to make the snowflakes. In the past year and a half, I have made over 150 snowflakes, some for myself, but mostly to give as wedding presents. I also made a set for my mom, and am currently making a set for my uncle who is getting married this summer. I am so happy that I can carry on the tradition of the snowflakes in my own family, and also in the families of some of my closest friends. The snowflakes will certainly be the first on the tree for many years to come! |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jul 31 2008 : 1:51:51 PM
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I guess a topic is never "too old" to post on huh? Well, we had lots of "Family Traditions" when I was young, some not so good, some very GRAND! My Grandma hosted all the family get togethers when we were really young, then the torch passed to my mom. They have both since passed on, so now that torch has passed to ME! We live on a 20+ acre farm where the kids can run wild, fly kites, play ball, shoot water pistols etc... and the older teens get to ride 3 wheelers.
That family tradition is a big celebration on Easter. We spend Christmas and Thanksgiving with my husbands family mostly (we used to alternate before most of my family members passed on), so I decided that MY family (just my siblings and an Aunt are left) needed a holiday to spend together as well-- so I picked Easter. It started as just a small get together, but has grown by leaps and bounds and each year there are MORE friends and relatives who show up. The kids all get gift bags full of Dollar store toys, loads of candy, etc... nothing really meant to last-- after all, it's the memories that we are investing in, not Commercialism! The eggs are all plastic and filled with MORE candy! Usually there is one "Special" egg for each child (usually filled with Chocolate which my sisters and I get to enjoy!!!). The egg (or whatever it happens to be that year-- one year it was a giant jelly bean!) is exchanged for the goodie bags.
We always celebrate the SATURDAY before Easter Sunday, that way everyone can spend time with OTHER family members on the actual day. There is ALWAYS tons of food-- mostly BBQ (this year was STEAK!!! Yum!) and lots of side dishes, and all sorts of other snack-y goodies. No one ever leaves hungry!!! Desert usually consist of pies, strawberry short cake and whatever new recipe I like to try each year, and ALWAYS a birthday cake for my older sister, since her birthday is March 20th. Every year she's SURPRISED, and every year she cries over the fuss!!
This year was EXTRA special since one of my ewes decided to give birth on that very day, right in the middle of the party!!! The kids got to witness a miracle that day, and also my struggle to save one of the lambs --- who DID survive and is thriving --- Such a wonderful time and memories that the kids (and us ADULTS!!) will NEVER forget! ~~~ Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Jul 31 2008 : 4:59:05 PM
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V-8. It sounds very strange, but we had the drink at Thanksgiving and Christmas only. There was something about it that made the whole day special. Something to look forward too. As much as I love stuffing and turkey, years later when we gathered and there was no V-8, it felt different even though the same people were around the table.
Best Growing |
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jumpingjuliet
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
becky
oroville
CA
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Dec 18 2008 : 3:12:54 PM
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This is such a great thread! One of our traditions when I was little was that we had to wait for dad to go down and fix the fire and make sure Santa came before we could go down stairs. It was like holding race horses back. Christmas night we would go down over the hill to my Great Grandma's with all the cousins. We would have supper of cold cut sandwiches and salads. We were not allowed in the family room until the last person was done eating. My uncles would draw it out driving us nuts. Then we would all go in the family room. Everyone had their own pile of presents. We would go around the room each opening one. That way the kids had to be patient.
Another tradition was getting to go with dad on Sat. morning to get a haircut. Then we would go to dunkin doughnuts. Once a month he would take one of us with him. I would sulk if it wasn't my turn.
On New Years my family would have pork sauerkraut and kunadles for dinner. It is a German tradition to bring good luck in the new year. Our family has done this forever. I don't care if it brings luck or not it is yummy.
With my husband we open one present Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas. New Years eve we watch a Porky's Marathon. Odd tradition I know but it came with the husband.
Tracy where in CA are you from. I am trying to find local or relatively local farmgirls.
I am one with my inner farm girl! |
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Keeping in Touch: Family Traditions...post your stories here! |
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Family Traditions...post your stories here!
