Christmas Tradition

My favorite Christmas tradition is one that is no longer an active tradition. I can't remember exactly which year this ceased to be our tradition, but it was bound to end at some point as I grew older...and to be honest I'm not sure what year it actually started, I just remember the tradition itself and the fun memories made as a result.

When I was a child my dad worked, a lot. He worked a swing shift as an electrician for the Timken Company so if dad wasn't at work, he was trying to sleep. Thank goodness he could sleep through anything, even a limb falling off a tree right outside the bedroom window, because in our house full of girls we weren't exactly quiet. My dad also ran a lawn care business as well. So he was busy with that from about March to November each year mowing lawns, landscaping, trimming shrubs, raking leaves and cleaning out gutters. Shrub trimming days, landscaping days, and leaf days were when I was able to go along and "help," but those are stories for another blog. The previous explanation was to give you an idea of just how busy my dad was when I was a child. He tried to make time as often as possible for the big events~concerts, field days, and soccer games. I can't recall him ever missing one of those events...he may have, but not often enough for me to remember.

Anyhow, this tradition started as a way for my dad to spend time one on one with each of his girls. So one Christmas it became a tradition for my mom to give dad a list of a few items she would like, things that my sisters and I could pick out. One by one we each had our date with dad to go pick out a gift for mom. Our date consisted of a meal typically lunch or dinner depending on dad's schedule and what time of day we went out and then we went shopping for mom's present. I remember dad reading me the things on the list and asking which one I would like to find for her. I always picked the most practical item on the list, something like slippers or pajamas. Always. Even now I pick out practical gifts for everyone. If it doesn't really have a purpose you won't be getting it from me. I'm just a bit too practical I guess. It was fun to have dad time though. It also depended on his work schedule and how much sleep he had as to how far from home you were allowed to go to shop. Sometimes you only made it into town (Salem), but I remember one year I was allowed to go all the way to the mall (Canton). I think I may have made him eat at McDonald's each time we had our date too. I love McDonald's french fries. He would tolerate eating there just because he knew it was my favorite. Also, as part of the tradition we would rotate out who was able to go shopping first with dad. I don't remember why it was so special to go first each year, but it was. Special memories.

There is one particular year that each of us remember for no particular reason other than the story behind the gift bought for mom. It was Maggie who purchased this gift with dad. They went shopping at the Joshua Tree in Salem, which is no longer there, and Maggie found her gift. It was an old style glass Christmas ornament of an angel in a white gown. She found it and said something to the effect of "oh it's beautiful, Mommy must have this." So they bought it for mom. It wasn't anything too out of the ordinary, but "mommy must have this" so it was cherished. A few years later (I can't remember when exactly or how) the ornament was broken. Each of us was saddened by its loss and the search began to find another ornament like it. A few have been purchased that were similar, but nothing else has been found that was even close until this year. This year my mother found what she calls "the closest thing to the angel ornament I've ever found." I think I'll stop my search this year since she has found something close. Maggie always picked the fun gifts. She still does. I think Katie falls somewhere in the middle of practicality and fun.

I've thought of this special tradition many times this Christmas season and I do every year. I think it is a very special tradition that should I ever have children I hope to continue with them. Special time to spend time with a parent. (In talking with my mom about some of the details of this tradition she said that she thinks it was started as something she read by Lou Dobbs [scratch that, not sure where Lou Dobbs came from but it was Dr. James Dobson] about dads spending time with their daughters, just the two of them and how important it was that dads spend time with their daughters. It is important. That relationship between father and daughter influences so many things you don't even think about or realize until much later in life.) I'm glad we had this tradition growing up. In talking with my sisters I've realized it wasn't just special to me, it was special to each of us. It is one of the biggest significant memories we have of time spent with our dad. We don't remember the details so much as just spending time with him. Just the two of us.

Merry Christmas! I hope all of you enjoy time spent with your families this year. Also, please take a moment to say a prayer for our military families and their family members serving far from home this Christmas so that we can enjoy time with our family.