Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Traditions

Unlike my husband who can blog almost every day, I struggle.  It isn't that I don't have things to say, because I am quite a fascinating person:-)  It's just that I lack time.  With the whole Holiday season upon us I was baking and cooking almost every night, as well as doing last minute Christmas shopping and wrapping of gifts, mine and wrapping Gary's to give as well.

For some reason without fail before every vacation I get sick, Thanksgiving, I was sick and now Christmas and I am sick.  It could be because I assume that I will have tons of time to sleep in, so therefore I can now stay up late and let my health slip.  Apparently being around kids most of my days has caused my immune system to go wacky.  I don't usually pick up my kids illnesses, but before a break, you better believe I will come down with a cold of sorts.  With traveling, visiting friends and family and being sick I just haven't had a lot of time to blog.

I am a huge fan of traditions, well certain traditions, ok mostly traditions started by myself.  Every Christmas for the last 7 years or so one of my best friends, my husband and myself get together to exchange gifts and eat at Olive Garden.  Who doesn't like unlimited soup, salad and bread sticks?  We meet, engorge ourselves and unwrap gifts, some slightly more humorous than others.   Meg (my bestie) and Gary have a fun relationship.  They've known each other for 11 years, since our freshman year of college and I've known Meg since 3rd grade (you can do the math).  Gary and Meg are more like brother and sister, which is great, because who doesn't want their best friend and husband to get along so well?  This year, however, with traveling up to NJ before Christmas we couldn't stop at Olive Garden, much to my dismay, instead we went to The Cheesecake Factory.  Now, one cannot  complain about this place, I mean who doesn't love yummy food and of course, Cheesecake?! 




The hustle and bustle of Times Square


Someday I will stay here at The Plaza....someday.....


This is close to being as good as Italian Pizza
Another tradition that I love is one that Gary and I started our sophomore year of college: we go to NYC every Christmas.  There is nothing better than going to NYC at Christmas time, yes the cold can be pretty harsh and the crowds unruly, but truly, I LOVE IT!  In the past we used to go up a few weeks before Christmas and actually try and do our Christmas shopping there, that was a little much.  Now we go in and just walk around.  We usually go to Macy's, Times Square, 5th Ave (of course, I drool a little), Central Park, Saks and the tree at Rockefeller Center.  We always get nuts from those little Nuts 4 U stands, roasted almonds and as we are leaving the city I always get roasted chestnuts.  Some other favorites are Carnegie Deli- Nom Nom! and Grimaldis down under the Manhattan Bridge (DUMBO). If you are looking for good, sorry no Great NY style pizza than go there. It's a walk, but you get to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and there are some great views from there. 








We've also bought a Christmas ornament in NY every year, usually we buy one from Saks, it's pretty much the only thing we can afford there, but then at least we get the snazzy snowflake bag.  We have also started going over to Bergdorf Goodman to buy ornaments, let's just say some day we will have a very expensively decorated Christmas tree.  However, until we get a bigger place the ornaments will just have to stay neatly packed away in their beautiful boxes.

I also want to make it tradition now to read the Christmas story together Christmas Eve, if we go to Christmas Eve service than I want to make sure as a family we read it together on Christmas day.  It is after all the whole reason for Christmas, not just the red and the green and the giving and receiving.  My first year teaching one of my students said "the best gift that we get at  Christmas is that Jesus came." Couldn't have said it better myself kid....brought a tear to my eye and joy to my heart.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

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